Saturday Project

Oh those are dreamy Laurie oh how I wish they did not cost so much.

The little one is exactly like that with only one shelf and half as wide. The larger one is very similar. With two shelves but the lights are a little different. The light have two sets of two tubes per shelf and each set of two lights adjusts seperately from the other set. So I could have a high light in the back and a low light in the front of each shelf.

edited for spelling

This message was edited Mar 20, 2006 8:11 AM

Hope these pictures help you see the difference between the large 2 shelf stand and the smaller 1 shelf stand.

This if the 2 shelf stand with two seperate fixtures on each shelf. Each fixture hold two 4 ft florescence lights.

Each set of lights is adjustable so there are many conbinations of light exposure that you can arrange.

The smaller one is like the pictures of the site BC posted; only it has just one shelf and is half the width of my larger shelf.

I love your setup! I like the light setup. It looks alot easier than mine on chains - easier to move up and down. I think I might look into that for the next rack.

Wow..I have been trying to figure out what what to use for a grid. ":)
I would never have thought of the lighting fixture grids...What an awesome idea :)....thanks for sharing

Allison I agree, they are beautiful and I want them so bad I can taste them but the price! YIKES!

Have no fear April, you can make your own pretty cheaply!

http://www.carlnet.org/~ttsdaly/plantstand.html

(in our sticky)

Nanna,
Beautiful setup!!
Sharon

Thanks Sharon.

I'm here and I think this is a great product. So what exactly do you do? Put the green trays down, then the grid, and then the plants on top. I guess you use wicks to get the water up to the plants? I wonder how long plants could go with this type of system?

Jesse

Hey there Jesse! That is exactly what I did. I set it up Saturday. I only put less than a quart of water in each tray. I looked this morning and it looks like some of the trays are just about empty, especially those with the heavy bloomers.

The trays will hold much more water so I'm guessing about 10days if I put two quarts of water in a tray. I think the stand is sturdy enough to support the plants and that much water. Also, the added humidity is helping. Gosh they look pretty!

I would be happy if the water lasted a week. Most of the little wells I used needed refilling every 3 to 5 days and had to be done individually. This is so much easier. So far I see no algae building up and that was a big problem with the little individual wells.

The other thing I really think is helping is either using Spring Water O R drawing the water from the tap and allowing it to sit for 24 to 48 hours before using it. Spring Water would cost about 10 dollars a month. Tap water needs remembering to do it.

The fish emulsion was slightly smelly but the plants do look better, especially the leaves. I think I will use it once each month in one of the waterings.

Nanna, are you using the Lysol when you water?

No I stopped the lysol and the murphy's soap. I found that it (they) clogged the wick. I wash everything with lysol once a month. I think I was bug crazy there for awhile. I did see three thrips but the insecticidle soap and systemic seemed to kill everything. It has taken 6 weeks but the plants are now in bloom again with no signs of bugs.

I think the tight centers were caused from chlorine in the water. I have started with spring water and things are looking much better.

Sorry for the long answer. Lysol is great for mildew, but I don't have that problem.

I;ve been lucky and not had Mildew but do get some Algea in the winter mostly in the cups with leaves down for progating. So for past couple years I've used Lysol. Hek the bottole says it kills virus, fungus, algea mold mildew and more :)) And AV's can get some of these.
And Murphy Oil soap for preventive . But I always wicked but never had a problem but everone's different.I also like to use dish soap blue dawn. These products for me can help with prevenative and kill soft body insects so I won't have to use the hard stuff .
What is excellent to use in waterwell for people that wick , any standing water for your plants is Physan 20 !
It will control any fungus (damp-off) virus, bacteria, mildew and algae in your greenhouse. Disinfect your cutting tools to prevent transfer of disease, and sanitize your pots and flats with it !Protect cuttings and bulbs by soaking briefly in Physan 20.
It's good for other plant too !

Control mildew, rust, black spot, and gall on roses and extend cut flower life. Also use to control algae and fungus in evaporative coolers. Physan 20 is a concentrate that mixes easily with water, and does not leave residue marks on foliage
I read a lot it's been around for years pick up a book about Av's today or twenty years ago it's great for putting in your wicking wells !
This is good for me does not mean it will be for someone else !

Allison,
Do you add the lysol and murphy's soap to the water you water the plant with or do you use it to wipe and wash things down?

I add it to the water the plants drink. I wash everything with bleach. All trays and buckets new pots everything is soaked hot water in tub heavy bleach. I'm sure too much as Hubby would say. lol I sense then started adding a capful of tide in with the bleach in the tub for soaking any tools, new pots get sokaend, trays, plastic boxes and pot holders.... and they seem to work real well together so use them both the last two times !

Thats a wonderful setup nanna.your plants look beautiful.

nanna, if you are buying spring water for the plants, you might as well buy distilled water. It's better because spring water usually has more dissolved solids and a higher salt content (tastes better). Distilled is a bit closer to rain.

Thanks, Jannich. I love walking in that room first think in the morning.


Keyring,

I was using distilled but was told that it had no nuitrients and that spring water was better. Should I return to distilled and add Thrive?

Again, I was also told that I could use tap water if I let it set for 24 to 48 hours to get rid of the chlorine.

Now, I don't know what to do. Too many choices. Suggestions, please!!!!!

Would rainwater be ok for AV's?

Yes Rainwater would be good if you could collect enough ! Last summer we have central A/C but it got so hot we also added a room air and I used the water from this. They say this water is most pure. But Life is not this easy to get Rainwater and A/C water when ever you need.
So Keyring mentioned Distilled is a bit closer to rain .
Nanna I have also read several places bottle water can be depelted of needed minerals ? Wonder if Rob's says anything ?

Rob advises against rain water. He says it can be acid and through off the ph. It can also depend on how you collect the rain water. Fall off from the roof can be contaminated by what ever chemicals are on the roof. I don't think I would use rain water.

Well when an if I ever had rain water was maybe 2 times couple years ago it was collected straight into a bucket !
Using this would be best to check the ph of your water, soil an water and soil together ! If proper PH the water
will be safe to use ! Also fertilizer can change the ph too. Good idea to check water after what ever your adding to it. And checking soil ph after watering.
I read in my Av book water from the Air conditioner is most pure you can use. And I did use some last summer.

That's exactly right Allison. It all depends on the ph of the water.

guess I'll stick with tap water.I drawn a gallon or two and leave it for a couple of day with the cap off.Is this ok?

Nanna,

I just got my 2 x 4 grid, now what do I do? How did you mount yours? I have the chrome shelves that lots of people have been buying from Sam's. They are 4 ft long and 18" deep. I guess I can cut the grid in half but I don't know what to do to hold the grid in place. Help.

Jesse

Jan I use tap water and use it right away. I like warm to hot water have for years and my plants are happy so no reason to change ! Sometimes in the summer I have used water from the A/C . It comes out in the Screen room so it's warm.

Hey Jesse

I cut the grid to the size of the shelves. My large shelf is 2' X 4' so I didn't have to cut. The smaller shelf is half the size lengthwise so I cut it with kitchen sheers. It takes a little effort and with my arthritis I did it in three sessions resting inbetween.

My grid just rests on the trays that fit into the frame. I didn't have to secure it in any way. If you could post a picture I might be able to suggest something for you if your set up is different from mine. Bill would be happy to look at the picture and make suggestions, also.

It you look at post Mar 19 at 8:09am you can see the grid simply rests on the trays.

Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.

Nanna,

I bought some of the grid and cut it in half the long way. That is because I have the black flimsy trays. Where can I buy some better trays? I really love the idea. Thanks so much for sharing this idea. I'm going to buy some more grid tomorrow.

Jesse

Jesse, I put a link to Park Seed above... they carry the Perma-Nest heavy green plastic trays like the ones that came with Nanna's shelf unit.

Thanks critter.

Jesse

Jill, Thanks for posting the site for Jesse.

I am going to add the grid to 1/2 of a shelf today. It will give me room for wicking plantlets and keep the leaves under the dome.

Hope this works for you Jesse. I really like the ease with which I can water.

Nanna does your water get cold sitting in the wells ? I notcie even here mine does. The past few nights have been in the 40's and we have heat on 86 but plant room gets about 65 with lights on, and windowsills may be colder . Luckly it's only 3 or 4 days of it. But I know any water left out gets really cold for me.

The water stays the temperature of the room. Our heat is set at 65. I have always watered with room temperature water. I'm sure that under the lights the water becomes warmer during the day. If the temperature gets above 75 I turn a fan on for extra air circulation. That keeps things from getting too hot. The room the violets are in has a large window that faces east. So lots of warm morning sun floods the room. I am thinking of changing the timer on the light stand. This will be the first spring and summer that I have had the violets under the lights. It will be an experiment to see how long to keep them on during the spring and summer months. They did well from September to March with 13 hours. But I think that the extended daylight of spring and summer may require some adjustments. I will begin with 10 I think because the light is quite bright in the room from the sun.

I keep gallon jugs of water in the same room. I keep the water away from the windows; under the table that the small light stand is on.

I know that I use cooler water than you, but from what I've read room temperature water is OK.

Yes they say room temperture or warmer. And who's room temperture. I was just wondering as I started taking the tempertures of the water in well's and it was getting colder than I thought it was. I fount my plants dry on top but from bottom up to center wet and cold.
So I had to stop watering this method. So was wondering how people up north made out.

I think it might have something to do with what your plants are use to. As long as it is constant I think it's OK.

Bumping up

Bumping till I have time at home to read this tonight. : )

I did this (as many can see in my thread I recently posted )
After having it a while :) I can't than Nan enough :) I just ADORE it!