Lighting for starting seeds, etc

Could someone tell me if there are certain lights you're suppose to use to start seeds? Also, would the same lights work to overwinter herb plants that I'd like to keep healthy and useable in the winter time?
I've been using flourescent lights....just regular 40 watt flourescent bulbs in them, and the herbs I have in pots are either dying off or all wilty-looking. I moved them to a South window a couple weeks ago, but there's just not enough sun here. This winter has been too cloudy. They look a little better, but not by much.
I need to figure out my lighting before I start my seeds or I know I'll have the same problems. Help!!!

For seed starting, you can use 1 cool white and 1 warm white bulb in a "shoplite fixture" BUT these must be kept about 2in from the top of the plants.

GE has an incandesant grow light for full size plants

wal-mart about $7. Might use a double timer, give the plants a few extra hours in AM and PM.


Byron

Aren't shop lights small? Or are they long like regular flourescent ones? I guess I'm not sure what they are! I have my plants on a table that's 6 feet long by about 3 feet wide, and the whole thing is just about covered with plants, so I need to use some kind of long lights. When I go to start seeds, I'll be covering the same size table with seed flats too, so again I need the longer lights.
The $7.00 price at Walmart you mentioned....is that for a bulb or a fixture?
As far as a timer goes, I don't think I need one. I'm up by 5:30 every morning and don't go to bed until midnight or so most nights. (I shoot for 10 pm but never seem to make it!) *lol* So what I've been doing is having that flourescent light on for all that time. I turn it on when I get up, shut it off when I go to bed, and still my plants droop.

It might not be the lack of light, but the house heat that is killing your plants. Even though I water well, there are some plants that just won't make it through the winter for me with our DRY heat.

The shop lights are the long fixtures with 2 flouresent bulbs in them. Just the right size for a plant table! I've used just the regular bulbs that come with the lights for years and have done well starting seeds. They aren't expensive - yes the fixtures sell at Wal-mart for $10 or less (can't remember if the bulbs were included?) and new bulbs are only about $1.00 each. There are plant light bulbs for more $ that will fit in the shop light fixtures too.

Okay, evidently what I'm using IS shop lights. Do you think if I bought plant light bulbs for them, that would help? I'm using the regular dollar bulbs, and my fixture is about $10.00 to buy one at Walmart, and it's about 4 feet long or so. I do know it's dry here, and we heat our home with firewood. My pots don't look dry tho. hmmmm....

Have you tried misting your plants every day?

Take an Al. broiling pan, fill with water and place on wood stove, refill daily. This will act as humidifier.

Byron

Here's my two cents:

Shoplights are pretty standard at 4' long. Here's what I did:

Home Depot:

4 shoplights (4' long)
Pack of regular 40W bulbs for the shoplights.
2 4' extention cords
3 8'x10"x1" boards
9 shelf brackets
Extra length of chain, teacup hooks

All of these items can be purchased at Wal-Mart or most any store.

So, I get home, put up the 3 shelves on the wall, and attach the lights to the underside of the top two shelves with teacup hooks and chain.

Give it power w/ the extention cords, and badabingbadaboom I've got 16' of growing area. Seed starting trays are almost exactly 2' long, so I can fit 8 full trays under my growlights. I'm already planning to expand to at least 8 more feet.

Dave

There are differences in flouresent bulbs.

Plants need a certain light spectrum and intensity (fc=footcandles)

In flouresent bulbs each type has a different light spectrum
The Daylight/aquarium bulb has the broadest spectrum.

Missing is IR or infrared. This can be fixed with a standard
25w bulb near the plants.

Flouresent bulbs have enough intensty to grow very small
seedlings. But not enough for big plants.

When you get into full grown plants you need more light intensity. The grow light mentioned above or a metal halide/sodium vapor mix lamps at about $300 to $400

Byron

Dave!!!! You really made my day!!! Boy, do I have plans for my hubby!!!! I'm so excited!!! Why didn't I think of setting up my seed starting shelves that way??? Sheesh! I've got the perfect spot for it in my basement too! Sounds like I'm gonna hafta set up two different ideas too, one for the started seeds and one for my full sized plants that I over-winter inside. Hmmmmm.......better go tell my hubby not to make any plans for this weekend! *lol*

My plant set up is similar to Dave's. Except I have a table with 2 lights suspended over it from the cieling, and another light attached to the bottom of the table for more plants. I recycle the bottom of milk jugs for sowing and potting up. I can fit 16 containers under each light.

I grow my houseplants on a plant stand (aka a bookcase from Walmart) with the short flouresant lights attached to the bottom of the shelves for the plants on the next shelf down. (Did I explain that right?) I've been growing 3 African violets, among other plants, this way for a couple of years now. The violets bloom almost continuously and 2 have new plants waiting to be divided and potted up. They get a little bit of indirect light from a window, but the lights fixtures are the main source of light. Just what works for me.

Woodfires do dry out plants tremendously, even though the soil may be kept moist from watering. You might try sitting the houseplants on a tray of aquarium stone covered with water for some moisture around the plants in addition to misting the plants.

Made mine out of rough cut lumber.

Made the shelves out of 1x10 with a 1in gap in the middle for improved air flow

Shelf supports are 1x3 dry wall screwed into some 1x6 for vericles.

4 sets of shelves

I can make shelves higher or lower with 6 drywall screws.

A 2 light sets per shelf.

I rotate trays 90% everytime I water. 4 tray's per shelf

4 units.

Each unit take 22" by 54" floor space.

Byron

My setup is much like Daves. I have 2 running boards, each 6 inches deep by 8 feet long. These are suspended from under cabinets. I have the 4 foot shop lights over top of the boards, total 4 shop lights. I was going to get 2 foot shop lights but I was able to fit in the 4 foot ones. The 4 footers cost me $8.97 each at Home Depot. They come with chains. The bulbs were the most important decision. You need something of *40 watts* (not the cheaper wattage ones) and giving off of more than 3000 lumens per bulb. A good choice is one cool 40 watt bulb(about 3100 lumens..got a pair for $4.00) and one warm bulb (40 watt kitchen and bath type with about 4000 lumens..got a pair for $5.00). These bulbs are rated to last about 5-8 years so the extra price and broad light spectrum is worth it. These are my suggestions for light and starting seeds. Other lights are needed for maintaining growing plants indoors. Have fun :)
Trish

My seed starting shelves are similar to the other posts.
I used the vinyl coated wire shelving.It is open to the next shelf, That way so dirt,moisture and dust only collects on the floor. And who really looks anyway! I have 4 ,4 foot growing spaces counting the floor and the light isn't blocked by the shelf above it.There isn't much light 'overflow' but it also helps with air circulation between the shelves by having them open.

I have my light system worked out, but wonder about the air temp,in my basement. Probably, around, 50. Too cold for germination, or does the light also supply, enough warmth?

phloxy_lady: the florescent lights emit a very very small amount of heat at the top but not down to the plants below. 50 degrees is definitely too cold for germination. You should consider moving the setup to a room-temperature place.

Dicentra; Thanks for the info! Another question tho:
What kind of lights are needed to maintain growing plants inside?

In the February issue of Garden Gate they have the plans of a light stand made out of PVC (plastic pipe). In aprox. 4 foot by 3 foot area you can start 10 standard flats with lights. You don't have to have a free wall for shelves. Plus any can move it with one hand when it's all put togther. I modified the top shelf so I now have room for 12 flats. I use regular shop lights (4 foot) with one regular bulb and one grow bulb from wal-mart (aprox. $6.00 for the grow bulb). I keep the lights 2 inches away from the starts other wise they get to leggy.