happy_maccomb....we have been talking about your gro lights all winter....did you ever get the humidity tents from Charleysgreenhouses???
This was back in December....the stands certainly are used for growing now....the bottom two shelves are for keeping lights 4" -6" over seedlings, etc.
Bettygail -- oh, if you only knew how many half-finished projects I have! My husband was going to build me PVC shelving, and then we decided it would be easier to get the Lowes shelves. So we returned the PVC, and but Lowes was sold out of the bakers rack. And there were the holidays and big work deadlines and whatnot! And then I had to get the plumber to move a pipe that was right where I wanted the shelves to go in our tiny laundry room. But at least I have the lights! Need to get the cover and the shelving. And by that time it'll be spring and I won't need it until the fall -- but this time I'll be ready for fall!
I got vinyl protector material from Wal-Mart that will cover the front, top, and back for less than $9 (5 yards at $1.77 a yard by 4.5 foot width). Then I went and got the rest they had at the one store with 20% off (13 yards and I wanted 37). I haven't gotten around to cutting some material for the sides but don't want it too hot and steamy. Then I found the weather insulation (Frost King vinyl I think) for glass doors on clearance for $5. It is 12 foot long by 4.5 foot wide and may be a bit thinner than the vinyl protector material. I picked up 3 of those but should've gotten them all. It is very clear but being flexible gives the plants a bit more room to grow versus glass or plexiglass.
Here is an example.
hcmcdole: How do you attach it?
I gotta tell you folks this is an EVIL thread. I already have one of the expensive light gardens I bought with a windfall last year (and am KICKING myself for doing so after reading this!), and I set up a four-shelf set of storage shelves with two lights per shelf. I fear that now that I have all this great information (not to mention a membership at Sam's Club, I will need to run out and buy a third, and a fourth, and Aaaargh! Somebody stop me before my whole basement is full and I spend more on keeping the lights going than it costs to air condition my house in the summer!
Seriously, though, great information - and I may very well end up getting at least one more, even though my tax refund for this year is long gone!
Welcome to Enablers-R-Us, Z.
Do it Zarebeth...do it..
I'm going to Sam's this weekend
The good news on the shelves is that they are wonderful -- for all things, not just seed starting. I bought one, just as many of you have, then I went back and got 3 more. Then I bought some for my sisters and mother for a present. Then I got one for my outdoor storage shed. I think I bought one or two more after that for the basement. I love them because they hold a lot and have castors. They were $70.00 at Costco and look like the pics people are showing above.
Then my husband decided he wanted one-- but he made his only 3 feet high so he has 2 short shelves. Mr Clean has every tool ever made and each tool has its own parking space on one of his 2 shelves. I ALWAYS get caught when I borrow one of his tools, not because I don't return it and not because I forget where it was on which shelf, but because I don't know the secret to how he wraps the electrical cord around the tool and the exact N-S Orientation of the tool on the shelf. LOL! I just pile stuff on the shelves until the pile leans so far that adding one more thing will make everything slide off!
Suzy
Suzy, I won't ask what my husband is doing there with you, but please just send him home. -thanks
happy_mccomb,
I just drape it over the top - it would be a lot easier with the shelves bare and pulled out from the wall but with a stool and a little wiggle room between the shelf and wall, it isn't too hard.
Not sure if you can see it in this picture but the rack in front of the window was the first one that I draped. I have 15 feet on this but 13.5 to 14 would've been perfect. The other two racks have been draped since this picture plus some wooden shelves in another room.
The plan is to continue in this vein but possibly create "windows" using wood slats to create a "window" and velcro or some other kind of hangers to attach these to the wooden shelves. This would allow easier access for watering and possible venting. This sounds like a good summer project after all the plants are moved outdoors.
Great ideas, all!
after reading this I thought you might like to know I built my shelf for free, yes completely free, I have been planning this project since last year, and have been collecting parts, I got 4 casters of an old computer desk, a small pile of steel left over from a constuction job by a contractor from out of town , the wood is from a deck I took down from a house that was being tore down, the lights , bulbs and wiring were from a remodel job at a local business, it took me about 4 hours to weld up the sides put in the crossmembers, and wire up the lights, I spent 12 dollars on solid flats so water cant get into the light, but the shelf (in pieces) itself was free for the asking which made me feel good when I saw a similar one in a catalog for 835$ sorry the pictures are on my other computer, will post later Caleb
heres the pic of my free shelf
Great job Caleb, give yourself a pat on the back!
Yes great job,
That's fabulous!
Since it doesn't look like you can adjust your lights, you might want to put something underneath the flats of shorter plants to raise them up so they are just a couple of inches from the light... they'll be happier and won't tend to get leggy.
yes i flipped some flats over and put under the seedling flats to start, but the light fixtures have 4 bulbs on each shelf and are very bright, the bonus from this setup is that the lights put off nice even heat and the seedlings are coming up faster than ever, Im eventually going to get some sheet metal pans to go over the shelves, but I havent found those for free yet, can you tell Im a cheapskate? well on some things, I already spent close to100$ on seed this year. my first batch of tomato starts is 8" tall and 1/4 thick stems after 5 weeeks, I was planning on 8 weeks to get them up to size, a good light makes all the differance, last years were leggy and pathetic. good luck all and happy growing. Caleb
Caleb, I know what you mean... every time I save some $ on a gardening project, I get all excited and then splurge on something else!
You're right about light making all the difference to getting sturdy seedlings... although my neighbors leggy, windowsill-started tomatoes do look pretty good after they'v been planted out a while... but I like having stocky little seedlings that won't seem like they'll snap in half at a harsh glance!
Enablers-R-Us. ROTFL!!!
Cool shelves Cgarvin!
I haven't taken pictures yet, but I sowed cabbage Monday and it was up yesterday. I did plant by the moon for above ground crops.
I did cool a chicken in mine so the cats wouldn't get it :))
We had a forum called Dirt Cheap that I can't find now... I got the plans from a thread there a couple of years ago and I am so thrilled with my plant stand!! It is made from PVC pipe and cost me around $40. I just pounded the joints with a rubber mallot and never glued them.. I moved it when I moved last Feb and didn't have any problems!
Here are the instructions:
You will need:
10' lengths of 1" schedule 40 PVC (7 to 8 pieces)
(40) - 1" tees
Hand held Ratchet Style PVC cutting tool (it's worth it)
Tape measure
Sharpie marker (or similar marker - pencil will work)
Cut the pieces as follows: (Colors in the picture)
(16) - 19-1/2" horizontal long pieces (Red)
(16) - 3" horizontal short pieces (white)
(12) - 14" vertical side pieces (Blue)
(12) - 15" horizontal cross pieces (green)
(4) - 5" legs (orange)
T's are gray in pic
Red = 16x 19.5" horizontal bars
White = 16x 3" connectors
Blue= 12x 14" vertical bars
Green= 12x 15" cross bars
Orange= 4x 5" legs
Grey - 40x T-connectors
It will hold 4 nursery trays per shelf. I use boards on the shelves for extra support. For the top shelf, I have 3 shop lights to germinate seeds... the other shelves only have 2 shop lights. Walmart has the grow lights in 4' lengths cheap, but you need to get the fixtures from HD or Lowes since the ones at Walmart are not strong enough.. (costly lesson learned)
Since the lights hang from chains, they are adjustable.. I've even used 1/2 the shelf for tall plants! This pic is from Jan 2006, looks funny, cause now I have so many seeds germinating I haven't got room for anything!
Those are nice shelves too ZZ!
We ended up adding anothere light to each shelf, Fluorescent doesn't reach as far as you think. We carried it to the garage Sunday. I got all my stuff planted.
Someone once told me they use one blue fluorescent and one red in place of the more costly grow lights. Has anyone ever tried this, or can comment on whether or not it will work?
I thought I recalled a consensus that the most costly grow lights aren't worth it; that the regular lights work just fine. If true, you wouldn't need to spring for red or blue either.
Yes, regular lights will work fine. That's come up on a number of different threads, and I can't remember anyone saying they had better results with some kind of fancy lights. So I agree, no need for red and blue, just get plain old fluorescent bulbs and you'll be fine.
Thanks!
I used plain fluorescents last year and they worked beautifully.
Me too, just make sure to keep them right on top of the plants, but high enough to not heat the leaves. The light doesn't spread as far as you think it would.
That is what I used last year. Two fixtures, four bulbs per shelf. I also used rope lights to heat the plant trays. This year I am building a box to put the rope lights in and covered with kitty litter. That should even out the heat some maybe even raise it a little. Last year it held the temp right at 65 which worked, but I think it could have been higher.
Russ
I've never heard of rope lights.
Most stores carry them especially around Christmas time. They are lights encased in a flexible plastic tube and come in different lengths. like 6' and 12' lengths. They have different colors of lights even just white.
Wal-Mart, Lowes, Menards and Bomgaars, all carry them from time to time. Some people use them for exterier Christmas lights. Some use them under the top raling on their deck for a little light to see the steps, or maybe it's just the thing to do. lol
The thing is they do put out heat, the full length of the rope.
I run a 12' back and forth, the length of each shelf. Can't control the temp though, other than what is between the light and the flats. and how much air can circulate around the lights. Haven't had any that was too hot yet. I will be using the boxes as an experiment this year. Will try controling the heat by how much kitty litter I put in each box.
I had the rope lights but didn't have any heat mats so I improvised. It worked good enough. Just trying to see if I can make it better this year.
Russ
Russ,
Please be careful with those rope lights: http://www.seasonalspecialties.com/Rope_lights.html
Russ, as soon as I hit send I had a feeling that was what you meant.
jasmerr :>) Wil l be careful. Thanks! Noticed the tail end isn't lit. Since their instructions were to either use it that way or replace it. I will use it that way this year.
Now to get the plant stand set up and use just enough kitty litter to barely cover the rope. It is stil l a little early to start any tender plants just yet. But I need to establish my part of the kitchen .LOL. Not really Barb knows that is the only place we have for starting the seeds.
Russ
Russ, I hear you on no space. My problem is finding a counter to do the seeding. The card table just isn't big enough.
Hey Yall!
Right now we have some flourescent grow lights from Walmart and some flood size plant lights but based on your info, I reckon when they burn out we'll just get some regular lights.
As for seed starting, I have a large garden tub that holds two 72 cell trays very nicely. Once they germinate they get put under the lights on that plastic HD shelving in my bedroom.
When they get bigger they go into small pots in the attached GH.
Molly
MollyMc, seems like where there's a will there's a way : }
This is a PVC plant light stand which you can make yourself: It's at T's Flowers: http://www.tsflowers.com/plantstand.html
Remember Joyce?
The Thread is over in "Photos" PVC gro-light stand now: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/169142/
~* Robin
I've seen the pvc stands, but I must admit that I'm partial to using a simple, inexpensive baker's rack instead. It only takes a few minutes to put it together out of the box.
Still,"to each his own", so thanks for posting!
We priced the PVC stands, and I have to agree with Wrightie: The baker's rack was only a tiny bit more expensive, if that. And for our purposes, the baker's rack worked better. But the PVC racks are really cool -- we may do one yet.
