Would you guys and girls with adjustable shelf light stands mind measuring distance shelf to shelf? And do you also have a shelf set shorter for minis and semiminis?
Thanks,
Debbie
Light Stands
My shelves aren't adjustable, sorry can't help you out. For my minis I lower the lights to be closer to the plants.
Maureen
If you scroll down to Jan. 3 on this thread, I posted some info on the spacing I used when setting up my upstairs plant stand...
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/565416/
HTH!
Critter, sorry I'm just now getting back to this, but I haven't had time to change my shelf heights yet. And thanks for the link!!!!
Couple questions. I'm guessing that with the lights that close the 40 watt tubes would be too much???? The tubes I have are 40 watt, t12.
Are your lights just regular shop lights?
And, how tall is your stand? I think I got the same one but didn't get the wheels. Other than that I think they're the same.
Thanks,
Debbie
This message was edited Jan 24, 2007 7:16 AM
Critter: Wow! I just finished going back to your past posts and photo's .... from 2005. You have so many AV's ... AMAZING. Your set-up's with stands are wonderful. Sometimes I get so envious of all the talent some of you have with your plants! I will have to keep myself in check! LOL. From your photo's, it looks like you have more AV's that the Rob's Violet Website! And, I'm in awe that some of you folks work full time, have families to care for, and STILL find time for so many Beautiful plants!
I'm just a beginning "collector" of African Violets .... but, my dream is to have one room in the house as a "Plants" only room! I've been thinking of the guest room since we got rid of the bed in there, talked about a Day Bed but haven't gotten one yet. We never have company, so I think that room would be perfect for my "Garden Room"! It's a small room, but I could fit a lot of plants in there!
Thanks for the links to your past postings .... Loved It!
Thanks, but I'm still a novice grower in so many ways... I just tend to get a little carried away when propagating by leaf, LOL. My winter project is to finish "weeding out" the plants that aren't growing well and catch up on repotting, grooming, etc. I always think they'll recover if they start suckering or get lopsided, but sometimes they just don't... and as long as I've got a plantlet or two coming along as replacements, I have to learn to let go of the ones that aren't doing as well. I also have to learn not to pot up every little plantlet that I get from each leaf I put down... I get quickly overrun with trays of plantlets, and again, the ones that start out with a funny shape don't necessarily grow out of it to become nicely balanced little plants, no matter how much I groom them.
Although many of my AVs are on that plant stand upstairs, I'd have to say the morning room is the place that's crammed with plants... it's a little nook off the kitchen, and in the winter there's barely enough room for my grandma's little kitchen table in there! I just cleared out all the plants yesterday so the floor and windowsills could get a good midwinter scrubbing.... now the plants are all over the kitchen floor, and I've decided that the overgrown scented geraniums must all get a good pruning before I put everything back.... I'm going to need the shop vac for the floor when I'm done (good thing it's linoleum, LOL), but WOW does the house smell fabulous now! I'll see about getting a photo or two, but I just realized I missed my chance for better "jungle" shots before everything got cut back!
Oops, just realized I was rambling along and never did answer the question about the lights...
The fixtures on my AV stand are 4 ft. double tube 32 watt T-8 bulbs... they have about the same light output as the 40 watt T-12's, which is what I have on my seed-starting shelves in the basement. (There are no AVs in the basement at present, but I may put some leaf trays down there soon.)
They are shop light fixtures. Two 32 (or 40) watt tubes will provide enough light for four standard nursery flats (1020) or for an 18" x 48" shelf if you also have window light... My seedlings shelves in the basement have two fixtures (four 40 watt T-12 bulbs) over each shelf, and there are also two fixtures on my lowest shelf upstairs because the window light just doesn't really get down there.
I put my standard AVs on the shelves with a little more height, and the shorter shelves are used for minis, leaf trays, etc.
edited for correction... I forgot that my shelves with just one fixture would have two fixtures if they weren't in front of a window.
This message was edited Jan 25, 2007 2:24 PM
I used 4 ft double light fixtures for years with either 32 or 40 watt bulbs.
I used all high spectrum grow lights, and then all cool lights. My stands were 3 ft by 2 ft five shelves 4 used for plants. I pushed them together and each 6 fy long shelf had two-three fixtures. One starting one end as far over it would go. One in the front same way then one down the middle in the middle of these two fixtures but hanging in the middle of the two stands pushed together. So the middle fixture did not reach 4 ft on each side but the ficutes in front and back did. Giving me 6 4 ft light tubes for each 6 ft by 2 ft shelf. Worked perfect for me !
That's a good arrangement, since it gives you areas of higher and lower light intensity... you can move plants around until they are happy with their spot!
It's been over a year since I set up the upstairs plant stand, so it's about time to start replacing the lights... I'm thinking of going with one warm bulb and one cool bulb in each fixtures... I'll replace one bulb in each fixture to start with, so the plants don't get shocked by a sudden increase in light from the new bulbs.
Sounds good Jill. I am still experimenting with the amount of time my plants are exposed to light. Right now 8 hours seems to be ok with them.
I am using UltraGold lights in all three of my stands and I have my lights on for ten hours a day and things are growing like mad....can't keep up!
Joanne
Nanna, 8 hours??!!! OMG, I've got mine on from 6:30 AM to 8 PM. Guess I'll bring that down and save on the electric bill!! LOL
Joanne, what are UltraGold lights? Right now I just have 1 cool and 1 warm light in my fixtures.
Debbie
When I went to my last BAVA meeting in October, I took a plant with me with the purpose of being taught how to groom leaves so the plant will "show" better. The first thing I was told was the plant was getting too much light. Actually, I thought it looked pretty good. I was told there was a slight downward turning of the leaves and that the leaves were not brittle but not as pliable as they might be. At that time the lights were on for 10 hours a day. On at 8 and off at 6. Right now I have them on for 9 hours. on at 8 and off at 5. The leaves have relaxed a great deal and the centers are not as tight. I also reduced the amount of lights per stand to 3 instead of 4.
This whole thing is really a matter of trial and error. If you have 30 people you will get 30 ideas of what is best.
Well, I'm gonna lower mine, but I should probably do it a little at a time?? Geez, I've got mine on for 13 1/2 hours!!!! I have no idea why I set em like that. Some of my leaves are turning down a little.
Your right!! 30 growers, 30 different ways to do it!!! That's true with everything!! LOL
Debbie
Good luck!
I shortened the hours by 1 hour yesterday. Do yal think a week is long enough to wait and shorten them again?
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
They are made by Floralight and that is where I got all three of my stands. I have a very good article on them that I got from another gal on another site...will dig it out and paste it in here for all to read.
Actually I will make a new post so anyone that is interested in them can view this testimonial from this gal.
Joanne
I think a week is good.