LED grow lights.

A place for general discussion
Forum rules
Be Nice. NO POLITICS
Post Reply
User avatar
Mash
Admin/Donated to SS
Posts: 8396
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:25 pm
Location: In front of PC.

LED grow lights.

Post by Mash »

Well the nights a pulling out 😁
Time to thing about seeds.

Anyone used led grow lights? Any good resources? Comments?

I am thinking of starting my chillies & toms earlier?
To Gin-finity and beyond !
User avatar
phantom
Moderator/Donated to SS
Posts: 1619
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:40 pm
Location: Coastal bit (down here).......

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by phantom »

Mash wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 8:20 am Well the nights a pulling out 😁
Time to thing about seeds.
Anyone used led grow lights? Any good resources? Comments?
I am thinking of starting my chillies & toms earlier?
Looked a few years back at grow lights as an idea. Didn't bother at the time as they were well outside the price I was prepared to pay.

Did start reading up on them when I noticed that to start, I'd need 1 colour and once germinated to first leaves, then change colour to the "main" growing colour.

Was also thinking of the chillies, toms and some herbs.

Still wonder about the viability of this, but still unsure how much or size of light is needed for something like a 750X500mm growing area. Plus would I still need any heat/warmth or is there enough within a closed frame set up to keep the seeds happy ?

I think I still have a sort of medium-sized propagator (heated) that I could use, then just suspend some sort of grow light rig above it (will have to check the shed to see if I still have the propagator).
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away." Tom Waites
User avatar
Mash
Admin/Donated to SS
Posts: 8396
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:25 pm
Location: In front of PC.

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by Mash »

I have got an amazon jobby. It does the different colours for different stages and you adjust the height for the wavelength?

First lettuce test failed. Second test is so far so good. The only thing I want to stop is leggy seedlings.
To Gin-finity and beyond !
User avatar
phantom
Moderator/Donated to SS
Posts: 1619
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:40 pm
Location: Coastal bit (down here).......

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by phantom »

Mash wrote: Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:00 pm I have got an amazon jobby. It does the different colours for different stages and you adjust the height for the wavelength?

First lettuce test failed. Second test is so far so good. The only thing I want to stop is leggy seedlings.
Sure, that makes sense. if the seedlings get leggy, the plant growth as well as the flowering/fruit seem to suffer.

Either way, will have a look at Amazon because if I can set up the propagator (if I can find it) and position a grow light over the top, in theory the seeds should have the best of both worlds (the only one that'd still be a problem would be curry leaf plants, because they need to be kept at over 30C to germinate)..........
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away." Tom Waites
User avatar
Mash
Admin/Donated to SS
Posts: 8396
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:25 pm
Location: In front of PC.

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by Mash »

This is the one I bought. Certainly big enough for seeds.

2023 Upgraded BW1000 LED Grow Lights Double Chips Full Spectrum with 3-Metre Cable for Greenhouse and Indoor Plant Veg and Flower Growing https://amzn.eu/d/c9KMR3j

Goes nicely of my prop.
https://www.charlies.co.uk/whitefurze-p ... -52cm.html

https://www.charlies.co.uk/whitefurze-g ... d_source=1
To Gin-finity and beyond !
User avatar
Mash
Admin/Donated to SS
Posts: 8396
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:25 pm
Location: In front of PC.

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by Mash »

Either way, will have a look at Amazon because if I can set up the propagator (if I can find it) and position a grow light over the top, in theory the seeds should have the best of both worlds (the only one that'd still be a problem would be curry leaf plants, because they need to be kept at over 30C to germinate)..........
Brew mat underneath. Do same for chillies
To Gin-finity and beyond !
User avatar
phantom
Moderator/Donated to SS
Posts: 1619
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 8:40 pm
Location: Coastal bit (down here).......

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by phantom »

Mash wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 7:17 am Brew mat underneath. Do same for chillies
If I can find the propagator, it already has a heated base i.e. it's done with a layer of damp sand on the base try, then the seed trays sit on that, so any excess moisture can drain but it stays at the same temp except when opened to mist the seeds/seedlings, but your brew mat suggestion is marvellous, I hadn't thought of that (but I don't have a brewing heat mat any more, as mine died some years back and only have a brew belt ATM, which is fine for buckets, DJ's etc).

If the propagator is still in the shed, it doesn't matter if the heater is buggered, as I'll just get a brew mat.........
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away." Tom Waites
User avatar
Mash
Admin/Donated to SS
Posts: 8396
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:25 pm
Location: In front of PC.

Re: LED grow lights.

Post by Mash »

I use Pea gravel, just the same as sand really. I keep all the vents shut, high humidity and boil the little buggers up.

A mate of mine uses an old fridge...
To Gin-finity and beyond !
Post Reply