rew@cbosgd.UUCP (Bob Warren) (12/10/85)
Does anyone know a good source for grow lights? What I am looking for is a 3-4 foot flourescent light mounted in an adjustable-height stand. The plants would be placed directly below the light and the light would be adjusted as the plants grew. Burpee used to carry something like this-- does anyone know of another source? Thanks, Bob Warren cbosgd!rew
smh@mhuxl.UUCP (henning) (12/11/85)
> Does anyone know a good source for grow lights? What I am looking for > is a 3-4 foot florescent light mounted in an adjustable-height stand. The "experts" say you should buy the cheapest light fixture you can find and use one cold white tube and one warm white tube. If you are growing plants for flowers you might want to add some red tungsten lights. The so-called "gro-lites" give off less light and lumens is the name of the game. By mixing the warm and cool white tubes you get a fairly flat spectral response.
rmrin@inuxa.UUCP (D Rickert) (12/11/85)
> Does anyone know a good source for grow lights? What I am looking for > is a 3-4 foot flourescent light mounted in an adjustable-height stand. > The plants would be placed directly below the light and the light would be > adjusted as the plants grew. Burpee used to carry something like this-- > does anyone know of another source? Many years ago (how's that for honesty) I bought my wife one made by Sylvania. It uses the 24" bulbs rather than the 48" ones so its good for flowers on a counter top. I got mine at the local Sylvania distributor who also sells fixtures retail. It wasn't cheap but she likes it and it still works fine. First place to try then is a place specializing in ceiling fixtures. Next approach is to buy the growlamp packages GE sells for about $14 in a style similiar to their "Brightstick". This will require mounting on the underside of something so its good for use in a cabinet or bookshelf arrangement. Last choice is what someone else suggested, by cheap ($12) flourescent fixtures that take the 48" bulb and buy bulbs in hardware or nursery store. Definitely the most light for the money but only suitable for basements (which is where I keep my two all winter for fresh herbs and stuff). -- You are Beautiful, Dick Rickert my manufactured love;- AT&T CPL but it is only Svengali, Indy, IN talking to himself again. Reward is its own virtue!
rfc@calmasd.UUCP (Robert Clayton) (12/11/85)
> Does anyone know a good source for grow lights? What I am looking for > is a 3-4 foot flourescent light mounted in an adjustable-height stand. > The plants would be placed directly below the light and the light would be > adjusted as the plants grew. Burpee used to carry something like this-- > does anyone know of another source? > > Thanks, > Bob Warren > cbosgd!rew There is nothing special about the light fixtures for grow lights. Any standard light fixture will do. Your local yellow pages will list stores specializing in light fixtures. Also, visit a good hardware store to study the bulbs available. A plant's light needs can be met by a mixture of ordinary flourescent and incandescent lighting. I believe a ratio of 60:40 fluorescent to incandescent is recommended. Office fluorescent lighting with some daylight mixed in works well too. This is why some people say that bringing their plants to the office rejuvenates them. Especially since many offices leave the fluorescents on 24 hours a day. The problem is the intensity. You probably do not want to leave room lights on 12-16 hours a day just for a plant in the corner. You can buy both fluorescent and incandescent spot flood bulbs called grow lights. These use phosphor mixtures that give a compromise of light frequencies. Once you see what bulbs are available at your local hardware store, you can buy a fixture you like at the lamp store. Bob Clayton GE Calma R&D San Diego
rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (12/18/85)
> Does anyone know a good source for grow lights?...
A slightly embarrassing (to some) source for high-quality indoor plant
growing parapher...er, equipment (fluorescent and incandescent lamps,
fixtures, planters, timers, etc.) is your local headshop. Also see
magazines which cater to such folk for mail-order sources of same.
[Discretion advised depending on where in the country you live.]
Yeah, it's weird but it's true. (They're also about the only place to get
a decent balance at a decent price...)
--
Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086
...Are you making this up as you go along?