Window Sun vs Fluorescent Shop Lights

burner89

burner89

Well-Known Member
I am trying to get an early start and wondering what you guys think is the best lighting for seedlings. They won't be going outside full time till around the first week of June.
Here's some info on both options.

Window is west facing and gets around 5-6hrs of direct sunlight assuming its sunny. The direct sunlight will slowly get longer as the days get longer. The temps would range from 17-30C (62-90f).We use portable greenhouse in the window to keep the cat away from them. In a month or so the greenhouse will be going outside and get 10+ hours of direct sun.

Shop lights are in the basement where the temp is 12-17C (54-63F) and slowly getting warmer as spring finally kicks into gear around here. I am able to keep the plants as close as I want to the lights. Its cloudy today so I put them under the shop lights and am monitoring the temps to get a better idea.

At the very least the shop lights will be used to extend the day to about 16hrs.

So basically I am wondering if its best to use the combo method or shop lights full time till the greenhouse can go outside.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and thoughts
 
Morbid Angel

Morbid Angel

Well-Known Member
I do both. but its kinda a pain in the ass. I have 125W 6500K on a timer to come on in in the morning, then go off after I wake up and move the plants to the sun, then come on again in the eve when the suns going down and ill move them under the light again, etc.

but thats a pain in the ass, i just hate wasting shit like energy, so I get off my lazy ass.
 
Liddle

Liddle

Well-Known Member
shoplights. all the way. unless you have some magic glass that doesnt suck uv out. ive heard that you get as much usable light through a window on a very sunny day as you would during a thunderstorm with them just being outside.
 
D

~Dankster~420

Well-Known Member
I sit my little guys in a seedling tray & place a dome over it to keep in humidity. I sit that right smack in my bay windows during the day to catch the Uv's, then at night they are moved under (daylight) CFL'S. Works like a charm. I also mist them with a (kelp mix) ph"d to 6.0 - 6.5 during the seedling stage.
burner89 said:
I am trying to get an early start and wondering what you guys think is the best lighting for seedlings. They won't be going outside full time till around the first week of June.
Here's some info on both options.

Window is west facing and gets around 5-6hrs of direct sunlight assuming its sunny. The direct sunlight will slowly get longer as the days get longer. The temps would range from 17-30C (62-90f).We use portable greenhouse in the window to keep the cat away from them. In a month or so the greenhouse will be going outside and get 10+ hours of direct sun.

Shop lights are in the basement where the temp is 12-17C (54-63F) and slowly getting warmer as spring finally kicks into gear around here. I am able to keep the plants as close as I want to the lights. Its cloudy today so I put them under the shop lights and am monitoring the temps to get a better idea.

At the very least the shop lights will be used to extend the day to about 16hrs.

So basically I am wondering if its best to use the combo method or shop lights full time till the greenhouse can go outside.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and thoughts
Click to expand...
 
takaosma

takaosma

Member
You should be more than alright with either option, using the sunlight when yah can, and shop lights when yah can’t, I’ have heard that the same amount of sun is absorbed on a cloudy day vs a sunny day tho. if you can box in a small area for them down in your shop that might bump the temp up from 60-80, depending on how hot your lights are.
 
burner89

burner89

Well-Known Member
They stretched pretty bad in the window so they get the shop lights most of the time. They have had a couple of days outside in a mini greenhouse. It was 50 outside but 70-80 in the greenhouse. Giving them 15h20mins of light a day. Its snowing here today:wall:
 
FresnoFarmer

FresnoFarmer

Well-Known Member
windows stretch plants. plus you need a fan on them so they dont grow spindly stems. Shop lights work perfectly fine they keep plants short and stocky.
 
Growan

Growan

Well-Known Member
All my clones have grown on realy well under a 2 tube 4' fluro. It's not ideal, don't think it's blue spectrum either, but they're not exactly stretchy, especially as I've lst them a bit. They go in the flower room under the hps at night too (well, my night, their day!)
 
Growan

Growan

Well-Known Member
Yep, mine are basically touching. It'w worked well in that the lower branches are stretching till the reach canopy level up near the light. Shop light canopy control is the new supercropping!
 
wvblazin

wvblazin

Well-Known Member
I use shop lights and cfl's for about the first month or so.. after that, I harden them off outdoors. I've always had decent results with that combo.
 
burner89

burner89

Well-Known Member
The shop lights have been doin the trick, but they sure love the days we get them outside in the sun.
 
Rob Roy

Rob Roy

Well-Known Member
Giving them sun at least part time might help them transition to the outdoors easier.

Also if you put them outside and then bring 'em back in, watch out for hitchhiking mites etc. that want to become mother fuckers.
 
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