If you have full six-packs of short plants or of taller plants slip something beneath the sixpack to raise it up closer to the light. Of course, if you're bottom watering that won't work for the short ones because they'll be out of the watering zone. I mostly top water except when I soak individual cups.

I was looking at my lights this afternoon and from the actual LEDs to the edge of the fixture in it 1-1/2". The edges of the lights will be just above the seedlings so the LEDs will probably be 2 to 2-1/2" above those. I hadn't realized that before and not sure if I like it or not, but it's a little late to do anything about that now but these suckers are *bright* so hopefully will make up the extra distance. One fixture that I replaced had *very* short hood edges to it and the tubes actually protruded past the hood...the fixture, if laid flat on a table would have rested on the tubes so could be placed really close to the plants..unlike my current Hyper Tough fixtures which have the LED strip recessed further up into the hood. Not a game killer, but something I noticed. I think the setup is the best I've come up with so far...proof's in the puddin', though, so I'm looking forward to starting some plants!!!!

I was reading more about leggy brassicas and they might just be too warm in the house. I think I'll get a shop light and plant some more in the shed. It should stay above freezing there from now on.

Cam, I would start the seeds indoors - just to get them sprouted - and then put them out in your shed (with the shop light).

I'm not really sure about the idea that the warmth would be making them leggy, though - I started broccoli and cauliflower in June last year for a fall crop, got them started indoors and then moved them to the high-tunnel greenhouse, and then planted outside around August 1st; they were truly some of the nicest brassica plants I had ever grown!

Although I have a HID lamps for my taller plants that need deep penetration I use t5s for most of my seedlings due to their economic characteristics. The one thing that is essential with t5s, is adjustable shelf/light heights, T5s work best when almost touching the tops of the seedling. Light value decreases rapidly as you distance the lights from the plants even by inches.

Four foot led shop lights got fromWalmart side by side fit two seedling flats . Just get the highest lumens they have. Bright lights that don't get hot and don't cost much to operate.

BillAstell said: Although I have a HID lamps for my taller plants that need deep penetration I use t5s for most of my seedlings due to their economic characteristics. The one thing that is essential with t5s, is adjustable shelf/light heights, T5s work best when almost touching the tops of the seedling. Light value decreases rapidly as you distance the lights from the plants even by inches.

Yes, keeping the tubes close to the seedlings is *very* important...and being able to adjust either the shelving or light fixtures heights is how to do it. In my setup I raise/lower the light fixtures. I have two pieces of aluminum angle stock hanging from each end of my upper shelf. Chains suspend the angle stock and each light fixture has it's ends resting on these aluminum pieces. Adjusting the chain is easy, using s-hooks. One thing I *don't* like about my setup is the strength of the chains...I was in a rush and bought some at Wallyworld...the result is that the fixtures are somewhere between five and ten pounds below the chains' weight capacity so I'm *very* careful when I'm messing with it. I had used heavy cord prior to the chain and it was a real pain to get adjusted just right...a little stretch or a little slipping of a knot as it tightened up.

The "inverse square law" is something good to wrap our heads around. My *very* caveman understanding is...if you have your light 1" above the seedlings and you move the light to 2" above the seedlings then you've just reduced the light falling on the seedlings to just 25% of the original energy. Then, if you raise the light another inch the light ends up being like 6% of the original light energy.
That is pretty heavy-duty!!!

I mentioned earlier after inspecting my Hyper Tough (Wallyworld) LED fixtures that the distance between the LEDs and the edge of the hood is something like 1-1/2"...meaning that is basically as close as I can get the fixtures to the top of my seedlings. I would like to have the option of getting them closer but since I don't I'll deal with it. It will give me a bit of insurance against burning the growing tips and these lights are nice and bright. The Hyper Tough are stated as being "45 Watts", but, upon plugging the three fixtures into a Kill-a-Watt meter it shows right at 150-watts being used. Either the simple power-strip that I'm using is consuming a few watts itself, or the light fixtures are using more energy than the specs state. The higher power consumption makes me wonder if the lights are a tad brighter than their 5000 lumen specification.

MochaJoe said: Four foot led shop lights got fromWalmart side by side fit two seedling flats . Just get the highest lumens they have. Bright lights that don't get hot and don't cost much to operate.

I plant seeds in 20-oz styrofoam cups. Twelve cups will fit inside a 16-quart Sterilite plastic container with the cups' top edges ending up just below the top of the plastic container which makes it handy during germination. I can sit three of these containers beneath and parallel with the three side-by-side 48" fixtures...I could probably could fit four containers if I turned them at right-angles to the fixtures but 36 plants are all I need to be fussing over being as I'm only planting for myself and maybe a few plants for my gardening buddy. I'm lazy and don't like to "pot up".

Here in South Dakota (zone 4b) I don't get seeds going until mid March for which I have a scattering of lights around the house since I don't have a shelving unit available. What I have is an aluminum foil covered piece of wood holding 2 2' grow lights from Wally world hanging under my one empty shelf. Its very awkward raising the shelf. Then I have 2 PVC stands that I built sitting on 2 different tables each holding a 4' grow light but since the tables aren't 4' wide I have a strip of plywood across each table. I use a pully system for raising the lights that I absolutely love! No more chains for this gal! Here's a pic but please note that I took these pics off the internet. I don't have pics of my own setup yet. But at least it's something to look at. . .







I'm also a single, old female that can only do a relatively small garden but I usually end up starting seeds for 3 or 4 friends that have much larger gardens.

Hey, it sounds like it works for you and in South Dakota, too!!! I like the grow light stands! If I had found those cord locks I might still be using cords to hang my lights

I like the idea of those pulleys too - I also use chains, and the pulleys seem like they would be much easier (especially for the lower shelves).

I stopped growing peppers completely a few years back due to problems with the pepper maggots but I used to grow a couple hundred varieties every year and it was fun. When my seed starting was in full swing I was using around 70 4ft floro shop lights and always used the cheapest bulbs I could find didnt matter what the lumens or kelvins were because if you are only growing seedlings to put in the garden its all you need. The trick is to keep the plants as close to the lights as possible and I did not move my lights up until they were growing up inside the lights. I have not been on a pepper forum in quite awhile, hope my 2 cents helps.






Each one of these peppers is a different variety.

Podpiper, could you tell us more? I am really intrigued by your set-up. What type of soil mix did you use? Did you run a fan? Thanks!

Your set-up is inspiring-- you started a whole garden!

That is truly a remarkable setup!!!! And the number of pepper varieties is great, too!!!! Very well organized and your garden looks great!!! I'm in awe!!!

Thepodpiper said:
I stopped growing peppers completely a few years back due to problems with the pepper maggots but I used to grow a couple hundred varieties every year and it was fun. When my seed starting was in full swing I was using around 70 4ft floro shop lights and always used the cheapest bulbs I could find didnt matter what the lumens or kelvins were because if you are only growing seedlings to put in the garden its all you need. The trick is to keep the plants as close to the lights as possible and I did not move my lights up until they were growing up inside the lights. I have not been on a pepper forum in quite awhile, hope my 2 cents helps.



Each one of these peppers is a different variety.

I'm surprised to hear a regular bulb works. I wouldn't have thought it would.

Actually, for vegetative growth (what we want in growing seedlings) the cheap "Daylight" bulbs are in the color spectrum that the young seedlings like. Get them as close as possible like @Thepodpiper said.

Years ago I grew seedlings a few times. I had a fixture with "grow tubes" in them, the purple-tinted plant lights. They were more expensive than "regular" tubes and I got to reading. Seems that people were combining a "cool white" tube with a "warm white" tube in the fixtures to make a blend that was close, light temperature-wise, to that of the grow tubes. Then as I read things (I over research things..."OCD Me" ) I found that really all the seedlings need is lots of light...the 5000k being better for them than the 2700k ones, but either will work in a pinch.

I have kind of a small set up, wi th an LED fixture on top and two fluorescent tubes on bottom. Some houseplants piggyback on the light leaking out the sides and ends.

A double-decker!!! Looks good!!!!

You know me..."OCD Me". What about maybe some foil on that back wall? It's light colored and reflective now, but...could it be enhanced a tad? As I said,...you know me.

Why yes Ed! Actually, at a time I've wrestled something back there ..you remind me I think there's a used space blanket in storage that would do the trick..

This is my first germination setup. I have seeds in 220 cell trays and had them on waterbed heaters that were controlled by a remote bulb thermostat set at 86 deg.




more pics of setup a little more productive



I have always used Pro-Mix for all my grows it is a very good product and best of all it comes with no ferts of any kind (not good for starting seeds).



I never used a fan for my seedlings but do use one 100% of the time for my other indoor grows. I also use the same shop lights for vegetative growth on those plants.

I do grow all the plants for my own garden but usually would grow about 8000 seedlings for my plant sale.

Whatever lights you are using the trick is to keep them as close to the plants as possible, you can check it by putting your hand just above the plants under the light and if it burns your hand it will burn the plants.

These are all old photos and nothing in them is as it was. the seedling room is now my gun room and the garden pic is a 140 tree orchard which includes 125 varieties of apples and other various fruits. Everything is always a work in progress and I am addicted to gardening as most of you are.

I have a very extensive seed collection as well with around 2000 varieties of peppers and 4-5 hundred heirloom tomatoes. anyone interested make me an offer. In private.

@binfordw:
I love your boxes! How do you mount the light onto them?