Elsewhere,
@crittergarden and others have asked for pics of my Plant Torture Chamber (my DW's name) better known as my Basement Grow Area. Finally got around to taking some pics. The entire area is only about 200 + square feet, but quite intense. It fills the SW corner of my basement. I started growing down there in 12/13 and really got cranking 13/14 when I had over 2,000 seedlings. For several reasons, last year I did not start many - maybe a couple hundred seeds.
The first pic shows the South side. The 4 shelf unit (3' wide) on the left is not used at this point. It will be used as a rotation holding area and can hold up to 12 seventy two cell trays side to side (864 seedlings). On the right is a 5 shelf unit where I now have 2 trays of seeds going. I started planting shortly before Christmas and have germination of Luffa sponge and Dragon Fruit. I plant everything in Light Warrior seed starting media which is moistened with water/hydrogen peroxide solution.
The second pic shows the West wall shelf where I have a 4 foot shelf - will hold 5 shelves - only have it set up for 4 now.
I have 1 tray of misc and a narrow tray of hardy cactus seed. On the bottom left are unrooted and rooted Plumeria cuttings from DrDawg. Bottom right are some of my 2 year old Bonsai trees. The second shelf has some Airplane plants I am growing for my Master Gardener's Spring Plant Sale.
The two large shelves have 8 fluorescents - a mix of T-12s and T-8s. On these two shelves I can place 16 - 72 cell trays (1,152 seedlings) slong wise or 24 - 72 cell trays (1,728 seedlings )side by side.
The third pic shows my two 400 Watt Metal Halide lights. The big plants that I winter over here are growing under these two lights and they are also bright enough to project a good way.
The fourth pic shows 3 of my larger plants - NOID Brugmansia still blooming nearest on left. Back behind is a roseum Neriam Oleander. Back and to the right is a Brug Arborea (grown from seed) - also in bloom. The 2 Brugs have lost a lot of leaves from their torture, but have now been in bloom since September. Had I left em on the deck, they now would be dead, so I am syre they appreciate it.
The 5th pic shows more of the torture chamber. Hard to see, but above the 5th shelf straight ahead (behind the humidifier - which runs 20 hours a day) is a basement window which provides natural light on the 5th shelf. Above that shelf is another 4 foot fluorescent fixture. (Right now I have 8 four foot fluorescents with four currently on.)
The 6th pic is another view towards the SW corner from behind the tortured large tropicals.
The next pic shows my Watsonia in front of my Plumeria cuttings. I potted them up 11/25/15 (no water) and did not intend to water them til Early February. On 1/1/16, I noticed they were popping up so I moved them from my Garage Grow area (torture chamber 2) to my primary Torture area in the basement and watered them. I figured this was the best course of action.
To the right are some of my Bonsai trees - all of which I grow from seed. Most of these are Bauhinias (5 species) as well as a Karoo Boer Bean. Front left. It is going to make a great Bonsai. This Spring I will start fiddling with the roots and repotting into Bonsai training trays.
The next pic shows some more wintered over plants - mostly citrus (4 types - clementine, lime, orange, Meyer Lemon), some Mexican Petunias and a Gerber grown from seed in '14. Sorry for the bluriness. Taken from a junky phone camera.
This next pic shows a Luffa - my first seed to germinate. Planted 12/29/15. Behind it is a sad Luffa that I think dried out while I was at the Great Plains Growers Conference since Wednesday. My plants were certainly tortured. [sigh]
This next blurry image is some Dragon Fruit planted on 1/3/16. Eager little devils. [Thanks to
@Pistil. ]
The final pic is the entire torture chamber from another angle.
In the background of the pics you can see the reflective metalized film I installed. It IS doing its thing quite well. Wish I had had a light meter to measure before and after. Next Summer I plan to paint the floor semi gloss White.
In addition, I have a 4 shelf portable mini Greenhouse that I can hold 4 - 72 cell trays placed length wise or 8 trays side by side. This can hold 576 seedlings and I place it under the metal halides and rotate trays to under the fluorescents. All told with my current set up, I can start well North of 2,000 seeds.
And yeah - it is a nightmare when they really start growing.
Hoping they don't have to til Mid April when I can move them to my pretend green house.
