Viewing post #2324290 by hlutzow

You are viewing a single post made by hlutzow in the thread called Construction and Summer Woes.
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Aug 9, 2020 3:53 PM CST
Name: cheapskate gardener
South Florida (Zone 10a)
Adeniums Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Garden Procrastinator Plumerias Houseplants Growing under artificial light
Frugal Gardener Foliage Fan Dragonflies Container Gardener Cactus and Succulents Butterflies
Artificial lights don't have to be all that expensive. My biggest setup cost me about $60 and a couple hours to build. It covers 5ft x 3ft with direct light and another 2-3ft on all sides of indirect, dimmer light for those plants that are lower light tolerant.

It was a DIY setup made with 1" PVC pipe and appropriate fittings, a 1" x 6ft wooden dowel, some chain, and 2 household quality 4ft fluorescent strip lights that take 2 bulbs each. I made it so that I could make it stand on the floor and light a tabletop, or I could shorten the legs to sit on the tabletop.

This thing is bright enough to get some beautiful stress coloration from my succulents and my golden pothos was really golden after a couple months.

After making this setup, I don't think I'll ever buy a pre-made commercial "grow light".

If you have floor lamps or any other type of light, you can put fluorescent or LED daylight bulbs in them, 5000 to 6500 light temperature (color), and point the naked bulbs at your plants. Use at least 100 or 150 watt equivalent bulbs and don't place the bulbs too far away from your plants. That should supplement the light they are missing until you can put them back in their usual spots.
I have found that coffee, tea, and rose can all agree on one thing... water everyday.

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