Additional light for seedlings

Hi, this is my first post so please be kind.

I have a very small north facing garden (no green house). I would like to start some seeds off in my garage, its only window faces north. I was thinking of using a number of (old type) bulbs to provide additional light and some heat. I am on an extremely tight budget so canâ??t afford an elaborate set up. Do you think my idea is ok or does anybody have any suggestions please.

Thank you

Stuart

 

Hi there Stuart and welcome.

Do you have a windowsill in the house that you could use? Depending on what you are sowing, some seeds need warmth, some need light, or both. if you are sowing veg like toms or peppers, pop them in the airing cupboard and check them every day, as soon as they germinate put them on the windowsill. What are you going to sow?

 

Thanks for your reply. Sorry, no suitable windowsills in the house (low windowsills and an inquisitive toddler). I am not growing anything adventurous, some sunflowers, nasturtiums and a few pea plants.

 

Hi Stu. The answer to the bulbs is no. I looked into this and as a result have build myself a light box that does exactly that. But you need very high levels of light, and old type light bulbs just wouldn't produce enough. I have three 30 watt strip lights over a growbag tray. But this is also enclosed in a box with reflecting sides to keep the light in. You have to insulate light against loss in the same way that you would insulate heat against loss. If you don't, you waste most of it and it becomes very expensive. You would need 500 watts of old bulbs to do the same and that could fry the seedlings.

My approach would be as Blackthorn said, what about a small table by a window.

But don't worry, if you can't. Plants depend on light to grow, and currently light levels, even outside are very low at this time of year. If you plant later, when light levels are two or three times higher, they will grow faster than they will do now. So essentially you lose much less than a month if you plant things a month later.

 

Nasturtiums will start off fine with limited light. I'd just go ahead and plant them in the garage near the window and as soon as they are up and about, and there is no further risk of frost (which makes nasturtium look like boiled cabbage), I'd plant them outside.

Or, with all three of the plants you listed, you could grow them outside under home made cloches made out of 2ltr pop bottles with there bottoms cut off.