Light box seedlings

Generally now is not the time for sowing seeds, but I wanted to show you these.



These are just three weeks and a day since sowing! They are Salvia seeds (S. coccinea and S. pratensis) that I sowed in my light box last month. They are in a heated propagator at about 35C and get 14 hours of light a day. They think its summer!

 

excellent, Peters. I need to do some winter sowing of cannas and bananas. It sounds good idea to get a light box. Any suggections about that?

 

I am not sure if you can buy them. I made this myself - its very easy. I can easily give instructions if wanted. The key is knowing the light level. It cost about �£60 - most of that was just three ordinary light fittings. Its rated at 90 watts, so costs about �£4.50 per month to run (14 hours a day).

There are some seriously expensive special lights on sale - but all my research shows that it is not neccessary.

I am enjoying the box a lot, as I am still gardening - but inside. And the plants clearly like too.

 

Brilliant Peter. I would love a light box. I did think that maybe buying a second hand 'aquarium' and using that may work. (The fact that the light would 'spill out' is not a problem.) But I would be interested to see your instructions on building one from scratch.

Always did want to grow lollipop sticks. Sorry, for that horror I will apologise. :rolleyes: :D

 

John, I have written some notes. I will type them up and add some photos.

 

yes, please.

 

Lighting in grow-boxes is the important factor at the moment fluorescents are the cheapest heres a site that may answer a few questions,if you look at the update at the bottom you will see the best type of tube to use,there led lights coming on to the market very expensive at the moment but probably the way to go as the cost comes down they are very cheap to run http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/fluorescent.html

 

Very interesting and informative Walnut. Have book-marked the site for future reference.

 

very interesting indeed.

 

Excellent site Walnut.

I have just finished writing up a word doc on my box, with pictures of its construction. If anyone is interested - just send me a direct e-mail, so I can send it back as an attachment.

 

thanks.

 

Thanks Peter. It looks easy enough for me even.

 

That was impressive - very detail and thorough, peter, a lot of thanks. I will get one made by hubby if i am luck

 

Thanks to all of you who have shown interest in this. One thought occured to me, that wasn't written in the report.

If you are going to make one of these and keep it in the house, you need to ensure that the strip lights don't hum. I would drive me balmy to have something on in the house that constantly hummed. I don't know how you ensure that. I was lucky, I bought my lights from homebase, because it was closest to me. and they are totally silent. But earlier I had bought some strip lights from B&Q to use in my garage/potting shed and they hum something rotten!

 

trip to home base!!!!!! thanks.