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To: Marcella

A) Seeds, with very few exceptions, do NOT need light to sprout; just the opposite, really.

Way back in the 1950s, 1st or 2nd grade, we did a classroom science experiment: planted seeds in paper cups, then put some on the west facing window sill; some in a box with a light constantly lit, and some in a dark cupboard. Cupboard sprouted 1st; light box sprouted poorly or not at all.

B) A “plant light” can most often be totally wrong for growing plants. Most so called ‘plant bulbs’ found in stores or online are designed to make indoor plants ‘look greener and healthier’, rather than help them grow! They don’t put out the the wavelengths the plants need for photosynthesis, but just enhance esthetics.

C) A true plant growing light puts out a steady, set amount of useful energy; and each plant needs a certain, and ever increasing amount of energy as it grows. That means any particular growing light can only service a more less set number of plants of any particular size/age; and fewer of them as they grow. It must be close enough to the plants to provide the energy they need. Getting the right, and right sized, light takes a lot of careful consideration; and it can be tricky to keep the seedlings growing optimally.

D) The lights also (unless really expensive LEDs or ‘heat dissipating’ setups) also produce heat, so can not be too close to the plants, or it will cook them to death. Therefore, it must be set up so it can be raised as the seedlings grow.

E) Even if they don’t get too hot, but get enough light to grow, if the bulb is too far away for optimum growth, you’ll get long, ‘leggy’, week seedlings.


227 posted on 08/15/2013 11:07:26 AM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: ApplegateRanch; rightly_dividing; blackangus; greeneyes

Rightly dividing has made me a dolly for the tomato barrel for the squash and I’m going Saturday to his and wife’s farm to see their place and get the dolly. According to my GPS, they are only 9 miles from me.

As soon as the squash seed comes up, I fill the tomato barrel with potting soil in the house cause I can’t stand the outside heat, then I’ll roll it outside using the new dolly. This barrel has a circular tall stand in it for a trellis so that will hold up this large squash plant. Now, if the squash seed would just germinate....


238 posted on 08/15/2013 1:37:43 PM PDT by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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