Question on growing lights....
What does one look for for a good grow light?
Any recommendations on a good brand or type?
About three years ago, when I still lived in Chico Ca, I decided to start many vegetables early instead of purchasing starter plants from the store.
I looked into grow lights, and learned that the best ones were the same ones pot growers use.
You can purchase LED lights. Look into the ones that have at least four different colors so you get the full array of the light. Once you start looking into them you will see what o mean. I purchased two LED lights that had 104 LEDs in each of them, and the plants I started inside were 100% better than any ones I could have bought. Plus they were some of the best vegetables I ever grew.
Pot heads are idiots, but when it comes to growing their pot, they are real good on knowing what type of light is best for the growth.
So look into pot plant grow lights. You will be pleasently surprised at the rather low cost, and the high benefit. Especially since LED lights are low energy, and do not scorch the plants like other lights can.
You will still need to regulate the temperature, but I’m sure you already know that. The light part is very crucial. So look into them.
I have always used some combination of shop lights (2’ or 4’) and fresh bulbs every few years, or have purchased a ‘full spectrum’ fluorescent bulb for one of the two bulbs and remembered to rotate my flats every few days.
I now have a 4-shelf (only three work, LOL!) grow light rack, but I only own it because I got the deal of the century on it as a parting gift from Jung’s. (Retail for those are ridiculously expensive!)
Your set up doesn’t need to be expensive to work well.
Also - keep the top of the plants 2” below the lights from beginning to end, once you have germination. You’ll need to be able to adjust your set up as plants grow. I’ve done that using stacked bricks or old books.
16 hours on, 8 hours off. OFF is as important as ON. You won’t gain anything by keeping them on 24/7. Plants need to rest, just like all living things.
I had a customer come to me with a flat of BLACK pepper seedlings. He wanted to know what was wrong with his plants. After a rather lengthy conversation, turns out he had the seedlings as close to the bulbs as he could get them, and had it on 24/7. He had basically cooked them!
Here’s a step-by-step DIY to build your own with recommendations on light bulbs, etc: