Grow Light germination ?

Very impressive all round guys

I might have missed something, but wouldn't aluminium foil be better than the catchy fire stuff?

 

Reflect a Gro -3C Hydroponics Shops

Or put another way, your light should be able to be located approx. 25% higher above your plants.

 

Ahh, did miss something then:DOH:

 

I thought you had a wife in a million until I got to your PS John :D Its looking good ! I see you have your new T5 light unit rigged up now as well.
On the fireproofing mentioned by Ziggy. I am using survival blanket mylar material which as Peter said is flammable polyester. So I am putting an outer skin of aluminium foil on my box in case of mishaps Next season I will use the Reflect a gro mentioned by Scrungee , and hopefully be able to clad it a little neater - it looks like I have an oven ready turkey on the end of my desk at the moment :D

 

That "Reflect a Gro" will cost you £10 though ... you won't get your money back from increased growth unless you have a very high value crop

"That's a really impressive bottom heat arrangement you have there in that last pic:"

Priceless

"The gas has been disconnected since last summer"

You missed a trick there John. "Start your seeds off at gas mark 1 until germinated ..."

 

I do agree with Kristen about the cost of "Reflect a Gro" - its not that I have anything against it, but I don't think there is any point in paying too much money for that last 5% of efficiency.

 

That "Reflect a Gro" would only cost £2.50 for 1.00 x 1.25m and is cheaper than white plastic coated hardboard:






So it would only cost me £2.50 to line a 600 x 400 x 625mm high (internal) grow box with a single piece of 1.00 x 1.25m of Reflect a Gro, but including wastage it would cost about £10 for 2 sheets of white plastic coated hardboard from Wickes.

As I already have loads of salvaged hardboard & plywood for a backing it will work out far cheaper and stained/lacquered ply panels salvaged from old furniture won't look amiss in my study, making Mylar sheet lining the cheapest, most attractive option for me.

 

You'll need 4 metres? (one metre each side, some for the top) hence I said a tenner

Do you need to line your plywood panels when you've made your grow-box? Some matt white paint would be "good enough" I would think.

Mind you, can't argue with spending a tenner on a Winter Growing hobby if you want to have a go :thumb:

 

Give it a go Scrungee. In a years time you will have forgotten the price - but still be be getting lots of pleasure from gardening in winter. :D

 

Hi - did you know you can subscribe to a thread by going to Thread tools > Subscribe to this thread

button above top post

tho actually i think i prefered your inane post

(did I know I could have sent this in a private post!)

 

I have been quite impressed by the progress of Canna seedlings in my mini grow box. I have taken temperature readings over the last couple of days. I measure 23°c at the bottom and 30°c at the middle /top. Is this not a bit to high to bring on seedlings I have a 30w CFL in basically a 18" cube and left quite a few air gaps near the top for ventilation , should I fit an air vent in the top cover to cool it down a touch

TIA

 

No covers John , the rpop is on the windowsill so I transpose the lidless seed trays straight into the grow box. Very very impressed with the results so far. I will fit a full vent in the lid to cool things down:lolpoint:

 

Harry - yes I would agre with John - 30C sounds too hot.

I had a conversation with a nurseryman almost a year ago, who raised a point I had never considered before. He was bemoaning our warm spring last year saying it was not good for the plants because the ground was still too cold.

I think what he meant by this is that warm soil helps the roots to grow well. And warm air helps the topgrowth to grow well. But if the air is warm whilst the soil is not, you get a lot of topgrowth on plants that don't have the roots to support it - which is not good.

So I take it that the general rule is that you want the heat in the soil rather than in the air for youg plants.