Led grow lights recommendations.

I am running my LED grow lights for 12 hours a day. On at 07:00 and off at 19:00. Is this okay? Currently sunrise is approximately 08:30 and sunset 16:30 - give or take.

 

I have mine on a 12 hour cycle two. And I'm trying to time things that once we get 12 hours of daylight, I'll start bringing plants upstairs and near windows so they "walk" into spring and summer naturally.

My total seedling areas under lights total only about 28 square feet but those watts sure do a great job!

 

I was kind of hoping that I could use the natural daylight and just extend the day length.
Or is that not how it works.

I know if you get an overcast day the light levels are pretty low but on sunny days is it worth having the lights on.

 

Well, not really, the propagator is in a place that will catch some sun on decent days, so was wondering if its worth setting up a timer to extend the day length, ie come on say around 3pm and stay on for about 4 hours.
Then on really dull days overide the timer manually and turn the lights on until the timer kicks in.

 

Not really to any great degree,they are only two 1ft square panels and at this time of the year the sun mostly comes into the greenhouse through the sides.

 

My potting shed is my garage/workshop and the only light is via small windows in the doors which have a westerly aspect so I have to have artificial light at any time of the year.

 

Plenty of plants would enjoy that kind of situation like Orchids, Streptocarpus etc etc. though you could always add extra side widows or roof lights ..

The modern leds are so energy efficient most can afford to have then on all the time, barely more than most household devices we leave in standby so often.
Some folk even make use of the white light security Led lamps, though not tried them myself.

Is that a car electric charging point coming though the door ?

 

I recently bought a 10watt Led flood light just to light up the area in front of my shed.
Got me thinking now, wondering if one of these would do the same job.

 

Have read about folk with planted aquariums growing those plants with such Led floodlamps, like any Led lamp just be careful you do not burn the the plants with too much light, think more young plants will start to take on a redish appearance as a defence against too much light ?

 

@pete LED's are pretty cheap to run so powering them on dull days probably wouldn't be a big hit to your bill.

Not all of my plants will fit in front of my windows when it gets up to 12 hours of daylight so some will need to remain in the cellar under lights. And I will start lengthening their "daylight" hours to keep in lock step with the outdoors until they can go out into the greenhouses.

Our electricity prices are wicked but as I say, LED's, even running 24/7, wouldn't cost me much if I decided to go there.

The reason that I use the 12 hour base for timing is that, to me, it is pretty much a "neutral" growing setting without going down into winter mode/shorter hours.

And I am trying to duplicate living on a lower parallel - and yes, that is just season extending.

 

I've just ordered a 10watt floodlight, only cost just over a tenner, so just experimental really, to see if there is any difference between them and the coloured LEDs.

If it was ok it would be cheaper to run that than the panel LEDs which I think are 45watts each.

The way things are, I have two 2kw heaters running, keeping two greenhouses frost free, plus the propagator which is 75 watts, if I remember correctly, so trying to keep the cost down.

I'm going to go for the 12 hour day length I think, that brings it up to early April like conditions.