- Thread starter
- #141
MoonShadows
Almost Self-Reliant
UPDATE:
My lettuce and spinach continue to grow...but not as lush and fast as I would like. Also, the new seeds I planted came up but are leggy and growing very slowly. Now, that I am not bottom watering, and using a slight breeze across the soil surface, the mold is minimal, but still present.
So...I've made a few modifications...
1. The light hood of the unit is stationary, about 18" above the plants. I wanted it closer, so I drilled out the four rivets holding it to the top bar, attached 4 lengths of chain in the light hood through the holes where the rivets were and installed hooks in the four holes in the top bar where the rivets were attached. Now, I can adjust the light hood, and I have it much closer to the plants.
2. I was reading that while you can grow plants indoors with T5 florescent bulbs, Led Full Spectrum lights are becoming more and more popular as home grow lights because they cover the full spectrum of sun light, some of which the T5's lack. They are blue and red. Blue light is good for photosynthesis; and helps to induce Chlorophyll and Carotenoid, which are necessary for healthy leaves; Red light is best for blooming and fruits. They also help plants absorb more nutrients than T5's, especially some trace elements. So I bought an inexpensive kit with 4 - 2 strip Led's. They give off a very "low light" and make the plants look purple! With the T5's on, you don't even see the purple affect.
For the lingering mold issue, I have decided that I will harvest what I have now, and remove my composted soil. I bought a couple of bags of Black Gold Seed Starting Soil. I think that will eliminate or at least reduce further any white fluffy white mold on the soil surface which can also rob the plants of nutrients and is definitely affecting the new seedlings.
So, we'll see how these changes affect my experiment, and report back at a later date.
My lettuce and spinach continue to grow...but not as lush and fast as I would like. Also, the new seeds I planted came up but are leggy and growing very slowly. Now, that I am not bottom watering, and using a slight breeze across the soil surface, the mold is minimal, but still present.
So...I've made a few modifications...
1. The light hood of the unit is stationary, about 18" above the plants. I wanted it closer, so I drilled out the four rivets holding it to the top bar, attached 4 lengths of chain in the light hood through the holes where the rivets were and installed hooks in the four holes in the top bar where the rivets were attached. Now, I can adjust the light hood, and I have it much closer to the plants.
2. I was reading that while you can grow plants indoors with T5 florescent bulbs, Led Full Spectrum lights are becoming more and more popular as home grow lights because they cover the full spectrum of sun light, some of which the T5's lack. They are blue and red. Blue light is good for photosynthesis; and helps to induce Chlorophyll and Carotenoid, which are necessary for healthy leaves; Red light is best for blooming and fruits. They also help plants absorb more nutrients than T5's, especially some trace elements. So I bought an inexpensive kit with 4 - 2 strip Led's. They give off a very "low light" and make the plants look purple! With the T5's on, you don't even see the purple affect.
For the lingering mold issue, I have decided that I will harvest what I have now, and remove my composted soil. I bought a couple of bags of Black Gold Seed Starting Soil. I think that will eliminate or at least reduce further any white fluffy white mold on the soil surface which can also rob the plants of nutrients and is definitely affecting the new seedlings.
So, we'll see how these changes affect my experiment, and report back at a later date.
