[WhippetMaster]

Just been given a full grow light kit consisting of trays, four 2 foot long lamps and reflectors. Anyone use these to start seedlings or grow over winter??

[Howard]

I made myself some back in February because my greenhouse was (and still is...  ) out of action, and I've been really impressed with the results I've had.

I shall definitely incorporate them into my greenhouse next winter.

[tam]

I've a couple of blue/red LED ones I've been doing peppers under

[Trillium]

I have the full spectrum plant lites and love them. But it is a fiddle to keep raising them as the plants grow. And when the ballast goes, it's SO noisy 

[WhippetMaster]

Uh......Wow didnt know they were that good!!! All year round growing then!!

[Trillium]

You can do that, WM. It's how hydroponics manage to grow all their stuff, but it needs to be the correct type of bulb, not just a general home light bulb.

[karooba007]

You can do that, WM. It's how hydroponics manage to grow all their stuff, but it needs to be the correct type of bulb, not just a general home light bulb.

I was using electric lighting as well but stopped due to fear that the light was not suitable and was causing cell damage in the leaves I thought...........
I was using the none filament type, don't know the name of type.
so am I safe using it ? anyone

by the way got a whole load of manure last sunday, any one jealous? 

[Trillium]

All plants will grow under any sort of light, but for the healthiest plants its better to have them under the specific plant light bulbs. Fluorescents are the most common as well as economical to run.

And yes, we're jealous of a whole load of manure. Mine didn't come last fall because we got a really early heavy snowfall and the manure couldn't be delivered 

[jb]

The thing that amazes me about grow lights is their cost for what are not particularly different systems from normal lights. The big difference between 'normal' lights and grow lights are that the former have a red bias and the latter a blue. This is the main reason why std bulbs give leggy seedlings as plants respond to a red bias by producing elongated growth (a red bias is what you get if other plants are filtering the light).
You can get round this by hunting out 'daylight-balanced' bulbs which have a more blue spectrum. I got a couple of compact 20W daylight-balanced fluorescents from ebay that fit standard bayonet fittings  for £6 (inc p&p). These gave really nice compact growth on my early chilli plants in a homemade set up using old tetrapak cartons as a reflective cover to concentrate the light. Plus being energy-saving they could be placed near the plants as they run quite cool.