steffenland
Full Member
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:23 pm

Lemon tree in cold and rainy Norway:)

Hi,
Greetings from Norway!

I got a lemon tree I need some advice on:)
I bought a lemon tree this spring and got some nice yellow lemons from it midsummer! Now the days is getting shorter and in about a month we will loose the sun completely to february, three weeks ago I took the tree inside my flat and bought a 5W Star Trading TRIBES growth light for it that I run on a timer from 06.00-21.30.

I don't think the 5W will be enough for my plant, should I get a bigger growth light?

What kind? model?
Is the Star trading cultivate bulb any good or should I go bigger?
How many hours/day should I run it? and what months?
(October-february is winter, may is spring and july is mid summer) anyone wanna set up a little light plan for me?

The vase is for a self watering system I'm working on(aquarium pump on a timer)
The small one is a lychee tree and I don't know what the bush is maybe oregano? what kind of lemon tree do I got?, should I get another citrus tree for pollination?
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imafan26
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Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

They do have grow lights but you can get away with a flourescent fixture and daylight bulbs. it is better if you have a shelf unit with adjustable or removable shelvesl you want to hang the light fixture on a chain and and keep it about 8-10 inches from the top of the plant. 16 hours a day is good. Most plants need 8 hours of sun, but you are probably not going to get that kind of output from a light. If you have the shelf unit by a wall, then you can put foil on the wall and under the pots to reflect more light on the plants.

This is a simple grow light stand you can build. To make the stand taller you can add connectors to the upright and put in longer pieces. If you get more than three feet tall add a "T " and a cross piece for more support. This system uses two two light fixtures. they are lighter than the 4 light fixture but you can put in one or two four light fixtures if you make the frame wider. Measure your fixture to make sure they fit in the dimensions and build your frame around that. You want to make sure the chains are there to adjust the height and it helps to have help when moving the fixture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF8DlpGu5FE
Grow lights for T5 fixture
https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/t5-f ... ght-tubes/
https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/2-la ... -fixtures/

T5 Fixtures and lights cost more than T8 fixtures but the bulbs give little more light. Will it make a difference? You have to ask someone who has used both. I have easier access to T8 fixtures. I have to go to a pet shop for an aquarium light or the t5 fixture which costs a lot more. Daylight flourescents are the brightest. Using reflective foil on the side and under the pots usually makes the light more efficient.

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applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Now the days is getting shorter and in about a month we will loose the sun completely to february
Wow, I can't picture that! Are you saying even though the plants are by the big glass doors, it will be dark like that all the time? :shock:

That lamp you have now is definitely inadequate for the lemon since the tree is wider than the area it can illuminate brightly -- it might work by itself for the smallest plant. That type of lighting is only good for individual containers, one lamp per.

One way I can think of to add more light to your current set up is to mount a fluorescent tube fixture vertically on that wall to the right, between the corner and the window.

I agree with imafan about using reflective surfaces as much as possible to maximize available existing light. For on-the-cheap, I have found mylar emergency blankets work wonders for lining the walls, ceiling, shelves, and also for making curtain walls. For more upscale, decorative effect, use mirrors.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

mylar blankets I never thouht of that.

steffenland
Full Member
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:23 pm

Hi,

The sun will never rise above the horizon for these months, when the sun turns the 22nd of December the days are 5 hours 22 minutes long with indirect sun, the 21st of June when the sun is on top we will get 19 hours 30 minutes of sun above the horizon and it will basically never get dark outside:)
If you go to the north parts of Norway the sun will not rise at all during winter, and never set during summer!

This is in the corner of my flat and I need something that looks decent and runs quiet, I'm thinking about running two lamps on a timer so that the one I got now runs from 06.00-22.00 and then I get a high power one that runs when I'm away on work 07.00-15.45.

What about something like this 50W led or the 10W model?;
https://www.amazon.com/Lvjing%C2%AE-Designed-Efficiency-Hydroponic-Lights/dp/B00MECWUQE/

And what about rest? Should I put it in a cold room with a growth light above it during winter?



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