trying some indoors

[annastasia76]

ok so I don't know if this will work but I have a reptile light from when we had turtles, I brought in 2 of my un-sprouted containers of tomatoes and 1 container or green peppers that has just sprouted and put them on the kitchen counter with the light on them, granted the light is small and I believe only 60 watts (or is that volts) so it doesn't get a huge amount of coverage but for 3 containers it might work, if nothing else they will stay warmer inside than out right now. does anybody know if a reptile light will work for plants??

[rainbowgardener]

Reptile light should be fine, except that it doesn't sound like enough light. Seedlings indoors need lots of light, right up close to them.

[Kisal]

It's my understanding that reptile lights are intended more to produce warmth than light. Once your seeds sprout, they don't actually need added warmth ... ordinary room temperatures are usually fine. While a little warmth underneath a container can be helpful, heat on the above-ground parts of the plant is more likely to cause damage by decreasing humidity. I think an ordinary fluorescent "shop light" hung a few inches above the seedlings would be more beneficial. Just my 2¢.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Is that a heat lamp?

Eric

[annastasia76]

ok, I have a 5000K florescent light in my sewing room, I will see if I can get some sort of set up with that, I would have to take it out of my sewing room and figure out how to set it up in another area temporarily.

I mainly want to get them to sprout inside then once the weather warms up again I will take them back out.

[wordwiz]

You would be surprised how well a few 23-watt, 5000K CFL lights will work for seedlings. I use the gamut: CFL (23 watt, 105 watt), regular shop lights, LEDs (14 to 125 watt, red, blue, red/blue and red/blue/orange), MH (400 and 600) and HPS (75 watt), though the HPS is not suitable for most seedlings.

Mike

[Kisal]

Tomato seeds don't actually need light in order to sprout. The pepper seedlings, on the other hand, do need light. Shop light fixtures and tubes are pretty inexpensive, and a simple stand to hang the fixture from can be made out of PVC pipe. Hang the fixture with chain or lightweight rope to make it easy to raise and lower.

(I gotta say, the last thing I would do would be to swipe my fluorescent fixtures from my sewing room! But that's just my personal priority. My basil seeds will get enough light on the windowsill to sprout. )

[wordwiz]

Tomato seeds don't actually need light in order to sprout. The pepper seedlings, on the other hand, do need light.

Not in my experience and I germinate a few hundred peppers each year.

Mike

[Kisal]

Mike, apparently I didn't express myself clearly. Seeds that are covered with soil, as are tomato and pepper seeds, don't need much in the way of light in order to sprout. But after the seeds have sprouted, the seedlings do need good light.

Do you grow your pepper seedlings indoors without supplemental light?

[GardenRN]

Well wait now I'm confused Kisal. Are you saying that you get your tomatoes off and running with minimal light? Mine get leggy with a quickness if I don't give them lots of light.

[applestar]

You migh be able to get brighter fluorescent tubes for your reptile fixtures. Local ACE hardware had tubes 15", 18", 24", and 48" in T-12's (fat tubes) and T-8's (thinner, more expensive but more energy efficient). Look for daylight or at least 4000K color range and as bright Lux number as you can find -- ideally equivalent to 100w incandescent. Can't remember what 60w is equivalent to but it's not bright enough. Might need to remove plastic panel light diffuser if they have one.


Your sewing light will work of course, if you're willing to do without.

[Kisal]

They'll sprout with little light, but once the seed leaves are above ground level, they need lots of light.

You can sprout seeds between layers of damp paper towels. No light needed. But once the leaves emerge from the seed casing, they must have light if they are to live and grow strong.

[wordwiz]

Mike, apparently I didn't express myself clearly. Seeds that are covered with soil, as are tomato and pepper seeds, don't need much in the way of light in order to sprout. But after the seeds have sprouted, the seedlings do need good light.

Agree, 1 billion percent! Actually, they don't seem to need any light to germinate. For a few years, I kept my heating mat in a different place where next to no light was present.

Do you grow your pepper seedlings indoors without supplemental light?

Not at all - I try to give them as much light as possible, 30,000 lux at the least.

Mike