Does anyone use grow lights? Are they full spectrum sunlight?
I want to buy several 60 watt light bulbs 120v at a good price?
Info online seems deceptive, some say grow lights but nothing else. Full spectrum light don't say anything either. Full spectrum should mean, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, light in the correct amounts of each light to = sunlight.
I see people selling a certain light for $12 several other people selling same light bulb for, $18, $23, $25, $28.
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applestar
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I have fluorescents — T12 and T8 4 footers and T8 30 inch, T5 2 footers and one last T12 18 inch aquarium light. I get daylight and HO (high output?) tubes unless I can’t find one in correct size. T8 30 inch has been difficult and so is the 18 inch. I currently have a T8 coral reef 18 inch in the aquarium fixture, but this might kill the originally T12 ballast (I kind of hope so because I have my eyes on an LED adjustable which is longer and brighter than the current one.....
“Daylight” labeling was not as common 20+ years ago when ”warm" and ”cool” were the only choices, and combining them still work for growing seedlings. I just prefer the white daylight lighting better. Back about 30 years ago, I did buy 4 foot tubes sold specifically for plant grow lights — they cost a lot but they were for my office garden.
For home use, I only bought fluorescents labeled ”grow light” once long ago when I bought a couple of plant light sets, but it’s been more economical to just get regular shoplights and under cabinet lights. I do often end up getting the T5 24 inch (daylight HO) from hydroponics supply — I tried buying from a different sources for the cheaper price and they were not as bright and/or wrong color range.
For twist on bulbs, I get CFL and more recently LED’s that are daylight 5000K ~ 6500K and at least 100W equivalent. I also get huge CFL bulb to use on torchere lamp for one of the rooms. I don’t have the resources right now to upgrade to the full blown high intensity grow light systems that would cover larger area from greater distance, so all of my set ups need to be at max 6 inches or closer to the plant canopy (which means less area covered - you need more lights)
Technically “daylight”s are not FULL spectrum. I try to compensate by mixing light fixtures and lights, as well access to “some” amount of direct sunlight where possible. So there are some “warm” and some “cool” light bulbs or tubes mixed in, mirrors/mylar/white surfaces to bounce what’s available — this is the Silverlining in the hodgepodge lighting I have assembled.
But I arrange the plants according to their light requirements, and dormant or nearly dormant tropicals that are overwintering in the house need less light than optimum needed during the growing season. And plants in cooler range of their temp requirements need less as well.
“Daylight” labeling was not as common 20+ years ago when ”warm" and ”cool” were the only choices, and combining them still work for growing seedlings. I just prefer the white daylight lighting better. Back about 30 years ago, I did buy 4 foot tubes sold specifically for plant grow lights — they cost a lot but they were for my office garden.
For home use, I only bought fluorescents labeled ”grow light” once long ago when I bought a couple of plant light sets, but it’s been more economical to just get regular shoplights and under cabinet lights. I do often end up getting the T5 24 inch (daylight HO) from hydroponics supply — I tried buying from a different sources for the cheaper price and they were not as bright and/or wrong color range.
For twist on bulbs, I get CFL and more recently LED’s that are daylight 5000K ~ 6500K and at least 100W equivalent. I also get huge CFL bulb to use on torchere lamp for one of the rooms. I don’t have the resources right now to upgrade to the full blown high intensity grow light systems that would cover larger area from greater distance, so all of my set ups need to be at max 6 inches or closer to the plant canopy (which means less area covered - you need more lights)
Technically “daylight”s are not FULL spectrum. I try to compensate by mixing light fixtures and lights, as well access to “some” amount of direct sunlight where possible. So there are some “warm” and some “cool” light bulbs or tubes mixed in, mirrors/mylar/white surfaces to bounce what’s available — this is the Silverlining in the hodgepodge lighting I have assembled.
But I arrange the plants according to their light requirements, and dormant or nearly dormant tropicals that are overwintering in the house need less light than optimum needed during the growing season. And plants in cooler range of their temp requirements need less as well.
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applestar
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I’m going to look for those next time I need replacements.
....I just started getting the LED twist ones and I wonder if the way bottom half of the bulb is covered/blanked diminishes the effective lighting covered by the area expanded by the reflector...? I feel like the edges are darker.
...btw Giant cfl I mentioned above is typically sold for photography studios, usually associated with those silver umbrella reflectors they use.
....I just started getting the LED twist ones and I wonder if the way bottom half of the bulb is covered/blanked diminishes the effective lighting covered by the area expanded by the reflector...? I feel like the edges are darker.
...btw Giant cfl I mentioned above is typically sold for photography studios, usually associated with those silver umbrella reflectors they use.
"Grow lights" are just expensive lights that try to balance the spectrum for optimal growth. As in *perfectly optimal*, which sure isn't anything that one really needs. Warm/cool/daylight - doesn't really matter much. You can also shell out for "perfect soil", and "perfect fertilizer". If you were going to raise plants to maturity under lights, and growing commercially, you might want to think harder about it. If just for seedlings, then who cares, really.
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SQWIB
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dveg's reply made me think, something I rarely do anymore 
So many times folks ask for grow light recommendations and I always assume they mean for seedlings. I should be more perceptive before answering and ask what they are being used for before I reply.
If you want some nice frosting on your Marijuana plant buds or want some lush green micro greens or bok choy, will make a difference in what I would recommend.
So many times folks ask for grow light recommendations and I always assume they mean for seedlings. I should be more perceptive before answering and ask what they are being used for before I reply.
If you want some nice frosting on your Marijuana plant buds or want some lush green micro greens or bok choy, will make a difference in what I would recommend.
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Gary350
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I want to grow plants from seeds until they are about 1 month old or about 6" tall ready to transplant into the garden about April 20 which is usually our last frost. Our winters are usually below freezing at night then warm up to 45 to 55 during the day. My best grow set up in the past when we lived at the other house was a 2 wheel utility trailer with plants that could be pushed into the garage at 4 pm then pulled out each morning at 7 am before I left for work. Plants got real sunlight all day and protection from frost & freezing at night. Then I learned if I spend too much $$$ on, seeds, potting soil, fertilizer, lights, electricity, plant at the garden store cost less. Then I started saving my own seeds, making my own fertilizer and potting soil. It is hardly worth the effort to grow 20 tomato plants & 4 pepper plants to save $1.99 for 6 packs of plants = $12. Herbs are more expensive $4 per plant I want to plant a 40 foot row of herb varieties this year to learn which herbs have the flavor we like and which grow best. I built an insulated grow room 2' x 4' with a door. Plants are on a shelf same height as a kitchen counter top. I have an electric heater, fan, and water tray for all the plants to set it. I am not good at duplicating mother nature my test seeds grew I moved plants outside every day to get real sunlight then moved them back to the grow room after dark. Plants were doing good I forgot to put them inside a few times but it never good cold enough to kill them until 1 day it got very cold about 20 degrees plants all died outside. Then we had 2 weeks of flash flood rain & high wind next group of plants died outside. I don't think I need to grow, tomatoes, peppers & herbs until about March 10 to have plants for the garden by April 20. If I have to spend lots of money on lights I think I will buy plants at the garden store. I am a very low maintenance garden person the most work I do in my garden once it is planted is tie tomato plants up in cages & harvest vegetables, I have almost no weeds or grass to deal with. Wife wants white sweet potatoes again this year they are an excellent low carb substitute for white potatoes. If I have a 10'x10' unused soil spot I am going to do like commercial tomato growers do and plant tomato seeds 12" apart in 12" row spacing no cages just to see how many tomatoes 100 plants will grow.
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applestar
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I recommend hanging an adjustable shelf at approx chest to chin height above the counter height surface. This will be your seed starting/baby seedling surface. It’s easier to see the seedlings up close. You will want at least one heat mat on this shelf for seeds that will need bottom heat germinate (or will germinate faster).
You can hang another shelf above that to hang the lights (make light height adjustable) from and keep supplies on, or just hang lights from the ceiling.
Another set of lights will hang below for older seedlings, so provide sufficient head height between the counter surface and the lights, but if you have to, you could adjust the shelf height.
Some herbs grow slowly (germination might take 2-3 weeks too) and need to be started early. Some herbs are better/easier to buy plants — they would be proven quality plants that had been propagated by cuttings or root division. If you already have a desirable plant or can get some fresh cuttings or divisions, you can root them and/or grow them to size in the same seedling grow room/set up. (This means you could get one larger starter plant and propagate more of it rather than multiple smaller plants — this applies to rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, anything in mint family, for example.) Some herb seedlings need cooler growing conditions after they germinate.
For the numbers you need, I think you would want at least 2 full 4 foot surfaces. It’s important to be able to create different temperature zones — ideally about 55°F to 85°F — partly achievable by using floor to ceiling thermal layers.
You can hang another shelf above that to hang the lights (make light height adjustable) from and keep supplies on, or just hang lights from the ceiling.
Another set of lights will hang below for older seedlings, so provide sufficient head height between the counter surface and the lights, but if you have to, you could adjust the shelf height.
Some herbs grow slowly (germination might take 2-3 weeks too) and need to be started early. Some herbs are better/easier to buy plants — they would be proven quality plants that had been propagated by cuttings or root division. If you already have a desirable plant or can get some fresh cuttings or divisions, you can root them and/or grow them to size in the same seedling grow room/set up. (This means you could get one larger starter plant and propagate more of it rather than multiple smaller plants — this applies to rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, anything in mint family, for example.) Some herb seedlings need cooler growing conditions after they germinate.
For the numbers you need, I think you would want at least 2 full 4 foot surfaces. It’s important to be able to create different temperature zones — ideally about 55°F to 85°F — partly achievable by using floor to ceiling thermal layers.