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I am going to set up 2-4 50 pks of seed trays so about 2'x4' and need suggestions on the best route to take. I am thinking shop lights.

Agree, shop light fixtures with regular fluorescent tubes.

But for four flats you will need two of them, hung parallel. Then put the trays crosswise under them.

The reason is that you need to hang your lights so they are just a couple inches above the soil/ plants, on chains so they can be raised as the plants grow. When they are that close, the intensity of light is more, which you want, but the spread of light is less. So two for good coverage.

Leave the lights on 16 hrs a day.

Have fun, welcome to the wonderful world of seed starting!! It is so exciting when you start seeing your own little seedlings sprouting.

You could also step-up to T5 lights. You will get 3 times the light at about 1/4 of the energy consumption. Pay a little more up front, but returns in your energy bill.

Eric

I bought 2 4 foot shop lights at Home Depot for like $19 a piece. 4 daylight bulbs and some fine chain to hang from my basement ceiling, a cheap timer and I was good to go. Set up saw horses and a 3x4 ft sheet of luan plywood and thats all. Peas and squash are growing like they are outside...

So after a long talk with my wife we came to the conclusion that a light fixture of any sort just wont work for our space. What are the chances of successfully raising seedlings to maturity and being able to plant them. I am more concerned with growing vegetable plants but I did buy lots of flowers too

I don't have a place for any grow lights either, and I have two cats. I started a few of my seeds in 20oz coke bottles set in the window. using this method about 75% of my seeds have sprouted. My acorn squash has really taken off!

It's easy to sprout seeds without lights; it's the growing them on that gets more problematic. When you say to "maturity," I assume you mean to transplant size, when they can be put out in the garden? You aren't talking about actually producing (for example) tomatoes indoors, which is a whole different question.

Don't houses in Lincoln have basements? My whole seed starting set up is in my basement. If they are under the lights, they don't need any natural light.

Otherwise how well your seedlings do being grown on a window sill depends on a whole lot of factors especially what kind of plant it is (some do better in those conditions than others) and how sunny your windows are. Give them the sunniest south facing window you have and see what happens. Once they are well sprouted, if it is warm enough in the daytime, take them out for the day, and bring them in at night. If they can go out in the daytime, they will be getting plenty of light.

But remember not to put tender seedlings directly from indoors to full sun. They need to get used to it first, so start by putting them in a protected spot.