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New to plant lights. Please help!
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Posted by starrlight97 zone 6, KY (My Page) on Thu, Oct 11, 07 at 18:15
| I'm moving a few of my herbs into the garage for overwintering and they need plant lights. My herb book says go for a tube fluorescent bulb, but reading the forums makes me question that idea. What kind of bulb set up is best for overwintering the following plants: lemon grass, chocolate mint geranium, lavender, pineapple sage, stevia, marjoram, crepe myrtle, asparagus fern, bay laurel, rose scented geranium, lemon verbena, choclate mint, greek oregano, & rosemary? That's a lot, but a few are going to be cuttings that I'm rooting. Please, I don't need you to answer for each plant. I just wanted you to know all the details. I'm not going for growth or flowers, just trying to keep them alive through the winter. Also, where do you find your plant lights? Do you order them or do you get them at hardware stores? Thank you so much for your help!
~Stephanie |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: New to plant lights. Please help!
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| How much area do you need to light? Would you consider your plants to be high (full sun), medium (bright shade), or low (deep shade/indoor) plants? High light plants may overwinter in medium light. Once you know how much light you need, that will probably decide for you the type of light to buy. |
RE: New to plant lights. Please help!
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| All of my herbs are full sun, and I'll probably only want to light an area about 5' x 2'. |
RE: New to plant lights. Please help!
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| That area would generally be a candidate for 4' fluorescent tubes. These work well even for high light plants if they are placed close to the plants. For taller plants such as yours (?) you may need to get a little bit extra light by using T5HO tubes, or perhaps using two sets of 4 T8 tubes angled over the plants. You should be aiming for perhaps 15,000 lumens with good reflectors for overwintering without too much growth, 20,000 to as much as 30,000 lumens for good growth. I would suggest that you don't have a need for an HID lamp, since a 400W metal halide provides well over 30,000 lumens. |
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