need a timer to plug the fan & light bulb housing into & set for 12-14 hours per day. I prefer 8' long T8 color temp 6500 or higher fluorescent bulbs. T8 fluorescent housing you can get anywhere, for the high color temp bulbs, I got them cheap at Grainger's. BTW, I think 4' long is also available.

How large is your planting area? More than a single square foot, I'm guessing? And what plants do you want to grow? The answer to those questions will guide which lights you need and how many. For supplementary outdoor lighting of more than a few square feet, I would suggest looking at HPS lights. You should also consider everything you can do to direct natural light into the area, such as mirrors or white awnings. Natural light is free and abundant where you live, artificial light is not free and it is quite difficult to get the necessary levels to grow good vegetables.

A ballast is a device that converts mains electricity to run a fluorescent or metal halide light. It is usually hidden inside a fluorescent fixture, or in the fat base of those compact fluorescent bulbs, but it usually a separate box for high power metal halide lights. Nobody wants you to understand lights, they just want you to buy an expensive custom system. A plant light consists simply of a ballast, a bulb or tube compatible with the ballast, and a device to hold the bulb or tube in place so you can connect wires from the ballast to it. Really you also need some kind of reflector system above and around the bulb to avoid wasting half the light or more.

Hi, Shrubs n bulbs. Thanks so much for your reply! I think the planting area will be around 3' x 3', not too big. I'm not sure what kind of plants, but I would be open to what is easiest. My dad has always loved growing tomatoes, but those needs a lot of light and heat. If there are other veggies / herbs that are better suited, I'd definitely look into those.

I'm not 100% sold on this idea. I hate wasting the electricity, esp since, as you point out, there is abundant sunlight where we live. I merely wanted to look into it as an option. I think that fluorescents bulbs are the most efficient (?), and since the space is small, that might work.

I'm just trying to make use of some space that will otherwise go to waste and also trying to give my dad some kind of project that he enjoys to help fill his time. I'm not sure how he'll handle retirement (but I'm sure part of his time will be spent making me a little nuts and that's what I'm trying to avoid ;-)

Thanks again!