[suziequeue]

Well - I've been thinking and I think I would like to try seedlings under gro-lux lamps.


There are a limited number of places I can put them.


I think the airing cupboard will be too hot and dry, the workshop will be too cold, the utility room might be OK but it is pretty warm in there.

How important is the temperature?

Where is the best place to get all the light fittings etc from?

[Fleecewife]

I get mine from www.lbshorticulture.co.uk .  You have to set up a trade account with them to get the good deals.  But there are lots of other places which sell them, in various forms and combinations.  I used to keep mine in the barn, with the plants standing on a gently heated sand tray, but they didn't really get enough light so were still drawn.  Now my main propagator is on the bedroom windowsill, which is south facing, so the plants have sunlight in the day and the gro-lites in the evening.  It's not a perfect solution and they still end up a bit tall and pale, but soon green up and become sturdy when I plant them into the tunnel in May/June. Some years tomatoes and cucumbers have fruit on them and are 2 or 3 feet tall before they go out, if I've sown them too early.  If the weather is mild then I stand them outside or in a cold frame during the day and bring them back in at night.
My Gro-lites are set up with a pulley system (I knew my orthopaedic traction knowledge would come in useful one day  ) so the light can be kept low to the plants when they are small, and taken higher as they grow.
 
The cheapest option is to buy just the bulb and make your own reflector.
 
I would try to keep my tomatoes at about 15-18C, although once they go to the tunnel night temps will be lower than that and day temps much higher.

[suziequeue]

Well - I have set up my lamp on a pulley system. 

Lots of questions now.......

I have got a timer switch. How long should I have the light on for?

Should I put a clear plastic cover over the seedlings?

Is the lamp low enough or too high??

[Fleecewife]

If it's too low it will burn the leaves.  I have a max/min thermometer in mine, away from the main light.
 
18 hours would mimic mid summer.  Mine get about 16 hours at the moment.
 
I cover mine with fleece once the light is off at night (it melts if you leave the light on) if the outside temp is freezing or below, because my propagator is on a windowsill so can get quite cold.  If yours is in a warm room then it will be fine without, but check the watering as the light is hot and will dry things out.
To help with keeping the compost warm enough you could stand your trays on thick polystyrene - places like Homebase sell it in the building supplies bit
 
It looks exciting - what have you sown?   
 
 

[Mammyshaz]

Wow, Suziequeue. That looks a fab setup. I'm so jealous   

You are way ahead of me. But seeing your piccie, I'm determined to get planting today 
No super lighting here   .  just the windowsills.

Edited the kiss for tears 

[suziequeue]

At the moment there's yellow peppers, aubergines, tomatoes, baby beetroot, some nasturtiums, marigolds and spring onions.


I am pleased with it as - apart from the actual lights, the rest was made from stuff that we had lying around. The shade is made from a piece of old roof flashing.