Starting seedlings with grow light...

[f8thnjc]

I started a lot of seeds in my basement under a grow light. Anyone know if it is ok to leave it on all night, or is it best to mimic the sun by turning it off at night.? Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've seen people say that it is best to turn the lights off but I really don't know for sure. I put mine on a timer, about 13 hours on and 11 off. Seems to work well and I don't forget to turn it on or off. I have mine in a spare bedroom and that light on at night could be a distraction, even with the door shut.

 

[silkiechicken]

At seedling stage I don't really think it matters, but if you want anything more than vegetative growth, like flowers or fruit, light cycle does matter.

That said, I do a 14 hour light cycle... because it gets them ready for going outside, and saves electricity. Instead of adding probably 75 bucks a month to electricity with spring lighting, I only add about 40.

 

[vfem]

I prefer to mimic the sun, my first year I left them on all night to help with warmth (so I thought) and I ended up with a tangled mess and killed several seedlings trying to untangle them.

Not that it would happen to you, but I regretted it enough to turn my grow lights on and off when I get up and go to bed at least. Sometimes they get light from 6am until 11pm. I don't think that hurts anything?! I hope!

 

[AmyRey]

I did 16 hours at first, then cut it back to 14 (an hour each at morning and night) then to 12 before moving outside.

 

[patandchickens]

It depends what you are growing.

Lettuce should not be grown under too-long daylength at first, b/c it makes it bolt earlier than it would otherwise. Onions by reputation are the same (makes them bulb up too young/small). There are others too, I believe, lettuce is just the only one I grow regularly that it matters for.

So, look it up for whatever all you've started

Even things like tomatoes, that basically don't care much, seem to do better for me with at least 6 hrs of darkness, btw.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[journey11]

Good point, Pat. I don't bother starting certain things like lettuce inside, but those things would matter.

For my flowers, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, etc. I just plug it in first thing in the morning and unplug before I go to bed at night.

With the eerie glow emmanating from my sunroom, I don't want my neighbors to think I'm growing pot.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

You should mimic the sun but to be prefectly honest, I usually only turn my off two or three nights a week. I am tired and do not feel like walking downstairs every night. The are growing OK. This is the first year I am growing them in the basement instead of the kitchen.

 

[David Harritz]

As the basement looks to be indoor so you do not have any choice than leaving on to the grow lights . If the sunlight is directly affecting your plants than only you can realy upon the sunlight otherwise the lights are must indoor.

 

[so lucky]

I just put my growing light set-up on a timer, so I don't have to remember. 12 hours on, 12 hours off. Timer costs about $4.