Energy saving bulbs to help seedlings grow?

poppellerant

This spring sunshine isn't enough for my seedlings right now, and some are flopping due to the lack of light. Google suggests flourscent lighting.

Now energy saving bulbs are flourescent. So would one of these about a foot above the seedlings be okay?

sobie

A daylight bulb used in reptile/ aquariums would be best.

Are you sure they are flopping due to lack of light? or are they suffering from damping off?

Leif

People do indeed use grow lights, as I am sure you know, but from what I have seen the ones they use are quite expensive, and you also have the electricity too.

Chilli seedlings will lean towards the light, appearing to flop. Just rotate the pot. And when you pot up, bury some of the stem, as they can get leggy. You can do that with tomatoes too.

Leif

sobie wrote: »

A daylight bulb used in reptile/ aquariums would be best.

Energy saving bulbs are available in standard, with a yellow light, and daylight balanced which is cooler. The packaging shoud have the colour temperature on the side.

Badrick

Grow lights are a special type of lamp which provide a light spectrum similar to that of the sun.
Unless you can source a lamp v cheap, I'd go with Leif's advice in post #2.
You can read more @ Wikipedia

forgotmyname

Ask the locals what they use to grow their stash

Although i expect the lamps they use will be using hundreds of watts because they bypass the meter.

Seem LED powered panels on ebay also. But who knows if they are good or not?
Not cheap enough to buy a whole batch and test them.

Yorkie1

Put some tin foil behind the seed tray so that any light from the window is reflected back onto the seedlings.

TallGirl

Some excellent advice here ^
Perhaps you have just started the seeds a bit too early maybe just start again now that the light is better. Where in the country are you?

Sugar_Puff

poppellerant wrote: »

This spring sunshine isn't enough for my seedlings right now, and some are flopping due to the lack of light. Google suggests flourscent lighting.

Now energy saving bulbs are flourescent. So would one of these about a foot above the seedlings be okay?

I think you should check out the Trilight web site, they have a good range of SAD lights witch is really good for light therapy. this helps feel a sense of sunshine in this horrible weather.

Would definitely check it out.