Just had to post a picture of the first lettuce crop using the new T5 bulbs and fixture from BocaBob. I'm lovin' it! Us folks in the colder zones can garden all winter with these.
Juanita
Lettuce Inside!
Juanita: That's a beautiful thing there. Wonder if it works with maters?
joy
Beautiful stuff
BocaBob
Joy it might work to a certain stage with tomatoes, but getting the lights high enough would be an issue in a hurry. I just started some spinach as well as more greens and as soon as I get another fixture, I'm going to try for some small beets. I love roasted beets and they don't have to get really big for that, so I'm going to try it inside too.
I'd like to try some blooming things, but I think that is different set of bulbs with a different spectrum. Need to do more research on that.
Juanita
The two different types of bulbs in your T5 unit produce the total light spectrum needed to bring any bloom and fruit veggie to muturity. That is what's so special about the T5.
With only 1- T5 unit, you will have to plant small or miniature varieties of veggies like peppers, tomatoes, cukes, etc., but they will all grow, bloom, fruit, harvest. There are plenty types on the internet.
Oh Bob you are such an enabler.. :0)
Bob: I agree, you are an enabler there guy. LOL Joyce looking at the tumbler tomatoes that are made for growing inside and looking at the T-5 unit and saying, Hmmmmm. And spinach growing well under the lights, that is breaking my heart that the spinach outside is not doing well, I love spinach.
joy
rvnsbrk: I called my handy man today as I had a bright idea of adding shelves to my shed and clearing everything but my gardening stuff out of it, and it went from shelves to a potting table too, and then he suggested I add lighting, can hang my florescents; but, I'm thinking a couple of T-5 unit lights hanging high enough you think? And of course, air conditioning and a heater? Of course, when my daughter gets home in December and runs out to put something in the shed and I stop her she will probably kill me, but, hey, she was angry for me seed starting inside (chuckles). The shed is 12 x 16, here it is, garage sale time for all the ungarden stuff:
Juanita, photos please! It may not be too late for me. I shall start a box of something today.
Well right now I don't have a crop since I was overtaken with aphids. Really having a lot of trouble gettings seeds to start for some reason. They don't seem to be liking the coir one bit. Not sure if it is my seed or the planting medium. The seeds are all from different sources, so I tend to think it is the coir. Somethings not right for sure and I really don't have the time right now to troubleshoot it.
Good Luck!
Juanita
Juanita,
Maybe you just got that 1 in a million BAD batch of coco coir...
Linda I think maybe it will be better now that I have added some perlite. Just started some cuttings this morning with the new mixture. We'll see. The ladybugs I released are finally getting a handle on the aphid population and the sticky traps came today for the gnats. Maybe there will be hope after all. :)) I sure hope this stuff works out, because it is really saving my back in the lifting department. I also am hoping to use it in my landscaping business this Spring for container plantings. I have a lot of clients that I plant for and not having to drag those heavy bags around would be great. I like the thought of being able to mix the coir on site.
Thanks everyone!
Juanita
Today's harvest. Elegance and Spectrum mix greens. I have finally given up on full blown lettuce because I can't get the seed to start. These mixes though are doing well and only take about 3 weeks from start to finish.
How's your Lettuce farm doing? Still planting and harvesting?
Yepper, just cut some tonight. I'm fighting the aphids again though. The ladybugs don't seem to be getting the job done. I haven't bought greens in months. I may even grow it inside all summer just so I don't have worry about it bolting.
I have been growing leaf lettuce in a cat litter pan under regular fluorescent lights. We have already eaten several salads picked from this planting.
Libby
Libby that looks awesome. Are you having pest issues?? The aphids are a real problem here. Since I do organic gardening, there isn't a lot to be done about them. I released ladybugs, but they aren't keeping up so well sometimes.
Juanita
Libby: That lettuce looks great, I've gotten so frustrated trying to grow mine outdoors, it bolts on me, just like my spinach, which I love, and can never grow. I'm sticking with maters, eggplant, peppers, corn and okra and strawberries, potatoes and onions. My beets flopped, my beans and peas fail. So....... Maybe I will find a local farmer who does well with greens and can trade him some maters and eggplants for some wholesome spinach and lettuce to go with my maters and onions right? LOL
I haven't had any problems with pests yet. Lost some orchids and other houseplants this winter to mealybugs that I brought in on bargain plants from Lowe's. The lettuce was in another part of the basement under the lights. I'm planning on seeing how the lettuce does inside this summer.
I WSed lettuce and it's been growing throught winter like a snail...
What temps does lettuce like, ideally?
Linda
Linda usually lettuce is a cool season crop. I sowed some outside here and it is growing a whole lot slower than what I have inside under the lights. It's been in the 50's here at night and it even took a while to sprout. Inside my lettuce sprouts in about 2 days maybe a little less.
This a pic from today. I need to harvest!
Yes, a salad feast for sure.
joy