I know, we're only may and the summer is still long. But Coleus is very hard to get or replace in Europe so it's never too early to start preparations for next winter to save what I still have :)
I'm looking for growlights to help my collection through the winter, but I really haven't any idea what 's best for Coleus plants. It looks like most growers are using HID lights but those lamps use alot of electricity while the electricity costs in my country will be raised by about 30% this year. I have been wondering if LED growlights would yield decent results or should I use T4 and T5 lamps? Other websites tell that electrodeless high intensity bulbs are better and some websites tell that just a regular energy saving lamp is allready ok so it's very confusing.
What kind of growlights are you using if you have any and what are the results on Coleus plants? Is it true that Coleus has less requirements than vegetables under growlights or do they even need more light?
Growlights and Coleus
I say they need less than veggies... use reg. HD shop light fixtures.. and try to get full spectrum or daylight bulbs.. but when I can't find them I use the reg cheap bulbs too and mix them up in the fixtures.. doesn't take all that much to keep a coleus happy.. I wouldn't go crazy buying expensive fixtures & bulbs
I also just use regular shop lights. I have the t8 and usually get the 'daylight' bulbs. I've read it's important to not use real old bulbs as they lose intensity over time. Not sure if that is true. I keep my plants real close to the lights, 4-6 in. when they are small, and as close as possible when they are bigger. I raised them a bit here for the picture. My plants did quite well.
wow you keep some monster sized ones!!
I would use the LED, They are expensive, but cost less to use and out last all other kinds of lighting.
This is not a coleus, it is an orchid>
Well, maybe I'll try the LED lights then. I've been considering a cheap T8 setup first, but since I'm growing them in the greenhouse where condensation moisture can drip every now and then I'd prefer to use waterproof T8 armatures. And those are so expensive that I can better buy led growlights which are also built for greenhouse conditions.
I have also two screw in- full spectrum bulbs which I used to use against SAD syndrome, maybe I'll use one of them in a test setup beside the LED's to see what it does as experiment.
Thanks for the tips everyone, if anyone still wants to shine his/her (grow)light on this matter it's still greatly appreciated ofcourse :)
This message was edited May 31, 2011 11:20 AM
This message was edited May 31, 2011 12:12 PM
hmm, looks like I'd better be off with T5 growlights. I have found a kit on internet for a reasonable price (some pics here: http://www.forum-tomates.net/viewtopic.php?p=196403 ) and they've proven to be 10-15% more efficient than the modern 3W- led lights. It will be a setup of 4 x 28 tubes for 100 small Coleus plants and my veggie oil burner under them, while the remaining 20 - 30 Coleus will be put in my old terrarium with 2x 20W CFL full spectrum bulbs (I used them against SAD syndrome first ;) )
Hope this setup will do it for next winter. There were about half of my plants surviving without any light last winter so I hope I will only loose a handful with lights in the worst case...
Now I have still a few months left to get that thing properly installed in the greenhouse
I will share the results after next winter and with a little luck also the cuttings ;-)
those look nice.. hate to hijack the thread but I would love to hear more about your veggie oil burner
well I have put a thread on Davesgarden about the veggie burner, you can find it in the greenhouse section:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1046477/
They work great when you place them under marble plates and when it's really cold in the greenhouse you can put a smaller tent or frame over them to keep the heat in it. The pictures show the Coleus collection I want to put under the T5 tubes so you have an idea how it will look like here next winter :)
thanks.. will go check it out
maybe this picture is a bit more clear, there are 10 Coleus in each tray so you just have to imagin the T5 growlights above them ;)
I take cutting from outside coleus favorites in the fall, get them to root in water, transplant into some containers and grow them overwinter under an array of 8 regular fluorescent tubes. From the picked overwintered selections I take as many cuttings as possible in the early spring, get them started in water, transplanted into starter pots under those basement lights and transplant into garden in late May into June. This has been a successful propagation procedure for coleus continuation/expansion for years.
Pic is tray of one of one of the coleus' propagated thusly for this summer.
pretty one J
Last year I tried overwintering some Coleus by just placing them next to a south-facing window. They were doing fine until I drowned them by overwatering. I'll try again next winter.
That's what I tried here too (greenhouse in full sun) but we live on a quite high lattitude here (51°N) so I lost half of my collection even without overwatering. I jope a few growlights will make the difference...
Cumulus, I would expect your greenhouse plants to get what they need without additional light. I supplement some with regular fluourescents, but the coleus that get only morning sun stay happiest and healthiest throughout the winter.
Generally high altitudes have longer daylight hours. So I'm somewhat confused unless your volume crowds some of them out.
Some of the coleus pictured above.
love the frilly dark one!!
Cathy,
In the far north summer days are longer than the middle latitudes (the USA), but, winter days are much shorter (and cloudier). And the sun is very low in the sky and not very bright.
Keeping Coleus alive when you only have 8 hrs of winter sunylight....tough.
From long ago>
Jmorth, great combination. Good eye.
Even 8 hours of daylight would be a dream here, we have only a puny 7 hours during winterdays. But indeed, during summertime we have plenty of light and when something survives the winter, it's more than worth the struggle :)
