1/31/10

SET UP -- SUPPLIES AND LED’s

Hi doc,
Simple question...do LED lights work? Specifically do your LED lights works? i only want to purchase One Led light...UFO L.E.D. Grow Light for growing inside a standard 4 drawer filing cabinet sized enclosure...will this work?
Also I have been trying to find a definitive list of what else to purchase with the  LEDlight to complete my growing system, can you assist?
Many Thanks

There is a lot of hoopla about LED. I am just starting to use them. I have used an LED with the same wavelength output as the UFO designed by HTGSupply.com. I can say from personal experience it will grow plants very well that get some secondary sunlight or HPS light.  Right now, I am germinating seedlings that will be grown 100% with this LED in a grow tent.  I am assuming it will work fine since HTGSupply.com has  sold 1000's of LED lights.  If it did not work at all I think someone would have said so by now. My big question is are they better than say using fluro's. I know they are not better than an HID for larger areas. However, you are not growing in a large area. I honestly think that you might have a nice little set up with the UFO in the space you described.

As far as other supplies, you need containers for your plants to grow in, plastic pots work best for the price and I am trying out some grow pots that are made of fabric, which is more environmentally friendly than plastic. Potting soil is the easiest medium to grow in. You can use it from seedlings to harvest. You can mix it with vermiculite, perilite or coir depending on what type of medium  is best for your plants. What I like about soil is that once you use it a couple times you can get rid of the dirt in an outdoor garden or flower bed.

You will need to hang the light and adjust it as the plants grow, you might want an adjustable hanger. You should also try to make the inside reflective with white paint or my new favorite mylar. You may want to mount a small fan on the top to get good air flow which will increase the growth rate.

You will need some fertilizer; fertilizer higher in the first number (nitrogen) is for vegetative growth and fertilizer with a higher second number (phosphorus) is for flowers.

You need a container to water the plants with and mix the fertilizer in. (I reuse 1 gal. milk or OJ jugs) and a tray or something to catch the water that runs through the plants when you water them.  You need drainage holes in the containers the plants are in.

A thermometer to check the temperature and humidity is nice and can let you know if you need to make changes to improve your growth, but not essential.

A root warmer will help with germination and will keep the roots warm if your grow area might get chilly in the winter.

Of course you can get all this and more at HTGSupply.com.  That should be enough to get started.

Good Growing,
Dr. E.R. Myers

2 comments:

hillbilly said...

hey Doc - what do you think about fabric pots? i tried out some "phat sacks" from HTG Supply. i used the 2 gallon ones and found they dried out faster than my plastic nursery pots but CLEARLY had much denser root systems growing inside them. i can't say how much better the yield was but i can say that the plants growing in the fabric pots survived my rookie mistakes BETTER than the plants in nursery pots. i also noticed a slight ripping sensation when i picked up the pots to move them. i assume this came from roots ripping from the fabric. now i am sure to carefully lift the pots from underneath with both hands. will beneficials grow from/into the fabric itself? if so, will this contribute to the fabric's demise?

. said...

I do use the fabric pots, and I too think they dry out faster. I think the water can evaporate through the fabric pots. Maybe one of your 'rookie mistakes' was over watering. Since most people over water plants, maybe fabric pots are something to help with this common problem. The fabric pots most likely won't last as long as a plastic pot, but I would imagine the are a lot more environmentally friendly. Also, if you use the same pots too long you risk pest infestation and disease. I like the handles on the fabric pots myself.