Light Box for Seed Starting :)

[DaveNH]

Any other seed starters out there? Here's the setup I use to get a head start getting my veggie and flower seeds sprouting. I got tired of trying to keep lights close to the plants so they don't get leggy. Thought why not make a box that would capture all the reflected light. These work pretty well.

Boxed in a couple of shelves on a homemade rack, painted the inside flat white, hung 5 cheapo florescent light fixtures in each. Used one warm and one cool bulb in each fixture. Plenty of room for watering and the seedlings seem to like it in there :).

Here's a few pics


















Some tomato seedlings starting out.






Here they are almost ready at 6.5 weeks. I pot them up twice. Burying them up to the top set of leaves in a 4" and then into a 6" container.












These are older pics, I'll be starting my seeds Friday for this year's gardens. I have three of these boxes going :). Maybe a little overkill, but they sure do like it in there .

[Slanted88]

May hafta try that. Bay county Sheriff's have a IR ball on the helicopter & check for heat emission. Knock Knock......what ya got in there.....maters!

[JimmyJoeBob]

Here we go again!

Daves not here.

[sweet_magnolia]

Pretty smart idea, Dave. I always try to start tomatoes and peppers early and they always end up too leggy and don't do worth a darn. Thanks for sharing your set up!

[DaveNH]

Pretty smart idea, Dave. I always try to start tomatoes and peppers early and they always end up too leggy and don't do worth a darn. Thanks for sharing your set up!

Hi Becky..they will reach for the light :). The light intensity from fluorescent bulbs drops way down only a couple inches away. Reflecting the light back from all angles keeps them stocky and compact.

An easy setup could be a sturdy cardboard box painted flat white inside with a few fluorescent bulbs sitting over the top.

[ganny76]

Looks like an awesome set up you have there. I am trying the seed thing for the first time this year. Picked up a "greenhouse" from Wally world. Little chunks of soil inside a mesh outer layer. You just add warm water and then plant your seeds. Have about 15 different herbs I am trying to grow. Could have just bought some plants, but thought this would be much more fun. My 4 year old helped me and was amazed when the plants started coming out of the soil. Even if they dont make it, it was still fun.

[Texas-Hunter]

Looks like an awesome set up you have there. I am trying the seed thing for the first time this year. Picked up a "greenhouse" from Wally world. Little chunks of soil inside a mesh outer layer. You just add warm water and then plant your seeds. Have about 15 different herbs I am trying to grow. Could have just bought some plants, but thought this would be much more fun. My 4 year old helped me and was amazed when the plants started coming out of the soil. Even if they dont make it, it was still fun.

Memories like that are priceless.. No amount of cash can replace that..

[cowgirl]

Not sure how I missed this thread Dave. Great job on those seed boxes!!

[Walking Dude]

i use a cheapo white ice chest you buy in any convenience store, turn it upside down,and place a 15 watt bulb in the top of it. werked great on my paprika seeds.........

[DaveNH]

Thanks for the nice comments :).

Here are this year's flower seeds after two weeks. I'll be separating and potting up a bunch of them tomorrow and putting them in the greenhouse. Got to make some room to start the veggies :). There are 35 different types flowers, maybe get 100+ plants when done. Sure beats paying $2~$5 a plant

[cowgirl]

Wow, those look great Dave! Maybe you could make some cash on the side by selling your bedding plants. You definately have a green thumb!

[DaveNH]

Been pretty busy around the house getting the spring stuff done, so been kinda outta the loop. Thought I'd add some pics of the same plants 3.5 weeks later in the greenhouse. That batch of seedlings ended up as somewhere around 250 potted plants . Mostly annuals, so my GF will be happy with her nice colorful yard and I saved a few bucks .

Add in the tomato plants the is 350 pots in there!

[davidmcg]

Real nice Dave.

I tell ya what, if she isn;t you can ship them all to me pre-paid along with the greenhouse. My wife has been after me for about 10 years to build her a greenhouse.

If ya got time, could ya post some exterior views and specs on it. What did ya do for exterior sheathing? I will build the wife one in the next year. She don't know it, but I have been slowly adding to my lumber pile in the old barn she won't get near. I have also compiled a rather heavy collection of plans and specs on different ones. The plumbing is easy, lots of pvc and spray nozzles around here, extra air tanks and all along with some plastic barrels for rain water.