Seedling number

schill93 · October 8, 2016

How many seedlings are you able to grow out at one time with your light set up. How many lights does it take to accomplish it. If your using 4' fluorescents, how many 4 ft bulbs (or other) are you working with. What other combinations might you have to accomplish your grow out.

For instance, I have 8 fluorescent 4' tubes available, which is no problem for small seedlings in trays or in those red solo cups, but if graduating up to larger size pots, then it would not be possible for me to grow out 80 seedlings. So how do you do it?

I am thinking I need to get at least one more 4 fixture set up to do this. What is your experience in this department?

Father'sDaughter · October 9, 2016

I don't go any larger than solo-cup sized pots before plant out and I think I can fit about 50-60 on a 4' shelf with two 4' fluorescent shop lights with two bulbs in each.

I have three shelves total and it's enough room for starting my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onions, herbs, and greens. The shelves are at different heights and the lights are on chains which gives me a lot of flexibility in making sure the lights are close enough to the seedlings.

If you're keeping seedlings in under lights to larger than solo cup size, then you will definitely need a lot more fixtures to accommodate them.

slugworth · October 9, 2016

As the plants get bigger you can clone them,and then just keep the clones-which would take up less space.

schill93 · October 9, 2016

Fathers daughter: I agree leaving them in solo cups would work, but in order to get a jump on my 115 degree heat in the summer, I figured I needed to get them bigger with a more robust root system. I just don't know as it is going to be my first year with seeds.

Slugworth: You mean cut off a sucker and stick it in a tray or cup? How much time will you save that way as opposed to germinating from seed?

slugworth · October 9, 2016

sucker or cut the tops off plants and clone.
Much faster than by seed.I have cuttings now that had blossoms already and green tomatoes.
Should be interesting how the indigo rose reacts to indoor lights vs real sunlight.
I am starting very few seeds next year,mostly clones.
They also seem to be less finicky about the lighting conditions vs. new seedlings.

ddsack · October 10, 2016

Mine go outside as soon as possible, even before potting up and I bring them in at night. I have a pop up cold frame on my deck outside our living room door. I much prefer natural sunlight whenever possible.

Some years ago, I think it was Fusion who suggested swapping out seedlings in 12 hours sessions under lights. That way you can grow twice as many in the same lighted space.

schill93 · October 10, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddsack

Mine go outside as soon as possible, even before potting up and I bring them in at night. I have a pop up cold frame on my deck outside our living room door. I much prefer natural sunlight whenever possible.

Some years ago, I think it was Fusion who suggested swapping out seedlings in 12 hours sessions under lights. That way you can grow twice as many in the same lighted space.

When you say "swapping out seedlings" are talking about putting them outside every other day, or just removing them from the lights?

I don't have a cold frame but I bought this little greenhouse that sits on the ground.
Don't know how much that might help. But I don't have very many really cold days here during winter and there is usually always sun.

ddsack · October 10, 2016

No, two separate thoughts.

The swapping out just means that you keep your plant lights on 24 hours a day, and put half your seedlings under lights for 12 hours, then move them to a darker spot and put the 2nd half of your seedlings under the lights for the other 12 hours. So you are raising twice the numbers of seedlings your lighted space normally provides.

I have not tried it myself, but it sounds like a possible plan when you run out of space after repotting.

It's nothing to do with my putting my seedlings outside in the cold frame, which I try do every day, unless it's too cold and/or cloudy for the cold frame to rise to a warm enough level, which for me is in around the 50'sF, I don't baby my plants. If you use your greenhouse, be sure to use a thermometer (shielded from the direct sun --wireless outdoor kind are nice) so you know the true temps in there and can adjust the ventilation as needed.

Cole_Robbie · October 10, 2016

I moved my germinating inside last year into a spare bedroom. I have a 3x8' table with a 1000 watt metal halide light, which also conveniently heats the room. I place the flats with unsprouted seeds closest to the light. I can fit about a dozen or so 48-cell flats on the table, plus a few more on the floor.

I move everything out to the greenhouse as soon as the seedlings gets to its first set of real leaves. The halide will grow great-looking plants, but everything that grows inside will just get burnt off by the sun. I suppose carrying them back and forth might solve the problem, but it's a lot easier to just get them out to the greenhouse while very young.

For sale at market and planting in my family's gardens, I was able to start about 5,000 plants last spring, which was a few too many. I need to grow fewer plants and try to sell them when larger. I get a little better at that every year.

October 8, 2016	#1
schill93 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Nevada Posts: 275	Seedling number How many seedlings are you able to grow out at one time with your light set up. How many lights does it take to accomplish it. If your using 4' fluorescents, how many 4 ft bulbs (or other) are you working with. What other combinations might you have to accomplish your grow out. For instance, I have 8 fluorescent 4' tubes available, which is no problem for small seedlings in trays or in those red solo cups, but if graduating up to larger size pots, then it would not be possible for me to grow out 80 seedlings. So how do you do it? I am thinking I need to get at least one more 4 fixture set up to do this. What is your experience in this department?

October 10, 2016	#6
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	Mine go outside as soon as possible, even before potting up and I bring them in at night. I have a pop up cold frame on my deck outside our living room door. I much prefer natural sunlight whenever possible. Some years ago, I think it was Fusion who suggested swapping out seedlings in 12 hours sessions under lights. That way you can grow twice as many in the same lighted space. __________________ Dee **************

October 10, 2016	#8
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	No, two separate thoughts. The swapping out just means that you keep your plant lights on 24 hours a day, and put half your seedlings under lights for 12 hours, then move them to a darker spot and put the 2nd half of your seedlings under the lights for the other 12 hours. So you are raising twice the numbers of seedlings your lighted space normally provides. I have not tried it myself, but it sounds like a possible plan when you run out of space after repotting. It's nothing to do with my putting my seedlings outside in the cold frame, which I try do every day, unless it's too cold and/or cloudy for the cold frame to rise to a warm enough level, which for me is in around the 50'sF, I don't baby my plants. If you use your greenhouse, be sure to use a thermometer (shielded from the direct sun --wireless outdoor kind are nice) so you know the true temps in there and can adjust the ventilation as needed. __________________ Dee **************

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October 9, 2016	#2
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,919	I don't go any larger than solo-cup sized pots before plant out and I think I can fit about 50-60 on a 4' shelf with two 4' fluorescent shop lights with two bulbs in each. I have three shelves total and it's enough room for starting my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, onions, herbs, and greens. The shelves are at different heights and the lights are on chains which gives me a lot of flexibility in making sure the lights are close enough to the seedlings. If you're keeping seedlings in under lights to larger than solo cup size, then you will definitely need a lot more fixtures to accommodate them.

October 9, 2016	#3
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,152	As the plants get bigger you can clone them,and then just keep the clones-which would take up less space.

October 10, 2016	#9
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I moved my germinating inside last year into a spare bedroom. I have a 3x8' table with a 1000 watt metal halide light, which also conveniently heats the room. I place the flats with unsprouted seeds closest to the light. I can fit about a dozen or so 48-cell flats on the table, plus a few more on the floor. I move everything out to the greenhouse as soon as the seedlings gets to its first set of real leaves. The halide will grow great-looking plants, but everything that grows inside will just get burnt off by the sun. I suppose carrying them back and forth might solve the problem, but it's a lot easier to just get them out to the greenhouse while very young. For sale at market and planting in my family's gardens, I was able to start about 5,000 plants last spring, which was a few too many. I need to grow fewer plants and try to sell them when larger. I get a little better at that every year.