Verilux Lamp For Seedlings?

pdxwindjammer · February 3, 2015

Today I was daydreaming about getting a few of my super hot peppers started and realizing how nice it would be to have a small lamp for 4-6 plants rather than sticking them under my grow system all alone using up needless electricity. Then it dawned on me that I have a Verilux lamp that I used when I was making jewelry. Will this lamp be sufficient for this?

http://preview.tinyurl.com/o46jn37

PhilaGardener · February 3, 2015

Don't know why it wouldn't. See how they do; leggy = not enough light. Get the bulb as close to the seedlings as possible without touching the leaves.

Cole_Robbie · February 3, 2015

LED lights made for people tend to be white. When they are made for plants, the light is blue or red.

I think most of the light will be wasted, because the spectrum is wrong, but that is not the same as saying it will not work.

pdxwindjammer · February 3, 2015

Hmmm... interesting. i don't really know enough about light bulbs. I know that the bulbs I use in my shop lights work well for my seedlings but wasn't sure about the Verilux bulb.

UFXEFU · February 3, 2015

I am using a GE Bright Stick (24 inch single tube fluoresce). Seedlings are growing, but not sure this is the proper light spectrum.

luigiwu · February 3, 2015

My seedling grow just fine for 2.5months under regular cheap T8s Alto Daylight Deluxe bulbs from Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...1998/204384429

PhilaGardener · February 3, 2015

Looked like a fluorescent bulb to me in the product description. White isn't well matched to the spectrum of chlorophyll but does include the ends of the spectrum that work well for photosynthesis and these bulbs tend to be quite bright. Call it an experiment!

Tapout · February 3, 2015

I use grow lights. You want 6500k spectrum for the vegetative stage.

The bulb doesn't have any reference to what spectrum or luminosity. Spend 50 bucks at Menards buy 2 double bulb fixtures. 10.99 each and 4 Sylvania 6500k 32 watt bulbs, and place them 3 inches above your plants.

http://www.menards.com/main/lighting...411-c-7495.htm

pdxwindjammer · February 4, 2015

Thanks.

I think some of you have missed that I already have a grow system set up. It just seemed like a waste of electricity for just a handful of my super hots so I was considering purchasing a small grow light when it dawned on me that my verilux might work for the 4-6 plants I want to start. My current system is set up to accommodate the 200 or so other seedlings that I get started later in the season.

UFXEFU · February 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Looked like a fluorescent bulb to me in the product description. White isn't well matched to the spectrum of chlorophyll but does include the ends of the spectrum that work well for photosynthesis and these bulbs tend to be quite bright. Call it an experiment!

I already had the light so I just used it. All my gardening is an eXperiment.

pdxwindjammer · February 4, 2015

UFXEFU, What were the results of that experiment?

February 4, 2015

If you are growing with an LED light with UV bulbs [like I am] then make sure you start your seed under that light. Otherwise, if you start seed under a desk lamp or other lamp without UV bulbs then you will burn your foliage up real quick when you switch from shop lights to LED lights with UV bulbs. I just had this happen to me and I had to cut back all the "burned" foliage. If I had used my head I could have avoided this. So for this time, until you have a "system" in place for starting a small amount of seed, I would still use your overs-sized system.
If your system does not have UV bulbs then you should be good.

RayR · February 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Looked like a fluorescent bulb to me in the product description. White isn't well matched to the spectrum of chlorophyll but does include the ends of the spectrum that work well for photosynthesis and these bulbs tend to be quite bright. Call it an experiment!

It's definitely a CFL, you can look it up here at the Verilux web site
They don't have specs on the bulb but it appears to be a full spectrum CFL.
At 27Watts it must be pretty bright, I'm sure it will work to get a few seedlings going in the early stages.

pdxwindjammer · February 4, 2015

Thanks for the tip, WWP! I suppose if I start them under the verilux and leave them under there rather than transferring to my shop light grow system, I should be okay?

RayR, it is bright but just wasn't sure of the spectrum. I think I will give it a shot. I always believe that nothing ventured, nothing gained so I will do a test and report back (not that most people will take interest because it is a specialized light that many won't have).

Thanks again!

Cole_Robbie · February 4, 2015

oh, ok. I didn't realize it was a cfl. It looked like an led, but I'm just seeing the cover on it.

February 3, 2015	#1
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Verilux Lamp For Seedlings? Today I was daydreaming about getting a few of my super hot peppers started and realizing how nice it would be to have a small lamp for 4-6 plants rather than sticking them under my grow system all alone using up needless electricity. Then it dawned on me that I have a Verilux lamp that I used when I was making jewelry. Will this lamp be sufficient for this? http://preview.tinyurl.com/o46jn37

February 3, 2015	#6
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	My seedling grow just fine for 2.5months under regular cheap T8s Alto Daylight Deluxe bulbs from Home Depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...1998/204384429 __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! Last edited by luigiwu; February 5, 2015 at 09:46 PM.

February 3, 2015	#8
Tapout Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 355	I use grow lights. You want 6500k spectrum for the vegetative stage. The bulb doesn't have any reference to what spectrum or luminosity. Spend 50 bucks at Menards buy 2 double bulb fixtures. 10.99 each and 4 Sylvania 6500k 32 watt bulbs, and place them 3 inches above your plants. http://www.menards.com/main/lighting...411-c-7495.htm Last edited by Tapout; February 3, 2015 at 11:47 PM.

February 4, 2015	#12
WillysWoodPile Guest Posts: n/a	If you are growing with an LED light with UV bulbs [like I am] then make sure you start your seed under that light. Otherwise, if you start seed under a desk lamp or other lamp without UV bulbs then you will burn your foliage up real quick when you switch from shop lights to LED lights with UV bulbs. I just had this happen to me and I had to cut back all the "burned" foliage. If I had used my head I could have avoided this. So for this time, until you have a "system" in place for starting a small amount of seed, I would still use your overs-sized system. If your system does not have UV bulbs then you should be good. Last edited by WillysWoodPile; February 4, 2015 at 01:19 PM.

February 3, 2015	#2
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Don't know why it wouldn't. See how they do; leggy = not enough light. Get the bulb as close to the seedlings as possible without touching the leaves.

February 3, 2015	#3
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	LED lights made for people tend to be white. When they are made for plants, the light is blue or red. I think most of the light will be wasted, because the spectrum is wrong, but that is not the same as saying it will not work.

February 3, 2015	#5
UFXEFU Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Gloster, Lousiana 71030 Zone 8a Posts: 253	I am using a GE Bright Stick (24 inch single tube fluoresce). Seedlings are growing, but not sure this is the proper light spectrum.