Grow Your Own Magazine

I'm really keen on growing crops for winter use and starting stuff early, and am thinking of buying a lighting system for my 6 by 4 greenhouse. The October issue of GYO has a competition for Sun Mate lighting but in case I'm not a lucky winner, anybody out there able to advise me? The competition page says to log on to the website for more info but I can't find any!!! Help!!!

Supplementary lighting in the greenhouse can be a great advantage and can keep it producing all year round. A couple of things to be wary of though! HID (High Intensity Discharge) lighting is expensive to buy and expensive to run - requiring at least a 400w lamp to be worthwhile. CFL (same technology as energy saving bulbs in the house) lighting is a cheaper option with lamps from 125w up to 250w. 'Plug and Grow' or 'Envirolite' are two searches which should reveal more info. The main thing you need to bear in mind though is security, as a glaring bulb in an accessible greenhouse will be an obvious target for the unscrupulous. Hope I haven't put you off the idea totally.

Richard

Hey Kathy.
I have only just joined this site and couldn't help noticing this post...
I have alot of experience with using HID lighting, Richard is right with what he said, the best advice i can give you is to think about making a 'grow chamber/room' in your house or shed. this way you can get seedlings off to a good start and plant out when the weather is better, for this you wouldn't need such a big gro light, you can even use flourescent bulbs to raise your seedlings, without the outlay of expensive HID lights and big electric bills!
I will be happy to provide you any info you need on this
good luck with the competition!

I imagine using growlights will send your 'Carbon Footprint' into sasquatch mode!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Thanks for the reply-will think carefully about it! Watch this space...

NA Kays do a unit that will cover 10 seed trays and uses 2x55W low energy lamps as opposed to the 250w SON-T lamps that the commercial folks use. I'm thinking of getting one for my cacti seedlings to keep them going thru the winter.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

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