Seedlings + lights in cardboard box

[rhyswales]

Quite a few of the chillies germinated today, but don't have enough lights co cover all the pots as I only use a few cfl lamps. To maximise light and to save money buying more lights is it a good idea to stick the seedlings + lights in a largeish cardboard box and to cover the interior in aluminium foil? The bulbs are 45 watt so dont produce that much heat and are okay too touch.

Is doing this a good idea or a silly one?

[Guest]

I wouldn't leave lights in close proximity (regardless of wether you can touch them or not) to cardboard boxes for long periods of time, just for safety reasons. If you have a read on other threads some people raise seedlings under lights at 16hrs a time. Also white seems to be better than foil as the grey aspect absorbs part of the light/heat. I can't find the threads at the mo that relate to those couple of points.

[Kristen]

don't have enough lights co cover all the pots as I only use a few cfl lamps

Move the lights (or the plants!), twice a day, so they all get 12 hours light?

If they are also on a windowsill / get some natural light, that will make up for slightly shorter than optimum day length.

I would definitely have surrounding "walls" that reflect light. Flat-white (card / painted / polystyrene) is better than kitchen foil, and if the top is completely open any heat can escape upwards. In the past I have used side + base, cut out of a cardboard box, to make a "wall" where the "foot" will tuck under the gravel tray, which the plants are stood on, to make it stand upright - with a bit of duct-tape.

Do beware of any risk of cardboard coming into contact with the bulb, or any other source of heat.

[Potstubsdustbins]

As you are using cfl lamps I personally don't see any problem with heat, after all the generate so little.

[rhyswales]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Took me a while to read through that 47 page post Didn't even think that white would be better than foil. Just got some paper. I kept my hand on the bulb for about 5 minutes after the bulb has been on for 12 hours. Litterally no heat. Going to find some thick cardboard I think. Unfortunately have not got the space for anything else