My affordable grow light set up is made up of items anyone can find off the shelf from their local hardware store! Let’s get growing!
Grow lights will make all the difference between spindly week plants and health robust seedlings! This affordable grow light set up is easy to duplicate using supplies from the hardware store! You don’t need to purchase small expensive grow light systems- a simple plug in shop light paired with the right bulbs will do.
One of the number problem areas I am asked about resolving is weak, tall seedlings that are barely stronger than a strand of hair. Plants need the right mix of soil, water, light and air… the problem is for most of us the late winter and early spring days don’t provide enough hours and intensity of light needed for plant growth. And so the seedlings stretch looking for light.
A grow light can be set up in a warm area of your basement, or an unused corner of a room. I know some people that set them up in a rarely used bathroom! You need to find somewhere that isn’t too cool with good ventilation and some vertical space.
For most home gardeners a single light fixture may do the trick. For our farming set up- we usually had more like 20 going. haha. If you venture into soil blocking (which I will get into in another post) it will open up even more space! Because a micro blocker can start 20 seedlings in the same area as 4 spaces found in a 72 cell pack. That my friends is a game changer.
Get Started
To set up your system here is what you will need:
- A T8 plugin shop light fixture
- 2 “Plant/Aquarium bulbs OR a bulb with a color temperature in the blue range (5,000 – 7,000K) and a bulb with a color temperature in the red range (3,500 – 4,500K)
- shelving to hang the lights from (with about 18″ of clearance to lower and raise your lights.
- s hooks
When starting seedlings the lights need to be within a few inches of the top of the soil. Then as the plants grow you will raise the lights keeping the lights within a few inches.
To set up your light you will want to unpackage it and remove any tape and packaging. Pull the bulb prongs out from the fixture, then insert the bulbs and twist to lock them in place. The light will come with 2 chains and 2 S hooks to attach the chain. Use the additional s hooks to hang the light from your shelving.
Seedlings require about 16 to 18 hours of artificial light daily. If you would like you could use an automatic timer, but I personally never have. Be sure that your growing area is heated with adequate airflow. As seedlings grow I like to periodically run a fan to promote stronger stems. I also brush my hand along the plants once their stems are more established to help the stems to strengthen as well.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I can’t wait to dive into the nitty gritty of seed starting next, complete with a supply list of everything you need to get sowing!
-Miss ash
This post is part of a series all about growing your own food and flowers! Pin it for later, or check out the series by clicking the image below!
