CFLs as grow lights?
Question:I am living in the dorms next semester at school and I have a dwarf meyer lemon tree. I really don't have a lot of room (or money), so would I be able to use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs to provide my tree some if not most of the light it needs. If CFLs won't work, what do you recommend to use as a cheap way to set up and buy grow lights?
Answers:
Grow lights are lights that are rich in the cool color and low UV spectrums. A typical 'plant' light is actually an incandescent that is tinted blueish to block the warm colors and Infrared spectrum so as to balance the useful light with the amount of heat radiation. A 'grow' light is actually a specific type of HID source that has some significant UV and may actually be inappropriate for use in a dorm room, or any kind of close quarters living area.
A fluorescent typically has a healthy amount of UVA -the non-alarming kind of UV, and has very little in the way of IR. As quantity can be just as good for plants as quality, this can be a very economical as well energy efficient solution.
A couple of desk lamps with 20-30 Watt self-ballasted CFLs 2-3 ft from the tree should be sufficient. If it needs more light, just add more lamps or increase the wattage. If the heat seams to bother the tree than move the lamps further back and increase air flow.
umm... a lemon tree.right
anyway what you want is a full spectrum lamp. you can get them to fit fluorescent light fixtures.
More Related Questions & Answers...