I like it. Nice setup.
Can you change the height of your lights?.
You will have to raise the flat in the beginning.

Thanks!

The lights are on chains that attach with cup hooks. They are adjustable in about 3/4" increments from the point where they touch the trays to about 20".

Wonderful set-up..... Great pics...... Thanks for sharing your know-how.

And your little apprentice...... adorable.....

Your helper is by far the show-stealer but your seed set-up is nice too! Very nice!! Lori

Thank you.

She has loved the garden ever since she was old enough to realize where she was. If I didn't take her to the garden when I went she would cry the entire time I was gone. And she sure loves veggies! Did I mention that's she is a definite Daddy's girl? :)

Macheske, would you mind telling us a few specifics about your super-duper set-up? For example, which light bulbs/light strips are you using? And the light fixtures?

The way you wired it all looks like a pro did it.

Thanks for giving us more information.

macheske

I'd also like to know a ballpark cost for your setup and what, if anything, you were able to economize on.

Your little garden helper really is a cutie, has a certain pediatric panache. Somehow I can see her munching blissfully on strawberries. Must be her strawberry ice cream togs!

Ok....some specifics and I'll try to incorporate some things that I could have done easier if I thought about it first.

Structure -
Each shelf is 24" x 50" It's 50" wide to support the 48" lights. I ended up using scraps from a single piece of plywood since they are 48" wide and left a 1" gap on both sides. The plywood is backed by a 2 x 2 frame (2 x 4's that were ripped in half). I basically edged the plywood and added two center supports with the same ripped 2 x 4's.
Build a total of 3
I placed the first shelf about 2" off the ground, the second about 30" above that and the third about 30" above that.
I used 4 2 x 4's as supports for the shelves, and simply used lag screws to put them in.

Lights
I used 8 home depot $8ish fluoresent light fixtures (cheapest they had)
I made a small frame to attach 2 sets of 4 together
The lights came with small pieces of chain that I used to connect them to the shelf above them using cup hooks. This makes them adjustable in about 3/4" increments.
I wired 4 lights in standard electrical outlet boxes to a switch and attached them to the light frames. Romex was used to attach the boxes to a 3 prong plug.

Overall, since I used almost all scrap wood that I had, except for 1 2 x 4 I spent:
8 x $8ish on the fixture = $64
2 boxes of fluoresent tubes from HD = $28 (They were the cheapest ones and still have 4 tubes left, color temperature 4100k)
2 plugs = $5
1 2 x 4 = $2
A 48" heat matt from someone on ebay ~$30
The rest was scraps that I had in my workshop.
My overall cost was about $130 including the heat matt. It took me about 2 hours to build it since I have every tool known to man :)

To make it cheaper you could just attach a power strip to the side and plug everything in there. I only put the switches on because it was easy and I had the switches in one of my many junk boxes of home fix it supplies. If you need a drawing I could sketch one.
Rick

It looks very nice. :O))).

I like the set-up,it looks very professional.I built one a couple of years ago. If I may, I see that you have all of your lights connected to a 2x4 frame. It has been my experience that not all sprouts take off the same as some grow faster than others, especially with all the different varieties and types of vegetables and flowers.I find that I need to lower a certain set of lights and have another set of lights higher to keep my height correct above the seed flats. I use eye bolts and rope, and 2x4 blocks under certain flats within that row of lights to keep the height correct.{{gwi:12367}} I have since added a roll out shelf below for my heat mat. I have three lights,and run two flats per light.

mojogardener

Macheske described how the lights can be raised and lowered, which is just fine if you have only one kind of seedling on each shelf: The lights came with small pieces of chain that I used to connect them to the shelf above them using cup hooks. This makes them adjustable in about 3/4" increments.

Your point is valid if each shelf holds different vegetable seedlings though. Good suggestion. Seedlings of different vegetables will often sprout and grow at different rates, and setting blocks under the flats with the shorter seedlings is the easiest way to bring them up to an optimal distance from the lights if they share the shelf with taller seedlings.

Very nice setup. You can sure get alot of plants in that space. Will you use them all yourself?

I'm most familiar with the 2 tube light fixtures. Are there advantages (other than cost) to using multiple single light fixtures? I'm going to look around more next time I'm at the store and see what choices are available locally.

Hi naturegirl.

I believe Macheske used two-bulb fixtures. In the initial post he said he used 16 bulbs and in a later post he said he bought eight fixtures. Definately a nice setup.

Rd

What are the holes along the blue line on the side 2x4s for?

I like it. Nice job! How about some pics with the lights on. Nice.

Patti
www.gardengirltv.com
www.farmersalmanac.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Urban Sustainable Living

Okay, I think I understand how it is set up now. Thanks.

Sure looks like fun to have all that room for growing.

I thought about the height of different seedlings. I like the suggesion of putting some blocks under the trays with seedlings that are shorter. I will definitely do that. Thanks!

Naturegirl, the standard fixtures are definitely the cheapest. The standard fluoresent fixture is the one that I used. Each fixture contains two bulbs. I was even thinking of putting the fixtures touching and put in a total of 5 per row. It would waste a little light since the end fixtures would hang over the edge of the trays by a couple inches. I guess I could always add it later. I will use all that space myself. My garden is 40' x 80' and I want to start almost everything but beans indoors. I'm not going to use the tiny cell trays for anything so I don't have to transplant often. The smallest size 1020 cell that I'm using is 36 spaces. For tomatoes I'm using 18's.

Lol, the holes along the side are for nothing. I used some scrap lumber that I had.

I'll try to get a pictures with the lights on this weekend gardengirl.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
Rick

Three weeks before my 80th birthday in December, I spent 2 weeks in the hospital with a severe case of cellulitis in the foot. On top of that I was diagnosed with diabetes. The experience left me totally wiped out, and I'm still trying hard to regain my strength, which contimues to elude me. My children are all lobbying me to move to a smaller place near one of them, but I tell them I could never give up my garden. Yet, on my bad days I must admit to myself that unless my strength returns, and soon, gardening will not be an option for me this year or the next.

Today I was doodling around with the computer and opened up the garden site and landed on this link. Reading all of the comments from all you folks, reading about all the plans underway, I was filled with the yearning to again plant my garden. Feb. 7th has been my start date for seedlings for the last 30 years. That's just 2 weeks away. Although right now it seems doubtful, I'm hoping and praying for a new me by that time. Otherwise, I would really miss my garden.

ligardener
I don't know if I could ever give up gardening. I think I would just have to downsize and have at least something in the dirt.

Just curious, but you say you used the cheapest light bulbs. I was always under the impression that the full spectrum bulbs were the most effective.(also rather more expensive)
Great set-up, and as noted, your little 'garden gnome' is a doll!

dirtdauber,
Hopefully the information that I've read on the net is correct. Since I found many sources I'd guess it is. Basically, the conclusion was that if you're going to just use the lights for starting transplants you should use the cheapest bulbs you can get with the proper intensity. There is very little to no difference, other than price, when using the full spectrum bulbs. If you're going to try to grow plants to maturity under lights it's different.
Rick

Do your lights put off much heat? I'm starting broccoli and cauliflower seeds in cool whip containers on top of my refrigerator. In other words, no where near your set up, but I've got 115 sf of space compared to your 3,200 sf, so it's all relative.

Anyway, it's my understanding that water and heat (70 degrees) is all you need for seeds to sprout, then you need natural light to make them grow. My guess is the florescent works for "natural" light but it looks like your setup is in a garage or basement, which I think would be a little cold?

I've got a great window in my garage that'll get great light but my garage is 50 degrees at best this time of year. Would my sprouts do well at that window in that cold? If not I'm stuck with poor light in the kicthen window.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden in progress...

I thought about the height of different seedlings. I like the suggesion of putting some blocks under the trays with seedlings that are shorter. I will definitely do that. Thanks!

I feel like a total moron for not having thought of this myself. :-)

lilgardener -- I hope you will consider reading a book like
The Diabetes Diet: Dr. Bernstein's Low-Carbohydrate Solution. I have a stepfamily filled with diabetes and those who have taken a lowcarb approach have gotten completely off insulin and feel good, and those who have not, all continue to have terrible issues that get worse as they age, despite eating the 'ADA approved' diet. I've lost 140 lbs on this eating plan and have gone from barely being able to stand for two minutes, to being out shoveling half frozen dirt in the garden in the dead of winter. I'm no doctor, but Bernstein is, and you can find a lot of support on the internet for eating well and lowcarb that will only make your garden that much more valuable to you.

Best,
PJ

Sinfonian,
The fluoresent lights don't give off much heat. That's why they are so efficient as compared to incandesent lights. My set up is in my workshop in the basement which is heated. It's about 70 degrees F in that room. I also have a heatmat on one shelf. It seems like the optimal temperature for starting seeds is higher than 70 degrees (~80 F). I hope the natural light will work for you. I'd think that you would need more hours of light than what you can get from natural light right now. I've read that I will need 16 to 18 hours per day with the fluorscents....

Gardengirl,
Here's the photo that you requested, lights on.

{{gwi:9579}}

Hi Rick, Nice setup! I built one years ago that is VERY similar, better that yours in some ways, not as nice in others ;->

Mine holds 4 trays like yours and then 2 more turned the other way for a total of 6 trays on each shelf compared to your 4. However, I only have 3 fixtures (6 tubes) on each shelf so you are providing a LOT more light than I am. I guess I was just too cheap to buy fixtures and used some rather old ones with really wide "reflectors". It does work but more light would definately help me out.

Mine are indivually adjustable via chains. As far as the "special" bulbs are concerned, I read once that a mixture of 25W incadesent for every 40W flourescent was the "perfect" combination to most closly simulate sunlight.
So..I made a little frame that held 4 25W bulbs right in the middle between 2 of the 2-tube flourescents. The rack just sits on top on the flourescents so no extra chains are needed.

It actually DOES make a difference! But again, since I'm cheap, I only built the one and would rotate the position of whatever looked like it needed it (yellow leaves, spindly growth).

My "heating pad" is a 2X4 frame on edge with "rabbits" cut into them to hold various "things". The top one holds a big sheet of galvanised steel (from a HVAC place), below that in roughly the center is a slot that holds a big sheet of 1/4 inch "hardware cloth", and at the bottom is a sheet of 1/2 plywood. I have a 12 or 16 foot heating cable that is cable tied to the hardware cloth along with it's built in thermostat. That whole contraption is filled with sand and a 3/4 inch piece of rigid insulation is tacked and glued under that. I can set 6 trays all at once all getting bottom heat! Caution..HEAVY!! Oh yeah, and I do have 2 strips in the center for support with the hardware cloth cut around them.

Three shelves total like yours. Bottom one has a plywood top and is not used except when the plant stand is "extra busy". Then I have to borrow lights from my workshop! Normally I just keep 5 gallon buckets of pro-mix, couple bottles of water, etc there. Middle shelf, main shelf, is the heated shelf and about waist level. Next shelf has lights only and a plywood top, but unlike the bottom one, it it used regularly. Above that, at the ceiling level, is another frame, without the plywood, that holds the lights for the top working shelf.

So the whole monster, when in full swing, holds 18 trays, 6 of which are heated, and has 18 4 foot tubes. BUT, after seeing your setup, I will be buying some new fixtures and adding some additional lights.

Thanks, John

I would like to know the cost of running it, as well. I'm trying to determine if it saves money to grow your own, starting early under lights, as opposed to buying at a farmer's market.

Not sure about cost to run. I think flourescent is more effecient that incadescent, so if a 40W tube draws the same as a 25W bulb ???? Then the cost could be figured:

Fluorescents = 16 hours X 25 watts X 18 tubes = 7200 or 7.2 KWH per day.

Incadescent = 16 hours X 25 watts X 4 bulbs = 1600 or 1.6 KWH per day.

Heater = On 24 X 7 but has a thermostat that kicks it in and out, so I'm only guessing --call it 12 hours X 25 watts = 600 = .6 KHW.

You would need to know the rate in your area. Mine is roughly $0.15 per KWH (I think), so that would be 9.4 KWH times 0.15 = $1.41 a day X 30 days = $42.30 a month

If I did that right ???? it certainly isn't free but, it depends on how many plants you start there! Also, this monster is only on for maybe 2 months.. John