i started seeds this winter and i have room in my basemnet that stays aroung 70 i used 4' shop lights and i have been very succesful

I agree that the inexpensive shop lights is the easiest way to go if you can figure out how to hang them above the flats or pots. I used to stack concrete blocks or anything else the right height and just rest the ends of the lights on it.

read up winter sowing forum very easy , inexpensive and do not have to do any set ups. Check their FAQ

I know this isn't answering your question and I apologize for that. But mentioned above was making a makeshift light set-up and I figured if you went that route I would show you an in-expensive way. Mine has two shop lights hanging from it now but I will be getting a third as time allows. I made this frame for about five dollars to hang them from with the chains provided with the lights. I made this one from pvc and didn't even have to use glue. Works Great!

{{gwi:221494}}

I'm sorry but something has been really bothering me lately. Maybe I'm just mentioning it because I'm in a sour mood today but why is it that every single time someone posts a legitimate question about how to grow seeds INDOORS on this forum somebody has to tell them they should just forget about it and go to the wintersowing forum instead???

Many people really enjoy starting their seeds indoors. I doubt I could make it through the winter without doing it. I love checking on them everyday and nurturing them to full size plants. By Spring I can have 6" pots with plants that are nursery size which doesn't happen when I wintersow.

I wintersow too but honestly I only WS the seeds I don't really care about (or those that require a stratification period). Once they're outside it's no fun. I'm certainly not going out into the freezing cold to check on them, not that there would be any progress until March anyway.

I guess my point is I never see anyone posting to the WS forums that it's a total pain having to save hundreds of milk jugs and cut them up and trek out into the snow and instead they should grow under lights. It wouldn't be very considerate.

Sorry, I'm not trying to start trouble it's just something I've needed to get off my chest, now it's off...

I think the trouble you'd have with the compact fluorescent lights is that the seedlings right under the light will have a good amount of light, but the ones farther away will lean in. With the shoplight set up, you can get light to more plantlets more evenly.

That said, I would not recommend buying more stuff unless you get hooked on growing from seed. Any of the bulbs you have will do the job. Can you hang them in the window so that your plants get the benefit of both? If you can tape some aluminum foil to cardboard or if you have a mirror sitting around not doing anything, setting these up to reflect the light there is will help. You'll need to experiment a bit to figure out how close the light should be to the plants. With the shoplight, the answer is "very close" (like, four inches) but those are lower wattage and all spread out. Use boxes or something to raise the flats up toward the light, if necessary.

Julie,

In response to your post: I had nothing else to offer... I to am new to this "seeding" and could only offer what I had. The posts before me was leaning away from what she/he already had and I couldn't disagree because of my limited expierence and nothing else to offer.

My personal expierence here has been limited with help as well. Not that there aren't VERY helpful people here, most of the time the only thing offered is personal hands on expierence, if you have none, what do you offer? I posted mine. Sometimes you have to cull through "personal" opinions and carry on.

On the other hand, I posted in the "DESIGN" section of needing help with the front of my house for plantings and such and was run away from the thread because I cut my trees down. I wasn't asking if I made the right decision when cutting the trees down, but only wanted to know what to plant in place of the pines I cut.

Sorry to derail this thread even further :/

Fish -

I wasn't talking about you :) I liked your picture.

Thank you ALL for your replies!!

I actually have tried WSing for the 1st time this year and have about 40 containers that I'm hopeful for (love the recycling aspect and easy sounding method, but it's my 1st time so we'll see how many make it!).

BUT if I understand correctly after reading the WS FAQ and checking the seed lists for WS and zone 8 germination records I have a bunch of seeds that I don't think can stand the cold temps of WS and need to be started indoors. So, I'm trying to figure out the best way (easiest & cheapest too) to support these babies.

I really like seeing the pictures of other people's set ups - that helps a lot to see what I need to acomplish. I think I'll try something to reflect the light and put them near the big window with the CFL bulb overhead. Wish my garage was heated!!! I don't think my husband (or cat) would be up for flats in our bedroom (probably the only safe place from the kids)!!

thanks again for your suggestions,
Andrea

Are we supposed to ask our husbands? lol Just kidding.Julie sorry to hear about the tree issues. Sometimes people go to far with unwanted advise. Your garden your choice right?
My hubby has "saved" mulberry trees or maybe elderberry. Either way they are ugly, the berries are to high for us to reach and the birds eat them all. I could plant some good stuff there if he'd let me remove his weed trees. I understand you desire to remove something you don't like for something you do.

As I see it, both winter-sowing and indoor-sowing are valid activities and many people do both. The only drawback to indoor-sowing, especially at this time of year, is that light levels in the average house are far lower than those outdoors. Seedlings need good light if they're to grow strongly, so artificial lighting is required. This has a monetary and environmental cost. (I don't mean to be sanctimonious, but it's still worth mentioning.)

Hi Julie,

Thank you for posting your opinion--everyone does it there own way. I'd like to add that with WS, the method is highly adaptable to everyone--what they like and what they want, and what they have on hand. If milkjugs aren't your thing then you don't have to use them...you don't have to use recycled containers at all, but instead purchase new ones to sow in. Some people like half-sized foil steamtable trays placed in baggies, or you could use foil loaf pans the same way too.

If you don't want to sow at the begining or middle of winter, then sow at the end...it's all UP TO YOU!

Some people LOVE going in and out as they've got the winter blues and the sunshine on their skin provides neccesary vitamin D to help reduce and/or prevent SAD. Cabin fever can drive some people bonkers--everyone has different stress levels, so what may work for others to reduce that stress and crabiness may not work for you or vice versa.

Thanks for sharing your opinion, it will certainly give people a reason to review the Winter Sowing FAQs and visit the forum to read about or discuss the method with new and experienced winter sowers and see if the method is or isn't going to be what they expect.

Thanks for your picture of light set up. I had a more elaborate 2 level set up. It only held 4 trays. Then some of the pvc was used for plumbing repairs this winter- When you need it, you use it.- But in your arrangement I will be fine with pvc I have left and get one extra tray in!!! This is great!

fish_gardener, that's wonderful! Very nice looking & efficient. Mine looks like the ghetto seed starter from hell, but it works, too. Of course I have to keep everything in the basement 'cause it's sooo ugly, but what the heck!?

I bought a 4 tier shelf from Costco for $60.00 and have fluorescent lights hanging from their chains from the wire shelf above. Unfortunately, I have to sneak money from the grocery budget to buy the lights and bulbs, so none of them match! LOL! Every time I go to add another light or two, they've changed manufacturers or the manufacturer's have changed designs. It's a hoot!

Anyway, I like Wsing for perennials that aren't going to bloom the same year and sowing under lights for annuals that wouldn't bloom until July 4th if left up to Mother Nature. Andrea, it's all a crap shoot, anyway, your first year. There are pitfalls to inside as well as outside, so all you can do is make the best guess and read - read- read. Then ask why? - why? - why?

I will say the biggest pitfall to inside seems to be the lack of light and long seedlings that can't hold up their own weight when they finally leaf out because they are leaning on a spindly stem. Get those lights as close to the seedlings as you possibly can -- 1"-2" is not too close. If you can get the lighting squared away, inside is great for a lot of things including biennials that *might* bloom the first year if they have an early head start, warm season annuals, tropical tender perennials used as annuals, and slooooow pokes that need a longer growing season to show their stuff.

In late April, it really burns me to go to the garden center and BUY a flat of something because it's in bloom when I have a full sown flat of it that is just not nearly as advanced. I need my instant gratification!

Lime

To me WS is not an option .. the seeds that germinates in june -will often not make it through next winter ..

Tastefully julie...I was wondering that same thing! WSing has its place and I'm not a big fan of it. It's also not the answer for everyone, so it's helpful to have indoor growing questions receive indoor growing answers.

Fish Gardener...your post with information was quite appropriate! Thanks for sharing the photos :)

Andreab- do you mean a regular shaped flourescent lightbulb, sort of spiral-pear shaped? If so, then you may get those seedlings stretching towards that one lightbulb. Can you use all three spread out in a line over top of your flat? I use a flourescent spiral lightbulb like that for a small spot light on a particular plant, not with an entire flat of seedlings. Your seedlings may even stretch in your bright window with one bulb, so at least rotate the flat. The bulb having the highest lumens ratings is best to use, and that usually is the higher wattage. Check the box. Good luck.