Need outdoor growing lights for bonsai

19 years ago

I am trying to find a light fixture(s) that I could use outdoors to grow bonsai plants. I have a nice little patio outside my apartment the only problem is I live on the first floor so I get no direct sun light and the plants are pretty much always in shade. However as it happens I have an outdoor lamp (no outlets) so I was thinking I could get a screw-in outlet in the outside light and use that to run some growing lamps. I thought about using the outdoor light directly but it just isn't in a good spot. So anyway there is a wooden beam from my upstairs neighbor's balcony about 7 feet from the floor and I thought of mounting the lights either under it, if I got a hanging light, or on the side, if it is flood lamps. The plants will be on a outdoor coffee table that is 22 inches high.

So my question to all of you is what kind of light/bulbs do I need for bonsai plants? Do you know of a good outdoors light that plugs into an outlet? And how many of these do I need if the light is going to be about 5-6 feet above the trees. I know that normally people like to keep the light really close to the trees but I would rather be able to see them and keep the light up higher.

I know this all sound a little strange but I think it is the best solution for me however I am having a terrible time tracking down parts to implement it. So any help to find this before my new plants start dying would be a great help.

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Comments (8)

hadees
Original Author
19 years ago
I found this outdoor HID flood light and was wondering what you thought about using it to grow with. I was also wondering if one of these with a 400w bulb would be enough outdoors. I plan on leaving the light on only during the day to be like the sun.

Here is a link that might be useful: RAB FZH400QT Flood Light 400W Metal Halide
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
19 years ago
1. 400 watts may be too much. 250w highly focused on a 12 hour cycle should work. (3' x 3' growing area)
2. You may find Photocell option good to have.
3. Post some pictures of your patio.
4. The whole idea of bonsai is to look like nature, so the selection of a lixture should be inconspicuous.

dcarch
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highjack
19 years ago
What type of bonsai - pines, deciduous or tropical? If you pick things that are not sun loving, your area would be fine without additional lighting.

Japanese maples and tropical trees would be fine on your patio.

Brooke
hadees
Original Author
19 years ago
I don't have a camera so I can't post pictures of my patio. Although it does get light the problem is there isn't any direct light. So I am thinking I might only leave the light on for 6 hours or less a day. Really I just thought I should try to replicate that early morning sun light to get the trees to have small leaves and short internodes.

The type of trees I have are a Green Mound Juniper and a Japaneses Boxwood.

So a 250w HID bulb in a spot light would work? How close does it need to be? Because like I said before it might be 5-6 feet away at a slight angel. Also does the plastic covering of the flood light alter or block the HID light in anyway? Is that something I should be concerned with? Because any light I buy will need to be able to be outside and thus will likely come enclosed some how.

As for the overall natural appearance I think if I mount a HID flood light on the side of the beam you won't be able to see it looking out from my apartment to the patio and if I only run the light during the day I doubt how much I'll be able to tell it is on. Although I have never done this before so it is only a guess. And I think I might be at work when the thing is on anyway.
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
19 years ago
If it's a spot with a narrow beam pattern, you can place the fixture high up without loosing too much light.

I don't think the fixture has a plastic cover. Most lightly heat treated glass. The cover should be installed for safety in case the bulb shatters. Also, make sure that the fixture is intended for outdoor use. If the bulb's outside jacket is broken, the bulb will still go on, but it may generate very harmful UV light which can burn.

BTW, you cannot put a 250w bulb in a 400w fixture.

dcarch
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
19 years ago
"Most lightly heat treated glass"
should read "most likely a heat-treated glass"

dcarch
shrubs_n_bulbs
19 years ago
The lamp cover will block most UV. That is one of its purposes, to prevent excess UV causing damage in the event of a bulb failure. Shouldn't be an issue for your situation.
hadees
Original Author
19 years ago
Okay so an outdoor HID flood light should do the trick. Now the question is what watt does the light need to be and how long should I run it for.

dcarch recommended 250w. Does anyone else agree? Or do you think I should go with the 400w.

As for the time to run it I am totally unsure. I do have some light coming into the area so I am really just trying to provide the direct morning sunlight that the plants aren't getting but I was told was good for them. So should I run it 6? 12? or any other number of hours?

Remember the bonsai plants I have are a Green Mound Juniper and a Japaneses Boxwood.