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Plants not growing in artificial light.

Abid Raza Toronto Canada
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

I have 3 CFL bulbs 100 watts each ( 2 of one type perhaps warm, and one cold light, I don't remember exactly but someone gave me advice on this form about the bulbs and i am following that advice) but plants are growing well. These are eggplant plants which I brought in when winter started. In addition I grew some tomato plants and transferred them to bigger pot, they were ok for 2-3 days and then fell down as you can see in the photo. what could be the problem and how to fix it. thanks.


Comments (13)

  • User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Not much to go on so far, so some questions:

    How far above the plants are your lights? The leaf edges are looking crispy, which makes me wonder if they are getting fried.

    What wattage are your bulbs? Are they actually 100 watts (these bulbs are huge!), or 100 watt "equivalent" bulbs (which are actually 23 watts each, and the size of a normal lightbulb or smaller)? 300 actual watts of fluorescent lighting is a LOT. 300 "equivalent" watts is reasonable. If this is confusing: many CFL bulbs are still described as being "equivalent" to a certain wattage of incandescent (old, regular) light bulbs. CFL bulbs use fewer watts than regular light bulbs did, so the "equivalent" thing is there to help people understand how the new technology compares to the old.

    I can't see much detail in those pictures, but even from what I can see that soil looks soggy. What soil are you using, and how often are you watering?

  • Abid Raza Toronto Canada
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    These bulbs are 23 watts CFL bulbs equivalent to 100 watts ordinary bulbs. Please see the photo to asses the distance of bulbs from plants. There are 3 bulbs, one not clearly visible in photo. I keep on changing the angle a little so that central part of light from these bulbs falls on different plants on different days. I dont water too much as underneath the pots is a plastic sheet is dry, no water comes out of the pots on plastic. thanks for reply.

  • Abid Raza Toronto Canada
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    If i move light bulbs closer (4 to 6 inches)to plants, will that be OK? are 3 bulbs enough?

  • User
    5 years ago

    How long are the lights on each day?

    Have you grown container plants outdoors successfully before?

  • Abid Raza Toronto Canada
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Actually I wanted to ask you how long the lights should be on. I have been growing different plants outdoor in summer. thanks

  • User
    5 years ago

    For 23 watt fluorescent bulbs and plants that like "full sun", I would keep them on as long as you can without them interfering with your sleep (since that setup appears to be in a bedroom). I would recommend 16-20 hours a day, but if you only manage 14-15 hours to leave time to sleep, then do 14-15 hours a day.

    Moving the bulbs to within 4-6 inches from the plants will be better than what you have now.

    I personally doubt 3 bulbs will be enough for that many plants - you would be better off with at least 1 bulb per plant. When the plants start getting larger, one each may not be enough.

    Abid Raza Toronto Canada thanked User
  • Abid Raza Toronto Canada
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    If I decide to grow vegetables indoor, keeping in mind at least 14 to 15 hours of light per day, will it be cost effective?

  • User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I sincerely doubt it, but I don't know enough about where you are to say for sure.

    For instance, where I am, energy bills are by the kilowatt hour:

    3 23 watt bulbs running 15 hours a day for 5 months (average time to harvest for eggplant is 4-6 months) is

    3 bulbs * 23 watts each * 15 hours a day * 30 days average month * 5 months = 155,250 watt hours = 155.25 kilowatt hours.

    Where I live, typical energy costs are between 0.12 and 0.14 US dollars per kilowatt hour, so let's use 0.13 US dollars as an average.

    The total electricity cost for running those 3 bulbs for 15 hours a day for 5 months is then

    155.25 kilowatt hours * 0.13 US dollars per kilowatt hour = 20.18 US dollars.

    Realistically, those 3 bulbs are only going to be enough light for one mature plant - if you're lucky. I honestly doubt they will be enough to produce much of a yield at all (flowering and fruiting require much higher light levels than vegetative growth). Perhaps you can get 2 or 3 actual eggplants from that one plant?

    Where I am, eggplant sells for 1.50 to 3.50 per pound, with an average eggplant weighing about 2 pounds. That's 3.00 to 7.00 US dollars per eggplant.

    So your 20.18 in energy costs might save you 6.00 to 21.00 US dollars at the grocery store.

    Realistically, I doubt you are going to grow anywhere near 6 pounds of eggplant (that's 3, 2-pound eggplants) from those 3 tiny fluorescent bulbs. So chances are, you can buy at the grocery store far more eggplants for that 20.18 (in electricity costs) than you can grow.

    The sun is an incredibly powerful, free energy source for growing plants. Grow lights are expensive to operate.

    Herbs might be more cost effective. Where I am, things like fresh basil are actually not that cheap - and since most herbs are grown for their leaves instead of their flowers/fruit, you can get away with lower light levels. You will probably still pay more to grow them under artificial light than to buy them at a store, but it probably won't be as much of a difference as for larger, high-light plants like eggplant or tomatoes.

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    5 years ago

    Potting up outdoor veggies such as these and bringing them indoors will put them into shock, which is what you're experiencing. It's near impossible to grow eggplants and tomatoes indoors successfully. Enjoy them in the summer outdoors.


    If you're interested in growing under lights indoors, get a good light setup with trays and fluorescents and grow greens in winter. You can enjoy all kinds of pea shoots (they taste like peas!) and other seedlings to eat.



    Abid Raza Toronto Canada thanked susanzone5 (NY)
  • User
    5 years ago

    It's nowhere near impossible. But it does take a decent investment, both in money for the high powered lighting (among other things) and in the time necessary to learn why and how growing indoors is different from growing outdoors. Perhaps it would be better to say that it is "impractical for the typical hobby gardener."

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Illsstep, what a rude response! I think I said it fine and simply, to the point, not overly wordy. Not full of irrelevant info.

  • User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    My response was perfectly polite. Perhaps what I wrote wasn't clear. Growing certain plants indoors is not "near impossible". It is "expensive" (costing both money and time).

    If someone expresses interest in growing such plants indoors, as the original poster did, I am not going to tell them it is "near impossible", because that is not true. I am going to attempt to point them in the direction of "what it takes" and let them decide for themselves if that investment is worth it.

    Abid Raza Toronto Canada thanked User