Root Farm LED Grow Light

[Labradors]

Does anyone use this? It says to place it 2" away from plants, but my micro's all turned yellow so I think it's too close.

I'd love to hear how others have used this.

Linda

[AKgardener]

I do have the same light I find it very bright but my tomatoes didn’t like it being close either including all the micros and the other ones I just switched out my light maybe that will change things I was woundering why mine were yellow as well

[Labradors]

I'll have to report back if I find the correct distance, but it's a little tricky now that they are all yellow/burned.

Linda

[rossomendblot]

12-18 inches from the canopy is the recommendtion for my LED light.

There are apps available which allow you to measure the light intensity with your mobile phone. If you have an iPhone, 'Korona - Grow Light Meter' is supposed to be quite accurate. For Android I use 'Lux'.

[AKgardener]

Very interesting [mention]rossomendblot[/mention] ill have to check that out I have always watched videos and read anywhere from 2 to 3 inches from the plant . I can’t wait to start my tomatoes again in March I’m going nuts haha

[rossomendblot]

You could probably get away with 2-3 inches for lower intensity LEDs or the old style red and blue grow lights. Newer LED grow lights put out a much higher intensity of light and it's easier to scorch your babies. My plants are slightly less than 12 inches from the light now, but I'm running the light at half power. Full power would definitely need 18 inches. It depends on how old the plants are too: older plants can take more light than seedlings.

The fluorescent T5s I used previously could be 4 inches from the canopy.

[Labradors]

AK Gardener, I think you NEED to grow some micros over the winter .

Rossomendblot My T5's enable me to grow seedlings really close, even touching, with no problems. It's interesting that these are so high-powered! Kind of defeats the purpose of having "legs". Guess they are best for really short things like lettuce.

[bower]

I think it's a general rule, that LED's should be further from the plants than we are used to with fluorescents. Even my LED shoplights are kept well above any leaf. With the fluorescents my plants would grow right up into them if I didn't raise them up. And never yellow. I don't see that even with lame LEds not designed for plants... they don't want to be close. I keep them 6 inches or a foot above. Plants like bok choy just got stocky instead of reaching up at them. Under fluorescents the same lot of boks were taller.

[Donnyboy]

I germinated for many years under T12 fluorescent. A few years ago, I switched to T8, but by plant out time, my plants usually are bending over to avoid the light bulbs. This winter, I've rebuilt my light table, raising the lights about ten additilnal inches above the table. I now have about thirty six inches between the light bulbs and the table. I start my seeds about six inches below the bulbs and lower the decks about six inches many times while the plants grow. When the plants are finally lowered down to the table level, the last frost of winter is past and the plants are ready for the garden.

[Labradors]

I'm managing with about 9" distance between the Root Farm lights and my tomato plants now.

I'm so glad to have T5's in my tiered grow light stand. They wouldn't work at all if I had to have them 36" above the seedlings!!!

Linda

[Donnyboy]

I'm managing with about 9" distance between the Root Farm lights and my tomato plants now.

I'm so glad to have T5's in my tiered grow light stand. They wouldn't work at all if I had to have them 36" above the seedlings!!!

Linda

Prior to rebuilding my light table, I only had about 26" between my lights and the table top. I germinate my various seeds at 6" inches below my my lights and many varieties were trying to push the bulbs out of their sockets by plant out time. I have decks on supports which allow me to lower the decks as required at 6" intervals down to the table top. Some varieties require a lot of room to grow while others require less room. I now have 36" between the lights and the table top. That should be enough room for the plants to grow and air to circulate.

[AKgardener]

[mention]Labradors[/mention] I did start micros this winter they all grew nice now I have nothing to do so bummed haha I’ll think of something to drive my husband nuts about gardening this winter I always do

[Labradors]

AKGardener Well that's great. What happened to them? Don't they keep on going? If they petered out, maybe it's time to start some more.......

Linda

[AKgardener]

[mention]Labradors[/I ate them all and they eventually quit getting more I went through all my micros I have 46 varieties so far haha so your right time to start more I did find some new varieties I’m gonna today

[Labradors]

Sounds like fun! Let us know how they perform!

Linda

[maxjohnson]

I have the AeroGarden version which is exactly the same, it work very well for 2 or 3 micros in a gallon pot.

I've since upgraded to the TopoGrow UFO300W, which is effective for a 6x6ft area for seed starting.

[Labradors]

Sounds amazing! How did it work out?

Linda