Violets not blooming in the window? Tired of expensive, fragile Tube Fluorescents & high energy costs? Weve been running informal tests for 7 months with different varieties using inexpensive CFL bulbs and dollar-store lamps. The results are overwhelmingly positive, 80% of the varieties tested bloomed well, including new flowering on some from the window that were dormant. All stayed healthy, sent up new blooms if disbudded and there has been very little reaching in the foliage. The lights run 24/7, average distance from bulbs to plants is about 15 to 20 inches, the violets are on a footstool height shelf positioned behind two computer terminals. The lamps are on the desk overlooking them. The shelf is white and a white-painted board sits behind them as a reflector.. This is a good solution for those who want a few more violets around the home, but prefer no hassle with shelving and grow lights. Also good for any violets that dont bloom in winter, move them under 2 of these bulbs and theyll start flowering in 2 weeks. We are looking to simplify indoor growing and reduce both the energy use and heat output. CFL bulbs produce heat but not too much compared to the light output. Some situations might want to include a tiny fan to circulate air. The next step will be to build a 2 or 3 tier AV stand using six CFL bulbs in clamp lights with reflective hoods. Some varieties seem to make slightly smaller blooms, so we will test increasing the light or possibly adding some pink LED supplementals. We have only been using Optimara varieties for obvious reasons, so we cant say this will work for all cultivars. Give it a try! ;)
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:31:53 +0000
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