Grow your own seedlings: choose the right light system

Many gardening books tell you to start seedlings by placing them in a "sunny windowsill".  This is rather poor advice for East Bay gardeners, especially in the bay side communities, who can spend the entire month of July socked into a fog bank.  And what are you supposed to do in late December when the light is low and limited and there is no way you will get the 16 hours of light seedlings need, especially sitting in a chily window sill? 

The only proper way to start seedlings without a greenhouse is to set up an artificial light system.  This needn't be expensive either since seedlings don't need full spectrum light.  The easiest and cheapest do-it-yourself system is to purchase a 48-inch fluorescent tube shop light, which are readily available at most hardware and home improvement stores.  Home Depot has a nice model with an extra wide reflector so a few extra seedlings can bask under the light bath.  Just suspend it over a counter on adjustable chains so you can keep the light no more than two inches from the tips of the seedling's leaves as they grow.  For about $25 you have a light system guaranteed to grow two standard flats worth of sturdy, healthy plants.

If you want something a little fanicer or want to grow more than two flats, consider setting up your nursery on heavy duty steel shelving.  Home Depot has a steel unit that is 48 inches wide to accomodate your fluorescent lights and four shelves that will hold eight standard seedling flats!  The shelf retails for about $77.  With four shop lights at $25 each the entire system will set you back $177, which is only slightly more than one, mid-priced standard grow light.  You are trying to save money growing your own seedlings so why pay more for an artificial light system?

For apartment dwellers there are also compact lighting systems available that look nice too.  Hydro Farm makes a dandy four-foot light system for about $70 that includes the frame, adjustable height light, and two full spectrum fluorescent tubes.  Hydrogarden Delight, located in San Leandro, has this and other lighting systems online or in their shop and the owners there are very happy to show first timers how to set up a proper system.

There's no reason East Bay gardeners can't start seedlings all year round as long as they have a proper light set-up.  Check out the resources and happy growing!