by Sulla
Low light plants?
2:03 pm in Plants, questions, Seeking Advice by Sulla
Hi all,
Haven’t tried these windowfarms yet but I’ve been reading about hydroponics for years. I’d like to give this a shot, except I have very little light in my apt. My windows face East and there’s a giant building 6 feet outside my door, so I get about 2.5 hours of direct sunlight in the morning. In the afternoon ambient light comes in reflected off that monstrosity next door.
I’d like to grow some more expensive crops – peppers, tomatoes, or such – but I’m pretty sure I just don’t have the light for it. What crops could I grow in these conditions?
Thanks!
One way you could get around it is by getting full spectrum fluorescent (CLF) bulbs to supplement the amount of light. You can purchase them at most hardware stores. These could also be on a timer. You need about one bulb for ever four plants in the system.
My WF is facing East, too, and gets about the same amount of light.
If the monstrosity has a white coat of paint on it, it can at least serve additional light source.
Outside of the darkest months of the year you’ll probably be able to grow different kinds of lettuce, rucola, and even peas, beans and cucumbers which cover the ground/parts of the window quickly to get their due.
(I will install LEDs soon to be able to grow tomatoes all year round.)
Yea I would recommend springing for the lights too, because even plants that WILL grow in low light, aren’t necessarily going to be the tastiest because they tend to stretch out and are less able to produce proteins/ amino acids that make them taste delicious. And any common CFL will work, just keep them as close to the plants as possible, after about 2″ fluorescents’ luminosity drops off drastically and they stop being effective. LEDs are ideal, but they are more pricey and harder to come by unless you frequent a hydroponics store.
Something else that I have been thinking up that may help (but isn’t exactly ideal if you like the view of that wall) would be to make a “light net” with reflective material to catch all the ambient ligt that shines in through that particular window; bouncing it back towards the plants. But I am very unsure of the benefits of something like that, because I haven’t had time to test out the idea yet.
Much luck!
You could grow a stick.
Most leafy greens or herbs would grow slowly in those conditions. I currently have a basil plant by a window I have left with the blinds closed for weeks (I got tired of opening it and I went on vacation as well) and it is still growing, but it looks weak and is a lighter green than normal.
i’m sorry
I have a mint plant and a lemon balm plant growing like crazy weeds in a north facing exposure that gets a little westward late afternoon sun. Tasty in mojito’s and with lamb.