North facing window
11:19 pm in Getting Started, Plants, questions, Seeking Advice by Emily Schulman
I am currently setting up my first windowfarm, and only have North facing windows. Does anyone have suggestions of plants that have done well in low light conditions? OR, is it necessary for me to add lamps?
Thanks! I’m really excited to get started!
Hi Emily, welcome aboard!
I think with a north facing window you should start up with lights. You can use some Compact fluorescent lamps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp) or hang a single long Fluorescent lamp (“Pipe”) vertically from the ceiling.
Britta has posted about this here:
http://our.windowfarms.org/2010/03/05/do-i-get-enough-light-or-do-i-need-to-supplement-the-light/
I used an old aquarium lamp, but there are also work lights
(like this: http://www.conrad.de/medias/global/ce/8000_8999/8000/8080/8082/808229_BB_00_FB.EPS_400.jpg ) available. Just put a hook in the ceiling, hang the lamp, plug it in and you’re ready
Good luck!
I second the suggestion to get a lamp. I have a south facing window, but I really noticed an improvement when I added a fluorescent tube. The one that I have is a really slim profile one… so it’s not too obtrusive.
In almost all cases you will probably need supplementary lighting. Hydroponic systems usually need 12-17 hours light.
In Quebec (Canada), the amount of sunshine in winter is about 8 hour a day. But the sun is lower in the sky that gives more sunshine inside, but the sun give less energy than summer for the same period. Noth facing is not an option here.
In winter, we get temperature of -28C, so putting the plant just beside a window can be a problem for tomato. Tomato require a minimum of 15C. We usally start tomato inside and plant them outside.
We use square foot garden technic for growing stuff outside.
When we start our plant inside, I use 6x80W of natural sunshine fluorescent lamp. I do not need to be beside a window. But 6x80W = 480W, this is what I call “working against nature”. But growing stuff in winter where I live, is working against nature anyway.
I never wait long enought to see if my technic gives vegetable or fruit. I know it work for fine herbs, but they seem less healthy with less taste. I know my technic should be improve greatly with windowfarms but I must not do it directly beside a window.