In the WindowKit parts list, i read that the current choice for CFL lights is because they’re cheaper.

For me, the money is definitely an issue, but my main concern here is succes (i’m terrible with plants, and all my money would be wasted along with my enthousiasm if my first batch fails). So i wouldn’t mind spending some more on a couple of LED bulbs, if that helps. My first questoin, obviously: Would it? Would LEDs be better than CFLs? Or only some (type) LEDs?

When they say they’re cheaper, i assume they mean the purchase costs. How would the cost of the electricity compare?

I’m thinking about putting the entire window farm between the window and the curtain (that i’ll move a bit away from the window, into the room), but i obviously wouldn’t want to ignite my curtains until my veggies are ready. ;-> Did anybody try this? Can anybody give me advise on the distances that are both safe and good for the plants?

Do plants care about having exactly 1 day per 24 hours? I think i would prefer to turn on the extra lamps in the middle of the night when i’m asleep (adding an “extra day” to a 24 hour cycle), rather than “prolonging” the day, brightening the room when i’m still in the living room. Would they notice?

Even better would be if the light is cumulative rather than the “hours of light”. What i mean is, would the plants be fine with getting twice as much light during the day, instead of twice as many hours of light?

http://cgrantmccool.com

Using the following website with a quick, easy DIY solderless LED fixture as a guide, I set-up and made my own lights!  http://www.dabblings.net/subpage2.html

I’m no expert with electricity, but I understand enough and had enough research skills to pull off a modified version of the DIY set-up given in the site.  My LEDs were TopBright LEDs

I have since reworked this set-up to add a Red bulb to each fixture.  This was a bit tricky because the Red LEDs I was using required a separate circuit from the White/Blues which had the same electrical draws.  While each fixture’s Blue and White circuits are all self-contained in their own project enclosure, the red bulbs are also in series with each other from enclosure to enclosure.

Please check out the excellent work of the Finnish Windowfarms team. This shot is a sneak preview of them installing the first few LED lights on the windowfarm they made out of Finnish recyclables in the window of the Kiasma Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki.

Their work on adapting the Windowfarms Project for Finland is part of a larger program called Herbologies/Foraging Networks at the Pixelache festival happening this month in Helsinki.

Niko Punin was responsible for development of the grow spectrum LEDs and has some very interesting ideas that we will be watching closely in the future!

More pictures here:

Windowfarms Finland on Facebook