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Re: Seed Starting -// Fans and Timers

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Patricia Santhuff wrote:
>
> Ron wrote:
> >I can vouch for the fan technique.  Even with bright fresh tubes
> >and aluminum foil covering the nearby walls, I had leggy plants.
> >Using an oscillating fan helped considerably with making my
> >plants much stockier.
>
> Some very good information, Ron, thanks. I was especially relieved to read
> that someone else had leggy plants. (Do you think your problem was also
> heat-related?) Last fall, after reading someone's suggestion for it, I
> tried "petting" my plants and I do think it helped a slight bit. But this
> year, after reading your good notes, I think I'll attach a fan.

I don't believe it was heat related.  The plants are kept in my basement
and there are no vents from the HVAC system.  It is cool down there
year round, though I have not actually taken a temperature reading.
We tend to heat the upstairs around 65 degrees.

> Boy, this seed starting business sure is complicated. There sure is a lot
> of *hardware* involved, too. It helps if you're a carpenter, and an
> electrician -- or have one in the family.
>
> Now about those timers --
>
> >   1) Leave the fan on a timer.  Running it constantly dries the
>  >   plants out quickly and kills (or stresses) them.  Running the
>  >   fan for a few hours a day seemed fine.  I ran mine for 15 minutes
>  >   every other hour or so.  I now use a computerized timer but one
>  >   of those cheap $5 dollar timers will work just fine.  However if
>  >   you have overwatered them, leaving the fan on a little longer is
>   >  a great way to dry them out a bit.
>
> We bought some timers recently for a different use, but we had to go to a
> specialty (actually wholesale) supply place and they weren't cheap.
> Further, they have to be hardwired -- can't just be plugged in, so I don't
> see us using them for the seedstarting effort. We'd looked at Home Depot,
> and they had nothing. Where did you find $5 jobbies, or your computerized
> timers -- and for how much? And how are the computerized ones different --
> that is, how do they work?
>
> Patricia
>

I used the same cheap timer you would use to turn a small lamp on
and off.  I used a small six inch fan that only required a two prong
connector same as on the timer.  I could see how it would be more
expensive if you wanted to switch a larger load.  Best time to buy a
few of these timers was two weeks ago, as many places, walgreens
osco and the like, were clearing them out after selling them to turn
the various holiday lights on and off.  I find that these cheap switches
are hit and miss, some fail after a month or two, some (rarely) work
great for ages.

The computerized timers.  A big hassle if this all you are going to use
them for.  Overkill.  But if you are already into that kind of stuff it's
easy
to do.  All the lights in my house are on special switches, that a human
or a computer can use.  Certain appliances are on switches that can
be controlled by a human or the computer, for example crockpot
in the kitchen and various fans.  The computer interface part costs
about $35.  The computer controlled switch for the fan costs $8-10
on sale $15 otherwise.  Since this borders on OT if you have any
other questions I will be happy to answer any offlist.  The stuff I use
is from www.x10.com.  It works great for me but many have had troubles with
the computer communicating across the a/c lines.  I have been using
this kind of stuff since the late 70's with few problems myself.
I have a "Macro" in my external interface that turns the starting area
lights on
at 4am and off at 10 pm.  From 6am - 10pm every 2 hours another
macro turns on a small oscillating fan for 15 minutes.

Take care. -- Ron Souliere


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