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Re: Seed Starting -// Fans and Timers

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

Ron -- 

thanks for your extensive response. I was glad to see that there were
others who were interested in some of the info as well.

However, you somehow missed my most important question -- where did you get
the $5 timers? You further described them, but I still don't know where to
get them, ESPECIALLY since, as I said, we looked for timers a few months
ago at Home Depot etc. for use in another application and the only ones we
could find were only available through a family member who could buy them
from a specialty wholesale distributor, and they were more expensive and
need to be wired.

So, please, where did you get them? Did we just miss them at Home Depot? Or
look in the wrong hardware stores? Or should've gone to WalMart? KMart? Or
maybe a lamp / lampshade store since you mentioned that this is one use for
these timers?

Thanks,

Patricia

P. S.  As for my input re the OT question on *hardware,* frankly it bores
me to tears, just as computer hardware does. HOWEVER, if there's interest,
I see no reason not to keep it on the list, as long as the rest of the
topics don't get completely drowned out. After all, I too know how to use
the delete key. <g>



At 10:17 AM 1/17/00 -0600, you wrote:
>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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