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Re: Seeds Under Lights Versus Greenhouse

> You wrote: 
 Here in Ontario, January days are short.  I always thought
that leaving the lights on for 16 hours would be preferable to a
greenhouse, making the plants believe we were having longer days than 
we eally would be during the winter.

Does anyone care to comment on this?  If it is true that some plants
respond better to greenhouse conditions, and others to lights, does
anyone have lists of which plants prefer which, and which plants don't
care?

Heather,

I start seeds of annuals and alpine perennials under lights about the end
of January. Works fine for me. Pansies for the wife are ready to go out by
spring. I have a plant light stand in my den and one wall of my garage is
lightbanks. Here in Juneau we have a shortage of sunshine until April
(actually we have a shortage of sunshine most of the year, but that is a
different story). I guess the answer to your question has to do with what
you are trying to propagate or grow on. Annuals can be propagated and
potted under lights for planting in your flower garden long before the snow
leaves. Difficult plants and alpines also do well, although I try to move
them out to my unheated greenhouse as soon as possible. I believe air
circulation is more an important factor than anything. Some literature
suggests leaving lights on 24 hours a day, I use 12 and 12, works for me.

I would have to disagree with the advice given to you by your local grower.
I have had success with dozens of annuals and alpines under lights. I have
also had dozens and dozens of failures, but it hasn't slowed me down much.

May I suggest trying as many different methods as you have time for, write
down the results and adopt what works for you, and abandon what doesn't. I
can have just as much pleasure killing plants and finding out what doesn't
work as I do with successful growing. My pleasure arrives from the act of
getting my hands dirty.

Hope this helps.

Robert Tonkin
Juneau, Alaska
A Very Wet Zone 6
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