Grow lights - picture/discussion thread

[PsyPalm]

Hey guys!  I thought it would be cool to start a thread of grow light setups as well as just people's cool/creative indoor palm arrangements.  I've installed a number of different grow lights in my place and wanted to share with you guys as well as just get a thread of pictures and discussion about what has/hasn't worked for us.  I always love seeing what people do with their indoor space!

Here's a list of the grow lights I've used: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1UAJP4JW5RVS8?ref_=wl_share  The 75W Bozily ones are the most effective as far as par value, those are the main ones that I use everywhere.  The other ones are less powerful but add a really nice ambiance, the green of the palms against the purple of the spectrum lights hits really nice.

Excited to see what other people have done, cheers guys!

Loch

 

[LivistonaFan]

This is my setting for small seedlings of cold/cool tolerant palms. They are solely growing under (cheap) artificial grow light (2 * 28 W LED) @ 17-19 °C day (12 hours light per time switch + heating cable)/ 12-14°C night. They are basically experiencing a coastal SoCal winter until they get outside again in March/April. The plants are situated in a  white/light gray "tool cabinet" (220cm*90cm*40cm) with the possibility of another "plant level" above them. With this setting, I can vary the height of the grow lights quite easily and could even accomodate a few larger plants.

 Sorry for the weeds. I guess they like this setting as well.

Plants growing in there:

- Butia odorata "strictor" x Syagrus romanzoffiana SC (recovering since I got it)

- Butia yatay

- Beccariophoenix alfredii

- Brahea "clara", B. dulcis, B. moorei, B. "Super Silver"

- Cycas taitungensis

- Dioon edule "queretaro blue"

- Livistona australis, L. decipiens

- Ravenea glauca "andringitra" + R. glauca "isalo"

- Rhopalostylis sapida (from the West Coast)

- Sabal brazoriensis, S. lougheediana

- Syagrus schizophylla (recovering from spear pull during heavy rain in October, I have another (much) bigger one)

I will probably relocate my Sabal lougheediana to a warmer location as it could be quite tropical in its requirements.

[Allen]

This is my arrangement LOL

 

 

[PsyPalm]

Allen this legendary!  Perfect use for a garage haha.  

[GoatLockerGuns]

AKA....the incubator.

[JohnAndSancho]

I guess I need to step my game up. $10 light bulbs in $6 floor lamps. 

[Palm D]

Well we built a greenhouse some years ago and I am fortunate enough to overwinter my plants in there in addition to any seedlings. It also has a aquaponics system in there which helps stabilize humidity and temperature.

 For lights, in addition to the natural light coming into the greenhouse, I use 75watt LED strip grow lights.  I have 6 in total in addition to some screw in CFL that I target over certain plants.  You can sorta see four of the LED strips in the photos.

cheers

[sashaeffer]

5 hours ago, Palm D said:

Well we built a greenhouse some years ago and I am fortunate enough to overwinter my plants in there in addition to any seedlings. It also has a aquaponics system in there which helps stabilize humidity and temperature.

 For lights, in addition to the natural light coming into the greenhouse, I use 75watt LED strip grow lights.  I have 6 in total in addition to some screw in CFL that I target over certain plants.  You can sorta see four of the LED strips in the photos.

cheers

Lost for words impressed. Especially since your in Canada.

 

[Palmlover_78]

Hello, I have a grow light in my tiny one bedroom apartment :), and this is my set up, a little Tropical ambiance for the cold days of winter, -24 outside right now 

[chad2468emr]

So, I have a grow light on a cat palm in my living room that is devoid of any natural sunlight and it has responded well, despite the constant spider mite outbreaks on it, haha. I live in Florida, so I only have a few palms weathering our "winter" indoors at the moment, but my office as a "nook" that I fill with plants. I'm using a mix of six 150-250 watt LED bulbs, but only two are actually grow bulbs. I was unsure how that would work out, but I made sure to use a mix of color temperatures between 3000k and 5000k and because the volume of lumens they put off is so high when combined, the monstera you see in that back window has actually started growing towards the grow lights instead of the window it is sitting right next to, haha. Each bulb is between 1500 - 2500 lumens, so between the volume of brightness + the evening out of the spectrums provided, I've seen a strong positive response in the plants. Everything in that nook has put on considerable growth at a much higher rate than prior to the lights being added, and it was very satisfying to see since the entire setup only cost around $120 and it has a very natural-looking spectrum of light visible to the human eye. 

As far as palms within the photo, there is a C. rena, A. vestiaria clump, and a small pot of A. cunninghamiana that have have all done very well indoors the last few months. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by chad2468emr

[floridaPalmMan]

14 hours ago, Palm D said:

It also has a aquaponics system in there which helps stabilize humidity and temperature.

What fish are you using?

[floridaPalmMan]

Here's my greenhouse at night. I've already had multiple curious neighbors show up asking what it was since you can see the glow from a 1/4 mile away when the sun goes down.

[Palm D]

7 hours ago, floridaPalmMan said:

What fish are you using?

we have goldfish, we don't intend to eat them and they tolerate cooler water and not as expensive as KOI.

[Palm D]

7 hours ago, floridaPalmMan said:

Here's my greenhouse at night. I've already had multiple curious neighbors show up asking what it was since you can see the glow from a 1/4 mile away when the sun goes down.

haha!  I know the feeling!  We actually make sure most of the lights are off at sun down which in the peak of winter is 4:30!!

[floridaPalmMan]

3 minutes ago, Palm D said:

we have goldfish, we don't intend to eat them and they tolerate cooler water and not as expensive as KOI.

Good choice if you're not eating them.

But oh buddy, if one day you decide to go that delicious direction (or if the goldfish aren't growing fast enough) I highly recommend yellow perch.

They just don't die. I've used tilapia, blue gill and catfish but yellow perch take the cake.

If you somehow forget to balance things or something goes haywire and the nitrate levels go beyond absurd... they somehow power through.

Water can be 33'F and they won't freeze as long as the water is moving.

They can go weeks without food. (I've never actually tested this nor would I, but researchers have found that due to their ability to survive in near freezing Midwest lake/pond temps, their bodies can go into a state of suspended survival.) It looks like you're in pacific coast Canada though so you probably don't have to worry about freezing temps.

And they grow pretty fast which, as you know over time, will add more nutrients to the system.

Cons: In my opinion, they might be one of the ugliest creatures on the planet. No joke.. I used to sit and watch them when they were fingerlings and couldn't help but frown. I feel bad saying it because they're just another creature on this planet like the rest of us... but my god I just think they're offensively ugly. That's just me though... my wife thinks they're cute.

Anyway... Cool aquaponics system. Have you tried growing a palm seedling in it?

I've only been at my new home for 9 months but I brought the aquaponics system (simple 225 gallon IBC tote) from Wisconsin and will have it set up here asap. Can't wait to show you some pics. It'll be a bit since I have to build a greenhouse first but hopefully by Q3 of 2021 it'll be up and running.

[Palm D]

46 minutes ago, floridaPalmMan said:

Good choice if you're not eating them.

But oh buddy, if one day you decide to go that delicious direction (or if the goldfish aren't growing fast enough) I highly recommend yellow perch.

They just don't die. I've used tilapia, blue gill and catfish but yellow perch take the cake.

If you somehow forget to balance things or something goes haywire and the nitrate levels go beyond absurd... they somehow power through.

Water can be 33'F and they won't freeze as long as the water is moving.

They can go weeks without food. (I've never actually tested this nor would I, but researchers have found that due to their ability to survive in near freezing Midwest lake/pond temps, their bodies can go into a state of suspended survival.) It looks like you're in pacific coast Canada though so you probably don't have to worry about freezing temps.

And they grow pretty fast which, as you know over time, will add more nutrients to the system.

Cons: In my opinion, they might be one of the ugliest creatures on the planet. No joke.. I used to sit and watch them when they were fingerlings and couldn't help but frown. I feel bad saying it because they're just another creature on this planet like the rest of us... but my god I just think they're offensively ugly. That's just me though... my wife thinks they're cute.

Anyway... Cool aquaponics system. Have you tried growing a palm seedling in it?

I've only been at my new home for 9 months but I brought the aquaponics system (simple 225 gallon IBC tote) from Wisconsin and will have it set up here asap. Can't wait to show you some pics. It'll be a bit since I have to build a greenhouse first but hopefully by Q3 of 2021 it'll be up and running.

Now I gotta google their mugshot. Lol 

haven’t tried palms in the aquaponics S we prioritize food production but maybe I can sneak a few seeds in and the wife won’t notice!  

[floridaPalmMan]

9 hours ago, Palm D said:

Now I gotta google their mugshot. Lol 

haven’t tried palms in the aquaponics S we prioritize food production but maybe I can sneak a few seeds in and the wife won’t notice!  

For some reason they don't seem that bad in pictures. They just look like a fish.  The ugliness must be magnified in real life ha.

You'll probably have to add potassium to have a palm actually thrive but it would still be interesting to see how one would do without any additional nutrients in an aquaponics system. Maybe there's a 'low potassium' palm out there which could be a good test subject.

Edited January 23, 2021 by floridaPalmMan

[floridaPalmMan]

9 hours ago, Palm D said:

Now I gotta google their mugshot. Lol 

[Palm D]

2 hours ago, floridaPalmMan said:

awwwww, they are cute!  

 

[TerryH]

I grow a lot of palms from seed. LED lights are useful for newly germinated seedlings during winter when natural light is so poor. The seedlings grow slowly under LEDs but they keep the plants alive. The small plants grow much faster under natural light when the spring comes.

 

[Palmlover_78]

Where I live we have Perch all over our lakes, and they are soooooo good

[Palmlover_78]

Terry H. what species of Palms are you currently growing?, I germinated Christmas Palm in September and they look like this now, and they are under an LED

[TerryH]

I grow mainly butias, camaedoreas and braheas. I have just noticed that two Phoenix rupicolors have germinated - they have been in a bag of vermiculite in a heated propagator since last October. I keep the lights on even when nothing has germinated so they get light as soon as they germinate. I put them in pots when they are about 3" tall and move them to a windowsill. The light levels are very low here at this time of year.

[sandgroper]

On 1/23/2021 at 4:08 AM, floridaPalmMan said:

Here's my greenhouse at night. I've already had multiple curious neighbors show up asking what it was since you can see the glow from a 1/4 mile away when the sun goes down.

Brilliant mate! There's great little movie called "Saving Grace", a UK film where they end up growing illegal plants in a greenhouse to get the money to save their estate, your greenhouse looks very similar to the one in the movie.

[floridaPalmMan]

22 minutes ago, sandgroper said:

Brilliant mate! There's great little movie called "Saving Grace", a UK film where they end up growing illegal plants in a greenhouse to get the money to save their estate, your greenhouse looks very similar to the one in the movie.

Ha yep. That's the next "curious neighbor" I'm waiting to show up at my door... The police thinking I'm growing pot.

I thought about turning it off when the sun goes down to avoid that kind of situation, but then I decided it would be worth the trouble to see their reaction when they found out it was just a bunch of palms and bamboo seedlings.

Edited February 7, 2021 by floridaPalmMan

[Lande]

I have grown Adonidia merrillii and Veitchia arecina from seeds (1 year old now) and some W. robust and Euterpe oleracea (for 6 months) indoors. They got evening sun during the summer through a window,  but now most of them have been moved to a location in the apartment where there is almost no sunlight - but this spot maintains a 24-25 degrees celcius (75 F) at all times. Using 5 IKEA (15w) grow light bulbs here for lighting.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Lande

[GoatLockerGuns]

19 hours ago, Lande said:

I have grown Adonidia merrillii and Veitchia arecina from seeds (1 year old now) and some W. robust and Euterpe oleracea (for 6 months) indoors.

Those palms look super healthy!  What potting medium are you using?  Looks like there is a lot of perlite from the picture.  Are you mixing your own medium and, if so, what is your mix ratio?

[amh]

Has anyone attempted to use Herichthys cyanoguttatus for aquaponics?

[Lande]

On 2/10/2021 at 4:03 PM, GoatLockerGuns said:

Those palms look super healthy!  What potting medium are you using?  Looks like there is a lot of perlite from the picture.  Are you mixing your own medium and, if so, what is your mix ratio?

Thanks! Yes they are doing quite well I think. I mixed myself, something like 50 % coco coir, 20% perlite, 15% classical potting soil, 10 % bark, 5% clay pellets (and 100% clay pellets at the bottom of the container for easy drainage). I have just done a little bit of extra perlite on the top to make it look a bit nicer, but in general it feels like the light weight perlite just float to the top after enough waterings. 

[GoatLockerGuns]

2 hours ago, Lande said:

50 % coco coir, 20% perlite, 15% classical potting soil, 10 % bark, 5% clay pellets

Nice....so how often do you need to water with that mix?

[Lande]

On 2/17/2021 at 11:23 PM, GoatLockerGuns said:

Nice....so how often do you need to water with that mix?

I tried to be a bit scientific about it. I measured the weight of the palms (4-5 of them) before waterings when they were dry, and then after watering them. Then I measured them after 3, 6, 9 days and saw that around 9 days they were back to the same weight. Of course they have grown a little bit in that time, but its almost zero. So now I water them about every 7-9 days. I did a period of every 7 day, and I have waited 14 and even 20 days. 20 is probably the max before they start to show signs of lack of water. Anyways I make certain that they feel dry-ish, because I’ve heard that root fungus is the biggest hazzle when having potted palms. Oh and I have added a little bit of «Pro Palm fertilizer», a couple of times. 

I should add that indoor humidity is typically 24-30% this time of the year. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Lande

[JohnAndSancho]

Bumping this thread since I need to add more lights. Currently I've got 2 floor lamps with the little arms, and GE grow bulbs in the arms plus an Amazon off-brand dual gooseneck LED that sadly is illuminating my Kentia from about the middle of it. 

 

I'm in an apartment so I can't put a bunch of holes in the walls or ceiling. I've come to grips that my hobby has outgrown my housing lol. I've been looking at everything from the tripod grow lights to buying cheap architect style desk lamps to more clip lamps to some tube style fixtures that I could maybe plop on a wall if they were lightweight enough to stay up with push pins or Gorilla Tape. 

 

I'm not gonna lie, I'm looking to do this as cheaply as possible. I'm realizing that while some of my plants are doing great, some aren't getting nearly enough light. 

[spike]

3 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Bumping this thread since I need to add more lights. Currently I've got 2 floor lamps with the little arms, and GE grow bulbs in the arms plus an Amazon off-brand dual gooseneck LED that sadly is illuminating my Kentia from about the middle of it. 

 

I'm in an apartment so I can't put a bunch of holes in the walls or ceiling. I've come to grips that my hobby has outgrown my housing lol. I've been looking at everything from the tripod grow lights to buying cheap architect style desk lamps to more clip lamps to some tube style fixtures that I could maybe plop on a wall if they were lightweight enough to stay up with push pins or Gorilla Tape. 

 

I'm not gonna lie, I'm looking to do this as cheaply as possible. I'm realizing that while some of my plants are doing great, some aren't getting nearly enough light. 

I'm guessing you can put grow light bulbs in your ceiling lights... Never know what's gonna happen until you try it

Edit: oh yeah, apparently they can damage your eyes

Edited August 4, 2022 by spike