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I started tomato, pepper and melon plants indoors a couple of weeks ago (start February). The plants will eventually go out in a greenhouse, but probably not until May. Will 2 x 30W (2100-2400 lumens) LED (6500K) be enough light for my plants until then? There will be a little real daylight as well, but rather limited at this time of year.

Note! I know this will not be enough for getting fruits. I'm only concerned about growth, and wether the lights can sustain plant growth.

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  • Why don't you put them in front of the window? That should be sufficient light for this phase of growth.
    – benn
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 21:44
  • @b.nota will the light which comes through the window be sufficient at this time of year (at 58 degrees north), even though it's not even direct sunlight?
    – sbrattla
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 21:45
  • I think for this pre-growth phase it will be (your plants don't bare fruits yet). When your plants grow larger they will need more (in length) and more intense light, which spring will bring. Unless you talk of a window facing North?
    – benn
    Commented Feb 21, 2018 at 8:55
  • @b.nota it's a south facing window, so when spring comes light should be much better. I was more thinking of the light available these days during winter.
    – sbrattla
    Commented Feb 21, 2018 at 18:42
  • A month later and the Tomatoe, Cucumber, Pepper and Melon plants are thriving under that light. It goes on at 6 in the morning and the plants get that light before I move the plants over to a south facing window before i leave for work. Then at 18 i move them back under the light which goes off at 22. Plants are robust and solid, and looks healthier than the ones I had last year which did not gey artificial light.
    – sbrattla
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 21:29

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They look quite etiolated now, so I'd say the current configuration is not going to give compact, robust growth. If nothing else, lower the lights to within a couple of inches of the seedlings. You can also improve things but surrounding the box with white cardboard or foil or something to reflect the light back to the plants.

If these were mine, I'd put them in the most compact arrangement possible, then lower the lights down low and then put some reflective material around to keep the light in.

Good luck!

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  • And , lower temperatures help to make compact growth.
    – blacksmith37
    Commented Feb 22, 2018 at 15:37

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