DECEMBER 5, 2014 -- While I was on the agricultural committee, I wrote an article about growing crops inside. Now that winter is approaching here is a thought for those of you who cannot bear the thought of not growing anything for months. If you have a spot available in the house where the temperature is fairly cool you might think about growing some greens. I grow greens, lettuce, beet tops, arugula and spinach in the bottom halves of plastic milk jugs or the low seed trays. They don’t require a great depth of soil, nor do they require a full light spectrum.
While some people have told me they have had luck growing in window sills with sunlight, I have not had good luck doing this. I use a T5 light, which is what I use to grow seedlings in the spring. It is a four foot long light, with a very small long bulb that does not use much electricity. This light fullfills the light requirements for green growth. It, however, does not provide enough light spectrum for flowering. The lights that would work for flowering are hotter, brighter and costs more to run. Then there is the problem of lack of bees, so stick with the greens. |