Radogast's Non-420 Garden Creation Thread

[Radogast]

That was $75 for the 4' long reflector and ballast, complete with 54watt 4x4' T5 ho tubes in either 6000k grow or 2700k bloom.
The same setup I would pay $125-$175 at a hydro store. But not as good quality of hardware. Pretty much the same light output, although it took about 2 hours before the light tubes put out full strength light. 90 day warranty or something short like that.

Both lights I ordered worked. On end of the tube holder on one fixture was not mounted right so I had to muscle it back into position with a flathead screwdriver. I didn't break the plastic so it is all good.

 

[GardenFaerie]

You can buy two tube, 4' shop lights for about 12 dollars at Home Depot and use any kind of fluorescent tubes you want. You may have to rig a switch or this or that, but that sure is cheap enough. i think....

 

[Radogast]

You can buy two tube, 4' shop lights for about 12 dollars at Home Depot and use any kind of fluorescent tubes you want. You may have to rig a switch or this or that, but that sure is cheap enough. i think....

T8 shop lights are indeed half the cost at about twice the weight of t5ho lights.
T5ho in 4' sizes are 54w to t8 shoplight of 32w for 60% more output.
For 4x32w equads 6x23 watts lamp bulbs, so bulbs start looking easier.
For 4x54 watt that equals 9x23 watts which is a lot of bulbs and outlets and wires and a single fixture seems easier.

The efficiencies are similar. For me, it is all about how many watts you think you need to grow.

 

[GardenFaerie]

I didn't consider the watts before I opened my yap! You're right.

 

[Radogast]

I didn't consider the watts before I opened my yap! You're right.

I'm nit saying I'm right!!!

I have no idea how many watts it takes to grow, just that 216w of cfl seems to veg 3.5'x 2' of plants.
Which is the space I have to veg 420 and non-420 plants.

With the 5'x5' table upstairs, the wife said she might grow indoor plants this winter

 

[GardenFaerie]

Hahahahaha, she may grow indoor plants this winter! hahahahaha. She's jellin!

What kind of plants? Does she like gloxinias? I love them. I also love bonsai. Not all bonsai are suited for growing indoors and most need vernalization. But, she can probably grow some great stuff under those monsters.

 

[Radogast]

No Bonsai :lol:

The wife wants to work on other projects, not be obsessed

 

[GardenFaerie]

I hear that! Bonsai is definitely an obsession. Currently, I have no bonsai in my possession. I love having house plants en masse because they really do make the air fresher. I have a HEPA filter in every room and a whole house filter, but nothing like fresh oxygen in the air.

You've inspired me...thank you!

 

[SoilGirl]

Thanks for the PM Radogast, and the link to where you got that T5 system, that looks like a really awesome price, so good in fact I thought it was too good to be true. I'll definitely remember this when it comes time to move indoors!

 

[trichomes]

i grew up in RI, i will catch up on the rest very soon, great yard

i'm glad i stumbled upon this, i hope an in invite is not required,


if so, I just CRASHED YOUR LOL

 

[Radogast]

You are absolutely welcome trichomes.

This first season in the garden had a double whammy : 80% of seeds didn't terminate or are growing weakly.
Also we have a ground hog who loves the new selection of flower buds we grew.
Lily, immature sunflower, wildflowers - a lot of delicacies

My achievement falls way short of our dreams.
The fun factor of gardening is off the charts good.
It nourishes the soul

 

[trichomes]

Rado!! i love it, any plans to keep the g-hog from returning? never had to deal w one of them,

they are probably very elusive, with teeth! Gotta find out what scent, might keep them away,

have you tried peeing on the plants he targets? ya never know!!!

 

[Radogast]

The ground hog is one of nature's creations.

My plan is now I know which plants go inside the garden fence.

 

[trichomes]

How's that working out? i had a feeling you'd go that route, why disturb mother natures successful cycle.

I'm glad I didn't add, peeing in his tunnel, just before you put the garden hose in one end and big rocks, over all escape routes.

In the woods like you have, those methods are fruitless, I like the idea of the more life, the better the yard.

 

[SoilGirl]

I love all the wildlife pics Rado!! Beautiful.. and what you did with all those sticks... I want to hug you Lol. You chose an apt profile name.

 

[Radogast]

I love all the wildlife pics Rado!! Beautiful.. and what you did with all those sticks... I want to hug you Lol. You chose an apt profile name.

Thankyou girl-who-grows-in-soil

I processed parts of 5 trees into sticks and leaf piles for about 4 hours yesterday.
While I was working, I heard a Great Blue Heron hunting frogs.

Taking pictures of my stick piles just now, I saw a dragonfly.

 

[Radogast]

Flowers


Lilies around the Apple tree.

Op, op, op, op, op ... Lilies Groundhog style

Beans Groundhog style

Garden cat

 

[Radogast]

Just now smoking some medicine

Immature male Downy Woodpecker on the suet feeder.

You can tell it's immature because feathers are fuzzy and it acts like a clumsy child, plus I've seen this bird before.
Male because of the head patch. Immature because the patch is copper color not adult red.

The White Widow smoke, after three days air dried, it's smooth.
An unground popcorn of 0.1 gram between four people in a pipe and we are feeling good. Mild Lemon pledge flavor

 

[nhteatime]

I would think long and hard before I set English Ivy loose. It will strangle everything, literally, and eventually it will want to grow up your trees to establish a canopy up there. Ivy is a vine in its immature stage, but it wants to form a tree. It does this way up into the canopy of your healthy trees and kills them. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a native plant. English Ivy:

Noxious Weed Control Board (NWCB) | WA State | Weed Detail Page

Please don't do this to yourself. You have no idea how noxious this weed is.

Hello, hope you dont mind but i subbed this

Have to comment on the ivy: Two years ago we had ivy vines so thick you could rope swing with them. They grew up over all our trees and were suffocating them as they grew. We started cutting the vines and killing them off but could not get them completely out of the top of the trees because they were so high up. After a couple weeks I mentioned how awful our view was outside our bedroom window from the dying vines and the smothered tree branches. My honey decided to go out and cut one of the dead trees down to make my "view" better. I joined him outside after a while. He was down in the brook notching and chopping away. Well the wind picked up and one big gust blew the tree the wrong way. I heard a crack and saw all the old dead vines up top of that tree attached to another tree. My honey tried notching it more so it would fall right but the vines kept it from going down and the next wind gust - dropped the tree in our pool! Needless to say..honey was Not happy! screaming "how do you like your view now" He throws the ax out of the woods, throws the chainsaw out of the woods, out comes the chisel and then him storming up the bank of the brook. We dont let the ivy get too high now. matter of fact if I could get rid of all of it I would. It has since killed two more trees out back where we cant get to because of the brook and now they have to come down. I assure you, He is not doing it hahahah Skip the Ivy trust me

 

[nhteatime]

Btw your property is beautiful, our property is alot like yours and I wouldnt trade it for nothing!