Seedling setups

My seed-starting setup has changed over the years.  I've always used fluorescent lights for starting seeds, with mixed spectrums to suit my different plants.  Fluorescent lamps have different Kelvin ratings, with the lower spectrum good for vegetative growth (leaves) and the higher spectrum good for flowering and fruiting.

What I've attached the fixture to, however, has changed.  My first layout was in the unfinished basement of our farmhouse in Ortonville.  Hubby suspended the fluorescent fixtures from the ceiling joists, and placed a table underneath the lights for the seed flats.  The fixtures were hung on long chains, and could be raised or lowered depending on how high I wanted them to be.  

Tomato seedlings on the floor, under lights.  2011.

My next design, also in the Ortonville farmhouse, was two card tables in the dining room.  I hung the lamps under the tables, and had the flats on the floor.  The flats would be on top of boxes to bring them closer to the lights, and as the seeds grew I removed the boxes to lower the flats.

When big enough, seedlings went onto the sun porch.

When we moved into the house on State Street in New Ulm, I took a break from starting seeds.  I relied on mail-order seedlings and my local nursery.  Which is just fine, but you have a smaller selection to choose from.  Several seed companies, including Seeds Savers and Burpee, offer mail seedlings for certain species including tomatoes, peppers, onions, eggplant, brassicas, kale and herbs.  Mail order seedlings are also a lot more expensive.

I have a few aloe plants.

My current configuration is set up in our sun room.  I bought wire shelving from Menards, and used metal chain and hooks to hang the shop lights from the bottoms of the shelves.  The shelves are different heights, so I can adjust the distance from seed to light by using different shelves as well as adjusting the chain lengths.

My first scallion seeds didn't grow, so I've replanted more.

At some point I'll probably bite the bullet and invest in expensive LED fixtures, but for now my cheap shop fluorescents work just fine.