Grow Lights help needed

[Birdbuff]

I got some sun blaster T5 LED’s over the holidays. I’m excited to put them to use this spring. Can anyone with experience tell me how quick plants grow under these lights? I just want to make sure my timing is correct with starting tomatoes/peppers/eggplant and others. I usually start peppers early (mid February) just to give them a good head start. Tomatoes and eggplant get started mid-March. Is this still a reasonable time to start with the lights or should I delay a bit?

Thanks

[stragglelake]

I use them. Are they full spectrum light ? Probably they are which is the best for veg stage.
I don’t go from seed but as soon as the garden centers have them I put them under the lights in bigger pots.
They grow really good under those lights so you are correct to be concerned about timing, they can get leggy.
Hopefully that helps.


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[Birdbuff]

They’re 6400k and 3900 lumen.

[stragglelake]

That’s full spectrum. How many bulbs ?
I have two sets of six bulbs, 4 footers and everything grows really fast under them.
You can speed things up or slow them down by adjusting how long the lights are on or how much food they get.
As with most gardening there is some trial and error but overall they are easy lights to work with and very forgiving.
Maybe try some gardening websites to get some better answers?


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[Sharon]

"
Plants also need roughly 6 or more hours of darkness per day to grow properly, so ensure you turn the lights off when needed. You can also use a timer to control your plant grow lights, so you don’t have to worry about being home to turn them off.
Seeds grow better in a warm environment, so get a heat mat to keep the soil temperature warm, between roughly 60 – 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check your water level daily to ensure the soil is moist but not soggy. Be sure you don’t over-water.
Fertilize your plants with an organic fertilizer every other week and be sure to rotate them to ensure even light absorption. " quote

One key I've found is not to have the light too close to the plants.

[Birdbuff]

I started my peppers February 6th. So far 75% have germinated. I have about 1 inch growth so far. I noticed a purpling in a few plants and from my reading, the lights are too close. I had them at 3-4 inches, I’ve moved them to 10 inches away.
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On a side bar, I’ve also winter planted some onions and poppies as an experiment. This is supposed to help with cold stratification. Hopefully will see some results this spring.
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I did start some onions indoors just in case. They’re looking good after their first topping.
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