I'm thinking of growing herbs indoors through the winter. Not cannabis but culinary herbs such as basil and coriander. Obviously the cost of lighting a grow tent is not an issue with ganja because no matter how much it costs you to grow an few ounces at home, it's gonna be cheaper than buying a few ounces off a dealer, and you can guarantee it's not contaminated. But since basil doesn't cost anywhere near £25 an eighth, is it worth growing it indoors or should I STFU and just accept that basil is for the summer?

All I'm thinking of buying really is the tent and a light - I can leave the tent open for ventilation. I suppose I can work out how much it would cost to have a 500w lamp on for 12 or more hours per day, but is there a cheaper option that would still be effective?

id say cfl's would be better than a whack off 500...run cooler too.

peace

As browns said,I think you couold probably grow reasonable basil with an envirolite.

Yea basil loved the enviro.

You've done it before then? Can you give me a bit of info... how many plants did you grow in what sort of space, and what wattage did you use? Ta.

Asked on another forum earlier, and am getting responses like "you can buy basil from supermarkets" and "if it dies just buy a new one"

They dont seem to understand the concept of horticulture, wanting to grow something and keep it alive and healthy... I don;t think they realise that you can pick what you need from a plant and then wait for it to grow back, rather than picking it to exhaustion and just buying a new one

Yea at start of me grow i popped some basil seeds as well - under 125w enviro - they were pretty slow compared to the mj but i now have a few about 1ft tall basil plants on the window sill. Just pop some seeds in and away u go - the seeds are pretty tiny so u end up with a few plants all clumped together.

Did some of the cut and regrow lettuce plus some coriander.

I think for most of the leafy type herbs they dont need the full wattage of an hps as they arent really producing flowers, vegetables or fruits so dont need the extra light.

Sorry if this sounds daft, but would basil not grow all year on a window ledge? I doubt it needs much light, just a standard low energy bulb should see it right surely?

Your probably right - i just used the extra space with some other plants (was during winter so not much light outside).
The basil has been on the window sill for the last few months and has been happy.

Dub

Why dont you give some cheap low energy bulbs a go? Some leccy companies give them away for free or there are offers where you can get them for free. Give them a go, I bet you can get some decent results without the need for 500w lamps and tents, just a cupboard and a couple of 50 w low energy bulbs, maybe put some on the window ledge indoors too.

I'm not sure mate, I've grown it on a windowsill before and it doesnt get much light due to the orientation of my windows, not much light comes in you see. And it tends to get a bit cold near the windows too. I was thinking either supplement windowsill sunlight with artificial light, or just use 100% artificial light somewhere warmer. TBH I just wanna try a tent so see how well it works. Maybe I'll try artificial only, artificial + natural, and natural only so I can make a comparison.

Start off with some cheap low energy bulbs, if it goes tits up then you have lost next to nowt and you can move on to an enviro or whatever.

A few folk have got half decent crops with low energy household bulbs, they are in the grow diaries.

Nowt to lose but a few weeks and a few seeds, I bet it works though

Well I'll wait until winter and then give it a go, & I'll try and remember to post the results on here.

Yeah you can grow both bassil and corrinader all year round on a windowsill, allthough I suppose it does depend somewhat on how much light and the temps around your window. Deffo rekon window supplemanted with CFL would work well. When picking basil take a growing tip and two new shoots will grow in its place just like canna. And you can take cuttings of basil to make new plants.
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Ta didnt even think of doing this. Rite that does it im firing up the enviro again.

i keep picking my basil incorrectly! i am taking the biggest 2 leaves from the very top of the plant. will that make it grow taller instead of bushier?

Get some Goji berry seeds planted. I gather they survive in non direct light so you can put them on your window ledge and they grow all year. My ones are coming on grand out of direct sunlight.

Don't tesco sell relatively fresh basil all year round?

Seems like a lot of effort just to get some fresh basil in the winter.

*facepalm*

dont dealers sell relatively decent weed all year round?

home growing seems like an awful lot of effort...

i think the novelty of growing basil and the likes in a grow tent will soon wear off. it grows fine along with other herbs on a windowsill for 9 months of the year.

whats wrong with outside this time of year? it's perfect.. no point in wasting leccy when the sun will grow them for nothing.

keep your tent for special herbs, i'd say.

"whats wrong with outside this time of year?"


The word 'winter' in the original post will give you a clue

Honestly, Dub, give some cheapo low energy bulbs a go in a cupboard, I bet you can happily grow a basil plant under a 40w cheapo bulb.

apoligies, you will definately need supplementary lighting over winter months to grow any decent herbs. a 125w enviroight would be enough to produce something, but i'd imagine you would get a cracking harvest from a 250hps.

i doubt you would be able to grow it cheaper than what you buy it for, based on amounts consumed and all the equipment needed to set-up and maintain your growing area. (maybe if you had a metre sq area stuffed and set-up dialled in you could produce it for cheaper) but it will cost you about £300 to set up then compost and nutes etc to follow.

but you can't put a price on your home grown herbs, over the winter months. good idea

Your idea almost falls in line with a project I'm planning but can't start until the current project is finished.


The pic is nicked from fleabay, the drobe costs £30 or less, about 3.5 foot by 1.5 foot. I'm thinking a 250w hid, fixed bulb holder and a build that is easy for anyone to replicate. If enough of us build identical units, we might even get to learn something.


btw, I wouldn't worry about the cost, people don't make their own jam to save money. It's about quality and besides, most hobbies cost a bit and for the expense of running a light, you get to grow whatever you want.

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I guess you could grow with cfls. If canna can grow I dont see why not.
I just grow mine during the summer and store it for the colder months.


Bert...

lazi, you gonna line the inside of that wardrobe with foil? black interior = waste of light!

1) Assemble metal frame.

2) Using timber and hardboard, build a grow cab that snugly fits the metal frame. It now looks like a grow cab.

3) Fit canvas, it now looks like a wardrobe.


I've got a bee in my bonnet about doing a grow in a spare bedroom without using ducting. Without causing mould in the room as well of course.