Indoor Greenhouse

[nullvalu]

Hey all, I have a rather large & unused basement. I would like to make a greenhouse and try growing some vegetables indoors. Does anyone know of any good links for resources on building an indoor greenhouse? What plants thrive better under artificial light, etc? I'd like to try growing a few things like carrots, potatoes, peppers & tomatoes to start. Thanks!!

I guess the proper term is "indoor gardening"

[Elwar]

pot

[angelatc]

If you Google "indoor vegetable gardening" you can bypass all the hydroponic herb growing links.

[FunkBuddha]

I would definately look at using LED grow lights if you haven't already.

Also, indoor aquaculture looks pretty cool. You could raise fish like talapia as well as crops. I'm not sure how well root crops like potatoes and carrots would do.

[nullvalu]

I would definately look at using LED grow lights if you haven't already.

Thanks, why would LED grow lights be better? According to a few things I've read, they aren't really necessary and in most cases standard fluorescent lighting is sufficient.

[Goldenboy219]

LED's, even the new "UFO" versions do not provide the same plant fruit growth, which is the goal in gardening.

An indoor greenhouse is my eventual goal, along with a small vinyard, and 10 acres of various cops. Deep down i'm a country boy.

[FunkBuddha]

Thanks, why would LED grow lights be better? According to a few things I've read, they aren't really necessary and in most cases standard fluorescent lighting is sufficient.

Maybe, but with LEDs you can tune the light output to whatever the desired spectrums are for the particular plant you are growing. Maybe thats over the top though. I tend to go to extremes on things. ;)

[nullvalu]

Maybe, but with LEDs you can tune the light output to whatever the desired spectrums are for the particular plant you are growing. Maybe thats over the top though. I tend to go to extremes on things. ;)

Yeah maybe I'll save that for Phase 2. :)

[nullvalu]

LED's, even the new "UFO" versions do not provide the same plant fruit growth, which is the goal in gardening.

An indoor greenhouse is my eventual goal, along with a small vinyard, and 10 acres of various cops. Deep down i'm a country boy.

So what would you suggest?

[paulim]

So what would you suggest?

I grow some vegetables indoor already. With a little experience I would advise you to use fluorescent tubes T8. There are special growing tubes, you can combine them with cool-white tubes 1:1. Plants need a lot more light than you would imagine first.
Then build a frame for the tubes. You fix the tubes on the frame, at the same time you can use the frame as reflector by wrapping it with aluminium foil. Make the frame adjustable through chains or strings, so that you can always choose the shortest distance possible to the plants, without touching them from above.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Maybe, but with LEDs you can tune the light output to whatever the desired spectrums are for the particular plant you are growing. Maybe thats over the top though. I tend to go to extremes on things. ;)

SPOT ON!

Google: NASA CELSS LED nutrient film technique
or
Google: NASA CELSS L.E.D. nutrient film technique

LED's SIP electricity! and can deliver just the wavelengths you need for plant growth.

-t