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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Registered: 10/12/16
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I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside.
    #24399275 - 06/12/17 11:18 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

So I have some lettuce seed and well it's in the 90's here. Yea I could pull a fall crop and might. But I am curious about growing lettuce indoors in the basement, it doesn't get much above 70's down there and I could always drop the temp a bit with a swamp cooler.

Lighting is more my concern. I have grown other things indoors, cough cough. I goggled it and found some mixed results. But the general concession is my old 1000w MH is way overkill. Now I have seen some post, Google results, about people growing it under fluorescent lights in the 6500k range, like most stuff likes. It was said that about 1500-2000 lumens per SQ FT would be enough. I am hoping one of you have done this and possibly other things like broccoli and maybe cabbage, typical spring/fall crops.

Any and all personal experiences are welcomed. Thanks!


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OfflinePepperBreeder
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24399331 - 06/12/17 11:48 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

MH and HPS way too much for lettuce.  I have grown lettuce indoors and not minded too much about temp provided it doesn't wilt lettuce - low 80's should be fine.  Temp affects some phytochemicals, like terpenes in carrots that cause bitterness. Humidity could be a concern, as high humidity increases chance of pathogens.

I used ordinary inexpensive shop lights. the smaller diameter bulbs are more efficient, and save money, don't buy the lights labeled for plant growth, get half the bulbs on the lower end of the K spectrum (maybe 4-5000K) and the rest on the higher end (5-8000K), alternate the bulbs.  You can have these lights close to the lettuce (8-12 inches) and they should not burn your leaves, one will be blue in color and the other pink, this will cover most of the necessary PAR. 

As for broccoli and other flowering or fruiting crops, you will need a massive amount of space for root mass (like 7 gallons per broccoli plant in soil-less media) and much more intense light.

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OfflineMcGrimm
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24399342 - 06/12/17 11:53 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Hey. I can really appreciate when our topics move toward living better and more sustainably.

I have done some indoor grows with Broccoli, Lettuce, and such.  Oddly enough, the window light was perfect and I really only needed a supplemental light for good measure.  I have also used the normal fluorescent lights (fluorescent lights in the 6500k range) for many varied crops.  We did not have real Grow Lights available in my area until recently.

Indoor grows have a tendency to mold or gather pests because of the lack of competitions.  It did bring in a bit of a pest problem for the lettuce, but my losses were minor considering.


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In Peace or Pieces we shall move forward.

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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: McGrimm]
    #24399385 - 06/12/17 12:12 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I might try some window growing of lettuce. I didn't know things like broccoli required rather large post so I will skip that. Thanks for some feedback guys.


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OfflineMcGrimm
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24399689 - 06/12/17 02:22 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

....crickets in this post..

Surely more people care about growing food..

I need this kind of info b/c of the small grow window I have.  Indoor grows are not "easy" and usually take good losses the first couple of times.

anyways


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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: McGrimm]
    #24399726 - 06/12/17 02:33 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I have grown um, other stuff indoors. Fresh air is important. It keep mold and possible insects down. I like to still with the idea of exchanging all the air in the room in 5 min. At the same time a couple fans oscillating and mixing air around while moving the plants a little is good. Something I picked up from the cannabis books years back. I wish I was able to build a greenhouse, but lack the funds to do so right now.


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OfflineMcGrimm
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24399789 - 06/12/17 02:54 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I too am in the greenhouse boat. My current one is an A-Frame about 4x8'.  still a work in progress and definitely looking like my "first shed".

However, a greenhouse is a must


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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: McGrimm]
    #24399823 - 06/12/17 03:07 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I am thinking about building a simple lean-to against the south side of my garage.


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OfflineArtisan farmer
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: McGrimm]
    #24401836 - 06/13/17 09:18 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I feel you on the short grow window. I think were at the 90 day frost free mark or close to.

Greenhouses are saviors as far as extending seasons. We had lettuce , Kale and ground cherries in our greenhouse everything is self seeding and springs up about mid to late April. Grows slowly at first then explodes at the end of June.

Apply some of the diligent grow habits we do to growing mushrooms to growing indoors, should cut back on some issues. I plan on doing something this winter for sure, picked up some Platinum series LED lights, micro greens, some herbs probably.

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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: Artisan farmer]
    #24402353 - 06/13/17 12:46 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Illinois winters are far more mild now then what they were 20 years ago when I was a kid. We didn't have much freezing this past winter. I might try a simple hoop house with heavy plastic this winter. A couple heat lamps stuck in there would make a huge difference to.

The local college has a student ran farm for food for their dorm cafeteria, they grow food 11 out of 12 months of the year using trenches with hoop houses over them.


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OfflineMcGrimm
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24402638 - 06/13/17 02:56 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

hmmm.  I have wanted to look into hoop houses, but I was deterred by the price.  I am an accomplished woodworker, but construction can be a bit different.

I am curious and will look up some ideas


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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: McGrimm]
    #24402644 - 06/13/17 02:57 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Easiest I seen was someone heated PVC pipe, bent into a half circle and covered with like 6 mil plastic.


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OfflineArtisan farmer
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24404760 - 06/14/17 09:39 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Hoop houses are definitely expensive. When I said greenhouse I meant hoop house. I have a hoop house, but I made this with 2x4s and vapor barrier. it's lasted 3 years so far with no sign of slowing down. this year however I've had to replace some of the vapor barrier, tiny portions of it.

Oh and when I say hoop house I mean a shed skeleton with vapor barrier skin.

11 out of 12 would be great. Also student ran cafeteria that grow their own food! Shit, we requested more nutritious food here and they took 3 or 4 years to get more a salad bar in, what with all the contracts on only being able to use certain companies and so on.

This is the kind of thing that would make food, health, economy better. Self sustainability, not just individually but regional. Not the kind of self sustainability that becomes isolative, but shit, if you can grow kale 12 months out of the year why get it from California (modular farming in my area allows year round harvesting of certain crops).

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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: Artisan farmer]
    #24405031 - 06/14/17 11:39 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I have seen someone on the edge of town who has long hoop houses setup over trenches. Nothing big, but you can tell he grows enough for himself. Sadly with global warming it is getting easier to pull off grows in the winter.


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OfflineArtisan farmer
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24406207 - 06/14/17 07:11 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

How big are those hoop houses and trenches you think?

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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: Artisan farmer]
    #24406408 - 06/14/17 09:01 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Well the ones that they guy has on the edge of town look like 4-6, I glimpse them when I drive by. Looks like trenches would be a couple feet deep maybe, looks as though the dirt was piled along the edges for some more vertical space. and maybe 15 to 20 foot long. I have seen straw piled up against the sides of the "tube" that is basically built. Guessing that was for a cold snap. You could still see the plastic so they were still getting some sun.

I figure if one dug a trench 18-24 inches deep and piled the dirt removed along the edge that should get close to 3 foot of space. Make it like 4-5 foot wide. Curve some PVC pipe for the top and run 6 mil plastic down it. The peak of the arch should give 4-5 foot vertical space from the bottom of the trench. Could also bend some metal conduit for the "ribs" that you would need for the roof.


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OfflineArtisan farmer
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24407107 - 06/15/17 07:00 AM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Your design seems feasible man. You'd only need a little over 6' of PVC per rib/arch. Not sure what you mean about bending the metal conduit for the roof though. I'm thinking you'd bend the pvc/electrical conduit and make an arch.

A little over 6' conduit gives you a circumference of 12.5 approx. Split that in half you have yourself an arch 2' from the top of the soil. Dig down 2' you got yourself a peak of 4' from the bottom of the trench to the peak of your conduit arch.

If I dug down 2 feet where I am, I'd be planting in straight up clay.not sure what your soil type is but def worth consideration.

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InvisibleTheMadHatter420
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: Artisan farmer]
    #24407805 - 06/15/17 01:00 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Well what digging I have done in my hard has resulted in black soil at 2 foot down. In your case you would have to go a bit deeper so you could add back some good black soil. My house was built where a large farm was back before the 50's. The old farm house was said to sit a couple lots to the north of me. I think part of my garden sits over an old animal lot. Nice loose black soil well over 2 foot deep there.


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OfflineArtisan farmer
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: TheMadHatter420]
    #24408814 - 06/15/17 08:02 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

I just got a boner when I read about that soil, that's weird right? That's sexy soil man, oh the things I would do to that soil. I'd plant the shit out of it! Hugelkultur everywhere right thur!

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InvisibleLunarEclipse
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Re: I'm thinking of growing lettuce inside. [Re: Artisan farmer] * 1
    #24432052 - 06/24/17 03:39 PM (6 years, 9 months ago)

Quote:

Artisan farmer said:
I just got a boner when I read about that soil, that's weird right? That's sexy soil man, oh the things I would do to that soil. I'd plant the shit out of it! Hugelkultur everywhere right thur!




Not to be hard on your but fucking you are dirty!  You'd fuck in the dirt and rub mud on your balls and howl.  Not sure what Hugelkulter is but that sounds dirty too.

Anyway I built a pond/raised bed garden/aquaponics structure out of cinder blocks and pressure treated.  For the roof I'm using the double wall polycarbonate over some scabbed single wide mobile home prefabricated trusses.

I love my pond I got fishies too a mixed bunch of tilapia.  Very cool.
They are growing fast now some are almost 2" long and they were just fingerlings recently.  Watching them eat is fun.

This year I grew a shit ton of lettuce as with most things CannaTM Coco is the best and their basic ferilitzer Canna A&B is some very good stuff as well.  The lettuce in dirt didn't do nearly as well.  You Canna Go Wrong With Canna. Temp wise I think keeping direct sun off the lettuce is about as important as it not being too hot.  But yeah 90 and above is way too hot.  That's tomato season and I am hoping for some Cherokee Purples because the plants are already fruiting so other than a deer marauding them in the pond or just raping my garden yet again it's all good.  Fucking deer.


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