Before you make your selection of which type of pot to use, think about whether you want to reuse the container. A reusable container will be more stable and permanent, but biodegradable seed plugs allow you to plant the entire cell directly into a larger pot or your garden without lifting out the seedling or disturbing its root system.

These biodegradable seed starting cells can be planted directly into a larger container, or into the garden, once the seedling's roots reach the bottom and edges of the plug cell.

Gardening Under Lights Book

Having the right spectrum of light is not enough to grow healthy plants. You also need the right quantity to fuel photosynthesis.

While accurately measuring light for plant growth might seem complicated—and the fi ne details are beyond the scope of this book—an introductory understanding of how to measure and manipulate light will help take your indoor-growing skills to an entirely new level.

Gardening Under Lights Book

Coir, or coco fiber, is a more sustainably harvested and renewable alternative to peat moss. Coir mats can be used to propagate, grow microgreens, or line planters.

Some coir can be high in salts, which can interfere with the uptake of certain nutrients, such as calcium. If you plan to use coir as a hydroponic substrate, look for brands that have been washed or composted.

Gardening Under Lights Book

For most annual and edible seeds, normal germination occurs at optimal soil temperature and moisture levels without any special techniques. You can speed up the germination process (or improve germination rates from older seed stock) if you presprout them, a process called chitting or greensprouting.

Chitting involves soaking the seeds, usually for 24 hours, before you sow them. Moisten some dish towels, paper towels, or newspaper, then set the damp material in a tray, on a plate, or inside a plastic bag. Spread your seed onto the moist surface. Seeds will absorb the moisture and swell, and some will germinate and sprout.

Gardening Under Lights Book

When you grow plants under only red light, they can put on additional leafy growth, or biomass. This is good for certain crops, such as lettuce. But as plants develop more leaves and other structures, they may not transpire properly or they can stretch, get too tall, or develop oedema (leaf blisters—a common issue in tomatoes grown under only red light) or other problems.

If you grow your plants under only red light for too long, chlorophyll production can stop altogether, causing photosynthesis to cease.

Gardening Under Lights Book

Newer CMH lamps require less electricity to generate more usable light output, so you can use a lower-wattage lamp than you might with an HPS or an MH lamp. CMHs are thus more efficient than standard MH lamps, and they put out less heat than HPS lamps, which is a great benefit to most home growers.

With a more full-spectrum light output and a 20,000-hour life span, a CMH lamp is a quality all-around HID lighting solution for home gardeners who want to grow a variety of plants indoors without switching lamp types.

Gardening Under Lights Book

There are 25,000-30,000 known species of orchids, and their care requirements vary. Orchids have three general categories of light needs: low (200-300 PPF), medium (300-600 PPF), and high (600-1000 PPF).

The color of orchid leaves will tell you if they are getting too much or too little light. Normal, healthy leaves should generally be a light, bright green. Leaves that become very dark generally aren’t getting enough light, while a pale yellow-green or red tint indicates plants are getting too much light.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers

Beets are root vegetables that also offer edible leaves. There are many varieties of beets with a number of root colors, sizes, and flavors--a rainbow of beet options.

Direct seed beets into the garden, or into the final container you'll use to grow them indoors. Thin seedlings so that there are a couple of inches between each remaining seedling. Use a balanced granular vegetable fertilizer in the soil or growing media at seeding time. Then side-dress the beets or use a liquid fertilizer one or two more times during their growing cycle.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers