Need help with basement hydro veggie garden - General Gardening - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Jaxom · 08-13-2009, 05:51 AM

Sooo...I've been growing hydro for years. Did so at a commercial level for a while. Then when I got married and our daughter was born, I downsized to a small personal cabinet arrangment. This works fine for us. Give's use plenty for special occations and helps keep our budget in check.

But like many of us, time are tough. My hard earned money isn't going as far as it use to anymore. In an effort to again keep our budget from going berserk, we took out our back yard lawn (wasn't much just 25'x25') and put in a veggie garden this year. Now, we're putting up tommatos and such as stuff is becoming ripe.

Then the other half goes, "I'm gonna miss having fresh veggies this winter..." That got me to thinking. Right after we bought our home, the village we live in did an inspection. What use have an "in-law" apartment in our basement, that was no longer up to code. So we had to remove it. Now I have this HUGE unfinished basement. And I started thinking..."What if I could use my hydro knowledge and put in a garden so we could have fresh veggies all winter long.

Most of what I learned while growing commerical and with my small scrog box, can and will be applied now to growing veggies for the family. But I do need a bit of advice on some issues I'm trying to resolve in this "legit" garden grow.

I can build a room just about any size I want. The basement is 35' wide and 60' long. But that'd be one hell of a garden. And besides,I've been dreaming of building myself a nice woodworking shop at one end. So let's say I'm going to build a 10'x10' indoor veggie garden. These are some of the things I need to know.

While I see the advantages of using an hps. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be more prudent to install a series of florecent shop lights with warm lights along the cieling and then have a few smaller say 70w or 150w hps spot lighting over specific grow area's.

Next issues is types of hydro units to use. In my mind I can see using different types of hydro units for different types of plants. Example, I could use a large rubber maide bubbler on a mobile cart for 1-4 tommato plants. That's plenty for a family of three. But for other veggies like say peppers or broccoli I think a table or trough (using pvc fence posts) style ebb and flow would work better. But then this got me to thinking...do different veggies require different nutrients? What's a good hydro nutrient that I don't have to mix that's good for veggies? I don't mind doing the mixing for my scrog box, but if I do the veggies at the scale I want to...I just as soon not get into having to all that measuring.

And lastly...pollination. Where we do our best to NOT let our other grows pollinate, we NEED our veggie plants to do so. Now as I understand it, some plants...like tommatos, just sticking an oscillationg fan near it will cause it to pollinate, causing fruit to grow. But what about other plants. I cannot find ANYTHING on which plants I can grow easily or semi-easily in my basement. Well other then stuff like tommatos, and peppers.

Beyond all that, I'd really like to see some examples of other's indoor/basement hydro gardens and any suggestions, reading materials...ect.

Thanks,

jax

Mr. Hugeblunts · 08-14-2009, 03:20 AM

I'm sorry as I don't have anything to add but I have been seeking to do the same as you.

Have you considered photocycles? Do any of the vegetables need to be put into flower? Can you run 18/6 through harvest?

HOODOOBLUESMAN · 08-21-2009, 02:41 AM

not in hydro----
i am going to try indoor garden this late fall===
momma insists on keeping flowers and plants this year--
grape tomatoes and green peppers will get a try also...

Jaxom · 08-26-2009, 06:26 AM

I've done a bit more research, could still use some tips from those that have gone before me. As far as flowering veggies go, some are easier then others. For example tomatoes you can just shake the plants and they'll pollentate and produce fruit. Where as peppers you have to go to each budding site and use a small paint brush and pollenate them. A bit of work, but could very well be worth it in the long run.

The thing I'm concerned about, yeah I grew commerical, using 2 400hps and some florecant tubes in a small 5x5 closet. That was good enough. But a room that's 10'x10' would require 5000w of hps. Am I really going to grow enough veggies to offset the electical expence???

HOODOOBLUESMAN · 08-26-2009, 05:10 PM

JAXOM
"""thing I'm concerned about, yeah I grew commerical, using 2 400hps and some florecant tubes in a small 5x5 closet. That was good enough. But a room that's 10'x10' would require 5000w of hps. Am I really going to grow enough veggies to offset the electical expence??"""

just for that reason--
i have purchased a few small led grow lites--
i will use them as supplementel lighting

zolar · 08-26-2009, 11:00 PM

check out pro quality LEDS [groworganic,com] suggeast 400 watt ceramic metalhalides that fit in sodium ballasts

fogponic aeroponic lettuces do small dirt box area as some veggies gro better in dirt than hydro try universty agriculture sites

lettuces greens produce on less light space than pepperrs tomatoes and you can grow a bunch of types much easier

4 inch squarepots in gutters or graphics arts sinks [shallow abs etc plastic 2-3 ft X 5 or 6 ft 6inch deep central drainn work well soilor hydro]

08-13-2009, 05:51 AM	#1
Jaxom Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 55	Need help with basement hydro veggie garden Sooo...I've been growing hydro for years. Did so at a commercial level for a while. Then when I got married and our daughter was born, I downsized to a small personal cabinet arrangment. This works fine for us. Give's use plenty for special occations and helps keep our budget in check. But like many of us, time are tough. My hard earned money isn't going as far as it use to anymore. In an effort to again keep our budget from going berserk, we took out our back yard lawn (wasn't much just 25'x25') and put in a veggie garden this year. Now, we're putting up tommatos and such as stuff is becoming ripe. Then the other half goes, "I'm gonna miss having fresh veggies this winter..." That got me to thinking. Right after we bought our home, the village we live in did an inspection. What use have an "in-law" apartment in our basement, that was no longer up to code. So we had to remove it. Now I have this HUGE unfinished basement. And I started thinking..."What if I could use my hydro knowledge and put in a garden so we could have fresh veggies all winter long. Most of what I learned while growing commerical and with my small scrog box, can and will be applied now to growing veggies for the family. But I do need a bit of advice on some issues I'm trying to resolve in this "legit" garden grow. I can build a room just about any size I want. The basement is 35' wide and 60' long. But that'd be one hell of a garden. And besides,I've been dreaming of building myself a nice woodworking shop at one end. So let's say I'm going to build a 10'x10' indoor veggie garden. These are some of the things I need to know. While I see the advantages of using an hps. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be more prudent to install a series of florecent shop lights with warm lights along the cieling and then have a few smaller say 70w or 150w hps spot lighting over specific grow area's. Next issues is types of hydro units to use. In my mind I can see using different types of hydro units for different types of plants. Example, I could use a large rubber maide bubbler on a mobile cart for 1-4 tommato plants. That's plenty for a family of three. But for other veggies like say peppers or broccoli I think a table or trough (using pvc fence posts) style ebb and flow would work better. But then this got me to thinking...do different veggies require different nutrients? What's a good hydro nutrient that I don't have to mix that's good for veggies? I don't mind doing the mixing for my scrog box, but if I do the veggies at the scale I want to...I just as soon not get into having to all that measuring. And lastly...pollination. Where we do our best to NOT let our other grows pollinate, we NEED our veggie plants to do so. Now as I understand it, some plants...like tommatos, just sticking an oscillationg fan near it will cause it to pollinate, causing fruit to grow. But what about other plants. I cannot find ANYTHING on which plants I can grow easily or semi-easily in my basement. Well other then stuff like tommatos, and peppers. Beyond all that, I'd really like to see some examples of other's indoor/basement hydro gardens and any suggestions, reading materials...ect. Thanks, jax
	Quote

08-14-2009, 03:20 AM	#2
Mr. Hugeblunts Tryin to smoke an l? Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 252	I'm sorry as I don't have anything to add but I have been seeking to do the same as you. Have you considered photocycles? Do any of the vegetables need to be put into flower? Can you run 18/6 through harvest?
	Quote

08-21-2009, 02:41 AM	#3
HOODOOBLUESMAN HIS DUDENESS Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: " THE RIDGES" MISSOURI Posts: 130	not in hydro---- i am going to try indoor garden this late fall=== momma insists on keeping flowers and plants this year-- grape tomatoes and green peppers will get a try also... __________________ THE STREET GOES BOTH WAYS--GET ON IT !! all communication on this site is for educational purposes only...not meant to be factual or real!!! all knowledge i have is from internet..... --i hate terroists----all pinkos can byte me
	Quote

08-26-2009, 06:26 AM	#4
Jaxom Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 55	I've done a bit more research, could still use some tips from those that have gone before me. As far as flowering veggies go, some are easier then others. For example tomatoes you can just shake the plants and they'll pollentate and produce fruit. Where as peppers you have to go to each budding site and use a small paint brush and pollenate them. A bit of work, but could very well be worth it in the long run. The thing I'm concerned about, yeah I grew commerical, using 2 400hps and some florecant tubes in a small 5x5 closet. That was good enough. But a room that's 10'x10' would require 5000w of hps. Am I really going to grow enough veggies to offset the electical expence???
	Quote

08-26-2009, 05:10 PM	#5
HOODOOBLUESMAN HIS DUDENESS Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: " THE RIDGES" MISSOURI Posts: 130	JAXOM """thing I'm concerned about, yeah I grew commerical, using 2 400hps and some florecant tubes in a small 5x5 closet. That was good enough. But a room that's 10'x10' would require 5000w of hps. Am I really going to grow enough veggies to offset the electical expence??""" just for that reason-- i have purchased a few small led grow lites-- i will use them as supplementel lighting __________________ THE STREET GOES BOTH WAYS--GET ON IT !! all communication on this site is for educational purposes only...not meant to be factual or real!!! all knowledge i have is from internet..... --i hate terroists----all pinkos can byte me
	Quote

08-26-2009, 11:00 PM	#6
zolar Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pa,USA,earth Posts: 147	check out pro quality LEDS [groworganic,com] suggeast 400 watt ceramic metalhalides that fit in sodium ballasts fogponic aeroponic lettuces do small dirt box area as some veggies gro better in dirt than hydro try universty agriculture sites lettuces greens produce on less light space than pepperrs tomatoes and you can grow a bunch of types much easier 4 inch squarepots in gutters or graphics arts sinks [shallow abs etc plastic 2-3 ft X 5 or 6 ft 6inch deep central drainn work well soilor hydro]
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.