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GULFPORT,MISSISSIPPI

I read the post stating that a pumpkin plants leaves are like solar panels soaking up energy from the sun. Has anybody ever rigged up a night lighting system using shop lights with the "plant growing" light bulbs in them? Just curious. I bet this would work.

8/26/2001 1:32:07 PM

canal winchester ohio

I haven't but if you find anything out let me know , I could hang the bulbs from my misting system next year. It would sort of be like the long days in Alaska where they grow those 100 lb. heads of cabbage........Paul

8/26/2001 1:44:45 PM

PA

Maybe that would be possible for very short daylight areas, not sure even then but if you have a normal daylight then I wouldn't try it. Plants need the dark to process the energy. They need periods of light and dark, just like we need sleep and awake cycles. Some people use them when germinating seeds but you still need to turn them off at night even then for the same reason.

8/26/2001 6:46:22 PM

Chester Co., PA

Amy is right, the pumpkins grow during the night. Growers here are always bragging that their pumpkin grew 5 or 8 or 10 inches overnight. The ideal would be to figure out the minimum dark period (5 or 6 hours)needed by the plant and then use grow lights to augment the natural daylight.

9/6/2001 5:15:22 PM