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  • Results 1 to 7 of 7

    Thread: Winter 2017...

    1. #1
      little_mikey is offline Senior Member
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      Winter 2017...

      In the short time I have been growing lilies I have been very fortunate in the generosity and hard work of those who have been doing this for years. Mostly because I am a broke college student... but also as respect to the original hybridizers I try not to loose plants. Last year I pulled my old original minuta "mother plant" and used two small aquarium heaters in a whiskey barrel on the porch to keep water temps 55* F + at night... Also heaved the thing indoors on really bad nights. This year I am back at my parents house ....

      Fortunately I have the ability to make my own "green houses" to extend my growing season. For me the evaporation at night is what seemed to be "peeling the heat" out of my tubs (water levels dropped in heated/uncovered tubs). This February I was able to start my LeStang tubers even though the water temps at night where in the 50s... I had used a plexiglass sheet over a whiskey barrel. Forgot to take it off one morning and temps hit 115 by about 2 pm.

      Recently saw some friends who lined their off-exhibit section with plastic shelves to hold up plants. I did the same in my large stock tanks. Then used pipes to make struts to hold up a plastic canopy ($1 shower curtains). I still vent it to keep temps from going over 90 (surface). Things seem to have perked up. Jongkolnee should bloom for the first time tomorrow. Aussie fragments might bounce back and accumulate enough biomass to tuber (fingers crossed).

      Anyway, wonder if anybody does this. Also if anyone knows if yellow tropicals like Trailblazer are more sensitive to cold (been told they are weak plants by someone).


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      You can see one of my Aussies perked up...

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      Without canopy

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      2 flowers on one minuta plant (rarer this late in the season)
      Last edited by little_mikey; 09-29-2017 at 09:09 PM.

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    2. #2
      Wiscdude is offline Senior Member
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      Keep up the good work. My weather is too cold for anything to live through winter besides hardy and HxT. I have to use a tank in my basement to start seed or try to keep trops. Too expensive and wastes electricity. This will probably be the last winter that i do it.
      A friend told me that in the coldest months in the south you can simply put clear plastic right on the top of the tub and put a bungy cord around to secure it. Heats up the water in the day and keeps it in at night.

    3. #3
      little_mikey is offline Senior Member
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      @Wiscdude
      Thanks. Glad to know someone else has had success with this method. Bungie cords sound good too.

      You could switch to LED lamps in your basement setup. Sometimes Lowes/Home Depot had led bulbs on sale for <$5 a bulb. I have a LED shop light strip (like a fake flourescent) that works well. I also put dollar store mirrors on several sides of the aquarium to bounce every bit of light back in as possible.

    4. #4
      Wiscdude is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by little_mikey View Post
      @Wiscdude
      Thanks. Glad to know someone else has had success with this method. Bungie cords sound good too.

      You could switch to LED lamps in your basement setup. Sometimes Lowes/Home Depot had led bulbs on sale for <$5 a bulb. I have a LED shop light strip (like a fake flourescent) that works well. I also put dollar store mirrors on several sides of the aquarium to bounce every bit of light back in as possible.
      Thanks for the tip.

    5. #5
      Wiscdude is offline Senior Member
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      LED lights do not work as well for me. I have been growing seedlings for many years with all types of lights. Seedlings crave a warm surface temp. Regular bulbs recreate the natural environment the best, although costly and evaporation happens more quickly. I think LED used with conventional is the best way.

    6. #6
      little_mikey is offline Senior Member
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      Agreed. One thing that helped me exploit a close proximity of the plant to the bulb. At my university there are indoor vegetable gardens that have low powered LEDs like 1 cm away form the leaves. LED bulbs are usually rated better for humid environments than incandescents. If I remember correctly LEDs "buzz" or the light turns ON/OFF at a frequency imperceptible to humans (always appears steadily on). Color warmth may also be a factor. I used a plain white LED and a cool purple led together to start my tubers this year. My rationale was blue light stimulates leaf/root growth. It also may have been the aquarium heater cranked up to 86. Honestly though I haven't done a purely artificial light scenario. I was really anal retentive this year an moved my tuber tub from the bright window sill (with LEDs also) to my bathroom (at night so I could leave the lamp on while I slept).

      Im just excited to eventually be able to solve the problems with LEDs so I can make a efficient setup. Hopefully is pot laws get looser some of those closeted genius growers will disseminate their secrets. Surely some of them use LEDs successfully (I hear pot plants are touchy/challenging to grow)

    7. #7
      Wiscdude is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by little_mikey View Post
      Agreed. One thing that helped me exploit a close proximity of the plant to the bulb. At my university there are indoor vegetable gardens that have low powered LEDs like 1 cm away form the leaves. LED bulbs are usually rated better for humid environments than incandescents. If I remember correctly LEDs "buzz" or the light turns ON/OFF at a frequency imperceptible to humans (always appears steadily on). Color warmth may also be a factor. I used a plain white LED and a cool purple led together to start my tubers this year. My rationale was blue light stimulates leaf/root growth. It also may have been the aquarium heater cranked up to 86. Honestly though I haven't done a purely artificial light scenario. I was really anal retentive this year an moved my tuber tub from the bright window sill (with LEDs also) to my bathroom (at night so I could leave the lamp on while I slept).

      Im just excited to eventually be able to solve the problems with LEDs so I can make a efficient setup. Hopefully is pot laws get looser some of those closeted genius growers will disseminate their secrets. Surely some of them use LEDs successfully (I hear pot plants are touchy/challenging to grow)
      Yes i agree, i am looking for that perfectly efficient setup for growing seedlings as well. Living in Wisconsin is not ideal. I have too many each year for an aquarium so i have to use a 30 gallon tub in my basement. I use a tiny pump to circulate the water. Then, i have to run a dehumidifier to counteract the moisture. It is crazy and a waste of electricity and money. This will be my last year doing it this way. I will admit it has yielded great results and plants that i will enjoy for my entire life so it was worth it. In the future i am just going to wait for summer to grow seedlings and do the 2 year plan for new hybrids to come to flower. I am more patient now. New tropical hybrids obviously will bloom same summer but new hardies and HxT's need 2 summers to mature. I will be testing some new LED's this winter as well. I try not to overthink it. Lots of Lumens and surface warmth make my seedlings grow like crazy. Good luck with your seedlings.

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