Well, I've done it. I've survived my first DIY project and even though it involved a saw, I still have all of my digits. (My work pants are a little worse for wear with a small hole, but there was no blood so it's a success!)
Because I'm starting all of my edibles from seed and need to sow them indoors, I needed a growing light to encourage the little buggers skyward.
Most of the light stands I found online ran $60-$200 and the $60 stands only have one small light (which is good for growing 12 little pods, but I'll have hundreds).
A little research and I came across this guy's DIY blog: http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/10376/diy-pvc-grow-light-stand
With my shopping list in hand, I hit Lowe's and a very friendly employee walked me through the store to pick up a bunch of PVC connectors, PVC pipes, light timer, florescent grow lights, and some bolts. Getting a 10-foot long PVC pipe into my Honda hybrid meant going down the highway with about 5 feet of pipe sticking out of the back window, but nothing flew out of the window.
Here is the before:
About an hour later, I finished!
I would not recommend sawing PVC without a clamp. I was holding it with my hand on the staircase and it wobbled all over the place. This is why my cuts look like California fault lines, but once I jammed them into the connectors, who will know?
The lights are attached with temporary ties, so I still need to get some more permanent method for hanging them, but it works!!!!
Ta da!!!!! (Cat not included)
The lights will be adjustable, so fast growing plants will go under one and slower growers get closer light for longer under the other. I just need to hook the lights into the timer and they will magically treat my soon-to-be seedlings to 12-15 hours of light without me having to remember.
Instead of paying $85ish bucks plus shipping, I whipped this sad little puppy out for:
2 grow lights = $30
PVC pipe = $6
Connectors = $7
_________________
Grand total: $43 + a wicked sense of accomplishment
No comments:
Post a Comment