Well, indoor planting time is here again.  Actually the time for starting seed to set out full-grown plants this summer is rapidly coming to an end.

     Light gardens are a popular method of starting your garden indoors.  My problem with commercial versions of the light garden is their cost.  They start at $200 for four-foot tabletop models and go up to over $570 for a three-tier floor model.

     Quite often, light gardens are shown in front of a window, indicating their lamps supplement the available natural light.

     A simple version without lights can be built around a window using a standard adjustable shelving rail and support system. I’ve done this in my home.  I mounted the vertical

rails against the window trim, piercing the windowsill to allow the rail to extend below it, thus maximizing the use of available light.  As only two rails are used, I cut 5/4 decking in half, and screwed this to the center of the shelves for additional support.  Total cost for a three-shelf unit (no lights) was less than $30.00.

     Lights can easily be added to this set-up.  I use T8 fluorescent lights, as they require 20% less energy than the older T12 model.  The tubes last longer, and cost less than half that of the older T12s.  Home Depot has two-tube T8 shop-lights for under $20.  Two Philips “Natural Sunshine”

bulbs, used in many nationally advertised light gardens, cost less than $10 at the Home Depot. Do not use T8 bulbs in a T12 fixture.  Even though they will fit, the ballasts are different.  A ballast designed for T12s will dramatically reduce the life of a T8 bulb.

     Your total cost for a three-shelf light garden of this design should be less than $140.00, or about a quarter of what a commercial system costs.  This light garden also requires less room to store out of season, and the rails can be hidden behind curtains when not in use. A useful addition is a timer

to automatically control the lights.  This will add approximately $15 to $30 to your cost, depending on the model chosen.

      Starting your seed this early in the season precludes the use of a window location due to the cool temperatures found there.  The same setup, with some additional lighting, can be wall-mounted.  A tabletop version can be put together for less than $40 using strapping or decking for the light supports.    A stackable, free-standing system with 24” X 48”, six tube grow areas can be built for less than $130.00 per shelf. Note: that this is still less than half the cost of a commercial system per unit of grow area. A light garden will pay for itself within three years, making it one of the best investments for the home gardener.                            Antonius Groothuizen