Indoor Vegetable Growing with Lights: Complete Setup Guide

Apartment with cellar wants tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, eggplant year‑round under grow lamps. Asks light/dark cycles per crop.

Core Requirements

• Light: 8+ hrs (leafy), 14‑16 hrs (fruiting). Fluorescent (T5/T8) or LED. Keep 3" from plants.
• Moisture: Deep water 1‑2x/week. Soil moist, not soggy. Water until drains.
• Roots: Transplant to 2" larger pot every 2 months to avoid binding.
• Fertilizer: ½‑strength water‑soluble every 2 weeks.

Seed Starting Guide (Included)

• 6‑8 weeks before last frost.
• Sterile soilless mix (vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum).
• 14 hrs light / 8 hrs dark.
• Heat mat for germination.
• Dome until first sprout, then remove (prevent damping‑off).
• Fish/seaweed fertilizer at ½ strength after 2nd true leaves.
• Lights 3" above seedlings always.

Supplies List

Trays, cells, peat pots, domes, soilless mix, heat mat, 48" light system, gro‑lux bulbs, nest trays, hand seeder, markers, fish emulsion, mist bottle.

Reality Check for Fruiting Crops

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant need **intense light (400‑600 µmol)** and heat to fruit well. Cellar + affordable lights = disappointing yields. Leafy crops (lettuce, spinach, herbs) will thrive.

References

GardenGuides, Missouri Extension, Nancy Bubel's New Seed‑Starters Handbook.

Focus on greens; fruiting crops need greenhouse‑level investment.