Starting indoors.....got lights?

[longwinters]

Since our planting season is basically Memorial weekend and the growing season ends late Sept.  I start my veggies in the basement in April.  Probably the biggest reason I start my own plants is that I can pick the tomato and bell pepper varieties I want, which I cannot do buying plants locally. Then the other vegetables I just direct plant from seed or buy plants locally.
 
I usually have about 30 plants that I start.  The majority are various tomato and bell pepper plants.  Up until now I have just used a metal halide bulb (400 watt) and it worked great the 1st year.  After that each year the plants were not quite as nice and some were even "leggy".  It always worked out ok, but I always wondered if I was doing something different than I did the 1st year.  Now I learned that each year the metal halide bulb put out less light...so of course it affects the plants.
 
I was going to buy another bulb, which run about 50-60 dollars and then came across the LED light systems.  Seems most of the advertising on the internet is using them for "hemp".  But they seemed like a great way to go until I looked at the price  .  I have also tried the t-5 floresent bulbs and was not impressed.
 
What are you guys using?
 
Long

[jvs]

I only have one growlight.  It's a spotlight that I bought to see if I could coax a Ghost Chili Pepper plant to make it over the winter.  It worked out ok as I ened up with a Ghost Pepper plant that had a second growing season under its belt.
 
The only thing I know about LED grow lights is to make sure you get one that has all of the colors in it or you will have to buy more bulbs with the necessary colors.
 
My understanding is that LED is not the best was to go for growlights.
 
I think you are correct in stating that most growlights are used for growing 'hemp' indoors.   However, that is one subject that will be immediately removed from this forum, and warnings issued.   Until or unless the law changes.

[Bugflipper]

The first year I tried it, I went to a pet shop and bought an expensive light that was supposed to do the same as sunlight. I put it on a timer and inside a heat lamp shroud. It did fine for the first year, then bunt up on the second year. From all the turning on and off I suppose. To get through the season I just put in whatever I had around the house, which was a compact florescent. I took off the timer and just used it 24/7. Everything looked good when it came time to harden off. So every year since then I have used the same thing with no trouble.

[keith44]

The one time I used grow lights I was not impressed.  I have been able to start my plants by arranging them around a couple of windows that face almost due west.  Seems the best for my situation.

[longwinters]

The metal halide bulb really does work well but needs to be replaced every couple of years from what I've found out the hard way.  I had really nice plants with sturdy stalks etc...  But as I said I wouldn't go through the cost if I could get the variety of plants I wanted locally.
 
Long