# Advice for more growing space for Phrags (Lights, Shelves, Action)



## MaxC (Mar 6, 2020)

So I am more or less close to maximizing out my available grow space in the windowsills. How did this happen? Who's to blame? What now...

I am thinking next option is getting a wire shelving unit 72"x36"x18" (see attached photo for an idea). One thought is to have 3 shelves; one top shelf for larger plants (36" height) and use two lowers shelves for smaller and younger plants (approx. 12-14" height), taking into consideration bottom shelf will not be on the floor and shelves height along with if I run T5s. Or would I be best served with just two shelves and three is just being greedy?

Then comes the question of lighting, anyone who is using a similar set-up have some advice on lighting options that work for growing and blooming Phrags? I am not sure I can squeeze in a 48" wide rack for T5s but I could potentially over extend a lights on a shelf. I read through the lighting thread from 2019 and still no closer to what I might need.

All thoughts, help and advice welcome.


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## Ray (Mar 7, 2020)

Max,

After selling off most of my collection and the greenhouse, I moved my remaining plants onto exactly that type of shelving unit, in my basement. I ended up using only three shelves - one as high-, and one as low as I could make it, with one somewhere in the middle. LED strip lights were attached to the undersides to the upper and middle shelves. I used standard nursery trays, placed sideways, 4 to a shelf, and covered the whole thing with a humidity tent, sold for large plant light stands.

The LEDs I used were two Philips Greenpower Production Units for the upper shelf, and a self-made strip of 5 of the 13 watt lamps I used to have made for resale. There is a guy I know on the west coast that has done the same, and he has some 48” LED tubes that would be perfect at 2 per shelf. They are available from a guy named Jeff Young, either through his website, theorchidhobbyist.com, or by contacting him through Facebook.


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## MaxC (Mar 7, 2020)

Ray,

Would you mind posting a picture of your set-up? I could maybe squeeze in to 48" if I can get around the TP holder but wouldn't be able to cover the rack and would just have to blast a humidifier or poke a hole in the cover. Thank you for the link, that is exactly what I was thinking for lower shelves. I may try to stretch to 48" as that is more space that can easily be filled.


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## Ray (Mar 7, 2020)

No photo. That was dismantled in December 2016 when I moved.


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## musa (Mar 8, 2020)

Funny, I have the same problem and just this weekend I set up a new shelving. I use the system you find in supermarkets because these are highly and easy variable, so I can change the height of the shelves any time by need.
I use simple T8 48 in. tubes, two for each shelf. It was the cheapest solution, so not ideal.
Be aware that space won't suffice for most inflorescences.


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## MaxC (Mar 8, 2020)

I figured I might not be alone in this problem. musa, that's the rub, once you start to add everything up a set-up can get costly (that money could be spent on more plants). This would just be a growing space and once inflorences get too big I will rotate to windowsill space. Bottom two shelves would only be ideal for flasklings and seedlings to grow out and would need to keep acquiring plants to make use of those spaces. 

We have a large walk-in closet almost the size of a tiny bedroom that would be ideal to put a few racks in but there isn't a single outlet and only one overhead fixture.


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## Ray (Mar 8, 2020)

Two of the LEDs I recommended for each shelf is $80/shelf.

Max if you want to use the closet, get an adapter for the light fixture to provide a plug.


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## hamiltons (Mar 9, 2020)

Hello
I have a suggestion for you my friend...I don´t know if you can get these in the United States, but here in Denmark there are a few dealers on the net and irl that sells them, a kind of "balcony"/mini greenhouse in aluminum coated with plastic and a front to open/close...I have used one myself when I had my paphs in the living room with artificial light as support to natural light and it functioned very well, thought it might be something for you...Good luck and have a nice day (y) https://www.vidaxl.dk/e/87198837332...tm_term=8719883733227&utm_content=Home_Garden


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## hamiltons (Mar 9, 2020)

Or maybe this alternativ  https://www.dancovershop.com/dk/pro...o_OShSvWrVYl6kpllcLwHcO7wMHZ1OXUaAozmEALw_wcB


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## MaxC (Mar 9, 2020)

Thank you, I have only been to Denmark/Copenhagen once but loved it when I visited! I think your link is similar to what Ray was mentioning for a cover.


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## Ray (Mar 9, 2020)

This is it, specifically:


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## MaxC (Mar 9, 2020)

Great, thank you!


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## Ozpaph (Mar 10, 2020)

Love that, Ray


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## NYEric (Mar 16, 2020)

Elfa makes shelving and, believe it or not, Target makes shelves with wheels that they sell on the internet.


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## tomkalina (Mar 16, 2020)

NYEric said:


> Elfa makes shelving and, believe it or not, Target makes shelves with wheels that they sell on the internet.


Check out Target's Seville Classics wire shelving on wheels. We have a couple of these and they work well.


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## tomkalina (Mar 16, 2020)

These are best suited for growing in front of a bright window. Not sure if they're suitable for lights unless they're LED strips.


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## Ray (Mar 16, 2020)

tomkalina said:


> Check out Target's Seville Classics wire shelving on wheels. We have a couple of these and they work well.


From the looks of it, they’re pretty much the same things as those sold elsewhere. In other words...shop by price.


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## tnyr5 (Mar 16, 2020)

I solve this problem by periodically getting rid of plants. Always works.


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## musa (Mar 17, 2020)

As I extended my system a bit, I don't have recent photos of the complete setup. The detail pic is from now, the second pic is from last year.


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## MaxC (May 5, 2020)

Ray said:


> Max,
> 
> After selling off most of my collection and the greenhouse, I moved my remaining plants onto exactly that type of shelving unit, in my basement. I ended up using only three shelves - one as high-, and one as low as I could make it, with one somewhere in the middle. LED strip lights were attached to the undersides to the upper and middle shelves. I used standard nursery trays, placed sideways, 4 to a shelf, and covered the whole thing with a humidity tent, sold for large plant light stands.
> 
> The LEDs I used were two Philips Greenpower Production Units for the upper shelf, and a self-made strip of 5 of the 13 watt lamps I used to have made for resale. There is a guy I know on the west coast that has done the same, and he has some 48” LED tubes that would be perfect at 2 per shelf. They are available from a guy named Jeff Young, either through his website, theorchidhobbyist.com, or by contacting him through Facebook.



Ray, thank you for the recommendation. I ended up getting lights from Jeff, fast at responding and shipping. Still trying to figure out my optimal shelf distances (for my collection) and whether I can get a 3rd shelf on a 72" rack.


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## littlefrog (May 5, 2020)

I would suggest two shelves rather than three. More racks, fewer shelves. I say that as somebody who has had several shelves per rack - it is a pain to have too little head space to work in. Spikes break, hard to water, hard to reach things. It is just harder.


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## richard.feldman48 (May 6, 2020)

I have a setup something like what you want. I used a Husky wire shelving unit from Home Depot. They make a variety of sizes. I have LEDs from Active Grow. They seem great to me, but I don't claim to be an expert. I put 1/8" hardboard on the shelves, and then attached some cabinet shelves and glides salvaged from remodeling our kitchen. That makes it easier to get at plants in the back of the shelves. When spikes get tall, there's not enough room and the plants come upstairs to an appropriate window.


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## richgarrison (May 7, 2020)

littlefrog said:


> I would suggest two shelves rather than three. More racks, fewer shelves. I say that as somebody who has had several shelves per rack - it is a pain to have too little head space to work in. Spikes break, hard to water, hard to reach things. It is just harder.



Those thoughts seem to be echoed in @littlefrog video tour he posted in the past few days... ...watching this thread intently for ideas to leverage in the available and apparently useful dark volumes in my greenhouse.


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