I am thinking about growing in a space about 3.5 feet high and I'm concerned about burning my babies under HIDs. Because the lights have to be kept so far from the plants, I'd only have about two feet to grow in. I am considering using 50 or 100-watt compact fluorescents instead. What do you think?
Stoned Cold,
Beaver Creek, Yukon

The fluorescent bulbs may be a solution to your problem. They are very efficient light producers, producing about 65% of the light per watt as HIDs. More importantly, they use a much smaller vertical space than HIDs. However, they do produce the same amount of heat per watt. To prevent the heat from reaching the garden, a glass barrier should be placed between the lights and the garden. The light space should then be ventilated to eliminate heat buildup.

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