I have a nice
4' long fluorescent grow light set up in my study. I am busy starting up plants for spring and it is on 14 hours a day. The light is working perfectly and seedlings are growing beautifully, but I am wondering about any possible damage it might do to my eyes, as I spend many hours a day in the office working. The hood that came with the light is very narrow so a lot of light reflects up into the room, though I am not looking directly into it, the reflected light is always visible out of the corner of my eye.
Should I be worried about it? My main concern is exposing my eyes and skin to UV light and damage, but could there be other things I should be worried about too.
Can I fix the hood by say sticking some foil on it so less light bounces up into the room and is directed downwards? Or should I just move it to another room? I have no other heated rooms in my house at the moment it could go in so I worry about the seedlings
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.
posted by wwax
on Mar 13, 2013 -
5 answers
Horticurious: Please help me identify this plant that was growing among the catnip.
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posted by aparrish
on Sep 15, 2012 -
6 answers
What kind of peppers are these, and when will they be ripe?
I got a pepper plant from the farmer's market on a whim, and it's started making a bunch of tiny little peppers. Except! I lost the little tag that says what kind of peppers they are and I have no idea when they'll be ripe. I do know the guy said they're edible, they are not just ornamental, but I can't tell, and there are all sorts of colors going on with these cute little guys.
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posted by FritoKAL
on Aug 2, 2012 -
17 answers
I'd like to plant bamboo to cover up an unsightly structure that borders my property. Can anyone make a recommendation for which varieties of bamboo might be best?
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posted by illenion
on Jul 1, 2012 -
9 answers
Someone stole a potted plant off of my back porch. I'm assuming it was a neighbor or guest of a neighbor, because our alley is locked off. Anyway I am pretty sad and angry (who steals a plant??? It was a $2 farmer's market plant in a $15 pot), and also worried about my other plants. How can I protect them?
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posted by goodbyewaffles
on Jun 18, 2012 -
20 answers
I just opened a brand! new! bag of potting soil, and there are a bunch of mushrooms growing in it. Is this a sign that I have amazing! potting soil full of vitality, or a sign that I should return it to the store?
posted by ambilevous
on Jun 10, 2012 -
8 answers
I could really use some help identifying some plants that have popped up in my garden.
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posted by wwax
on May 3, 2012 -
14 answers
I want to fill or cover a large water feature on my property so it's child-safe, does not require maintenance, and ideally, allows planters/planting. Advice? Online guides? Experience?
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posted by bq
on May 2, 2012 -
13 answers
For the first time in my life I have a garden! What books should I read to take me from gardening ignorance to green-fingered? Both the garden and I are in the UK.
posted by xchmp
on Mar 27, 2012 -
10 answers
Previous homeowners built concrete retaining walls around trees in the backyard, creating large tree pits. How do we fix this?
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posted by Maarika
on Mar 3, 2012 -
8 answers
Looking for websites or book recommendations for a gardening new to North American Zone 5 gardening.
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posted by wwax
on Jan 24, 2012 -
11 answers
This has appeared in my Portland, Oregon yard. It's about 8 ft tall, its
leaves are monstrous and it's reproducing- there was one of them last year, there are now about five. It has large, furry leaves and a thick, green stem which has white pips on it.
Gardening Mefites, what is it?
posted by nicktf
on Sep 1, 2011 -
14 answers
Can I eat peppers that have been gnawed by squirrels, or will I die of rabies?
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posted by brina
on Aug 25, 2011 -
15 answers
Gardening question! I've got a potted tomato plant, with tons of green tomatoes. They were ripening up nicely, but when I went to pick some, they were rotting on the vine. Cracked at the stem and rotting in the center.
The green ones are already cracking and darkening around the stem.
See picture.
What's wrong with them?
posted by Stagger Lee
on Aug 10, 2011 -
11 answers
So my Utah apartment I'm staying at over the summer has a decent-sized balcony, and I want to grow things on it. How can I do it, what should I grow, and what do I need?
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posted by dubadubowbow
on May 4, 2011 -
12 answers
I have long-term custody of a potted citron tree that's a year or two old. It seems to be doing OK, but the central stem/trunk doesn't have any leaves at the top of it:
Photo of the tree here. Should I prune the top of the trunk? If so, when and how? Is there any other pruning I should be doing at this point in its growth?
posted by rivenwanderer
on Mar 7, 2011 -
7 answers
Suggestions needed for mid-to-low maintenance, ornamental, native plants that I can grow in D.C.
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posted by ryanshepard
on Aug 1, 2010 -
5 answers
What is
this insect sitting on my flower? There are four of them that I can see on the plant. I have a cat that goes in the backyard, can these infest him?
posted by BuddhaInABucket
on Jul 29, 2010 -
9 answers
I like gardening, but I am put off by a few aggressive flies who never cease to buzz at me or very close to me whenever I go outdoors. Is there any way to deter them?
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posted by KimikoPi
on Jul 14, 2010 -
15 answers
MeFi gardeners - need help troubleshooting a non-fruiting yellow pear tomato plant.
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posted by arachnid
on Jul 12, 2010 -
9 answers
I'm the recent proprietor of a small plot of land, and would like to grow something there. That concludes what I know of gardening.
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posted by monocultured
on Jun 26, 2010 -
17 answers
What are the best shade-tolerant, ultra-low-maintenance plants for my mom's terraced flowerbed?
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posted by oblique red
on May 14, 2010 -
15 answers
Advise for renovating/landscaping the trashed up corner lot out my window.
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posted by LZel
on Mar 18, 2010 -
4 answers
I am thinking about cultivating a small vegetable patch area near a river. What would be the best method to thoroughly test the water for nasty contaminants like arsenic, lead or other spooky chemicals I can't even pronounce?
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posted by Sentus
on Jan 25, 2010 -
18 answers
PlantFilter: My plant is dying. Or diseased. What kind of plant is it and how can I save it?
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posted by dbgrady
on Jan 12, 2010 -
12 answers
Is there any method to combine hydroponic gardening with conventional soil gardening?
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posted by boby
on Dec 6, 2009 -
4 answers
I am thinking about starting a landscaping business. I don't really have direct experience in the field. Looking for resources.
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posted by Sentus
on Nov 4, 2009 -
10 answers
