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Build a Grow Light System for Starting Seeds Indoors

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Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors.

Growing plants indoors is an enjoyable project for any gardener. Whether you want to grow herbs indoors, start your garden seedlings, cultivate an indoor garden, or provide some supplemental light to your houseplants during winter, this inexpensive DIY grow light shelf will help you raise healthy plants.

I look forward to starting transplants from seeds under lights each spring. Growing your own seedlings offers a number of benefits:

  1. It is less expensive than purchasing nursery seedlings.
  2. There is a greater selection of seeds available in comparison to the standard plant varieties at most nurseries.
  3. It provides a little gardening therapy during the winter months when the ground is under a layer of snow.

Once you have your grow light shelving system, it is fun to experiment with growing some edibles indoors during the winter months. Visit How to Grow an Indoor Garden to see what will grow under artificial lights during the winter.

In order to grow healthy seedlings and plants indoors, you will need some supplemental light. When I first searched online for growing stands for starting seeds indoors, I quickly discovered that they cost way more than I wanted to spend. A two-shelf unit with 4-foot fluorescent lights was well over $400. If you have the money to splurge on a grow light system, this 2-Tier Garden Grow Light Kit from Gardener Supply is a dream.

I was unable to afford such a unit this required some creative thinking to figure out a less-expensive option for starting seeds indoors. After shopping around, this is the DIY grow light shelving system I assembled. It has served me well for many years.

Growing plants indoors is an enjoyable project for any gardener. Whether you want to grow herbs indoors, start your garden seedlings, cultivate an indoor garden, or provide some supplemental light to your houseplants during winter, this inexpensive DIY grow light shelf will help you raise healthy plants.

You can assemble your own inexpensive grow light system that will serve well for starting seeds indoors or growing an indoor garden.

Here is what you will need to set up your own grow light shelving system:

Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors.

Wire Shelving: I shopped around for a large wire-shelving unit that would accommodate 4-foot shop lights. I wasn’t able to find a large shelving unit locally, but I did find some 23-inch 3-tier shelving units. Two of these units placed side by side are the perfect size to hang two 4-foot shop lights across each shelf. The shelves are 13-inches deep and two standard seedling trays fit perfectly on each shelf. Plus there is room for two shop lights on each shelf if more light is needed.

These 3-Tier Shelving Units can be found in big box stores or online (Walmart, ebay, or Target). Be sure to select units that measure around 30 inches H x 23 inches W x 13 inches D.

Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors.

Lighting Fixtures: The lights I use are your standard 4-foot shop light fixtures found in big box stores or online (Walmart or ebay) for around $20. These come with chains and a couple s-hooks. You will need to pick up extra s-hooks to hook the chain to the wire shelving.

Fluorescent Tube Lights: Fluorescent tubes come in cool, warm, or full-spectrum. Full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs provide a balance of cool and warm lighting that represents natural lighting. Cool white bulbs provide blue/green spectrum while warm white bulbs provide red/orange spectrum. Full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs were more difficult to find locally so I use the standard cool white bulbs. Most seedlings and greens do well with cool white bulbs. You can also mix and match a cool and warm bulb for a wider spectrum artificial light Just be sure to rotate your trays every few days so your plants receive the benefits of both as they grow.

Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors. Fluorescent tubes lose intensity over time with continued use and should be replaced every two years with fresh bulbs. The older bulbs will still provide light, but the spectrum strength seems to decrease over time. You can use the older bulbs in other shop lights around the basement.

Check the packaging of your 4-foot shop lights to be sure you are buying the correct bulbs.

Some light strips require T12 and some T8: fluorescent tube light bulbs

 

Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors.

Power Strip with Timer: Seedlings require at least 12-16 hours of light each day. I set my power strip timer for 16 hours on, then 8 hours off. The power strip with a timer is also commonly available in big box stores or online: power strip with timer

 

 

Here is a simple and affordable indoor grow light setup that is perfect for starting seedlings and growing edibles indoors.

Plastic Gardening Trays: You will need trays or containers to help prevent water from dripping. These black growing trays measure about 20 x 10 inches and one tray fits perfectly on each shelf. These trays are perfect for seed starting using cell packs, soil blocks, or recycled containers. I like to double them up for a more secure tray that can be moved around without flexing. You can also use recycled produce trays or small plastic storage totes.

 

How to Setup Your Indoor Grow Light Shelving System:

Components:

2 3-tier shelving units
2 4-foot shop lights
4 fluorescent tube lights
1 outlet strip with timer
4 extra s-hooks
4 plant trays

Procedure:

  1. Assemble shelving units per instructions. Since these shelves are adjustable, make sure they are at the same level for both units.
  2. Locate your growing area near an outlet. Try to choose a place away from heavy traffic, pets, cold drafts, and excess heat. Place the shelving units side by side. I situated the shelves on a little used workbench, but they could also be raised up on a folding table to make it easy to tend to the seedlings.
  3. Hang your lights from the top and middle shelves using the chains and s-hooks. Plug the lights into the power strip timer and plug the timer into the outlet.
  4. Place your plastic gardening trays on the shelves, set your timer, and start growing seedling, and edibles indoors. Keep the lights about 2-inches above the seedlings and adjust as the plants grow.

Here are Some Gardening Tips to Get You Started:

I hope I have encouraged you to assemble your own inexpensive grow light system that will serve well for starting seeds indoors. Once you have your Grow Light Shelving System, it is fun to experiment with growing some edibles indoors during the winter months. Visit How to Grow an Indoor Garden to see what will grow under lights during the winter.

Growing plants indoors is an enjoyable project for any gardener. Whether you want to grow herbs indoors, start your garden seedlings, cultivate an indoor garden, or provide some supplemental light to your houseplants during winter, this inexpensive DIY grow light shelf will help you raise healthy plants.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Geo, You should be able to find 4 foot Shop Lights easily at any big box home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes. Power strip timer too. If not, these items can be ordered online and delivered to you.

    Reply

  4. I built a seed starting station a couple of years ago, best gardening tool yet. After years of not enough window sills and little seedlings getting cold, and leggy and sickly. Looking through catalogs and seeing the price of these things, I went to Sam’s Club and bought a metal shelf on wheels,9 I can roll it out the door if I want to. I have 2 shop lights per shelf, 4 bulbs per shelf. ( Home Depot) I use the regular lights, the Grow lights are expensive and draw more power. set a power strip up on a timer, I don’t see a difference on my power bill. Keep the tops of the plants just under the lights. I hang the foil car windshield shades (Thrift stores) all around to keep in the warm air and reflect the light. I can put 4 trays on each shelf and have 3 shelves set up. Very easy to set up and a fraction of the cost. All you really need to harden off plants is put a fan on them.

    Reply

  7. I’m planning on growing all winter, so I’m looking for tray that is about 4 inches and will fit on the shelf. Does anyone have any ideas? The window sill boxes flair too much at the top to be able to fit side by side on the shelf.

    Reply

  8. I have never used grow lights, but instead use a minimum of 6500K temperature lights. I live in the inland northwest where temperature remains sub zero for 3-4 months, and I have an indoors tropical garden that thrives during winter – thanks to the grow lights.

    Reply

  11. Wonderful ideas here! I’m glad I found this website. I assumed I would have to buy “grow” lights but you are stating regular shop lights work fine, What exactly is the difference (besides price) between “grow” lights and shop lights? Again, thank you for a very informative site.

    Reply

    • Marsha, I haven’t spent the money on grow lights so I can’t provide you a true comparison. Most grow lights claim to be more powerful and have a higher spectrum and wattage to provide the plants with more light. I do know from years of experience, that shop lights work fine to grow seedlings or other edibles indoors.

      Reply

  12. I wanted to say thank you! I built this last spring and grew perennials, annuals and all kinds of vegetables from seeds. I used regular shop lights with full spectrum bulbs (not grow lights) and it worked fine. I had it set up on a timer to go on and off. I am going to go bigger this year as I need more room for all the things I want to start from seed.

    Reply

  14. Hello,

    I saw your comment that this set-up will work for other edibles grown indoors, I’m curious about lettuces though. As a more cooler-weather plant, would you lessen the time needed for the lights to be on?

    Thank you. Really enjoy your articles. Merry Christmas!

    Reply

    • Joy, Thank you for your kind words. I grow lettuce indoors all winter and stick to the 16 hours on and 8 hours off lighting schedule without any problems. The florescent lights are not as strong as real sunlight and I believe the lettuce grows better with the longer lighting period. Lettuce also grows best in a cool location and will bolt or go to seed if your room is very warm.

      Reply

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