USB powered indoor plant growing, with LEDs
More info below –
An LED lighting and growing project, intended to use a readily available low power source – 5V at no more than 500mA – a USB phone charger.
Seeds from the original Habanero pepper plants grew well last summer and, with Winter looming, I decided to try and keep them going.
2 were left outside, but after covering them when the Polar Vortex came through (here in Oklahoma) and finding they were fine, decided to bring those in as well.
Whether the self designed 27MHz watering system aided their hardiness is unknown, all I do know is that the old pillow in front of them fell over at some point in the night !
The light bars consist of 2 rows of superbright LEDs.
8 x 1W white
8 x red
4x blue
A variable resistor was used to limit current to the reds and when the whites and blues came on, that value was used for a fixed resistor in place of the variable one.
Another small ohm resistor limits the blues too.
That’s it, nothing fancy really and it’s worked great !
Not only has it kept them going, but they’ve shed shaded leaves and grown new leaves as they’ve moved toward the light source.
Seeds from a lemon and an orange are now growing well too.
Lighting can be 12hr on/12hr off, or 24/7 switched on.
Apparently when left on all the time it promotes growth, when cycled it promotes budding and pepper growth.
Watering is twice a week, with a spray bottle also used daily.
There are no weeds at all, but again it’s unknown whether the 27MHz system has factored.
No fungicides. herbicides or any other chemical has ever been used in my own gardening.
The water used is rainwater, collected in 1 gallon jugs.
Not bad at all for 2.5W or less being used.
