Advice on lights

[simpleman]

I'm looking to buy a light that I can use to maintain a small mother plant and start the clones that I cut from it. I'm considering purchasing a ballast and bulbs for a T5

Fluorescent with 4 bulbs (full spectrum 6500k) and setting it up with some metal shelving. This will be to supply my greenhouse in the spring. I won't be flowering anything under this and believe that the low wattage and low intensity of the fluorescents is the best option. My question is whether or not this light setup will work for what I want? and any other opinions? THANKS​

 

[Tersky]

I've never done a mother plant but have seen them done with T5's. You will have to keep them close to the plant so it doesnt stretch too much but since this is a mother plant a little stretching is not a bad thing unless you eventually plan to flower the mother plant. The wattage is probably fine for what you want. Enough light so the plants flourish but not enough for flowering sounds like just the recipe for a mother plant. Curious what others who have had an extended mother plant have to say.

Here is a link to creating a bonsai mother plant. May not be exactly what you want but might get some ideas from it. https://www.growweedeasy.com/how-to-keep-a-bonsai-mother-for-unlimited-clones

 

[Toker1]

The only issue I found with the t5 was it needed to be really close to my mother to get good light penetration. I was constantly moving the light up and down and that got annoying. Plus I couldn’t go anywhere for 1 week with out major stretching or burning my leaves up.
I switched up to a 65 w quantum board LED and it has been much easier to manage. I suggest something with better light penetration than a t5 for the mother plants.

 

[Tersky]

Good point Toker1!