Re: crystal lite greenhouse

Robert Allen (Robert.Allen@Eng.Sun.COM)
Wed, 31 Mar 93 06:27:53 GMT

I thought this answer might be of interest to others on the list...

>>To: Robert.Allen@Eng
>>Date: Tue, 30 Mar 93 14:17:17 PST
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The plants I have in my Crystal Lite indoor greenhouse here
>>> at work, by a window and under lights, are flowering. So
>>
>>
>>What is this crystal Lite greenhouse? Where did you get it? About how
>>much does it cost?

In a nutshell it is overpriced and impractical. However someone
gave me mine, so I use it here at work (yes, at 10:30pm I'm at
work, it's been a long day).

You can buy it in chunks, and Peter Pauls sells it (they are a CP
nursery on the list for this listserve). Buying the whole unit
including 2 tube flourescent fixture is something around $100 if
I recall correctly! What you get is a sturdy green plastic growing
tray about 12" X 18" X 3" (approximation only), a smaller tray for
water that slides underneath the larger tray, a metal frame support
for the large tray, an aluminum framed, clear plastic cover for the
frame, and a 2 tube, 15 watt per tube, flourescent fixture which
bolts inside the "greenhouse". The large tray has 2 holes in it and
you run wicks up from the water tray, then you plant the whole tray.
I don't think this works well, or at all, for water loving CP, so I
plugged the holes with sealant and use the large tray to stand pots
of CP in, and then I slip the greenhouse/light assemblage over the
pots. The setup is only adequate for low growing plants.

For a lot less money you can create a better unit by buying a 15
gallon fishtank and some overhead flourescent units. The whole
assemblage should cost a lot less than $40.00 or so.

There is a photo of the Crystal Lite in the Peter Pauls catalog
sheet, and in the (worthless) CP book by Allan Swenson, which I
haven't seen for years.

R.