Do I really need a light bank for growing rapid-cycling brassicas?
• Yes. A light bank is essential if you want the plants to grow properly. They also need a fairly constant ambient temperature of about 24 C. For further details see the Teachers’ Guide and the Light bank Notes in the documentation with the Basic Kit. Q. How close to the lights should the brassicas be? • The tops of the plants should be within 5 – 7 cms of the lights throughout their growth. Schools have ingenious ways of maintaining this distance. Some start the plants off standing on blocks, etc., and then lower them as they grow. Others move the lights up, but this can be difficult. One of the best solutions is to hang the lights at an angle with one end nearer the bench than the other. The plants are then moved along as they grow. Q. My brassicas grow slowly and they are straggly and weak with pale leaves. • This effect is probably caused by a combination of insufficient light and low temperatures. Keep the tops of the plants close to the lights (see above) and monitor the temperat
