Grow Spaces
Kratky in a Basement or Garage
A basement or garage gives you room to spare and nothing to disturb, but no daylight. With a light, Kratky grows well there, as long as you plan for cold, damp and, in a garage, wide temperature swings.
What a Basement or Garage Changes
Both spaces are dark, so a grow light does the work the sun does elsewhere. That makes them close cousins of a grow light shelf, but the space around the light behaves differently. A basement stays cool and steady, often damp. A garage follows the weather outside: hot in summer, close to freezing in winter in many climates.
The grow lights guide covers light height and hours. This guide covers the space itself.
Basements: Cool and Steady
A basement’s even temperature suits lettuce and leafy greens, which like cool conditions and grow well without summer heat. The things to watch:
- Cold floors: concrete pulls heat out of containers. Set them on a shelf, a pallet or a foam mat, not straight on the floor.
- Damp: basements are often humid, which invites mold on leaves. A small fan keeps air moving, and a dehumidifier helps in very damp basements.
- Cool solution: in winter, a basement can run cool enough to slow growth. A little warmth from the light can help; check the solution with a thermometer.
Garages: Hot and Cold Swings
An unheated garage can reach summer temperatures that warm the solution well past what roots like, and winter temperatures that freeze it. If your garage swings that far, grow there in spring and fall, and move containers indoors for the hardest months.
- Keep containers off the cold slab, and away from the main door, which lets in drafts and heat.
- Check the solution temperature in summer afternoons and on cold nights.
- Use larger containers, which change temperature more slowly.
Fumes and Chemicals
Garages hold car exhaust, fuel, solvents and garden chemicals. Keep your setup away from where a car runs, away from stored chemicals, and never start a car in a closed garage with plants (or people) in it. Store your nutrient sealed and labeled, apart from other chemicals, so nothing is mixed up.
Lighting the Space
With no daylight at all, the light has to provide everything. Run an LED grow light on a timer, about 14 to 16 hours a day for lettuce and herbs. Hang it on an adjustable cord so it can move up as plants grow. White walls, or a white sheet behind the shelf, bounce light back onto the plants. For choosing the light itself, My LED Grow Lights compares models.
Power and Water Safety
Lights mean electricity near water. Plug into a grounded outlet, ideally one protected by a GFCI, run cables above the containers rather than below, and keep power strips off the floor where spills and basement water collect.
What Grows Well
- Lettuce and leafy greens: the best fit, especially in a cool basement.
- Herbs: basil, parsley, chives and mint under a good light.
- Larger plants: tomatoes and peppers need a stronger light, more height and warmth; a heated basement suits them better than a garage.
Pests
Basements and garages can have mice, which will chew on seedlings and seeds. Store seeds in sealed containers, keep lids on every container, and check for droppings. Fungus gnats like damp basements; keep growing medium dry on top and containers covered.
Basement and Garage Checklist
- Grow light on a timer, at the right height
- Containers off the concrete floor
- A fan for airflow; a dehumidifier if it is very damp
- A thermometer to check the solution
- GFCI-protected outlet and cables kept high
- In a garage: away from cars, fuel and chemicals
Basement and Garage Questions
Is a basement good for Kratky?
Yes, with a grow light. A basement’s cool, steady temperature suits lettuce and leafy greens. Keep containers off the cold floor and keep air moving.
Can I grow Kratky in a garage in winter?
Only if the garage stays above freezing. Many unheated garages get too cold; move containers indoors for the hardest months.
Do I need a dehumidifier for basement Kratky?
Only in a very damp basement. A small fan is often enough to stop mold on leaves.