Desktop setup

[vonklutch]

Hey everyone,

I want to create a desktop display mame with a grow light that lives on my computer desk.
Unfortunately I have no real access to light other than led's overhead for the room, and whatever grow light I can supply for the plant. I think this is feasible, because I'm only trying to sustain one plant. Ideally i'd like the plant to be no taller than 5" above the rocks. or whatever I build for a base.

I would like to run a small little cheap fountain pump in with the setup, hopefully allowing the tree to water itself. (even thought about a nebulizer to add fog if the humidity isnt ample enough.

something high maintenance would be better I think in terms of foliage control, would like something to fiddle with not just look at. (obviously not too much.)

Does anyone have any advice on what species tree would be my best bet

Will running a fountain work as a water source? (I have built fountains before)
but I've never added live plants to them before. I always have and now I have the time to do it.

Also does anyone have any product recommendations for desk lamp style LED full spectrums that would work for me? I'm looking for yellow light not an abundance of pink. its on my desk next to where I work.

I know this is a lot, and I've read all over the place that bonsai truely need the light of the sun and everything but Im holding out that somewhere out there someone is doing what i'm hoping for, and successfully.

 

[j evans]

Welcome, tall order which i know nothing about, someone will pipe in soon.....

 

[vonklutch]

Welcome, tall order which i know nothing about, someone will pipe in soon.....

I know right? I can hear the eyes roll from here.
My options aren't great.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Cool white COB led light will get you going.
Go for as much output per watt as possible.
I've been growing plants under cool white leds for 4 years now, it's not great but also not terrible. Shade loving plants do well under those lights.

Don't do the water stuff unless you're building an enclosure around it. You're going to bump in to it at some point or another and it'll ruin whatever is on your desk. I think it's best to drop that idea as a whole.

 

[vonklutch]

Cool white COB led light will get you going.
Go for as much output per watt as possible.
I've been growing plants under cool white leds for 4 years now, it's not great but also not terrible. Shade loving plants do well under those lights.

Don't do the water stuff unless you're building an enclosure around it. You're going to bump in to it at some point or another and it'll ruin whatever is on your desk. I think it's best to drop that idea as a whole.

Now when you say as much output per watt as possible what am I looking for? i'm a noob bear with me.

Is this along the lines of what you're talking about?
70-Watt Equivalent 14-Watt Corn Cob ED17 HID LED Post Top Bypass Light Bulb Med 120-277-Volt Cool White 4000K


As for the water feature, I will definitely take this into consideration, I have alot of desk space, but I will definitely rethink this.

Hypothetically, how would you make it so the roots don't rot but make sure they're also always in the water to drink?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Ficus have pretty good tolerance for shade. That is the easiest of the "indoor bonsai".

Higher light demanding trees include Brazilian Rain Tree. For some Serissa thrive, for some they do not thrive.

 

[vonklutch]

Ficus have pretty good tolerance for shade. That is the easiest of the "indoor bonsai".

Higher light demanding trees include Brazilian Rain Tree. For some Serissa thrive, for some they do not thrive.

I was pretty sure that would be my best bet.
Is it easy to get them to produce little leafs?

 

[sorce]

I use the grow light from the indoor HerbGarden. It has a power source that automatically comes on for an airpump I believe, that could be rigged to control something else perhaps.

It has the circuitry you need.

I want to make a constantly running fountain.. which uses a timer to set up a diverter which will move the water toward the plant for x minutes a day.

Sounds like a fun project.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Ficus leaves reduce well. Though most species never get truly tiny leaves. About an inch is the low limit. The more ramifications (degrees of branching) you have the smaller the leaves. Also, defoliation helps bring leaves smaller. But defoliation does weaken the tree, should not be done too often.

 

[BrianBay9]

I was pretty sure that would be my best bet.
Is it easy to get them to produce little leafs?

Smaller leaves are tough to achieve indoors. The brighter the light, the smaller the leaves, in general.

 

[Crawforde]

I made little a fountain planting on my bench with a grow light before.
I went out to a bog and harvested moss, a small blueberry and a couple other plants and made a little waterfall/ river/ bog. It was pretty cool. But I had it on a lab bench where spilled water wouldn’t hurt anything else.

 

[vonklutch]

I use the grow light from the indoor HerbGarden. It has a power source that automatically comes on for an airpump I believe, that could be rigged to control something else perhaps.

It has the circuitry you need.

I want to make a constantly running fountain.. which uses a timer to set up a diverter which will move the water toward the plant for x minutes a day.

Sounds like a fun project.

Sorce

Is The Indoor HerbGarden an autmated panting system? i'm not familar with it.
Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 Indoor Herb Garden
is this it?

how does a tree grow naturally by a stream without being over watered?
Do you need to divert the water to water the plant? or is there a way to have a tree and a water source live symbiotically.

I made little a fountain planting on my bench with a grow light before.
I went out to a bog and harvested moss, a small blueberry and a couple other plants and made a little waterfall/ river/ bog. It was pretty cool. But I had it on a lab bench where spilled water wouldn’t hurt anything else.

do you have any suggestions on what bulbs to buy? was it a standard desktop style lamp? I've been told I want lots of output per wattage, but I'm not sure what range I should be looking for.
If you could suggest some numbers to shoot for that would be very helpful.

 

[sorce]

Sorry.

Sprout

With room for up to 3 plants, the Sprout in-home garden is perfect for growing herbs, veggies or flowers all year long, anywhere indoors. No soil or sun required!

www.aerogarden.com

Aero!

Sorce

 

[Crawforde]

I had some commercial grow lights in the lab and used them (sorry can’t remember, but there are better lights available now anyway) and one of those old fashioned plug in light timers we used back in the old days.

 

[vonklutch]

That aero system says its only got a 10watt bulb, some of the cool white cob ones I was looking at are much higher like over 100watts. How does this relate to my needs? Obviously I want to throw a ton of energy at the tree, give it its best shot at thriving are the lower wattage ones just better for like herbs that aren't expected to grow for long?


Also which species of ficus would be the best, I really love gnarly growth, and air roots. Also I've seen certain species have different default leaf sizes.

thanks for all your help everyone.