Why I stopped using grow lights and moved my tomato plants to the railing

Last July my neighbor Janet from apartment 4B nearly called the building manager about the heat coming off my setup. I had three clip-on LED grow lights crammed into a corner and my Roma tomatoes were getting scorched leaves but no fruit. After she complained I moved everything to the south-facing railing and within two weeks the plants were loaded with flowers. Has anyone else had better luck with natural sun than with artificial lighting on a balcony?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jade1d ago

Grow lights need proper distance and intensity, natural sun is just easier.

harper_wells1d ago

Count your lucky stars you have a south-facing railing that actually gets consistent sun. I'm on a north-facing balcony with heavy overhang from the unit above, so I get maybe two hours of direct light in the dead of summer. Without my grow lights, my tomatoes would be leggy green sticks that never flower. I have to run them 16 hours a day, keep them exactly 6 inches from the leaves, and I still get decent fruit by August. Your setup sounds ideal, but for those of us stuck with bad natural light, grow lights are the only option.