Has anyone experience of using grow lights to get an early start for tomatoes and peppers etc. and what do you consider to be the best type.

I have two 4 foot double light fittings with Growlux tubes above my propagation table. I wouldn't be without them.

Cheers, Tony.

I use a pair of GreenLamp 125W 6400K bulbs http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-125w-Blue ... 2eb6e520b5

I have had good results from them this year but don't know the life yet.

This thread shows them with my "Triffid" seedlings.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10660&p=102415&hilit=enthusiastic#p102415

According to me, the CFL Grow Light 125w Veg bulb Propagation Hydroponics Lamp Bulb 6400K 6000Lm is the best for tomatoes and peppers because It can be use to fast grow for your tomatoes and peppers.

We have a grow light which I have written about on my website here

http://ossettweather.com/glallotments.co.uk/indoorlightgarden.html

We found it really useful and have it in a spare bedroom - we're thinking of buying a second one.

You wouldn't per chance have some of those for sale on Ebay, would you ?

I didn't get on with my growlights. I wanted them just to extend the daylight at the ends of the day, but they need to be so close to the plants to give enough light that you have to either move them out of the way during daylight, or leave them on all day which struck me as too wasteful of energy. And the brilliantly lit greenhouse got the neighbours gossiping too

We set ours up on a timer switch.

Ah, that's not the problem. The problem is that all the modest florescent lamps need to be within inches of your seedlings to give a useful level of light. Then when they are off, they cast a huge shadow, negating any benefit. Unless you actually move them aside.

I don't find that with my set up, see above.
When the lights are on the propagator is covered with white painted boards to minimise light escape and the chance of "hello hello what's going on here".
Bit of a pain if we are going out early before they go off as I've managed to buy a new timer without a manual override.

If you want to buy the CFL Grow Light 125w Veg bulb Propagation Hydroponics Lamp Bulb 6400K 6000Lm, then you should go to Amazon online site, and find it which is there. I hope it helps.