How-To: Make a Retractable Grow Light System
Let’s make a retractable grow light system, with the capacity to start 5,600 plant babies, for under $500!
Because your plants will want the grow lights at different heights based on how small or big they are, you need an easy way to adjust your lights. We came up with this solution because we didn’t want to fuss over individually raising or lowering the lights on each shelf, and we wanted them to all be at the same level. (For step-by-step instructions, watch my Instagram reel ——>)
Here’s what you need to get started, as well as a quick cost breakdown, assuming you do four shelves.
COST BREAKDOWN
Boards: $0 (we had some old wood lying around and just cut them into 2 foot by 2.5 inch pieces - you need 2 per shelf)
LED Grow Lights: $264/12 (we got ours on Amazon for more than this, but they’re on sale right now at Barrina LED for $99USD/6 pack! You need 3 (or 4) per shelf. They come with the brackets and screws, as well as all of the connectors!)
Eyelet hooks - $20/16 (actually probably cheaper, as we had a a set like this already lying around. You need 4 per shelf.)
Adjustable rope hangers - $40/16 (also off Amazon, you need 4 per shelf)
Shelf - $170 (we found the cheapest at Costco, they’re 4x2 and come with 4 shelves. I like this size cause I can perfectly fit a 4x2 grow mat (find them at Amazon for under $50) on them, and put 1,400 small soil blocks on one shelf! You can find this type of shelf anywhere, and most brands are compatible with each other!)
Total: $494 (without the heat mat!)
It may seem like a bit of an investment to begin with, but anyone who has started plants before knows that it’s worth it to have a solid set up.