Lightbulb "green"house

Step 5 Use it

Now all you have to do is fill the cup with soil and seeds (or small plants), put the base on it, then put the lightbulb over it.
Place it in a well lit window sill and occasionally water it

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If you have any questions feel free to comment.
If you decide to make it please post pictures below.
Thanks!

Comments

[tidje]

I just wanted to make a comment for those people who think the plant needs air holes.  I have made several stained glass terrariums that use this same principle.  If you give the plants an airtight house, you create a mini ecosystem and the water that's inside will eventually evaporate to the top, condensate on the glass, and fall back down like rain.  It will keep doing that over and over, and you end up hardly ever having to water (and when you do, I guess you get some new air in).  I have one going that I started years ago.  I water every couple of months because it's not completely airtight and eventually some water does escape by evaporation.  A few plants have died (some work better than others in these situations- and I've also let it get a bit too dry at times- completely forgetting about it since you normally don't have to water it).  I still have a couple of the original plants, though...
Maybe this calls for an instructable.  I've never made one. :)

 

[laxap]

Thanks for this interesting info.

Do the plant grow, and does it stop growing ? How does it get CO2 (does it actually need any) ?

[tidje]

The plants don't really grow much- a little bit, but they have stayed small enough to not outgrow the terrarium.  A few of the little fern babies have doubled or tripled in size over the course of many months, but they were very tiny to begin with.   Of course I used small plants purposely to try to prevent them from growing too much.  They also usually recommend that you don't use fertilizer on plants in a terrarium.  I think that is mostly for the same reason- so that it doesn't outgrow its enclosed environment.
As for the CO2- I don't really know why it isn't a problem.  Maybe the little (tiny) bit of air that might get in where the dome attaches to the base is enough...
I suspect, though, that maybe it's just that the plants don't need that much nor do they really use up as much as we might be imagining.  I think we think of it in a way that we compare it to a person that needs O2 and gives off CO2, and quickly runs out of O2 in a small, enclosed environment.  My guess (and it is only that- a guess) is that their use of CO2, giving off O2, isn't quite the same.  The plants likely don't use as much nor need as much CO2 as we need O2.  on the other hand, maybe my dome is big enough in comparison to the size of the plants to not cause a problem.
Anyone with more knowledge on the subject can feel free to comment and correct me if I'm wrong.  :)   
As long as I'm writing, I'd also like to comment that plants that like a high, constant humidity work best in a terrarium because the terrarium maintains a high humidity in the air.  Ferns have worked well for me... and they usually don't recommend cacti and succulents. 

 

[day-veed]

Plants respire and take in O2 ALL day long and give of CO2 (Even when photosynthesising). However, in the presence of sunlight, plants will take in CO2 to photosythesise. They use Sunlight to 'combine' water and C02 to make sugar and give off O2 as a by-product. Thus, the 'stock' of O2 gets replenished while the amount of CO2 is regulated. I hope this was of some help!

[ddentrem]

exactly so. Plants have to respire just like animals! People often forget that. Since they make much more oxygen than they use, the whole thing usually gets simplified to "plants generate oxygen"

[Fojar]

Plants do convert CO2 into O2 during photosynthesis.  The light energy gets stored into sugar.  To get it back out, the plant then respires just like animals, turning the O2 back into CO2.  That's why the plants can live with very little air exchange with the outside world.

[mitra_dios]

very nice

[CraftyEmoChick]

what do you do if the plant gets too big for the light bulb? can you just leave it or do you have to replant it?

[OceanLady]

I want one! They look awesome... I actually did a photoshop thing for a "be green" poster in high school with the same concept. I'll have to bookmark this and come back to it if I ever find myself at my parents' house without my kid... newborns and breaking glass don't mix very well, lol

[Majid-F]

This is very interesting. And it triggered an idea ...
We have a deserted aquarium in the attic. I thought maybe I can make a bigger greenhouse with a wooden box filled with soil and plant seeds, and the empty tank placed bottom-up on it:

[harekrishna]

Cute. I can't wait to see you make one out of a flourescent lightbulb after LEDs take over.

[Aridzona]

Harekrishna,
Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and lead powder.
http://www.uis.edu/facilityservices/fluorescent_bulbs.htm#hazards
'Not a good idea to handle or breathe toxins.

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks! Maybe I could plant those curly bamboo in them. LOL!

[FFswordfreak]

Thats a very nice idea. I'm trying do grow a little tree in it. Perhaps it will work. First i tried to drill some little holes into the bulb, so the tree can get air, but i don't recommend it. the bulb is broken and my finger has one scare more.

[history323]

what is the tree grows up and breaks free of its glass cage? lol that would be kinda cool!!

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks. Keep me posted if you are successful. You could try heating the bulb with a blowtorch and poking them out.

[geek12597]

how do you water the plant?

[stryke297]

How exactly does this plant grow? It looks like it's in a sealed container which kinda sorta stops one half of the respiration process, and wouldn't you think it would get very hot inside that lightbulb?

[survivalkid]

thats what plants like(warmth) so if you you water it regually it won't dry out and it will grow well thats what a greenhouse does.

[varunkaustubh]

gr8 man!

[albylovesscience]

tony the tiger ?

[haydes]

i rekon its really cool and i might try it but once the plant gets too big how do you squeeze it through the light bulb bit or do you just smash the whole thing and how do you water it

[LinuxH4x0r]

I grew mint, so size wasn't an issue. You water the cup by tipping the top part up.

[thanhpi]

That tree will live during one week. I think so. You should continue to bring many things into play. Goodluck!!!!!!

[LinuxH4x0r]

I've managed to keep it alive for 2 months. Thanks

[billyjiahaogao]

Good job, interesting idea!! Do you have any photos of what happens after a few weeks? When the plant grows?

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks! I just made this last night, so not yet. I'll add some later. When it grows too big I eat it.

[nybras66]

This is not a good idea. The glass of the lamp is contaminated with dangerous chemicals, don't eat it. It's a nice thing to experiment (if the plant will survive without air change), but don't eat it.

[jcintra]

I think this is has a very beautiful result, but I have my doubts about the results, because the plant need to breath. Maybe with some small holes in the base of the lamp...

[lazerteefs]

This is really cool, but dont most plants need CO2 to survive? Doesnt seem like it could get much if its incased in a light bulb. Is the plant still alive?

[LinuxH4x0r]

We'll see tomorrow. I left it for a month unattended. Pics coming soon

[hello123456]

Looks nice, might try it :)

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks! post pictures if you do

[hello123456]

Ok, but first, a broken lightbulb, to bad we mainly other lights... but i'll ask if next time my sisters lamp broke up she can get a lightbulb ;-)

[camb00]

im gonna do this ill try and post pics :P

[joker6211]

very ingenius way put use

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks

[gsurov]

i love this!

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks!