Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens: How I Created My Own Hydroponic Light Center, an Article

Welcome!!!

If you stumbled among this site, "Evelyn’s Twigs, Thyme and Stranger Things Gardens" is a collection of journal entries that I have kept on my computer for years, and have now decided to post. The journal contains my successes and failures with my favorite selections of plants. I'm talking about more than 50 years of caring for and living with green things. Not everything is here. More of it is learned and store in my head. However, here I will share facts about each plants, my research, as well as my personal and gathered tips on their care. I was not planning to post my houseplant and backyard journals online, so editing them for errors was not a priority to me. This being the case, perhaps, one day I will correct all the spelling and grammar errors in both of them. We would not want people to think I did not know better, when I was only being lazy. Again, no apologizes. It is what it is for now.

Friday, March 13, 2026

How I Created My Own Hydroponic Light Center, an Article

Hello, Darlings,

As you know on Friday, January 9, 2026, I posted a video about repurposing unused countertop hydroponic system boxes. Well, for that makeover I used three full spectrum grow lights panels for indoor plants. However, I soon discovered that these light panels were not strong enough to support the full grow cycle of the vegetables that I wanted to grow. They did, however, prove to be excellence for starting seeds. Panel Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, FECiDA 2026 LED Plant Grow Light for Under Cabinet Plants, Full Spectrum Growing Lamp. .

Therefore, and having learned this, I did some research on plant lights, and I came across a video in which the host had done his own research, and then created his video detailing the most popular LED grow lights and T5 and T8 grow light for growing any type of plants from regular houseplants and year-round vegetables indoors. After viewing the video, I learned what I already suspected, and that was my three little grow light panels were great for maintaining small houseplants. However, and great for me, I also learned the my spare 2ft. T8 LED grow light tubes could be used to grow vegetables with my three countertop boxes. All I needed to do was figure out how to utilize the grow tubes with the hydroponic boxes.

After some thought, I came up with the idea of creating a horizontal light center, and with some further thought and re-thought, I came up with, “How I created my own two-tier hydroponic light center for the use with three unused Scentalis Vita Indoor Hydroponic Grow Boxes”. It looks great but was not a simple to make as it appears. At first I thought of creating it with three tiers, but after creating the initial design and gathering of the needed parts, I soon discovered that my first idea was too large for my needs, and (as the old saying goes) that sent me back to the drawing board.

I had to redesign the light center by shortening it by height, length, and width. I thought gathering all the needed parts would drive me batty, but no, having to redesign the light center raised my blood pressure a couple spikes. Just joking, I adjusted to the changes like a trooper. Nevertheless, I got it done and below is the proof of a job well done.

As well as, the video of the sunroom and photos of the light center, I have attached a pdf of my design with its instructions, just in case there are other folks out there like me, who have stacked away their nonworking old countertop hydroponic boxes in the garage or in a closet, just waiting for the day they can be put to use again growing their favorite indoor vegetables and fruits.