I found out about it when we visited Flagstaff in 2017--we went to the Lowell Observatory and had a tour with someone who told us about it. I noticed it on a later visit that year where even though Flagstaff isn't exactly a small town, being a Dark Sky city really made a difference and the sky was still dark despite being in a busy Target parking lot in a commercial area. We attempted to do some stargazing at Arches last summer (since the point we visited was a Dark Sky area), but had cloud cover and lighting off in the distance. I want to get back to Death Valley again as well, as the night sky viewing there is supposed to be one of the best.
I'd be afraid to do that--I'd probably hibernate all winter.
I'm surprised your proximity within 50 miles of Palomar doesn't help you out more.
Lot less light pollution out west. For a few more years at least. Even the dark sky area in MI are really only dark comparatively speaking about the illuminated areas..
Try some more seeds outside this summer. You can pick up feminized seeds (dosed with cytokines) that will will only flower fem, clones, or start regular seeds @ around double the plants you want to flower and approx 1/2 will be female.
Yeah man I'm seriously considering it. Got two areas to grow in. Out back is north facing and down hill. In front is all day hot sun but publicly viewed.
I would if I didn't have a hoard of audio gear taking up 1/4 of my shop.
The warmer the temps, the better the germ rates up to about 80-85F. Or was it 90-95F? Light doesn't matter until they sprout. Like elcoholic mentioned you can use heat mats under the tray. Mine start off in a 4x2x2 foot enclosure with 2 T8 4' fluoro lamps. I turn off the exhaust fans and they're enough to keep the temp nice and balmy. I do the same for rooting clones too. If it's winter time I put down a 1/2" piece of styrofoam to keep the medium toasty.I'm going to spend part of my day in the shop polishing a TT dust cover or two, the temp outside is about 14F and it was 34F inside before I lit the wood stove. I don't think this LED red blue thing is gonna work for me. Maybe time to break out the big boy 1000 watter.
I've done it, for seeds and clones, but my setup is geared towards efficiency so I've found ways to do without, as I mentioned above. I have lifted the pots off the floor, since I have an unheated crawl space, onto some 2L Pepsi flats I found in the trash for the months of Jan/Feb and pump the heat from my CMH lamps along the floor underneath them.
Just strung the light from a couple ceiling hooks and called it good.
