Greenhouse vs. grow lights for winter herbs in Denver, huge difference

I ran a small greenhouse setup for basil and parsley last winter in Denver, then switched everything to a simple LED grow light rack in my basement this December. The greenhouse plants got leggy and slow even with a heater going, but the shelf unit with lights has my basil bushing out twice as fast. Has anyone else found indoor lighting beats a cold frame for winter herbs, or am I missing something with my greenhouse setup?

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margaret_flores171d ago

I killed three basil plants in a greenhouse last January in Aurora, so I get where you're coming from. Honestly though, most folks I know who swear by greenhouses have theirs hooked up with proper airflow and soil warmth, not just a space heater. Your basement rack probably wins because it's consistent, 12 hours of light on a timer and no freezing drafts messing with the roots. But calling it a huge difference feels like you're comparing a broken setup to a working one. Fix the greenhouse vents and add a heat mat, then tell me if the basil still looks sad.