Gardener's supply company SunLite User manual
SunLite® Tabletop Garden
Assembly Instructions
T
here are four parts to assembling the
SunLite Garden: Frame Assembly, Ball
Chain Assembly, Adjusting the Fixtures, and
Installing the Light Tubes. With the help of
one other person, you can assemble the SunLite
Tabletop Garden in less than an hour. The only
tools you’ll need are a Phillips screwdriver, a
hammer or rubber mallet, and pliers.
Frame Assembly
Step 1. Lay out all Frame Parts on a flat, clean
surface.
Step 2. Connect an A4 Side Base Frame to the
end of each A2 Bar using two Phillips-head bolts
(Fig 2). Repeat this step to connect the second A4
Side Base Frame to the other end of the A2 Bars.
Do not fully tighten the bolts on the frame until
Step 4.
Step 3. Connect the A1 Side Frames to the A4
Side Base Frames by placing a Phillips-head bolt
up through the hole in the underside of the A4
Frame. Make sure the nylon cleat on each A1 Side
Frame is facing out (Fig. 2).
A2 Bar
Light Fixture
A4
Side
Base
Frame
A1 Side Frame
with Cleat
Fig. 1
Enlarged
view of
cleat
A1
Side
Frame
A2
Bars
A4 Side
Base Frame
Fig. 2
Parts List
Qty.
Frame A1 Side Frames 2
Parts: A2 Bars 2
A3 Pulley Bars 1
A4 Side Base Frames 2
Additional Light Fixtures 1
Parts: T-8 Light Tubes 3
Poly Tray 1
Hardware: Ball Chains 2
Chain Connectors 4
Split Rings,Large 2
Split Rings,Small 2
Bolts 8
End Plugs 6
Bolt
Bolts
Step 4. Insert a Phillips-head bolt through the top
bolt hole of the A1 Side Frame into the Pulley Bar
(Fig. 3). Do this on both ends of the A3 Pulley Bar.
Now fully tighten all the bolts on the frame.
Step 5. Insert the six End Plugs into the square
ends of the Frames and use a hammer to tap them
into place. Place the Poly Tray on the table between
the A2 Bars. You are now finished assembling the
frame.
Ball Chain Assembly
Step 6. Attach a Chain Connector to all the Split
Rings (Fig. 4). If necessary, use pliers to pry open the
Split Rings. (Needlenose pliers work best.)
Step 7. Connect a Ball Chain to each Chain
Connector on the Large Split Rings only. The last ball
of each chain will “snap” onto the connector (Fig. 4).
Step 8. Take the loose end of one Ball Chain and
thread it through the top Guide Hole on the A1
Frame (Fig. 5). Direct the loose end of the chain over
the lip of the pulley inside the A3 Pulley Bar. If this
proves difficult, attach a twist-tie or wire to the end
of the chain to help lead the chain over the pulley.
Repeat this step to attach a Ball Chain to the other
end of the A3 Pulley Bar.
Step 9. Attach a Chain Connector and Small Split
Ring to the end of each hanging Ball Chain (Fig. 5).
Step 10. Place the Light Fixture, right side up, on
the Poly Tray. Orient the power cord to one side of
the frame.
Step 11. Find the two slots with the “T”-shaped
tabs in the top of the Light Fixture. Hook the Small
Split Rings around the “T”-shaped tabs (Fig. 6).
Adjusting the Fixtures
Step 12. Check the Ball Chains to make sure
they are correctly positioned and move freely over
the pulleys.
Step 13. Carefully adjust the height of the Light
Fixture one side at a time. To do this, pull the chain
out of the Guide Hole horizontally. This will allow
you to adjust the height with the least amount
of resistance and protect the Guide Holes from
abrasion (Fig. 7).
Step 14. After you’ve raised the Light Fixture to
the desired height, bring the chain down to meet the
Cleat. “Lock” the chain into place by allowing it to
wedge up into the grooves of the Cleat, then release
the chain (Fig. 7).
To remove the chain from the Cleat, pull it
down and out, then adjust the height of the
Fixture by pulling the chain in or out of the Guide
Hole in a horizontal direction. For greater stability,
you may support the fixture or hold onto the
frame with your other hand hand as you work the
Ball Chain.
A3 Pulley Crossbar
with pulley
Ball
Chain
Pulley
Bolt
Guide
Hole
A1 Side
Frame
Fig. 3
Large
Split
Ring
Chain
Connector
Ball Chain
Fig. 4
Pulley
Ball
Chain
Fig. 5
Chain
Connector
Small Split
Ring
Guide Hole
Cleat
A1 Side
Frame
A3
Large
Split
Ring
-2-
Thread Ball Chain through guide
hole and over pulley.
-5-
Ordering Information
SunLite®Gardens Accessories
#34-808 SunLite Floor Model Garden #33-706 Power Strip and Timer
#34-807 SunLite Tabletop Garden #33-867 Soil Heating Cable
#34-809 SunLite 2-Tier Garden #32-573 APS Starter Kit
#34-810 SunLite 3-Tier Garden
#34-811 Complete SunLite Garden
Replacement Lighting
#34-745 4-ft SunLite Bulbs, set of 3
To place an order, please call us or visit our web site for current prices.
For step-by-step instructions and expert tips,
visit our Seedstarting Department at www.gardeners.com
128 Intervale Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401
PHONE ORDERS: 1-800-427-3363 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1-800-876-5520
Water and Humidity
Seedlings and other plants that are placed
close to warm fluorescent lights will require
watering daily or every other day to keep the soil
from drying out. If you’re using our Accelerated
Propagation System (APS), check the water level
in the reservoir twice a week.
Your houseplants may require less water if
they are placed further away from the light fix-
tures (room temperatures can also affect how
frequently you have to water). Generally, water
houseplants once or twice a week, allowing the
soil to dry between waterings.
Many plants, including most orchids, require
high humidity as well as adequate water. You’ll need
to pay more attention to this when they’re growing
under lights. To create a humid environment, fill a
shallow tray with gravel or marbles, set the orchid
pot on top and then cover the gravel with water.
The water will evaporate around the pots to create a
more humid environment. You may need to experi-
ment for the first few weeks to determine a good
watering schedule.
Getting the Most From Your Lights
• When the ends of a fluorescent light tube
darken, it means that the light is aging. Light
output from an old tube can be less than half that
of a new tube. Replace the light tube when this
occurs.
• An accumulation of dust and dirt can dramat-
ically reduce the amount of light your plants
receive. Be sure to clean your fluorescent tubes
monthly with a soft dry cloth.
• T-8, 32-watt fluorescent light tubes can
provide many years of use (up to 24,000 hours);
however; when it comes time to dispose of light
tubes, please do so responsibly. Dispose of light
tubes at your nearest waste recycling center.
Guaranteed Easy-to-Grow Plants
You can grow almost any plant under lights if
temperature and humidity are right! Garden new-
comers will have good success with easy-to-grow
seeds like zinnias, marigolds, tomatoes, and
cucumbers. Easy-care plants include: begonias,
ferns, geraniums, oxalis, jade, philodendrons, and
all types of succulents. If you like the cactus mem-
bers of the succulent family, they’re some of the
easiest of all!
Care Instructions
• To clean the SunLite Garden frame, unplug the
unit first, then gently wipe the frame with a damp
cloth.
• Clean the fluorescent Light tubes monthly with
a soft dry cloth. An accumulation of dust and dirt
can dramatically reduce the amount of light your
plants receive.
Fixture Use and Safety
• Use the power cord only with a properly
grounded electrical outlet or power strip. Do
not use with a two-plug outlet or extension
cord unless the adapter you use is properly
grounded.
• Always turn off the power to the Light
Fixtures when inserting, adjusting or removing
Light Tubes. If you insert a Light Tube when
the power is on, it may trigger an auto safety
mechanism, resulting in the light shutting off.
If this happens, turn off the Fixture; make sure
the Light Tubes are fully seated in the tube
sockets; wait for thirty (30) seconds, then turn
the Fixture on again. This will reset the Light
Fixture so the lights operate normally.
• If water is spilled near the power source,
unplug the unit before you wipe up the
water.
• Do not put objects on top of the frame
or on Light Fixtures.
• For on/off manual control of your lights,
use the switch located on the Light Fixture.
Installing and Adjusting Light Tubes
Step 15. Unhook the Chains from the Light
Fixture and place the Fixture upside down on
the Poly Tray. This will reveal the Light Tube
sockets (Fig. 8). Then, take a fluorescent Light
Tube and find two pins on each end of the
Tube. Slide the pins into the tube sockets, then
rotate the Tube 90 degrees until it “locks” into
place, revealing the dimple guide mark on the
end of the Tube (Fig. 8). This guide mark indi-
cates proper placement of the Light Tubes
inside the sockets. Install three Light Tubes per
Fixture.
Installing the Tubes correctly will ensure
they produce the optimum amount of light.
Step 16. Turn the Light Fixtures upright
and reconnect them to the Ball Chains.
Guide the power cord through the bars and
down one side of the frame, making sure they
don’t interfere with your ability to raise and
lower the lights.
Hook the Split Rings around the
“T”- shaped tabs to hang the Fixture.
Fig. 6
Turn Fixture upside down to
expose tube sockets.
The dimple guide
mark indicates the tube
pins are positioned properly
inside the sockets.
Pull chain in a horizontal direction.
Fig. 7
“Lock”
chain into
the Cleat
A1
Side Frame
A3
Slide the pins down into the tube
sockets then rotate 90 degrees until
the dimple guide is positioned at top.
Fig. 8
-3-
-6-
Growing With Your Light Garden
By controlling the intensity and duration of light,
you can grow healthier and more beautiful plants
than ever before. The proximity of the light fixtures
to your plants is very important because it affects
light intensity. The closer the light, the greater the
intensity. Plants that normally grow outdoors in full
sun require the highest light intensity. This includes
most flower and vegetable plants, orchids, gardenias
and citrus. For these plants, light tubes should be
very close—no more than 3 inches away from the
foliage. This need for intense light holds true for
seedlings too (your vegetable and flower seedlings
will grow tall and spindly if they are too far away
from the lights).
Most common flowering houseplants do not
require as much light intensity. African violets and
begonias will be quite happy 10 to 12 inches away
from the light tubes. Nonflowering tropical plants
such as philodendrons and ivies can be placed
between 20 and 36 inches from the light (see chart).
If you’re growing different types of plants under
one light fixture, you may need to vary the height
of the pots. Place light-loving plants on an upside
down flower pot or other platform to get them
closer to the light. Your plants will also receive the
best light intensity if they are placed under the
middle section of the light fixtures, rather than
the ends.
As your plants grow, raise the light fixture to
maintain the appropriate distance between the top
of the plant and the light tubes.
Leaving the Lights On
No matter what types of plants you are growing
indoors, you should always give them time to
“sleep.” When it’s dark, plants respirate, which is
an important part of their growth process. The bal-
ance of rest time to active growth time affects many
biological processes, including growth rate and the
setting of buds and fruit.
Like people, plants differ in the amount of rest
they require. They are categorized according to their
preferred day length: short-day, long-day, or day-
neutral.
Short-day plants, such as chrysanthemums,
kalanchoe, azaleas and begonias will thrive on 12
hours per day. In fact, these plants usually require a
series of even shorter days (less than 12 hours)
before they will set buds and flower.
Long-day plants require at least 14 to 18 hours of
light each day. Vegetables and most flowers fall into
this category. Day-neutral plants, which include
non-flowering foliage plants, as well as geraniums,
coleus, and African violets are usually satisfied with
8 to 12 hours of light all year-round.
Using automatic timers is the best way to ensure
that your plants receive the right duration of light
each day. Group your plants under each light fixture
according to what day length they prefer and your
indoor gardening adventures will be easier and
much more rewarding.
-4-
For most seedlings,
keep plants no more than
3 inches from the lights.
Some plants need higher light
intensity than others
Recommended Distance Between
Houseplants and Light Tubes
Approximate
Plant Distance (inches)
African violet 10"-12"
Azalea 10"-12
Cactus 10"-12"
Cineraria 10"-12"
Caladium 18"-20"
Camellia 10"-12"
Chlorophytum (spider plant)
18"-20"
Chrysanthemum 3"-4"
Citrus 3"-4"
Cyclamen 10"-12"
Dendrobium 3"-4"
Gardenia 3"-4"
Geranium 3"-4"
Gloxinia 10"-12"
Herbs (culinary) 3"-4"
Hibiscus 3"-4"
Jasmine 10"-12"
Kalanchoe 3"-4"
Oncidium orchid 3"-4"
Pepperomia 18"-20"
Phaelenopsis orchid 3"-4"
Philodendron 20"-36"
Sansivieria (snake plant) 20"-36"
Schefflera (umbrella plant) 18"-20"
Scindapsus (pothos plant) 18"-20"
Spathyphylum (spathe plant) 20"-36"
Streptocarpus 6"-8"
Succulents 10"-12"
Tolmiea (piggy back plant) 18"-20"
Step 4. Insert a Phillips-head bolt through the top
bolt hole of the A1 Side Frame into the Pulley Bar
(Fig. 3). Do this on both ends of the A3 Pulley Bar.
Now fully tighten all the bolts on the frame.
Step 5. Insert the six End Plugs into the square
ends of the Frames and use a hammer to tap them
into place. Place the Poly Tray on the table between
the A2 Bars. You are now finished assembling the
frame.
Ball Chain Assembly
Step 6. Attach a Chain Connector to all the Split
Rings (Fig. 4). If necessary, use pliers to pry open the
Split Rings. (Needlenose pliers work best.)
Step 7. Connect a Ball Chain to each Chain
Connector on the Large Split Rings only. The last ball
of each chain will “snap” onto the connector (Fig. 4).
Step 8. Take the loose end of one Ball Chain and
thread it through the top Guide Hole on the A1
Frame (Fig. 5). Direct the loose end of the chain over
the lip of the pulley inside the A3 Pulley Bar. If this
proves difficult, attach a twist-tie or wire to the end
of the chain to help lead the chain over the pulley.
Repeat this step to attach a Ball Chain to the other
end of the A3 Pulley Bar.
Step 9. Attach a Chain Connector and Small Split
Ring to the end of each hanging Ball Chain (Fig. 5).
Step 10. Place the Light Fixture, right side up, on
the Poly Tray. Orient the power cord to one side of
the frame.
Step 11. Find the two slots with the “T”-shaped
tabs in the top of the Light Fixture. Hook the Small
Split Rings around the “T”-shaped tabs (Fig. 6).
Adjusting the Fixtures
Step 12. Check the Ball Chains to make sure
they are correctly positioned and move freely over
the pulleys.
Step 13. Carefully adjust the height of the Light
Fixture one side at a time. To do this, pull the chain
out of the Guide Hole horizontally. This will allow
you to adjust the height with the least amount
of resistance and protect the Guide Holes from
abrasion (Fig. 7).
Step 14. After you’ve raised the Light Fixture to
the desired height, bring the chain down to meet the
Cleat. “Lock” the chain into place by allowing it to
wedge up into the grooves of the Cleat, then release
the chain (Fig. 7).
To remove the chain from the Cleat, pull it
down and out, then adjust the height of the
Fixture by pulling the chain in or out of the Guide
Hole in a horizontal direction. For greater stability,
you may support the fixture or hold onto the
frame with your other hand hand as you work the
Ball Chain.
A3 Pulley Crossbar
with pulley
Ball
Chain
Pulley
Bolt
Guide
Hole
A1 Side
Frame
Fig. 3
Large
Split
Ring
Chain
Connector
Ball Chain
Fig. 4
Pulley
Ball
Chain
Fig. 5
Chain
Connector
Small Split
Ring
Guide Hole
Cleat
A1 Side
Frame
A3
Large
Split
Ring
-2-
Thread Ball Chain through guide
hole and over pulley.
-5-
Ordering Information
SunLite®Gardens Accessories
#34-808 SunLite Floor Model Garden #33-706 Power Strip and Timer
#34-807 SunLite Tabletop Garden #33-867 Soil Heating Cable
#34-809 SunLite 2-Tier Garden #32-573 APS Starter Kit
#34-810 SunLite 3-Tier Garden
#34-811 Complete SunLite Garden
Replacement Lighting
#34-745 4-ft SunLite Bulbs, set of 3
To place an order, please call us or visit our web site for current prices.
For step-by-step instructions and expert tips,
visit our Seedstarting Department at www.gardeners.com
128 Intervale Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401
PHONE ORDERS: 1-800-427-3363 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1-800-876-5520
Water and Humidity
Seedlings and other plants that are placed
close to warm fluorescent lights will require
watering daily or every other day to keep the soil
from drying out. If you’re using our Accelerated
Propagation System (APS), check the water level
in the reservoir twice a week.
Your houseplants may require less water if
they are placed further away from the light fix-
tures (room temperatures can also affect how
frequently you have to water). Generally, water
houseplants once or twice a week, allowing the
soil to dry between waterings.
Many plants, including most orchids, require
high humidity as well as adequate water. You’ll need
to pay more attention to this when they’re growing
under lights. To create a humid environment, fill a
shallow tray with gravel or marbles, set the orchid
pot on top and then cover the gravel with water.
The water will evaporate around the pots to create a
more humid environment. You may need to experi-
ment for the first few weeks to determine a good
watering schedule.
Getting the Most From Your Lights
• When the ends of a fluorescent light tube
darken, it means that the light is aging. Light
output from an old tube can be less than half that
of a new tube. Replace the light tube when this
occurs.
• An accumulation of dust and dirt can dramat-
ically reduce the amount of light your plants
receive. Be sure to clean your fluorescent tubes
monthly with a soft dry cloth.
• T-8, 32-watt fluorescent light tubes can
provide many years of use (up to 24,000 hours);
however; when it comes time to dispose of light
tubes, please do so responsibly. Dispose of light
tubes at your nearest waste recycling center.
Guaranteed Easy-to-Grow Plants
You can grow almost any plant under lights if
temperature and humidity are right! Garden new-
comers will have good success with easy-to-grow
seeds like zinnias, marigolds, tomatoes, and
cucumbers. Easy-care plants include: begonias,
ferns, geraniums, oxalis, jade, philodendrons, and
all types of succulents. If you like the cactus mem-
bers of the succulent family, they’re some of the
easiest of all!
Care Instructions
• To clean the SunLite Garden frame, unplug the
unit first, then gently wipe the frame with a damp
cloth.
• Clean the fluorescent Light tubes monthly with
a soft dry cloth. An accumulation of dust and dirt
can dramatically reduce the amount of light your
plants receive.
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