PC Underground greenhouses in 1.2

[WarMongerian]

Hi all, just a quick question, can anything craftable replace sunlight to grow your crops.  I'm currently considering building a one (light) shaft underground greenhouse, as a proof of concept, just to say I did it.  I already have experience building multi-story greenhouses above ground, and am considering a ladder shaft down to bedrock, built within a 7x7 or 9x9 footprint base, depending on if I want to have a man made wall, or just stone walls.  If I go with a 7x7 layout w/walls, that would leave me a central area 5x5 within the walls, but that 25 block area would only give me 24 usable farm plots.  If I instead went with a 7x7 w/o walls, then my usable framplots/level would be 7 z 7 = 49, -4 corner structural pillars, and then another -1 for the light shaft, leaving me 44 farm plots/level.

My question is, can candles or torches be used instead of sunlight?

 

[theFlu]

My question is, can candles or torches be used instead of sunlight?

Nope, not in vanilla. Not sure of mods, but I'd assume there's some ...

 

[Vaeliorin]

No.  There are mods that add grow lights (though only in complete overhauls that I'm aware of) but nothing in vanilla.

 

[Riamus]

As said, you need sunlight to grow plants in vanilla.  However, you have a certain area a single opening of sunlight can cover.  I forget exactly what that is... perhaps it is 1 block out in every direction (so 3x3 for a 1x1 hole in the ceiling) or perhaps 2 blocks in every direction (5x5).  So you can have a very small light shaft (1 block or a few blocks) and provide enough light for a larger area of farm plots.  Note that although I said "hole" or "opening", you can put glass over it.

 

[theFlu]

I forget exactly what that is... perhaps it is 1 block out in every direction (so 3x3 for a 1x1 hole in the ceiling) or perhaps 2 blocks in every direction (25x25). 

I think it's 7, I did one in A22.1. The farm wasn't even centered under the light shaft, couple blocks off to one side, and one side only, and it was quite large already.

Had it caught on camera back then, a little poor (behind the drink), but shows it's way more than 2

Note that above the knuckle, there's the last block of the diamond shape farm, just next to the dew collector.

And the light shaft is at the end of that catwalk contraption, middle of the room.

EDITspam over.... maybe  

View attachment 32495

 

[Riamus]

Yeah, I couldn't remember.  I've only put my farm inside one time, back when I had a tree in the middle of my base and that opening around the tree was my light source.  I know it didn't need to be right next to the tree, but I couldn't remember exactly how far. 

 

[Gamida]

I think I saw a couple of mods for growing indoors/underground. UV lights and those pods like you see in traders.

 

[WarMongerian]

My current game, I don't have any underground growing areas, but my super corn has a single 300-block farm, while the second base has just over 225 farm plots, mostly growing cotten right now...

 

[Riamus]

My current game, I don't have any underground growing areas, but my super corn has a single 300-block farm, while the second base has just over 225 farm plots, mostly growing cotten right now...

That's insane.

My farm for 2 people tends to be about 8-10 plots and we never run out of anything.  I also never farm cotton or super corn.  Heh.

 

[Gamida]

I would hazzard a guess as the supercorn farm is either for glue, selling or both

 

[Riamus]

I would hazzard a guess as the supercorn farm is either for glue, selling or both

Probably.  But I never have a money problem in this game since I quest a lot, and I don't do a lot of crafting, so glue is rarely an issue and can easily be managed without super corn.  But that's just me. 

 

[Gamida]

Yeah server I am on now is first time since I have seen it that I have ever planted super corn. I also haven't ever needed it for glue as I seem to find enough for my needs or can make it easily.

 

[Ripflex]

I just grow a garden a few blocks in the ground and used bullet proof glass across the top at ground level did the trick.

 

[WarMongerian]

Probably.  But I never have a money problem in this game since I quest a lot, and I don't do a lot of crafting, so glue is rarely an issue and can easily be managed without super corn.  But that's just me. 

I'm probably an exact opposite playstyle myself.  I concentrate on not dying, building up my base enough to store a bit of loot, do some cooking & crafting, and then start building my "Castle".  I hunt, and farm excessively, making sure I have a base that I can kill the Hordes in, and continue building up my base, and planting a 'Commercial Forest Reserve', and a mine that gives me all the stone I want/need, without have any holes to fall into up at ground level.

I'm mainly concerned with making sure I don't die, and then making sure I can level up my guy, and only then trying my hand at all the missions the various traders have for me..

I just bought me a stack of these:



And, if they work as I think they do, I can re-do my guy several times.  In fact, I think I will try to video each attribute, and max all it's perks, so then I'll have a record of how everything works, for all the next times.

 

[Soulbreeze]

As said, you need sunlight to grow plants in vanilla.  However, you have a certain area a single opening of sunlight can cover.  I forget exactly what that is... perhaps it is 1 block out in every direction (so 3x3 for a 1x1 hole in the ceiling) or perhaps 2 blocks in every direction (25x25).  So you can have a very small light shaft (1 block or a few blocks) and provide enough light for a larger area of farm plots.  Note that although I said "hole" or "opening", you can put glass over it.

You can do 5 x 5 with a single light shaft in the middle of it. I make them underground all the time. Usually put 2 in a row so I have a 5x10 garden. More than enough for me solo.

This was 5x15, but same concept.