Hawthoria, Low-light Houseplants

June 24, 2018

Who doesn't love succulents? There are so many wonderful succulents you can add to your houseplant collection. Where most people struggle is with adequate light levels. Most succulents and cacti require bright light, which is hard to achieve indoors without grow lights.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

Zebra plant, Haworthia spp., is a succulent that tolerates lower light levels. So if you have a bright windowsill, these are a great houseplant choice.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers


Grow Pony Tail Palm Indoors

June 23, 2018

If you long to keep more houseplants in your house or apartment, but low-light levels are causing you houseplant-woes, don't give up! There are certain tropical plants that will thrive in low-light indoor conditions.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

Pony tail palm, Beaucarnea recurvate, looks more like a tropical plant, but tolerates lower light and limited water. Place near a window and only water plants when soil has dried completely.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers


Grow Aloe Vera Indoors

June 22, 2018

There are many succulents that are easy to grow in pots, including aloe plants. There are many different species of aloe plants, each with interesting foliage texture and color. They also bloom! Many hardy types of aloe need bright light. If you want to keep them indoors, consider adding a grow light.

Aloe vera is the classic species, but there are many other colorful types to choose from that can tolerate indoor conditions.
PC: Leslie F. Halleck

By employing supplemental lighting indoors, you can keep a healthy collection of better-looking succulents year-round. You can also grow succulents under lights year-round to keep them healthy, but set them out in your home in lower light conditions for short periods of time to enjoy.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers


Can Succulents Grow in Low Light?

June 21, 2018

Want to grow succulents and cactus indoors? Unless you have a very bright southern window, most succulents will have a hard time thriving indoors given the lower light conditions.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

Even this bright windowsill doesn’t provide enough light for several succulents in these planters. They’ve become over-stretched and some have toppled over. These plants need a grow light!

If you love succulents, and want to grow them indoors, be prepared to provide supplemental light using grow lamps - HO T5 fluorescent and LEDs are good options.

New BOOK! Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers


Overwintering Succulents Indoors

June 20, 2018

Most succulents and cactus are happiest growing outdoors where they'll receive bright light and good air circulation. However, you may not be able to keep your potted succulents outdoors year-round.

Some of these succulents will need to go indoors for the winter.
PC: Ball Horticultural Company

If you live in a climate with freezing winter temperatures, you will need to bring many of your succulents indoors for the winter. Each type of succulent tolerates certain temperature ranges, and not all are frost-hardy, especially in containers. Be sure to provide succulents and cactus with bright supplemental light from grow lamps in the winter, for about 12-hours per day.

Gardening Under Lights Book



Grow Echeveria Indoors

June 18, 2018

Echeveria is a genus of succulent plants, mostly native to Mexico and South America, that form rosettes of foliage in colors ranging from silver to orange-red.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

Plants need bright light or they will quickly stretch and go into decline. Plant keepers often fail with Echeveria plants when they try to grow them in medium- to low-light indoor conditions. If you want to grow these succulents indoors, try a very bright south-facing windowsill, or add a grow light to keep plants healthy.

Gardening Under Lights Book


Reflective Wall Covering for Grow Lamps

June 17, 2018

In addition to reflector hoods, you can also employ reflective wall coverings. Reflective material can help you bounce light around all areas of your plants without increasing the number of lamps you use.

I covered an unused closet with reflective covering to maximize the lower-intensity CFL lighting.​
PC: Leslie F. Halleck

There are different types of reflective wall covering, such as Mylar and black-and-white polymer. You will note that some reflective surfaces can absorb heat and get hot, so do not let your plants come into direct contact with the material.

Gardening Under Lights Book


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