Grow Lights Boost Your Indoor Plant Collection

October 8, 2018

If you're a budding plant collector, you might soon find that your'e running out of prime window real estate for your plants. As you move away from the window, your plant collection ever-expanding, light levels will decrease. That means you may run out of room to keep the types of plants you want to keep, or be able to encourage flowers on your blooming plants in lower-light areas.

PC: Leslie F. Halleck

Most succulents won't thrive long-term in a standard windowsill, as they typically need brighter light. Creating an area where you can add grow lamps - say a shelf in your kitchen or guest room- can help you deliver enough light to your favorite plant companions. I created this shelving area in my garage to house an overflow of my houseplants and bloomers. I use an 8-lamp HO T5 fixture that hangs above the area, lighting assorted orchids, African violets, succulents, herbs, and more. I can rotate these plants back into my living space when they are blooming, or harvest herbs indoors all winter.

If you start seriously collecting certain types of indoor plants or you want to enter specimens in flower shows and plant competitions, an indoor-light setup will be necessary to stimulate production and force flowering on a schedule.

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


Back to top

Tips in your inbox

E-Newsletter

Sign up for the E-Newsletter for my latest green industry news updates for pros + plant and gardening hobbyists.