November throughout January in Stockholm (59° N, same altitude as half way between Alaskan Anchorage and Juneau) means almost no day plant light good enough for photosynthesis. So how do you grow anything tropical where it’s too dark even for mosses?
Winter grow lights for plants
While seasonal plants and some succulents can be winter stored, winter is also the time of the year, when we appreciate the most some lush greenery and flowering. So I opted for an eternal tropical summer in our little flat with help of led grow lights.
My partner had installed for me eight hanging lamp holders over our biggest window for two years ago. Using 36W regular LED lamps there (not expensive special grow lights), we now have a proof of concept with winter flowering Plumeria, Heliconia, lush banana, palms and many more sun loving tropical plants.
So now we have decided for the same grow lights setup even over our second window in the living room. We install six more lamps here:
The grow lights used
I’m not using those “special” grow plant lights for two reasons. First of all they are almost 10 times more expensive than regular LED lights, while it have never been proved to give any better growing results. Second, even if we (me and my partner) wouldn’t be frugal, we could never stand the horrible pink/purple light in our living room.
The color temperature of our lamps is about 6000K (cool white), which is more close to day light.
You can order the same lamps using my eBay partner links below or buy similar somewhere else:
Par 38 LED lamp 36W Cool white. I use it in the ceilling attached hanging lamp holders. On the product page pick the following options: Style: Non-Dimmable; Color: Cool White; Size: PAR38-36W-60 Degree
Philips energy saver cool white bulb. I use it in the floor lamps. On the product page pick the wattage 24W
PLEASE, hire a qualified electrician for the job if you need to set up holders! However, most probably you already have some holders and those bulbs will fit in.
Now I have ordered the same lamps for hanging holders. Looking forward :-)
How do you suggest for budget as $800 to get for the size of growth in 5×5?
I’m sorry, I don’t really understand the question.
Hi! Thanks so much for your website it is so helpful! I have always had such basic care houseplants like snake plants and pothos…and recently this new obsession has started and I’ve been buying all kind of cool plants – even if they aren’t deemed House plants!
My plumeria is only about a foot and a half tall…just discovered spider mites and lost two leaves (was confused by the first leaf because it was tiny, second leaf I was super alarmed)…so I’ve sprayed it thoroughly with my neem oil water mix.
I have two questions!
1) my plumeria is in the best window in my house…not south facing but gets indirect light all day (there is literally no direct light in any window in my house) but I want to add lights…it’s in my living room and my corner plant situation is super cute right now…since it is in a window do you think I need BOTH the overhead hanging light and the standing lamp lights? I’m hoping to just add a standing lamp light with a few arms and your suggested bulbs to add additional light for my plumeria and fiddle leaf fig…please let me know if you think I need both. My window is north/north east facing and again gets indirect light all day sunniest spot in my living room!
2) how long and how often two I need to spray my plumeria with the neem oil to get rid of the spider mites?
Thanks again so much!
whats the best types of lighting for plants