Keeping sufficient distance between plants and a light source is especially important when using bulbs that produce a lot of heat, like incandescent and high-pressure sodium. But even with LED and fluorescent lights, maintaining a proper distance helps to ensure healthy plant growth. Spider plants tolerate a wide range of conditions and grow well in multipurpose houseplant compost or a soil-based compost like John Innes. Take care not to overwater as they can be prone to root rot if the compost remains soggy. Spider plants thrive in pot-bound conditions so do not re-pot until the fleshy roots are clearly visible above the compost or protruding from the base of pot. Final thoughts One key thing to know about incandescent lights is that they produce a lot of heat. Therefore, you should avoid placing these lights too close to your plant. Pros:

Struggling to find a houseplant that will survive in that shady corner? Finding plants that will tolerate those low light conditions isn’t as hard as you might think. Of course, any houseplant is going to require at least some natural light, or supplementary artificial lighting. But choosing plants that naturally grow in low light conditions, such as tropical forests, will mean that they thrive where other sun-loving houseplants would be likely to fail. This light is equipped with an array of convenient features, including three timing modes, 10 dimmable modes, and three switch modes. The timer has 3-, 9-, or 12-hour increments and automatically turns on and off each day. That way, your plants receive adequate light even if you are at work or away on vacation “We use timers on our lights for ease of maintenance every day, note Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera of Fog City Gardener. "It will automatically turn off and on based on our desired schedule." There are various types of grow lights to consider, from panels to products that hang overhead or screw into standard light fixtures. The type of plants you have, the amount of existing natural light, and where your plants are located help you narrow down your choices. Typically, hanging lights are larger, while desktop lights are smaller and easy to move around. If you want a complete system, consider a full garden kit, like the AeroGarden Bounty Basic (our best kit), which includes the planter with a built-in light. While light distance/intensity and the number of hours the light is on are both important, don’t fall into the trap of thinking one can compensate for the other. For example, you cannot use a high-intensity light for five hours instead of a low-intensity light for ten hours. What Types of Plants Are Conducive to Artificial Lights?Types of plants: Whether you're growing plants indoors or outdoors, not all plants can be treated equally. Some need more intense light, some need less light, some need different colors, etc. Before purchasing lights, you should research the plant you want to buy to make sure you can properly care for it before you take it home with you. For additional information, browse our gardening section to learn how to handle different types of plants. LED lights, such as the GE BR30 Grow LED Light or Aceple Desk Plant Grow Light, are one of the most popular, as well as the most efficient options. They also offer ideal light spectrum ranges. LEDs emit less heat than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 30 times longer. “LED lights are my preferred go-to for lights, because they’re energy-efficient and generate little to no heat,” Johnson says. Never Set and Forget Artificial Lights– from experience, results aren’t always consistent when nurturing plants under grow lights. It’s prudent to observe your plants’ overall health and development daily and weekly and adjust light intensity and duration as needed.

As we mentioned above, there’s no one size fits all answer for using artificial lights for houseplants. You’ll need to consider your plant’s needs and go from there. With that said, thinking about the following will get you off to a good start. Determining How Much Light You Need Day-neutral plants are insensitive to day length differences for flowering and include indoor plants such as flowering maple (Abutilon), Crossandra, and gerbera daisies. For added convenience, the light arrives fully assembled and is easy to install. The unit comes with two 6-inch hanging wire harnesses, a 5-foot plug-in cord, and all the necessary mounting hardware. We tested this 20-watt lamp on an aloe plant with very favorable results. After three weeks of use, we noticed several new growths sprouting up, which was much more than we had experienced without the light.Red light or mixed light bulbs are suitable for promoting bud formation in flowering plants as well as keeping the plants shorter. Vegetative houseplants like pothos and monsteras benefit from artificial grow light with both red and blue wavelengths. Place the light one to five feet away from the plant, depending on the plant’s specific light needs. Keep the light on for six to twelve hours each day. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata): It prefers bright, indirect light but can adapt to artificial lighting conditions if given enough moisture.

Wow. When you take a look at the Latin name for this plant, you understand why everyone just calls it the ZZ Plant! Credit: “File:Zamioculcas zamiifolia 6zz.jpg” by Photo by David J. Stang is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 Position uplights so they don’t shine in windows, blind your guests in your outdoor entertaining locations, or annoy your neighbors. Designed to be mounted flush or hung against a ceiling or wall, the Feit Electric Dual Grow Tube Light is meant to replace traditional greenhouse lighting and delivers a full spectrum to help achieve optimal results for a variety of plants and flowers. The energy-efficient LED bulbs have low heat emissions, so you don’t have to worry about burning your plants' leaves. The bulbs emit 450 nm of blue light and 655 nm of red light, an ideal combination that encourages plant growth and photosynthesis. The unit is easy to assemble: The pieces snap together, and no extra tools are required. It’s also lightweight, which is a major plus. Each shelf weighs 7 pounds, and they come apart for easy storage when not in use.Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen): There are many varieties of Aglaonema with diverse leaf patterns and colors, all of which do well in artificial light. Philodendron will tolerate low light conditions but growth will be slow, and you should reduce the amount of watering in such locations to avoid the risk of root rot. Philodendron do not have any specific temperature requirements but ensure you keep them above 10 Celsius. Keep away from pets and young children. Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema

LEDs are most often recommended for grow lights, though some fluorescent and incandescent bulbs can work. The most important thing is that regardless of type, the bulbs should offer full-spectrum illumination and produce waves of red and blue light, which is often necessary for plants to thrive indoors. Above: Uplights with a low diffuse wash add visual interest to the artful walls and provide practical pathway illumination in a Los Altos Hills, California project by Arterra Landscape Architects, a member of our architects and designers directory. Wash light is a good choice for subtle illumination of lower plants, shrubs, and wall surfaces. Photograph by Michele Lee Willson Photography.

Building a stronger Minnesota

When you’re determining how long to leave your lights on, you’ll need to consider the following factors. If you want a "set it and forget it" indoor garden system, complete with an LED grow light and self-watering feature, you'll love the AeroGarden Bounty Basic Indoor Gardening. We tested this hydroponic system for three months in our lab and found it to be an effortless way of growing herbs and vegetables. Overall, we think this system is especially helpful for those who may forget to water, feed, or turn the light on for their plants, as you can set up the timer and be alerted on the touch screen when food or water runs out. And if you are going on vacation, you don't have to worry about finding someone to water your plants! LED grow lights: LED lights are amazing for saving money. They are extremely energy efficient, meaning they produce more light and less heat, all at a lower cost than conventional lights. These are important attributes when using a light that will be on for hours at a time every single day. Because of this, though, the prices of LED bulbs can be more expensive up front, as their long-term savings are so significant.