Product Recommendations
Here’s a list of products I’ve used and recommend. I’ve used all of the grow lights listed and have measured them with both my PAR meter and my light meter (and, even more importantly, my ficus trees – they’re discriminatory little b*tches when it comes to light quality!).
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Grow Lights
The majority of these lights are yellow, though the white (which have tinges of blue, purple, etc in them) are available through the same links. I prefer yellow because I keep my plants in my living spaces and we want to be able to co-exist with them. These lights are our everyday lighting – bar lighting for spaces near the ceiling, and bulbs in lamps around the room. I prefer the 2-foot bars, but the 1-foot and 4-foot are linked as well.
Bar/Strip Lights: Barrina
12″ Barrina T5 bar grow lights (yellow, 8pk)
24″ Barrina T5 grow lights (yellow, 8pk)
48″ Barrina T5 grow lights (yellow, 8pk)
24″ Barrina T8 grow lights (see note; 6pk)
These are stronger and more full spectrum light than T5, has a purplish tinge – I leave these on when I won’t be in the room because the color annoys me. They’re about 60% brighter than T5; not quite double strength.
Bulbs
Sansi single bulb – strong, but on the white-towards-blue spectrum. It doesn’t look blue but it’s not a gentle light, so plan on using this one to light plants, not near your reading nook.
These bulbs were initially marketed as grow bulbs on Amazon so I tried them. My plants like them and are growing well, but I’ll have more info on them soon (PAR reading, etc).
Can’t reach the switch?
I have many high spaces with plants and won’t turn the lights on if I can’t easily access the switch, so I use these remote-controlled switches and remote-controlled surge protectors. I have several spaces set up with both T5 and T8 lights (above), and I have each type on a separate switch so I can push one button for nice, mellow light (when I’m in the room) and then hit the other button when I leave for the day and want to give my plants some extra love.
Light Meter
First, here’s an inexpensive light meter that I recommend. I don’t expect this to be quite as good as one that costs $600, but it’s certainly a better source of information than our eyes. The intensity of the readings lines up with my more pricey PAR meter as I move it around (it measures Photosynthetically Active Radiation – basically the light that plants can use). And the results from my plants are what I’d expect with the readings I’m getting. I definitely recommend using a light meter to get a better idea of what “high” and “low” light actually looks like.
Fixtures
I use these clamp lamps in areas I want to use a single bulb but won’t see the fixture. You can take the shade/reflector off if you want the light to shine in every direction, or leave it on to direct more of the light in one area.
I use this gooseneck floor lamp for corners with loads of plants. You can paint the light cover to direct the light, or leave them white if you want the light to be more diffuse. Point the bulbs at your plants and you’re good to go!
…and more!
And just for fun, I love these leaf trellises! They’re TALL, so check the measurements on these – this would be great for a massive hoya or pothos that you want to shape into a floor plant.
Now, have you given your plants grow lights and now you’re overrun, and need to propagate them? Here’s the rooting hormone you need. I love this stuff for straight-to-soil propagations, or ones that take forever to grow roots like sansevieria and aglaonema.