Bulbs to grow plants indoors...

[DougK62]

So I just inherited an awesome, huge houseplant that's worth ~$1000. My house just doesn't get much light in it due to the architecture and I'm afraid that the low light will kill it. I have a lamp right next to it that I'd like to put a bulb in to simulate sunlight. Any recommendations for bulbs that you've used successfully? It's sorta near a window, so this would just be supplemental light. Do these sunlight bulbs even work well? What should I look for in a bulb when buying? Price doesn't really matter, as long as it works.

Thanks.

 

[bignateyk]

Care to say what the plant is? Many plants have different light requirements.

 

[Ryan]

As the previous poster said - what kind of plant is it? If you don't know, post a picture, I'll try to identify - if I can't, there are many others here who can

At least that way, we can have some soft of idea of what it's light requirements are.

 

[DougK62]

I haven't spoken with the previous owner yet, so I really don't know much about it other than it needs "moderate light". The pot is about 2 feet in diameter, the plant is ~4 feet tall and ~4 feet wide. It has wide, flat leaves that are a light green color, and it gets peach-colored flowers on it in the early winter.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: DougK62
I haven't spoken with the previous owner yet, so I really don't know much about it other than it needs "moderate light". The pot is about 2 feet in diameter, the plant is ~4 feet tall and ~4 feet wide. It has wide, flat leaves that are a light green color, and it gets peach-colored flowers on it in the early winter.

You should get a picture Make sure the window it's near is a south facing one, just to maximize it's light exposure.

 

[K1052]

Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: DougK62
I haven't spoken with the previous owner yet, so I really don't know much about it other than it needs "moderate light". The pot is about 2 feet in diameter, the plant is ~4 feet tall and ~4 feet wide. It has wide, flat leaves that are a light green color, and it gets peach-colored flowers on it in the early winter.

You should get a picture Make sure the window it's near is a south facing one, just to maximize it's light exposure.

Yeah, the window faces south but the plant isn't directly in front of it. I'll grab a pic later tonight. It's sweet.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

They have HID lighting for plants now!?!? haha - I have to google this. Now even my seed starting box can be geeky

Edit: haha: http://www.ledtronics.com/pages/pr_121405.htm

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

The lamp that I have next to it takes six 100 watt incandescent bulbs. Does that help? Any bulb recommendation?

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

They have HID lighting for plants now!?!? haha - I have to google this. Now even my seed starting box can be geeky

lol

High Intensity Discharge, in this case sodium vapor or metal hallide.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

The lamp that I have next to it takes six 100 watt incandescent bulbs. Does that help? Any bulb recommendation?

My concern is that the plant is only going to be getting light from that one angle (you will have to turn it regularly). Also the wattage consumption is a bit more than the tube option.

Ther are grow bulbs for incandecent fixtures, if you really want to go that way mix a couple in with the whites.

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

They have HID lighting for plants now!?!? haha - I have to google this. Now even my seed starting box can be geeky

lol

High Intensity Discharge, in this case sodium vapor or metal hallide.

Honestly, the first thing I thought of was the headlight of a car I've only ever used florescent bulbs (but then again, the only thing I usually start indoors are seedlings in January, to be transplanted outside in late February), I never realized there was anything else - HID, LED

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: Ryan

Originally posted by: K1052
Fluorescent tubes would be better than just a lone incandescent bulb which really doesn't put out much light as far as a plant is concerned. A couple hanging tube fixtures are really cheap and mix in a couple grow bulbs with the regular whites to give it a better spectrum.

The next step up is HID lighting which is more more expensive.

They have HID lighting for plants now!?!? haha - I have to google this. Now even my seed starting box can be geeky

lol

High Intensity Discharge, in this case sodium vapor or metal hallide.

Honestly, the first thing I thought of was the headlight of a car I've only ever used florescent bulbs (but then again, the only thing I usually start indoors are seedlings in January, to be transplanted outside in late February), I never realized there was anything else - HID, LED

Similar deal, just different gasses.

Streetlights are HID, yellows are sodium vapors and white/blueish are metal hallides. Many commercial greenhouses use them to lengthen their growning season and the..er..less legitmate growers to keep their stuff from prying eyes.