Question
Dear Sarracenia Northwest,I have a large collection of Nepenthes that are in need of more space. I already have a 4ft long, shop light with two 40 watt flourescent bulbs.I am considering adding a more compact lighting system,and i looked into a particular one and the product description said "Full spectrum, T-5 energy efficient bulbs, 72% brighter than the conventional shop light, and each fixture uses 104 watts." It is a little pricey so im hesitent to buy in haste.Can you suggest the best compact artificial grow light for a reasonabale amount of money? Or should I purchase this one? Thanks for your time! -JJ

Answer
Hi JJ,

This really is more about how much space you have, how much you are willing to spend, and what the light requirements are of the plants you are growing.  You can't beat the T-5's for their intensity.  They are long-lasting and very efficient.  Because they are tubes you get much more growing area than if you were to use compact fluorescents (CFL's).  With the T-5's you can also have them higher up than with the standard T-12 tubes since they are almost twice as bright, and hotter too.  Having them higher will give you more space for plants.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com