Question
I have a variety of houseplants, 2 ft. - 8 ft. tall, that suffer every Boston winter, mostly from lack of sun, but also from the dry, cool of the winter air.

I want to buy a good light mounted on a stand, so it's easy to move. Using it, I would give each of my plants a few extra hours of light each week.

Can you recommend anything?

Thank you.  

Answer
Hi Larry,

I am not an expert on lighting fixtures, but I can tell you about the kind of artificial light that will most benefit your plants.

Fluorescent tubes, preferably in a double fixture so you can have one warm white and one cool white tube, provide the best light for most indoor plants. They are also by far the cheapest to operate. Lights that are sold as plant grow lights are very expensive to operate and those that are incandescent generate a lot of heat so you cannot put them very close to the plants.

For artificial lights to have much benefit, they should be on for 8 or more hours each day.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

Visit my web site at www.HorticulturalHelp.com