NorbBOTANIC Grow Lights for House Plants – Stephanie Cohen

I am very tired about which generation does what as a given.

Yes, we all know houseplants are in and are still getting more popular. As a member of the generation pre-boomers, we all went crazy over houseplants, including some of the ugliest macramé holders either homemade or sold. By the time the houseplant craze had slowed down, I had 200 houseplants in a small ranch house with narrow window sills and in 2 rooms I skipped curtains because the house was dark inside and I wanted to give them as much light as possible. At first, it was all about adding décor that made your room look homier. It had nothing to do with ecology. Next it was that research proved houseplants were beneficial to cleanse the air and aid us in better breathing indoors. After that we found out we could grow herbs and veggies indoors organically indoors and that is really from growing area right to our tables.

There is one constraint to this and the answer is light. Most of the plants we want to grow indoors, including tropicals, love full sun. If you live where there is winter, you have to realize that cloudy, misty, overcast days do not allow the plant to photosynthesize and therefore stop growing and either stop growing just where they are or the plants begin to go downhill. Most of the plants, like herbs and tropical, need full sun. This means 60% of their day must be filled with sunlight. In greenhouses elaborate light systems are used. In the old days there were grow lights for the homeowner, but as the price of electricity rose many gardeners did not continue to do this. Now we have advanced to where LED lights are being used which are less expensive and smaller in stature so they fit in almost everywhere.

Photo by Rob Cardillo, www.robcardillo.com

Some companies such as Norb have made it easier for homeowners to select the right bulb – Sun Spectrum for greens, herbs, veggies, and houseplants. They also have a selection of low-light green bulbs for those that need a forest canopy as a setting. This mimics semi-shade or low-light which is the right light for these houseplants. They will flourish and not get leaf burn from too much light. They even have a bulb that can be used in decorative and track lighting that prefer moderate to bright light. This company has the right light for all sorts of indoor growing. All you have to do is group the plants according to light needs and height. When they grow by leaps and bounds you can adjust the lights to the proper height for maximum growth.

It is amazing that science has produced something that can help gardeners get the most from whatever they are growing. These specialized lights for plant health and growth will add to all gardeners being able to brag about their superior green thumb, including me.