Lighting

[kikithor]

In my house we only have one good window for all my plants. I'd love to have a jungle in my bedroom but my windows are north and east facing. I currently have a lamp that I got from a garden store but it was pretty expensive and I don't have the money for another one. Are there cheaper alternatives like say a specific bulb I could get at a place like walmart for a regular lamp on my desk? What are your lighting setups like?

[cortez753]

Here is a recent thread on this.
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=36518&p=317475#p317475" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also the lighting article on this site is very good place to start
http://cactiguide.com/article/?article=article17.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[7george]

East facing windows are good for cacti too.
I use CFL bulbs (daylight, 4100K, 6500K) just for small seedlings. These are not so expensive.

For other plants I have a different approach. I keep plants with naturally longer rest period that would match better my climate conditions. Thus I can take them for 4 - 5 months outside or use in better way the penetrating light in summer months into the house so everyone could be happy.

[iann]

Not easy to reproduce the intensity of the sun from electricity. Not cheap either, especially if you have to pay for the electricity. You can use whatever type of fluorescent light technology you have lying around, but you'll need quite a lot of it to be successful with most adult succulents. If you have to pay for your electricity, you might consider LEDs to get the most light from every watt, but they aren't exactly cheap either.

Whichever way you go, make sure you get as much of the light onto the plants as possible. No point trying to save money and then shining three quarters of the light out of the window. You'll also start to feel under the spotlight from even a small proportion of the light you'll want on your plants.

[kikithor]

That's a good idea george (btw are you the one who told me to go to green gate? it's AMAZING)

I definitely can just keep the majority of my plants in the living room if it's going to be such a hassle/expensive. I do want one tiny baby cactus on my desk though once my seedlings are ready to come out.

Do you guys know if this bulb would do for a tiny cactus? It's Helical 23W 120VAC 60Hz 350mA 1600 lumens. They're just what I have in the ceiling lights but they fit in a desk lamp that can be pointed down.

[7george]

That's a good idea george (btw are you the one who told me to go to green gate? it's AMAZING)
....
Do you guys know if this bulb would do for a tiny cactus? It's Helical 23W 120VAC 60Hz 350mA 1600 lumens. They're just what I have in the ceiling lights but they fit in a desk lamp that can be pointed down.

I'm not sure about that bulb, but if set close enough (5 - 10 cm) to the seedlings it could keep it warm and alive till spring. But if the light spectrum is not adequate seedlings will start to elongate and get weak. The bright white light is good, yellow one - not as good.

Oh, yes - Green Gate. I have no spaces for more pots now, maybe in the spring, after counting the losses and vacancies, I'll go again there for a couple of things I liked last time.
$16 for a flowering size Ferocactus is not much, isn't it? I've seen before potted Opuntia or Echinopsis for $35 - 40 there, that sounds expensive...