What kind of lamp do I need?

November 4, 2018 11:53 AM

I’m interested in getting a grow light for a potted citrus tree I have that needs supplemental light when I bring it indoors.

It’s about 4 feet tall. I also have a baker’s rack of various succulents and other plants that could possibly benefit. I’ve done some reading but they seem to get technical really fast and my eyes start crossing when it comes to wattage vs lumens etc. I’d really love it if people could link to specific things I should get. I don’t really want to hang it from the ceiling but I will if I have to. My initial thought is that I could clip two lights to the baker’s rack.

posted by brilliantine to Home & Garden (2 answers total)

Best answer: I have a lot of bakers racks full of plants. I use these bulbs and these clamp lights. My plants and I are happy and it's not that expensive - I buy two sets of clamps for one box of lights at $35.

I find that I like to use 1-2 bulbs per shelf, depending on how my plants are responding.
posted by sockermom at 12:10 PM on November 4, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I have a potted two-and-a-half-foot lemon tree that comes inside for the winter.

We've kept it in a picture window with all of the other potted plants, but it wasn't really getting enough light to stay happy... so last year I got this light, set it on a 12-hour timer, and hung it in a pendulum fixture directly above the tree. So far so good; last winter was the first time it didn't drop all of its unripe fruit, and we now have a full-sized, almost-ripe lemon.

It's a pretty wide flood with a standard e26 bulb base, and it doesn't get too hot, so I'm sure it'd fit in a cheap clamping fixture attached to your baker's rack like the one sockermom linked above.
posted by drumcorpse at 1:28 PM on November 4, 2018