- 1). Determine what color light waves your plant requires. Foliage plants need blue light, but in order to flower, plants also require red light waves. If you are growing a plant such as an African violet, the leaves may do very well with limited lighting, but unless you provide both kinds of light it needs, the plant will never flower. Not all grow lights provide all colors of light waves.
- 2). Examine the intensity of light the plant will need. Some grow lights cannot be placed close enough to plants to provide adequate intensity, while other lights are safe even if placed just a few inches from the leaves.
- 3). Budget the amount you want to spend on grow lights. Some lights, such as standard fluorescent lights, are inexpensive and work well for all foliage houseplants. Many fluorescent grow lights are also relatively inexpensive. Energy-efficient grow lights often cost 4 or 5 times as much as the less-efficient types.
- 4). Review the cost of power in your area, and decide if the additional up-front cost of an energy-efficient grow light will be worth the long-term cost savings due to decreased power consumption. It may be that the more-efficient bulbs, which also typically provide more-intense lighting, are worth the extra up-front expense.
- 5). Consider your setup to see which grow lights will work best for you. Some types of light have a much narrower physical profile and will fit into smaller spaces than the larger fluorescent grow lights. If space is an issue, the smaller lights, and the special fixtures they require, are your best choice. If not, inexpensive fluorescent shop lights will work just fine for many plants, or you can combine a standard fluorescent tube and a grow-light tube to provide full light support for your plants.
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