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Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack?
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Yes, I have these Barrina ones and basically every single plant had new growth.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_oGN2FbFZT8Y2D?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I highly recommend not getting white. It’s really white & makes everything look dirty for some reason. I get the yellow ones
I’ve never had an issue with them.
Find yourself a good south facing window and put your plant there. Just keep an eye on it in case the sun is too strong on it through the glass… I’ve grown indoors for a few years now, it’s not too hard to do… I’ve noticed that most of my plants have fared well in a room of about 65 to 75 F. If you aren’t comfortable with growing in the window or don’t have good lighting… you can get a pack of 6 full spectrum light bars for around $65 usd off Amazon… those will definitely help
I'm successfully growing my orchids with the Barrina grow lights. Long story short, you don't need to worry about getting a particular spectrum. These will cover it.
Hm I use These for seedlings and in some of my windows.They work fine for that, but that's all I got. I don't think they would get something to flower by themselves, but for foliage plants I imagine they should be fine.
Also really easy to install, with different options.
Barrina! In yellow. The "white" are much pinker than you'd think. I ordered both so I could test. Yellow is really just a normal warm yellow like a standard light.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_9NB77MRQVH78P19JVMCF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I went a little crazy trying to figure out all of that and then gave up. A lot of lights listed online use different measurements for how much light they provide. Par, lux, watt... I had a lot of trouble comparing one light to another. So I bought a greenhouse grow light that was about $120 and it works great, but eventually I ended up using these liked below from Amazon, and I've bought them 2 or 3 times to light various places in my house since then. I put them on the underside of shelves to light the plants on the shelf below, so they're pretty close to the plants - probably about a foot away - but my plants thrive under them even in my windowless bathroom.
So if any experts answer you, cool! But if not, stress less, and either buy a reputable grow light or just try your luck with one that seems decent. The wavelength of light is most important, so even a weak light that's run for a lot of hours per day will work as long as the wavelength is right.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_MSK5HNC2H48S7HZEHQBX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I doubt Aldi's are higher quality. I ecxpect they are exactly the same. $35 seems a bit expensive for that. I have these grow lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V6YJKR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The company has a few different lengths and brightnesses in packs of 4 or 8. The link abouve is 10W per 2 foot light bar. You might want the 20W for starting seeds. I highly recommend the "warm" daylight version as it is very pleasant on the eyes, and still works for plants. I use these light for my tropicals. They hang nicely on a baker's rack.
Most likely they can help, but probably aren't strong enough to act as full-on true grow lights. The spectrum of light is important, but so is the strength. Your led steps likely have the right spectrum, but may have to be put directly but the plants, like an inch away, bc they probably aren't very strong. The further from the plants, the less effective lights are.
Not all grow lights are expensive. I use these from Amazon and they're amazing. I use them on shelves and they work great.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
If you have good grow lights that should be fine. If the light isn’t very good (and isn’t putting out much heat) move it as close as possible to the plant. Mammillarias are a little more forgiving with lights than other cacti IME.
If you need a recommendation, I use these lights, about 5 inches from my cacti: https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Lights-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B07V6YJKR6/
Another vote for Barrina here. I use these ones specifically for cacti, succulents, peppers and other nightshade plants. Haven't tried those exact ones you're looking at, but am very satisfied with the ones I have. Barrina is a good company from what I can tell.
I second Sansi. I use their 36W full spectrum grow lights. They work for light loving plants like cacti and succulents. Those lights and Barrina strip lights are my favorites. I’m using the Barrina lights for some of my other cacti, succulents and pepper plants, so I can confirm they also work for light loving plants. But since they’re strip lights, idk if they’ll work for your setup.
Here’s the link in case you want to check them out: https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Lights-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B07V6YJKR6/
When it finishes blooming, put it in a bigger pot (8 inch pot should be good for now). I think it's likely root-bound in that tiny pot. Water deeply but only when the soil is dry. You can use a moisture meter to help you know when to water. Keep it warm (70-85F preferably) if you live somewhere that's getting cold lately. Let it get at least 6 hours of direct sun per day (if it hasn't been getting direct sun, gradually introduce it to more sun to prevent shocking the plant). You can also use grow lights for 8-10hrs per day. I use Barrina lights for my Datura metel. Your plant might be okay with some TLC, and give you more flowers in the future. Never give up; never surrender! ;)
Ah, yeah those will need more light. I use Barrina grow lights for some of my plants, including my peppers. They’re great if you have a setup that allows you to use them.
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Lights-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B07V6YJKR6/
To make it easy, I love these
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I have them in my windowless bathroom with a dozen plants who are all growing beautifully.
In general: You can get the blue and red grow lights but I prefer sunlight spectrum, they're so much nicer to look at. Unless you like the purple effect. Also I spent way too long trying to compare wattage and par and lumens and eventually realized that what matters most is just full spectrum. The brighter a light (the more watts/lumens/par) the further it can be from your plants and still be beneficial. So whatever light you get you may have to experiment with - weaker lights need to be like 8-12 inches from the plant, so they're good for shelves, for example. If your plants aren't growing, you may have to move the light closer.
Good luck!
I got these: Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
We used 4 for my wife's seedlings (broccoli, cauliflower, onions, etc) and these 4 for my plant, but they're cheap enough that upgrading them is going to work out great
Hello! I’ve got my Rudsta wide set up for various orchid species and use the 4ft Barrina T5 LED grow lights in yellow. I’ve found I’m able to get a nice light intensity gradient and have been successfully growing small vandas and cattleyas up top, oncidiums around the middle with Phals and other low light plants near the bottom. The Amazon listing has a chart showing PAR values according to distance and number of lights, which I used to decide where and how many lights I need. I’ve been pretty happy with them so far! Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9W7RMW3MJVCTKX503EXT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I use leds. I use these from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I have them in my windowless bathroom and they're great, I get good plant growth with them. I have 3 shelves with the lights mounted on the bottom, so they end up being about 6 inches away from the top of my plant. I definitely think leds would work for you. You also can just buy full spectrum light bulbs and use those, just keeping in mind they'll need to be pretty close to your plants.
I've bought these several times. You can buy anything from 2 to 6 of them.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
They also offer white or yellow light. Imo the white light is too "purple-y" so I use the yellow light, which looks like daylight or sunlight to me. I have them in my bathroom which has no windows and I have about 20 plants thriving in there. Highly recommend.
I do not recommend any of the blue/purple lights, because they ruin the aesthetic and are very unpleasant on your eyes. I have these in yellow, and they keep my plants happy and make the room pleasant and sunny. I don't think they have enough power to grow veggies, but they were sufficient to grow succulent props from leaves and support slow growth of other plants. My shelves are 18" X 3', and I have two lights per shelf. You could have more lights if you want more growth.
I got these lights recently and like them. The light itself is pleasant, and (if the diagram is accurate) the spectrum includes enough blue and infrared.
My plants certainly seem to enjoy it. This includes cacti, succs, hoyas, some tropicals, carnivores (utricularia), and a caudex. A batch of cactus and conophytum seeds I started in late October germinated very quickly and are doing well.
I have two shelves set up.
“Summer shelf” has 2 rows of lights mounted ~10” above the shelf, timer set to a longer photoperiod (12 or 14 hours?). It’s up closest to the ceiling so heat accumulation keeps it on the warmer side. I may set a seed warming mat up there as it gets colder. This is where the high-light plants and summer growers that don’t need dormancy go.
“Winter shelf” has 1 row of lights, ~14” high, set to a 10 hour photoperiod. It’s ~3 feet below the ceiling and near a window, so stays a bit cooler. This is for my lower light plants, winter growers, and winter dormant plants that need to actually go dormant.
I keep some tropicals and hoyas that don’t need as much light (and are just too big for either shelf) off to the side, but in the general vicinity so the lower winter sunlight through the windows is supplemented a bit by whatever spills over from the grow lights.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_xin1FbVFJP3CH
These are the lights I used.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Wl8MFbD4GQC10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mMUAFbYF3CDQC
Not sure how far the plant are from the lights, maybe 4-6 inches for the top ones the 6-10 on the next 2 and the bottom shelf has a sequoia so I don’t keep the so close. Lights are left on for about 12hrs a day and They don’t get very hot but I added a fan to help dry out the soil and prevent pests.
I also use the barrina grow lights from amazon! They have made a huge difference. Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Grow Light Strip for Greenhouse, Plant Grow Shelf, Plug and Play Easy Installation, Yellow, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_yL2AFb1E7R0E4
Hey! I purchased them on Amazon. The kit is fantastic. Includes multiple ways to mount and has a load of plugs and extensions. Very neat product.
As for mounting, I had to get. A little creative to minimize cord visibility while being constrained by length of the extensions between some of the shelves. So I used a drill to make paths between the shelves to hide them. I also started mounting the lights in the back of the shelves, but realized I was wasting light by not having them directly over the plants. So I have a follow up task to move some of the lights from the back of the shelves to the center. The lights come with little metal mounts which can be taped, screwed, or zip-tied to a surface.
I'm using these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
But I also don't know much, just searched for "grow lights". My plants are loving these though!
Let me know if the link doesn’t work! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_api_i_YZNQAFCJT3VV990S3MCE_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Yes they are Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full spectrum https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6 on the shelves and on the top of the walnut cabinet that is mostly blocked from view by the monitors.
Several of the other lamps in the room (which you can't see in the image I posted creating the thread, but you can see from this angle https://imgur.com/a/yLivBbn) are also grow lights, which I usually get sansi bulbs for. SANSI 150W Equivalent A19 LED... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BKRYRP3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share SANSI Daylight LED Grow Light... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S2P69VC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share SANSI 24W LED Plant Light Bulb... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BRKT56T?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
These are them: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_api_i_A1Q50HZ4HX9G9GHBFQ61_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 very similar to what the ^ suggested and the plants love them.
No, it's a grow light led: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V6YJKR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought the [Barrina lights](barrina t5 grow lights, full spectrum, 2ft 80w (8 x 10w, 500w equivalent), led grow light strip for greenhouse, plant grow shelf, plug and play easy installation, yellow, 8-pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_i_ATA0T9A4N4JKYCD0063F?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) that everyone talks about here. I bought them when they were $10 off.
I use four lights per shelf. I pair them into twos and hang them about 5 inches above the plants but I heard some people can pretty colors when they're 12 inches above as long as they're spaced evenly.
Here's a pic of my setup.
Thank you so much!! Do you know if these are comparable to these lights
Congrats on your lovely new plants! Since you said you're new to house plants, here are some guides to get you started:
For your succulents: https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/beginner-basics
Snake plant: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/snake-plant/snake-plant-care.htm
Syngonium: https://planterina.com/blogs/plant-care/syngonium-care
Bromeliads: https://www.bromeliads.info/bromeliads-care-and-culture-overview/
Money tree: https://www.thespruce.com/growing-guiana-chestnut-indoors-4773440
Cyclamen: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/cyclamen/cyclamen-care.htm
Peace lily: https://www.almanac.com/plant/peace-lilies
Dieffenbachia: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/dumb-cane/growing-dumbcane-dieffenbachia.htm
Some notes: Cyclamens have a reputation for being difficult plants to keep alive, so don't feel bad if yours dies. Your succulents will need a lot of light so you will likely have to buy a grow light for them. My favorites for succulents are Barrina strip lights and Sansi bulbs. Your snake plant might need to be separated from the bunch, as it has lower light needs than the succulents in that arrangement. If possible, I highly recommend using distilled or rainwater for your peace lily, money tree, Bromeliads and Syngonium. Those plants are sensitive to the salts in tap water and can end up with brown, crispy or disfigured foliage from being watered with it.
Happy gardening!
Thanks! These are the lights. I'm really happy with them. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2\_dt\_b\_product\_details
I grow from seeds sometimes (specifically nightshade family plants). My foolproof method: Get a small pot with drainage holes and fill with some soil. I use Miracle Gro (the one in the yellow bag) but you could look into better soil brands if you want. Thoroughly moisten the soil and then plant the seed the appropriate depth under the soil. For my plants that's usually about 1/4in, but depends on what you're planting. Cover the pot with plastic wrap like you'd use on leftover food and secure that with a rubber band, hair tie, etc. then poke a couple tiny holes with a sewing needle in the plastic for some air flow. Place under a grow light or in a sunny window and ensure the area is nice and warm. If the soil starts to dry out, add water until it's moist again and recover with the plastic wrap. The humidity and warmth will help the seeds germinate. Once the seedlings have sprouted, do as u/dahliagardener said and remove the plastic wrap + turn on a fan nearby. Make sure you keep the seedlings appropriately watered depending on the needs of that particular species.
Depending on what you are growing, the window light may not be enough for your plants. For example, my pepper plants need grow lights despite me having a south-west facing sunny window. Barrina grow lights are what I use. They're not super expensive and will fit most growing set ups. Make sure the lights are close enough to the plants regardless of what type you use, but be mindful of heat output. Some lights will get hot enough to scald your plants if they're too close. If you use the ones I linked, you can put them just a couple inches from the plants since they don't put out much heat.
Sure!
I have some of these that I like: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6
I also like the lights from Soltech, but they're not cheap: https://www.soltechsolutions.com/
I haven't tried these, but they look like they'd be good: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07NN6SVG6
My two favorite lights are Barrina strip lights and Sansi bulbs. These will work even for light loving plants like cacti and succulents. Whatever you get, keep in mind the lights will be more effective the closer they are to the plants. If you have something like a Fittonia that doesn't want a ton of light, put the plant adjacent to the lights so it's not getting direct light or move it farther away from the lights. On the other hand, if you have a light lover like an Echeveria, you can put the plant directly underneath the light and close to it. If you use the Barrina lights, they don't put out much heat so the plant(s) can be really close to them (even a couple inches away). The Sansi bulb I linked does put out heat though, so I would keep plant(s) at least 6 inches from it. It's also heavier than a typical light bulb; keep that in mind when purchasing something to put it in. I use these clamp lights for mine.
Miracle bulbs are another option. These aren't as effective as the other lights I mentioned, but they are cheaper and you can put them in pretty much any lamp that you'd put a normal light bulb in. I have them in some cheap desk lamps I got from Walmart. They are sufficient to keep some of my Mammillaria cacti alive and happy, but I have to put the bulb as close as possible to the plants (~1inch away).
Another thing to mention is that if your plants have gotten used to dark conditions, you will need to gradually acclimate them to the new grow lights to avoid stressing the plants and/or scalding them. Move them closer to the grow lights each day over the course of at least a week.
Mammillaria cacti are a bit more forgiving than other genera in my experience, so they’re pretty good for newbies :) Yours is cute with the white fuzz! That fuzz is nothing to worry about. It’s a normal part of the plant. Many Mammillaria species have similar fuzz on them.
For care, I would pot it in a mix of about 40% cactus soil and the rest perlite. Cacti don’t like to sit in wet soil (soil that stays wet a long time risks root rot for the plant), so it’s important to plant them in something well-draining. Ceramic pot is fine, but I highly recommend one with a drainage hole. Terracotta pots are another good choice because they wick moisture away from the soil which lessens the chance of overwatering. With cacti, underwatering is better than overwatering!
Your cactus likely won’t need water more than once per two weeks unless it’s extremely hot and sunny wherever you put it. Never water immediately before or after repotting; leave about 3 days before or after to prevent shocking the plant and possible root rot. When you water, I recommend bottom watering (which requires a drainage hole in the pot). Bottom watering allows water to evenly permeate the soil and reduces the chances of rot by keeping your plant dry above the soil. To bottom water, set the pot in a larger pot or bowl of water and let the water absorb thru the drainage hole until the soil is saturated; this shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes, so don’t let the plant sit in water much longer than that. Use the soak and dry method, meaning do not water again until the soil is completely dry. Again, it’s better to underwater than overwater. My outdoor Mammillaria gets watered once a month, and my four indoor ones (in smaller pots) get watered once per two to three weeks! If your cactus develops wrinkles, that’s a sign that it’s definitely thirsty and you should water. Best not to let that happen but it’s okay if it does. You’ll get used to what your plant wants pretty quickly :)
For light, outdoors with direct sun at minimum 6hrs a day, preferably 8. If it’s winter where you live, Mammillarias can go dormant outside in the right conditions. Indoors, you will need a grow light (light thru a window is weaker). Run the grow light 8-10hrs/day and position it close to the plant. For example I use Barrina strip lights, positioned about 4 inches above my cacti and leave them on for 10hrs/day. Mammillarias are a little more forgiving with light, but over time insufficient light causes etiolation (stretching and sickly growth) and weakens or kills the plant.
Check out r/cactus if you want to learn more about cacti. Lots of knowledgeable people there who can help if you need it in the future too! Good luck!
Link to the grow lights I mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Lights-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B07V6YJKR6/
I grow peppers year round and also live in Texas. Some of my plants are four years old. Yours should be okay and live several years as well if you take proper care of it. It gets too cold here to leave peppers outside indefinitely, so you have several options.
You can bring the plant inside when temperatures go below 50F and put it back outside during warmer temps, but I don't recommend this because there just isn't as much meaningful sunlight during winter, your plant probably won't make fruit and/or might grow scraggly and lanky and pests can become an issue.
Next, you could overwinter it by trimming it down to the main stem and several Y shaped branched stems, then put it in a consistently cool area (~55F) near a window or a fluorescent light bulb. Reduce watering to maybe once per 2-3 weeks. Obviously, your plant won't make fruit during this time.
Lastly (and what I personally do), you could bring it indoors for the whole winter. Thoroughly check for pests, wash the plant off with water and either repot in fresh soil or sprinkle food grade diatomaceous earth on the soil to kill anything hiding in it. As was said elsewhere, cut the peppers off your plant with sterilized scissors or garden shears. You can sterilize tools with bleach diluted in water, with milk (milk kills plant viruses like TMV) or with rubbing alcohol. If you're a smoker/use tobacco products or live with someone who does, make sure you wash your hands before handling the plant.
Assuming you haven't used any pesticides on the plant, most of the peppers on your plant look okay to eat if you want to eat them. After you've got the peppers removed and any pests taken care of, you can move the plant to a sunny window and supplement with good grow lights, or just use the grow lights by themselves. These lights are my favorites. I run them for about 10hrs/day for my peppers, and position them about 3-6 inches away from the plants. My plants flower and fruit under these lights.
When it gets consistently warm enough outside, I move my plants back outdoors by gradually reacclimating them to sunlight. I let them sit outside for a few hours the first day in a spot that gets only partial sun and partial shade. The next day, let them sit out a couple hours longer in the same spot. The next day, same thing. Then you can move them into progressively sunnier spots until they're where you want them to go for the summer. Should take a week to a week and half to reacclimate them. This prevents the plant from getting sunburned and really stressed.
All that said, your plant looks pretty healthy to me aside from some suspicious spots that are blurry when I zoom in on the photos. Might be water droplets reflecting light, but sort of looks like aphids or mealybugs too. I hope your plant lives for many years and gives you lots of fruit :) Good luck!
PS. Check out r/HotPeppers! Helpful sub if you have pepper-related questions ever in the future.
I am currently growing peppers using Barrina strip lights.
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Lights-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B07V6YJKR6/
Your plant is an Echeveria (I think it's a 'Doris Taylor' specifically). Echeverias are succulents that don't need a lot of water, but do need a lot of light. Since yours is fuzzy, you should avoid getting the leaves wet as the hairs will hold water which can cause rot. Does your pot have any drainage holes? If not, wait a few days (because you just watered it) and then repot it in a pot with drainage holes. Use well draining soil, like a mixture of ~40% cactus soil and 60% perlite. Do not water again for a few days after repotting.
When you water, use the bottom watering method. Get a bowl big enough to put the pot in and fill with water. Set the pot in it and let the water absorb upward thru the drainage holes until the soil is completely saturated. This takes about 20 minutes at most. Never let the plant sit in water much longer than that. Do not water again until the soil has completely dried. Most succulents will tell you when they're thirsty by developing little wrinkles on their leaves and/or their leaves will feel soft compared to normal when you gently squeeze them. It's better to underwater a succulent than to overwater it. Watering every other day is way way too much water and can cause the roots to rot (especially if there aren't any drainage holes in the pot). Your plant probably won't need water more than once every week and a half, if that.
For light, you should give it ~8hrs/day of direct sunlight (if it's thru the glass of a window). Otherwise, get a grow light and use the grow light for 8-10hrs/day. I recommend Barrina strip lights, Sansi bulbs or Miracle bulbs. Sansi bulbs are heavy and produce some heat, so you'll have to put it in something appropriate. It should be placed no closer than 6 inches to your plants. Barrina lights can be placed 3-6inches away (they don't put out much heat at all). Miracle bulbs are least effective but still decent; they barely put out heat and weigh as much as a normal light bulb. You can put them right next to the plant (1-2 inches away). Regardless of what type of grow light you use, if your plant has been in less light for a while, gradually introduce the grow lights to it by moving it progressively closer every few days so it can acclimate to the new light intensity.
All of this also applies to your cactus. And just in case, here is some info on etiolation, which is what happens when a cactus (or a succulent) doesn't get enough light for a long enough time. Most new plant owners have never heard of etiolation and just think their plant is quirky or the weird growth must be normal for the species.
All the technical jargon for grow lights gives me a headache, and it's nearly impossible to find a good explanation for it. My grow lights were recommendations I found on the cactus subreddit. I use Barrina strip lights and Sansi bulbs for my cacti and succulents, and have had excellent results. Some of my succulents were becoming badly etiolated and pale, and I had a Joseph's coat cactus and a peanut cactus that were growing really thin. These grow lights have saved my plants; they're growing normally again.
If you want to try the lights I'm using, the Barrina lights are most effective closer to the plants (I would say 3-6 inches away). The Sansi bulb is heavy compared to normal bulbs and puts out a decent amount of heat, so you will need to keep that in mind when selecting something to put it in. These clamp lights are what I use. The Sansi bulbs I keep 6 inches away from my plants because of the heat. I would not move them closer. The Barrina lights, on the other hand, don't put out much heat at all.
Since your plants are used to insufficient light, you will need to gradually acclimate them to new grow lights to prevent scald. Move them a bit closer to the light(s) every few days.
As for watering, don't water on a schedule. Only water when the soil has completely dried out. Most succulents will visibly show you when they're thirsty too (they will develop some wrinkle lines on their leaves). The leaves will also feel soft compared to normal if you gently squeeze them. It's better to underwater than overwater with succulents, especially if they're indoors and not getting enough light!
Good luck :)
It looks like a pothos from what I can see of it. Put it in a bigger pot, with drainage holes, and don't water so much. I water mine maybe once a month as an indoor plant. Pothos thrives on benign neglect :p If the roots are rotted, you can take cuttings and root those either in water or by sticking them into fresh soil.
Repotting does stress a plant, especially if you're going to disturb the roots to inspect them, but it's not usually a huge deal. I will say, since you appear to have cacti and succulents too, that if you ever repot those you need to wait at least a few days after you last watered to repot them. After repotting, do not water for a few days either.
Do you have a grow light for your plants? The pothos is okay with indoor lighting and whatever light a north-facing window can provide (although it would be happier with more light), but cacti and succulents aren't going to thrive like that at all. Your cactus appears to already be showing its displeasure by growing thinner at the top. That's called etiolation and can make your plant unhealthy. You can get good grow lights for a reasonable price on Amazon. I use Barrina strip lights and Sansi bulbs for my cacti and succulents.
You're welcome. Unless your home is closer to freezing temperatures than room temp, I don't think the temperature is the problem. Opuntias can tolerate cold temperatures.
My favorite grow lights are these ones by Barrina. I have my cactus under two of them for ~12 hrs/day; these lights fixed its light deficiency and it's growing normally again. Another good light is the Sansi bulb which you can put in something like this clamp light and place ~6 inches away from the cactus. Downside is that it's a heavy bulb and will put out a decent amount of heat. Lastly, these bulbs are decent; you will need to put the cactus very close to these bulbs and leave them on at least 10 hrs/day. I would probably use two of them and have them directed at opposites sides of the cactus.
I agree with the other commenter: lots of light and a bigger pot. An 8 inch pot should be okay for now.
It looks like you have one of those purple grow lights, which IME are very weak and not great for more than starting seedlings. I've been growing peppers indoors during winter for several years, and I really like these lights for them. Second choice would be a bunch of these lights. Lights should be on for at minimum 6hrs/day, but ideally 8-10hrs/day.
My advice for watering is to learn how heavy your pot feels when the plant needs water vs. right after watering. You can get a moisture meter to help you while you learn this if you want. Peppers don't like wet feet, so you want to make sure you're not watering too frequently. When my pepper plants are indoors, I can go a week without watering them. When they need water, I water thoroughly and deeply.
Good luck and thank you for rescuing this little plant!
The shelves are from Target and are fixed with Barrina Strip Lights that I spray painted black.
I'm a big fan of these dudes for smaller scale plants:
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse-Installation/dp/B07V6YJKR6
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8… | $59.99 | $59.99 | 4.6/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8… | $59.99 | $59.99 | 4.6/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8… | $59.99 | $59.99 | 4.6/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8… | $59.99 | $59.99 | 4.6/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
I love these. Have them in my windowless bathroom and my plants grow like crazy in there.
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Sure do! One on each shelf. They’re Barinna brand. Here’s the Amazon link Barrina Grow Lights - Amazon
I love these and use them all over the house. The white light is a little purple for me,so I use the yellow which looks like natural sunlight. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I got mine from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse-Installation/dp/B07V6YJKR6
I got mine from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Spectrum-Equivalent-Greenhouse-Installation/dp/B07V6YJKR6
Barrina T5 Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 2ft 80W (8 x 10W, 500W Equivalent), LED Gro... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V6YJKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_1prPDbGYBJXA1
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