Expert: Christopher Littrell - 10/2/2011

Question
I'm not able to get the 8 feet shop lights, but I will be able to get 4 foot ones. I was looking at a shop light at Lowes that holds 4 lights and each light would be 3,000 lumens. I was planning on getting two of those setups and I would have 24,000 lumens. Although you suggested 25,000-50,000 lumens for the best range, would 24,000 still be enough to grow healthy carnivorous plants?

Below is the link for the light fixture I was thinking on getting. Figure I would let you take a look since you have a great deal more experience in the area.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_283285-1390-GU9804-T8-BKSS_4294896174_4294937087_?produc


Thanks!

Answer
Hello Devon,

The 4 foot, 40 watt, T-12 tube shop lights are the ones I use. You can find them with one, two, and four tube banks. All of them hold those 3000 lumen tubes so the only detail is obtaining enough to place side by side so that they cover a shelf or square area for your plants.

24000 lumens would be fine for the majority of the plants up to the Venus Flytrap. The Sarracenia purpurea likes a lot more light than any other carnivorous plant, but try it and see if it works (Sarracenia purpurea likes it at a minimum of 25000 lumens). You can always place the plant closer to the light to increase the intensity the plant receives. The listed lumen intensity is simply at a one foot range, so placing the plants closer would ramp up the lumens. Adding a white reflector along the sides of the shop lights, say enough for 2-4 inches of additional reflection, would refract even more of the lost lumens back in towards your plants as well. I just taped some white paper or card stock along the edges of my light banks. What I do is I set up different shelves with each plant at a different level so that each gets the light it prefers. The Butterwort can be at the edge and at about 1 foot distance. The Venus Flytrap and Sarracenia can be at about the 8 inch distance with the Sundews right in there as well. Most of those tropical sundews like lots of light and most can take partial to full sun. Florescent is safe as it produces lower levels of ultraviolet than real sunlight. When the plants flower in spring, you will need to adjust for the flower scapes, but that is of less concern than just ensuring each plant is healthy. The tropical sundews will flower just about any time.

Remember, if there is any good light from windows or outside, you can always forego some of the shop lights and place the plants in the window and just supplement with about 12000 lumens of shop lights (or grow the light intensive plants outdoors if possible). If you do not think outside light will work and if your windows are simply not helping, then ramping up to higher intensity indoor lighting is the way to go.

Christopher