(Part 2) Best products from r/succulents

As of right now, I am good on space. I have some room on my window sill on the other side behind my bed that I can fit some IF I get any more. I have 42 total plants so I really don't NEED any more... I am trying to stay pretty cheap to be honest. Less than $50 but I don't want something so cheaply made that it won't last me a month. I have been looking at something like this bulb in this lamp to clip onto my bed to get pointed at each window or even onto a cat tree, which I moved out of the way for the sake of the photo but I usually keep to the left of my nightstand. I don't know about the LED lightbulb but I also know that succs prefer blue light but I read that fluorescent light is ideal for a cheap, quality lighting setup. While I know that LEDs aren't cheaper than fluorescent, do they work as well? I honestly know little to nothing about plant lighting, sorry for the essay!

Edit: Looked at the Overwinter Megathread and someone posted that their Succs loved this bulb so I might just get 2 these if they are tried and true. I also might just end up getting a real, hard setup with shelves, lighting, the mix. It might be my best option at this time.

Health question time! Let me preface this one with two things: one, I'm a relative newcomer to this whole system, having only been keeping succulents for about 2-3 months at the suggestion of a friend, who recommended it as a sort of emotional relief hobby (at which it is excelling, mind); and two, this plant has seen terrible things and not all of them are my fault. This particular echeveria (?) was rescued from a beer bottle planter at a Trader Joe's in California, which it had shared with a Cotyledon tomentosa and what I *think* is a barely living Crassula capitella. Crappy soil and no drainage, of course. Then, it traveled across the country for two weeks under the care of someone whose entire knowledge of succulents consists of "they like sun, right?" so they sat in the brightest sun available, which very much fried them. This plant has been under my care for just over a month, nursed back to what I think is health.

Anyways, on to the bullet points!

• Description: Aerial roots *and* a black stem near the top at the same time. Notable dry brown scar at base of stem, unknown origin--old rot, or rubbing against the edge of its former planter? Plant shows no other signs of rot and appears otherwise healthy, besides aforementioned pre-acquisition "care." Images: https://imgur.com/a/hr7Y8QU Edit: Note that water present in image 2 is from watering that occured roughly 30 minutes before image was captured. it was promptly gently blown off with an empty squeeze bottle.
  
• Drainage: Plant is in a glazed terra cotta pot from Bonsai Jack. Large drainage hole. Water all but falls out.
  
• Potting medium: Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus Soil, Gritty Mix #111, topped with Bonsai Jack Natural top dressing mix.
  
• Water: Pot is saturated once weekly by plugging drainage hole with finger, filling with a gentle stream of water from a small cup until the water line is over the top, holding for approximately 10 seconds, and then allowed to drain. Pot is gently "bounced" up and down to reduce dripping, then set on dry towel for about 30 minutes until the pot is dry and water does not drip when handled. Local climate zone 6B, in relatively dry conditions, indoors. 9" desk fan roughly 10ft away.
  
• Sunlight: Little natural sunlight; only available window is north facing. Artificial lighting used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PXP7DW5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 One strip directly over the plant, 100% power, 12 hours per day. Nearby echeverias of different varieties seem completely happy, showing no signs of etiolation or poor health.
  
• History: Unfortunate life conditions detailed above. Plant received roughly end of July, with fried tips and very little new growth. Plant has been slowly dropping the most damaged of the lower leaves, drying them to a papery texture; these are gently removed with a pair of soft tweezers and very little force. Upon "healthy" new growth appearing, old "damaged" new growth was dropped. Making room for healthier leaves?
  
• Rot concern: Yes, and yet... no? Brown patch detailed above is completely dry, with a woody texture. No mushy leaves found. Only visible sign of wrongness is mild panic about black stem near the top and the aerial roots.
  
• Bonus round: Can anyone tell me what type of echeveria this is? If it survives, it's good to know, and if it doesn't, I might want one that wasn't pre-cooked.

Oh no problem! A wall of text is what I need! lol. I'm so new to this, but taking care of plants has been something I've wanted to do for quite some time, and last month I finally decided to take the plunge. Now, it's just a matter of learning everything I can to keep my plants happy and healthy.

As it stands, I have two of these lights. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PXP7DW5?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=5H5Q6BZA5225BK6HQZA8

Not sure, but it looks like it says there's a 300lm output. Not sure if that's good enough, but so far the plants have been doing ok. If things don't go well in the future, I may have to consider another option when it comes to lights.

Thanks again for the tips and information! It's all more than welcome at this point!

There's a single t5 high output bulb above each shelf. They're around 6500k. Reading some more, I may need two bulbs per shelf, but I'm gonna see how they do for now. but there is room under the shelves for it if I wanted to add more.

The shelf was found on amazon, but I wish I bought the one that my costco had on sale for only $20 more, it was a good bit nicer, but this one is solid wood and not bad looking.

Full view of the setup There's more shelves that would hold more fixtures, but since it's in a living space I didn't want to install a sun right where we spend a good deal of our time. I'll try and post updates in a few days/week, since the propagations have been growing quickly, I should be able to see if they're progressing/happy fairly quickly.

How many plants do you have? If it is just a few, I recommend the easiest and cheapest option, getting one of those reflector lamps with a clamp and a 60 Watt grow bulb. If you want something a little nicer, you could upgrade that to the 2 ft or 4 ft T5 grow lights. You can find these with stands which can be pretty nice. Personally, I don't bother with the LED lights because they are so much more expensive for comparable performance. You could find any of these on Amazon. You could also check craigslist. I have found some great deals of grow lamps through them.

I have a few of each of the following and would recommend them:

https://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLT5XX4-Fluorescent-Premium-Quality-CSA-listed/dp/B018WIOBXS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1487361891&sr=8-7&keywords=grow%2Blight&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005P29K1S/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487361891&sr=sr-1&keywords=grow+light

That sounds like a good plan. If you want to order something from Amazon I would suggest the cactus and succulent mix. That stuff is amazing. I add some more pumice to the mix just for extra drainage Also I really enjoy putting a thin layer of lava rock for the top soil. It gives it that desert look haha. But yeah I'd water it maybe once every 2-3 weeks.
Sorry I got excited haha if you want to get really crazy you can use some cactus juice.


Hoffman 10410 Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix, 10 Quarts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030UQLIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lh0yxbA3HJJVP

Grow More 3130 Cactus Juice 1-7-6, 1-Pound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZOICVA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ql0yxbHQV5DCA

I make my own mix, all from items found in Amazon! Everyone has their preference, and it all really depends on where you are located as far as humidity and how much rain you get. I live in San Diego, and most of my plants are outside and in containers. My plants are happiest with the following mix of equal parts:

• Pumice - It absorbs excess moisture so roots don’t rot in wet weather, aerates the soil, and releases moisture slowly, and at a steady rate.
  
  
• Coconut Coir - Has both high water-holding capacity and simultaneously retains plenty of air. This means that it’s nearly impossible to overwater most plants during their growing season – you simply cannot suffocate the roots. It also is a gnat detterent!
  
  I also like to add a layer to the bottom of my pots of:
  
  
• Charcoal (helps with removing impurities)
  
  'Hope that helps!! I feel like soil is really what makes or breaks succulents health, so making it as fast-draining as possible is key! With this mix, in the summer, I nearly have to water my babies daily to keep them from getting thirsty due to the excellent drainage :D

Glad you asked!! There are actually a lot of really easy solutions :)

1. The little ones on the bottom look okay- you should repot them somewhere where they get more light. You should consider a desktop growlight or a better window and they'll thrive.
   
   
2. The big one will improve if you behead it and replant the head in better light. You can also remove all the leaves and let them sit on soil to propagate and then throw away the etiolated stem.

As someone who's considered this before, here's what I'd generally plan for:

Get a square light like this.

Work the top shelf to be on top of the lights with a slot for the light to slide into.

Look at the light distribution from the top down. Maybe it's just using that light on the top shelf, having high-light plants directly beneath, and low light plants on the second row beneath. This could be better done if the first shelf is made of acrylic or glass.

Adjust accordingly. Like I said, I've never actually done this. Set up in a window you might have plenty of light without a grow light at all, or maybe you even need an array on each shelf! It would be easier to tell by the plants as well. An Echeveria would like being directly below that array, but a Haworthia or Kalanchoe might like a degree of separation.


Hope I was of some help! Always here if you have other questions!

I've been browsing the grow light thread and thinking about getting more succulents before winter, and would like some input on which setup seems better or if you would recommend something else entirely. This adjustable growlight which has a gooseneck and clip (also comes with option for timer) or this bulb and this clamp light? I currently don't have many succulents at all (which obviously can change) so I don't need the light to cover a huge area. Should I set up a specific area to do this with shelving etc (please recommend if so) or is on top of a cedar chest on trays fine?

I'm pretty new to this and appreciate any advice I can get here.

I bought a 3-tiered shelf and two growlights (2ft T5 24W 2000 lumen). The kit is great and came with everything needed to hang it easily on the shelf. This setup is in my sunroom which gets direct sunlight part of the day and a lot of bright indirect sunlight the rest of the day. Regardless my plants become etiolated if not directly by the window. Also all the colorful succulents I got have reverted back to green which I hope I can fix by incorporating grow lights.

My question is should I use two growlights or is one 2ft bulb enough for the shelf which is roughly 1ft x2ft? Also should I lower the amount of time I have the grow lights on since this room gets natural light? Please let me know if I should change anything. Thank you!

How many and how big are the cactus you're talking about here? Because I have this 300W light, the only light my plants get, and they're doing amazing with wonderful stress coloring. I only have one 2x1 ft metal shelf with the light sitting on top and the second shelf full of my plants.

The Philzon looks like a wonderful growlight, too! Really powerful. And for that price? like damn! I'd go with that one.

Here's the Amazon listing. It had super good reviews and these guys exceeded my expectations!

Pack of 8 Live Mini Exotic Lithops Plant Seedlings Perfect for Lithops Starter Great Terrarium Addition FY2017 Seedlings (Pack of 8 Seedlings) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKWZCPR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jLxMBb2F4AQMR

Amazon! This was my first time ordering any plant online and was super paranoid about purchasing from a third party Amazon seller but everything about it went fantastically. Nicely packaged, good variety (as you can see), and it came with some little decorative ladybugs and a few extra seedlings, a handwritten note, and some care instructions.

I'm not really sure what you have in it, so its hard to tell by looking LOL. My favorite mix, which I've seen the best results, including pots without drainage holes (I get a lot of requests for terrarium arrangements), is an equal mix of:

1. Pumice
   
2. Charcoal
   
3. Cactus Soil
   
4. Perlite
   
   The grittier, the better!! I don't like sand because I feel like (unless its coarse sand) the sand just soaks up water, instead of draining quickly.

Aww how cute! Here is the link to the pots for anyone interested! I have them and they are great little pots 😊

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E5ERKA4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WyG4Cb57SXJZ7

I'm not OP but I have a similar setup in my apartment. It's not as nice as OPs but it's working well for me.

I have a floating shelf with a 2 ft T5 light hung above it on an electrical timer. It's hard to see in my picture but it's quite bright. I think it looks pretty nice and allows me to keep a small collection on display (I have the shelf right at eye level).

http://i.imgur.com/29lfZ5X.jpg

If you look on Amazon there are LOTS AND LOTS of grow lights. I have bought several. I have had good luck with the LED grow lights. They are more energy efficient and the plants seem to do well. If you get some just make sure they are FULL SPECTRUM.


You can also get flourescent T5 grow lights. They do fine but just use more energy. They also tend to run hotter so be aware of how close they are to your plants so they don't burn.
Here's some links to check out.


2-Pack T5 HO Grow Light - 1 Bulb Light System - Fluorescent Hydroponic Indoor Fixture Bloom Veg Daisy Chain with Bulbs (2 Foot & w/Reflector (DL8021R 2pack), Cool White | Vegetative) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPKQPSL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AH8ZCbAC10EX4


Winjoy Grow Light, 30W LED Grow Lamp Bulbs Plant Lights Full Spectrum, Auto ON & Off with 3/6/12H Timer 5 Dimmable Levels Clip-On Desk Grow Lamp for Indoor Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JLJFWNY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vI8ZCbNC3C5D4


JCBritw LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants Full Spectrum UV Red Blue 100W Pro B Plant Grow Lamp Panel Bulbs Greenhouse Hydroponic Hanging Kit for Seedlings,Veg and Flower https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GWTT39T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XI8ZCb2E7EYCN

Yes they do!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKWZCPR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yCjyBb906B494

I’ve ordered from this seller twice and have had great variety and perfect little lithops each time. I recommend them to everybody!

I included a detailed list of the pots I have below, but here's the tear-shaped hanging planters. They're hung on nice metal cords that are pretty tough, but that also means you can't adjust the height easily. I have some hung on the curtain rod and some hung on the inner rail of the blinds to create more depth and give different plants direct/indirect lighting.

• 23 Bees | White Hanger Ceramic Planter |3 Pack | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0721HQT4N/

The succulents under the cheapo gooseneck lights are etiolating slightly but not horribly, but those plants also get some filtered afternoon sun next to a window. I recently bought this Sunblaster 904296 NanoTech T5 High Output Fixture Reflector Combo, 2-Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4naQDbKMJ1YZ4 I'm am confident it will work better, but I just received it and haven't taken it out of the box yet.

My sansii bulb works well, but I'm not using it for sun-hungry succulents. I have my pineapple plants, Sansevieria and some other medium light succulents under it.

1. The Kelvin was for older light technology such as HID or Fluorescent. Plants actually only need red and blue light. LED grow lights are far superior, I've personally used this one with [great luck](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076B1W99T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I like that it's much bigger than most other lights, so it's spread out and multiple plants can be below it. With a small light plants will grow towards the light.
   
   
   
2. Consider using a white or foil lined box, this will reflect the light and make it even brighter. If the box closes, it will be warmer inside. I use a $15 ice chest. I added a $5 timer and pretty much had a small greenhouse for $40 with room for 15-20+ plants.

Can't remember their name atm, but they're growing fine. I wouldn't think of these new extensions as 'pups' so much as 'arms' or 'branches' like you would see on a prickly pear. This is one of mine for example, haven't had them very long but they can be removed and eventually grow roots and become their own plant. They take a long time to do so though, easily 3 months or more. Your's are still too small to remove, the bud would run out of nutrients before it was able to develop a root system that could sustain itself. Best bet is to let them grow!

I'm not sure how this species would show etiolation, it's pretty slow growing and I feel like it would die from lack of light before it was able to etiolate. My advice would be to spend a few dollars and get a grow light, I can recommend this one since it was the one I first got (and still have, it's now heating a snake enclosure, haha). It's not super powerful, so it needs to be relatively close (a foot away or so). Others here have used LED lights, but I don't have any experience with them and can't speak to their effectiveness.

I have this light hanging from a shelf that I use for growing basil indoors: ACKE LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants,Plant Light for Grow Light Stand,DIY Indoor Growing Light Panel for Germination,Seedling,Vegetative Growth and Flowering

https://www.amazon.com/ACKE-Germination-Seedling-Vegetative-Flowering/dp/B07GGX3R9T

You can configure it lengthwise instead of how it’s shown in the picture. And I think you can connect two set together, but don’t know that for sure.

It’s a warm white light which is accomplished by having white and red LEDs

Edit: link

If your succulents are stretching, I highly recommend getting a lamp. I used desk lamps for supplemental lighting at first, and they work great for if you have only a few succulents. Just remember that the light needs to be 8-12 inches away from the plant and that will help you to see how many plants it can cover.

Once the desk lamp wasnt cutting it for me, I used these LED lights. They are purple, which a lot of people dont like, but they've given me gorgeous blushing on all my plants.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F53LP46?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

I just recently brought all of my plants in for winter and upgraded my light setup to 4 T5 fluorescent bulbs at 6500 kelvins. Does this look like an appropriate height to keep it above the plants? The jade is about 3 inches from the bulbs so I'm a little worried about damage. I've been thinking about moving the jade to another window and just lowering lights closer to the rest of the plants. Also any advice on how long to keep them under lighting every day would be useful!

https://i.imgur.com/C8Vt1YJ.jpg

Just in case anyone was curious where I got this setup. It feels very sturdy and I'm definitely glad I bought it. I'd just recommend buying longer chains to hang it since the ones they provide are pretty short.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HEYCRI8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You may just have to treat everything to be safe. This is the systemic I use. It’s a concentrate that you mix in with water and water with. Being as succulents don’t need to be overwatered, it’s best used as a preventative. As topicals go, I’ve been using neem oil, as it has fungicidal properties. I do have a few plants I’ve been treating with Grey mold. Most of the seem to be pulling through.

45W LED Grow Light, UNIFUN New Light Plant Bulbs Plant Growing Bulb for Hydroponic Aquatic Indoor Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F53LP46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9CbxDbE6MEX57
This is the one I use cuz I'm a cheapskate. Full spectrum is a lot better for actual viewing/ photography tho. I think it's about 6 inches from the plants and on for about 12-14 hours. I would check out the overwinter megathread under the about tab for r/succulents for grow light into tho. They are way more helpful :)

I seem to have done it. I used this stuff, sprayed on the leaves and soil surface. I applied it twice, about three weeks between treatments (I don't think I soaked the soil quite enough the first time). Had a huge infestation before, but it's been three months since treatment and I haven't seen any sign of mealies since, and my plants visibly recovered very quickly.

I wish I'd done it a year earlier. I lost some pretty cool plants to mealy bugs before I went nuclear.

Sorry, I don’t know much about the strips and shelves - though I do use some on my reef tank macroalgae reactor (clear tube with led strips wrapped around) seems to work well and puts up with occasional salt water with out electrocuting me or fish. I don’t know how to fix them onto shelves tho.

I use these one on my plant shelves and added one of these just so it wasn’t bright red. You can see my shelves in my last post. They’re super low profile. But my shelves are wire mesh which allowed me to easily tie them to the underside.

Do succulents like small pots? As in pots with not much room except for the plant it self. I see a lot of cute pots on amazon and I wonder if these are just for cuteness rather than the health of a succulent. I linked an example. tiny pots

These are the lights I️ use.
This is the light that I️ like best. $30 from Amazon. It doesn’t put off very much heat.
This is the one that is not so good. $25 from Amazon.

I use this mix: https://www.amazon.com/Quarts-Bonsai-Succulent-Cactus-Gritty/dp/B0194E9RW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524862302&sr=8-1&keywords=bonzai+jack

It is pricey, so I mix a little cactus/succulent soil into it(just the regular bagged kind that's cheap) to make it last.

Using this grow light 16 hours a day(it also goes over a few other plants): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074SG33M2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can probably find a better value grow light honestly. The reason I got it was because my husband was tired of the pink lights in our living room, and I didn't want to deal with getting too into other types of setups. This one is unobtrusive and pleasing to the eye.

Here is my current (year-round) setup! I moved into a new apartment with only north and west facing windows, and nothing was getting enough light. So recently I upgraded my setup.

• [Shelf] (https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-3-Shelf-Shelving-Unit-Chrome/dp/B01M0XLTT5)
  
  
• Lights
  
  
• Timer
  
  I have the lights on for about 12 hours a day.
  
  I used to have a clamp lamp with CFL, and that worked for a bit, but I was trying to squeeze too many plants under it so they started to get etiolated. In comparison, these lights are amazing. You can see that some of the plants were etiolated but are now growing compactly!

I used this. u/TheLittleKicks recommended this, and I have it on the way, but the shipping is taking longer than I’d like to leave my plants untreated. I also bought some neem oil for spot treatments and also to just have on hand

For my succulents I use Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix , which is pre-mixed and ready to use although a bit pricey. For my snake plants which are a bit less picky, I mix 50/50 sand/vermiculite. There are guides to making soilless mixes online, but some of them recommend using peat moss which actually attracts fungus gnats.

I have the following setup:

• Amazon 3-shelf Shelving Unit
  
• Hydrofarm Agrobrite T5 2ft 4 tube Grow Light for the top shelf
  
• DuroLux T5 2ft 2 tube Grow Light for the bottom shelf
  
  My succulents are in terra cotta pots on the shelves, but the light is strong enough to cover a number of other non-succulent plants in the surrounding area that are fine with indirect lighting. The lights supplement sunlight from a north facing window.

Also do not expect to propagate any leaves you got from these plants. It may happen, but it is unlikely. I have tried many times to propagate leave from unhealthy plants, but they never work.

Once the plants get established again, and especially if you supplement them with some cactus food like this, then you can start trying to propagate their strong healthy leaves. But be patient for now. No supplements or water yet. Just let them sit for a while, either out or in dry soil. It takes time, but it is very rewarding to have a little friend that you brought back from the brink of death.

I would try repotting in a very gritty mix like this stuff and leaving it alone for a couple of weeks without water then watering from the bottom to encourage more root growth.

If she has a lot of little succs and is in need of pots for them, I highly recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01E5ERKA4/ref=mp_s_a_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1519857242&sr=8-31&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=succulent+planter. I have a few dozen of them and love them

I totally get it. When I had less budget I bought regular old clip lights and a couple of really high lumen bulbs, just enough for a couple of plants (more if you have only small plants, which is mostly what my collection consists of now.) Here's my old setup, you can just see the clip and how close I put super needy plants. Used
this light.
Just bought these at a recommendation from ewwmayo on gardenweb, wonderful so far. If your semps are still alive you can try putting them out now, more likely to survive in cold than no light.

I bought it off of amazon, it's a T5 grow light which hangs from my ceiling and it measure 2ft! Perfect for my little apartment :)

Thanks!!

The grow light I'm using is linked below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PXP7DW5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I found this one in particular very useful since it has an auto off AND auto on function. Since it automatically turns on I didn't have to worry about it while gone on vacation.

I only mist and occasionally water with a few drops of water using a pipette. No pesticide.

Goodluck!

Your plant looks pretty healthy. I have quite a few plants in that same gritty mix too. I use a dilute fertilizer mix every time I water. I generally use a low nitrogen formula (I'm currently using this: https://www.amazon.com/Grow-More-3130-Cactus-Juice/dp/B000ZOICVA/ref=asc_df_B000ZOICVA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216532910363&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1307938155492607337&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019672&hvtargid=pla-349028008220&psc=1) and most of my plants really like it.

Believe it or not, they're actually from Amazon! I was really impressed that something that looks so artsy/custom came from Amazon. [Here they are] (https://www.amazon.com/Ceramic-Flowing-Sucuulent-Container-Planter/dp/B01E5ERKA4/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1481248814&sr=8-8&keywords=2.5%22+flower+pots)!

I have a few, I started out with smaller feit LED bars (2ft) and after upgrading to a 4ft shelving unit I now have two 4ft t5 fluorescent units! I am finding it easier to get enough light out of the those, the LEDs need to be very close to the plants. The downside is that the t5 produces a lot of heat so need to make sure ventilation is good or it gets humid.

Here is the link to the t5 unit: https://www.amazon.com/4lamps-DL844s-Fluorescent-Hydroponic-Fixture/dp/B00HEYCRI8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478289944&sr=8-5&keywords=t5+grow+light

Dude I live in Hawaii so I feel you. It’s not even the most humid place in the world and I still have problems getting indoor succs to dry.

I really liked this soil I got from Amazon by Superfly Bonsai. I have two of my succs potted in that and they’re doing really well. I’m also about to try Bonsai Jack’s soil (here). It looks really coarse with large particle size, so I’m hoping my succs will like it. They are both “soil-less” potting mixes. You could probably make your own by just reading the ingredients on the bag and finding the raw materials.

Never would have trusted Amazon for this, but someone else posted a couple weeks back with success so I had to see for myself:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CKWZCPR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-nzVBbZCECM9R

I have a couple of these zip tied to my metal plant rack, my succs LOVE them.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076B1W99T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_K3FMBbYC0WB81

Anything like these will work real nice

Not OP but I use this one. Heres a before and after after of a home Depot succulent I have had under it for ~1 month. No colour changes IRL, but the succulent is growing in tighter.

PS. If someone has a sneaky ID I would appreciate it :)

I don't have the box anymore but I'm fairly confident this is close to what I have.

I use this light to propagate and raise my plants they love it. https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjch6Tr5argAhVetcAKHQB6CAkYABAaGgJpbQ&ae=1&sig=AOD64_0JKkDQgzbrY-y97gVI8UIdkH6Jcg&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjy45zr5argAhUGSa0KHWE0DU0Qwg96BAgLEDI&adurl=https://www.amazon.com/Light-4lamps-DL824-Fluorescent-Hydroponic/dp/B009GU4RMC/ref%3Dasc_df_B009GU4RMC/%3Ftag%3Dhyprod-20%26linkCode%3Ddf0%26hvadid%3D167140116641%26hvpos%3D1o11%26hvnetw%3Dg%26hvrand%3D14470749587284503236%26hvpone%3D%26hvptwo%3D%26hvqmt%3D%26hvdev%3Dm%26hvdvcmdl%3D%26hvlocint%3D%26hvlocphy%3D9015235%26hvtargid%3Daud-465585855334:pla-307335020097%26psc%3D1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GU4RMC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AGHGL81LFL69F


One of the best things you can buy. 10,000 lumens is equivalent to full sun.

Heyo! I’m in the Northeast as well. My house also gets the worst natural light. I have been eyeing one of these T5 mini hoods from Home Depot and setting up a table in our spare room. I’ve also seen some similar T5 light set-ups that daisy chain, but I honestly haven’t decided yet.

I got this very low profile grow light from Amazon it says 20watts

ACKE LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants,Plant Light for Grow Light Stand,DIY Indoor Growing Light Panel for Germination,Seedling,Vegetative Growth and Flowering https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GGX3R9T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JgfxDbDCBNXN9

I was going to mention your soil! It looks a little organic, I’m not sure what you’re using but I personally use a mixture of cactus soil, perlite, and gritty mix. I have mine in a 1:1:1 ratio but I’m a little heavy handed with the perlite because it’s cheap. You could also switch to terracotta pots to help with overwatering!

https://www.amazon.com/UNIFUN-Growing-Hydroponic-Aquatic-Indoor/dp/B01F53LP46/ref=sr_1_9?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511118706&sr=1-9&keywords=led+grow+light

I just bought two of those after having the 15w version for a while now. The 15 watt one is enough for most of my plants but it doesnt quite bring out the nice colors of most of them and my e. prolifica is still etiolating like crazy. The 45watt one will be enough though I think.

Looks like your standard T5HO grow light and reflector combo to me. Perhaps a Sunblaster T5HO?

Sunblaster tend to be slightly more pricey than other manufacturers so you can probably bag a cheaper bargain if you look for other T5HO grow lights online. You can also get different setups i.e. from single tube with a reflector right up to significantly larger 8 tube combos.

Amazon. I have the ones that are just a square with the pink/blue/white lights. Works like a charm. No etoliation over an Illinois winter that won't end. I only have them on 12 hours a day.

I use [these] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPKQPSL?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf) and am happy with the results.

No worries! Have you looked in to this type of bulb:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055F4VB4/ref=asc_df_B0055F4VB45433815/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B0055F4VB4&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194944285088&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13743728693007559636&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028723&hvtargid=pla-314457156211

I have a pack sitting in my closet right now in case my leds end up not being enough and I notice signs of etiolation. You can fit in a desk lamp or a clamp lamp. I don’t know how bright they are though, haven’t plugged any in. But I’ve heard good reviews on here about them.

A few look like these, which I just bought on Amazon this week! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E5ERKA4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZaWFAb2HDZ5KT

just set up my T5 Grow Light

(http://www.amazon.com/Light-4lamps-DL824-Fluorescent-Hydroponic/dp/B009GU4RMC)

here http://i.imgur.com/UEwIS5N.jpg ... 10,000 lumens... you think that'll be good enough?

The fluorescent lights are 2ft. These ones: (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GU4RMC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I couldn't find 3ft lights I liked (although I think they would be too long), so I went with the 2ft and augmented them with a couple of simple reflectors with these bulbs: (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FYGDX3A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

​

The whole setup is about 3ft wide. The shelving unit is a simple rolling set of shelves. For each shelf, I made a square frame and screwed wire mesh into it, otherwise the spacing on the shelves is too much and the pots tip over when trying to move them. Then the whole thing gets wrapped in a mylar emergency blanket. They're super reflective and keep a lot of the light in.

Top tier has 2x Relassy 45W LED Grow Lights Goosenecks.

Bottom tier has 2x ACKE 20W Warm White LED Grow Light Panels.

Thank you! This was very helpful :) I ended up going with https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPKQPSL/ref=psdc_14252961_t2_B015TL6RH4 for now, I only have one lamp per shelf- do you think that's enough without supplemental natural light? I'm in zone 9b but my place has poor natural lighting and only direct, hot sunlight outside. I wanted to start without a huge investment just in case I kill everything somehow haha but plan to add more or at least 2 per shelf later on. Thank you again!

I am using this one. And this is what my set up looks like right now.

T5 daylight. I have this and bought its reflector later, but I found out later that they have a model with the reflector already attached. I also recently bought this for my growing collection, but yet to set it up.

if they're long shelves most people just get a long hanging thing and put 2-4 T5 bulbs in it.

https://www.amazon.com/4lamps-DL844s-Fluorescent-Hydroponic-Fixture/dp/B00HEYCRI8

This for example. You can get 1,2, or 4 bulb fixtures, and in lengths of 2 or 4 feet. Can find at any big box store, or online for not too bad. then just buy some daylight bulbs for them.

If you want more of a Square format, you can buy 1000-1200 watt LED's that will do a 3x3 or 4x4 foot area for between $40-60.

If you don't have many plants you can always scale down for smaller options in both.

I'm using a specific mixture that's supposed to be very good for succulents. It isn't soil and is very well draining. I don't have pots with holes on the bottom so drainage and root rot was a real concern for me initally. I repotted with this mixture.

I basically water the plant until i can see the water starting to pool at the rim of the pot and then dump out half of the excess. The roots still get water but doesn't sit there too long. I check again the next day to see if there is still a lot of water in the pot, at which point I'll drain more of the water if needed.

45W LED Grow Light, UNIFUN New Light Plant Bulbs Plant Growing Bulb for Hydroponic Aquatic Indoor Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F53LP46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cptODbQHDE0JB

Look at Agrobrite CFLs, they make higher watt ones. This one, for example.

And yeah, I don't trust most red/blue LEDs.. I think a lot of folks buy them for the price point and find later that their plants etiolate quite a bit.

Ok, I'm a little hesitant to answer this, just because I have never had a Lithops, but I know Bonzai Jack is one mix that gets reccomended a lot here!

I'm worried that if I use water to remove the old soil, that it may be too much for it. I'd rather have the roots as clean as possible before I move it into this soil mix . It's not coming off with just my hands as it's too compacted

I use this product at half-strength. If you're dealing with an ongoing issue you'll want to use it once a month until it clears. I actually only needed to use it once to get rid of a mild mealybug infestation alongside a weird fungal issue. Keep in mind it is systemic so as someone else pointed out you'll want to be mindful of your use if your plants are outdoors. Of course if your succulents are indoors that doesn't really matter though.

Grow More 3130 Cactus Juice 1-7-6, 16 Fl. Oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ZOICVA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4te3CbEAGHAVF



This one?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P29K1S/

It is a 2ft sunblaster.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AKKUBDQ

It's just the plant and then beneath it is the succulent soil I use, which is this: Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus Soil

Lola prefers this one: Growstar 45W LED Grow Light UV IR Full Spectrum LED Grow Bulb for Indoor Plants Hydroponic Greenhouse Plant Seedling Flowers (45W 225 LEDs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LYOL5QU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zExACbJTZJ26V

2-Pack T5 HO Grow Light - 1 Bulb... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPKQPSL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It has worked so so so much better than any leds or pink and blue lights

I have these two grow lights: Ferry Morse and DuroLux

No heat may but was looking into getting this one

The soil is half Miracle Gro cactus soil, half this: https://www.amazon.com/Quarts-Bonsai-Succulent-Cactus-Gritty/dp/B0194E9RW4/ref=lp_8126182011_1_2?srs=8126182011&ie=UTF8&qid=1520384700&sr=8-2

It's a cutting, it doesn't have any roots. I'm afraid it will die before ever rooting.

The general opinion is to use a fertilizer which is lower in nitrogen, although which you use depends on you. I typically suggest Cactus Juice.

Hello! I got a new plant friend for free yesterday but I'm already fearing for its health and I have a bunch of questions. (Picture 1, 2)

1. A new pot seems straightforward enough, but is this soil good enough without mixing anything in?
   
   
2. What's the white stuff? Do I need to rub it off or is okay?
   
   
3. A lot of the lower leaves seem droopy and/or damaged so is there anything I can do to help it?
   
   
4. The one window in my dorm appears to be north facing and my desk lamp has a 400 lumens bulb right now, which I don't believe is sufficient. Could I potentially get a higher lumen lightbulb and put my succulent under it for a couple hours a day? (My lamp is an Ikea Ranarp, if that helps at all.)
   
   
5. The dumbest question of all, what is it? As a complete newbie, I'd guess some sort of crassula, but I could be completely off the mark.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009GU4RMC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1506602011&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=t5+grow+lights&dpPl=1&dpID=411ZLelTLqL&ref=plSrch ugh I’m so sorry about the wrong link! My bookshelf doesn’t have strip lights. I just have these hung on each shelf. I cut a hole in the back of the bookshelf for the cord to go through too :) https://i.imgur.com/eJzYeUc.jpg