The lighting in your home can affect the way you feel. It can also affect houseplants. To help them thrive, try using grow lights. They're available in most hardware stores and home-improvement centers. Grow lights are available in many sizes and shapes, including fluorescent tubes, standard incandescent bulbs and large bulbs (figure A). The bulbs are also designed to work with specific plants: check the label to make sure you're buying the right kind. The color grow bulbs emit is slightly different from that of standard bulbs, and they tend to burn brighter. Keep your grow lights no closer than 1' from plants but no farther than 3' away. To highlight plants, consider installing accent lighting, which can illuminate certain parts of your plants and throw interesting shadows. For ficus trees, plant spotlights in the bottom of the pot, and aim them into the tree (figure B). Be sure to use waterproof lights. Another option is the can light (figure C), which takes a standard bulb or a spotlight. Place the can light on the floor, and arrange plants around it.
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