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So I start school in a few days and the school advises to create a personalized learning room for my online classes. I love plants and would like to grow some in my learning room. The problem is that there are no windows in my basement. What kind of plants can live in a basement with no sunlight? Only regular house lights? Any?
I've used shop lights also for house plants during the winter, and for extended periods in an apartment, which I wasn't sure from your post if that's your goal or not - just for the winter or for a few years? Some will actually grow, and many will "hang on."
The humidity is likely higher in the basement and the temperature lower, both of which would be appreciated by a great many plants for the winter but not necessarily permanently. Both lower temp and higher humidity will cause the plants to use the water in their pots more slowly, so overwatering/poor soil can be a greater concern. If the plants are able to go outside for the summer, that would greatly increase your number of candidates. If you did want a more permanent arrangement, swap plants might work for you. Buy 2 of the same thing and put one in the basement, and one upstairs with better natural light. Then switch them once a week.
Agree African violets are famous for doing well like this, and I've kept them for years under shop lights. Good suggestion there, my first choice too. Any of the plants famous for surviving in low light situations could be candidates if you do employ a shop light. Pothos, wax Begonias (which would likely keep blooming,) peace lily, parlor palm, Dieffenbachia, Syngonium, snake plant (Sansevieria,) to name a few.
As the distance from the bulbs increases, the light is exponentially weaker, so if you can use something to raise shorter plants, so they are all at a similar height, you can put a shop light as close to the plants as possible and get the most benefit. For this reason, I would prefer/recommend shorter, slow-growing plants, and/or "baby" versions of whatever plants (except African violets of any size which are usually kind of "flat" on top anyway.)
Did you have any particular plants in mind that you were wondering about?
One of 2 - 4x8 grow areas under fluorescents in my basement. I also over-winter all my tropical bonsai under lights in a dungeon with only 1 12x30 window, so natural light isn't a consideration.
Hi Al, Hibiscus? Very pretty and they are so lush. Do you put them outside at all in the summer? What do you do to them before bringing them in the house for the winter as far as bugs go? That is if you take them out. I have several, including a lace leaf maple in pots that I have to bring in. A few I will keep going. By going I mean they are not deciduous like the Maple is so will even let them continue to bloom.
Do you know if it is possible to keep tuberous begonias growing over the winter inside? Or is it better to just clean up the tubers and store them? Actually, I really don't have room to keep them growing. Guess I will store them. But, is an interesting question. What do you think?
