Your indoor Monstera Deliciosa will grow best with a grow light! Today we will cover our top recommended lights so you know exactly what to pick.
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Monsteras need light
The number one factor in the health of your houseplant is light! Indoor plants, even low light indoor plants, need some light to survive. Monsteras require bright indirect light. This means they want as much light as you can give them without having sun shining directly on their leaves for more than a short time each day. See our full Monstera light requirements guide for more information.
The truth is, it can be tricky to find the right light for your Monstera to thrive indoors! If your home, like mine, doesn’t have many windows it can be hard to get your plants the light they need. In winter, short dark days can slow or stop growth as your houseplants receive less sunlight. In summer, bright direct sun can burn your Monstera’s leaves.
The good new is, you can use artificial light to give your Monstera the best light levels inside your home! It will reward you with faster growth and bigger leaves with splits and fenestrations. Furthermore, light is your plant’s best defense against disease and overwatering. These same tips apply for other Monstera varieties too, like Monstera Adansonii.
The #1 Best Grow Light for Monstera – GE Grow Light LED 32W Balanced Light Spectrum
My search for the perfect grow light ended when I tried the GE 32W Balanced Spectrum light bulb. This is what I use for all of my variegated Monstera Albo and they LOVE IT. I couldn’t find a spot in my home bright enough to keep my Monstera growing when it gets dark and cloudy, but with these lights I get a new leaf every month even in the dead of winter!
GE Grow Light Bulb, PAR38 Grow Light Bulb for Indoor Plants, Full Spectrum, 32-Watt, Balanced Lighting for Seeds and GreensThese GE Grow Light Bulbs frequently go on sale on Amazon, making them significantly less expensive than they would be at your nearby hardware store. Click on the above image or link for the current price.
Grow Light Criteria
Here’s what makes this grow light the best for your Monstera:
- Brightness – These lights are like mini suns. They can provide greenhouse-level light intensity. Their strength also means that you can hang them from the ceiling above your plants, or put them in a lamp a few feet (0.45 – 0.6 m) away. You shouldn’t keep them right up close.
- Spectrum – The “Balanced Spectrum” means that these lights contain the blue and red wavelengths that foliage plants need to grow. They also contain other colors in smaller amounts to make the overall color appear white.
- Color – Daylight white! Appreciate your plant’s beauty with natural white lighting instead of the purple of blue/red grow lights.
- Ease of installation – Standard lightbulb base, screw into any light fixture. The downside is, these lights are heavy and large so you will need a shadeless light or a wide lampshade to hold them.
- Beam shape – The beam is focused in one direction so all the light goes to your plants and none is wasted.
- Light Type – LED lights use less power to produce the same mount of light, saving you money on your electrical bill. They also generate less heat, reducing the chances of burning your plants.
Overall, the GE Balanced Spectrum 32 W grow light is the best for your Monstera because they are the perfect balance of intensity and small size. Most lights I tried before were too weak and needed to be almost touching my Monstera, or they had an unsavory purple tint. These grow lights even have a higher photosynthetic photon flux (PPF, aka light that plants can use for photosynthesis) than many large rectangular or beam grow lights. They are easy to add into your decor and look just like normal lights.
Best Compact Grow Light Bulb – GE Grow Light LED 9W Balanced Light Spectrum
Next, these lights are the mini cousins of the 32 Watt lights above. They have a smaller form factor that fits into most shades. You can use them to replace any light in your house to help give your plants a boost!
GE BR30 LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants, Full Spectrum, 9-Watt Grow Light Bulb, Plant Light Bulb with Balanced Lighting for Seeds and Greens- Brightness – These grow lights provide good intensity for a few plants placed within 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) of the light. Great for small lamps or pendant light fixtures.
- Spectrum – The “Balanced Spectrum” means that these lights contain the blue and red wavelengths that foliage plants need to grow. They also have the other colors in smaller amounts to make the overall color appear white.
- Color – Daylight white! Appreciate your plant’s beauty with natural white lighting instead of the purple of blue/red grow lights.
- Ease of installation – Standard lightbulb base, screw into any light fixture.
- Beam shape – The beam is focused in one direction so all the light goes to your plants and none is wasted.
- Light Type – LED lights use less power to produce the same mount of light, saving you money on your electrical bill. They also generate less heat, reducing the chances of burning your plants.
Grab a good 24/7 grow light timer to ensure your Monstera gets its daily dose of light!
BN-LINK 24 Hour Plug-in Mechanical Timer Grounded Aquarium, Grow Light, Hydroponics, Pets, Home, Kitchen, Office, Appliances, UL Listed 125VAC, 60 Hz, 1875W, 15A, 1/2HP (1)MonsteraGuide has done the research for you and tested these Amazon products for you. Check out our recommended basics that we recommend for every Monstera plant parent.
Hello Christine. Thank you for all your information 💚 I got one from another brand which is 100 W, full spectrum, pure white. But the light meter is showing that my Monstera isn’t getting light enough and I’m afraid she don’t survive.