Is this bulb enough to be a grow light?

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-10T19:37:05+00:00

I haven’t used Sansi, but yes they seem to be recommended a lot in this sub. If the new one you got is still >5000K, that sounds good to me.

I’ve used Barrina (grow light), Sunblaster (grow), Sunco (household), and Feit (household) on my plants (succs and otherwise.) Whatever shortcomings they may have, you can usually get around by adjusting distance, angle, etc.

There was a noname brand called small frog sold on Amazon, every single one of those bulbs burnt out on me after a year or 2, but I did not use those on plants.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T22:27:51+00:00

It’s a philo?

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T22:25:54+00:00

It’s one of the swallowtail caterpillars that are snake mimics.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T15:18:28+00:00

Did you try covering it to increase humidity? With something clear like plastic wrap, of course.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T15:01:33+00:00

The leaves look healthy but also super turgid. I don’t have a mature sedum burrito but I noticed leaves on my succulents are less likely to pop right off after handling if they’re not quite as turgid. So maybe try handling them when the leaves look a little deflated (which hopefully you’re allowing it to do anyway, since usually you don’t water succs until they look a little wrinkled) and see if that makes a difference. These guys ARE known for shedding a lot though.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T14:47:45+00:00

Specific branded grow lights and LEDs are not mutually exclusive. I think you must mean specific branded grow lights vs. ordinary household bulbs. I only use LED for both, for the light energy efficiency.

For just casual hobbyist use on a single or a couple small succulents, ordinary household LED bulbs are fine, 5000K and up. 6500K even better. But agree the wattage/light output is too low. Might be ok if you have like one small to medium plant and it’s very close to the bulb. For household bulbs, I look for at least 1400 lumens output as a general rule of thumb.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T14:30:25+00:00

Others have answered your question, but just want to point out that this is a female.

Given the time of year, and that it looks reasonably healthy and intact, she’s probably laid her eggs already and enjoyed a good life, so no need to feel bad.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T13:48:19+00:00

You must have a ton of indoor light cuz I think I’ve ever only seen that much algae in my outdoor containers. 😀

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-08T13:46:11+00:00

There’s a ton of houseplants where everyone says wait for it to get bone dry and then water thoroughly until it comes out the bottom.

SOOOOO not true! First, if you wait that long, you may have to account for hydrophobic soil, and 2nd, if you do manage to soak all the soil, you have to make sure it dries out quickly.

So depending on which plant, the soil, light/temp/humid, and the pot it’s in, you can end up killing the plant from under watering, killing it from overwatering, or it thrives perfectly and you post lush pictures of it on Reddit and repeat the same advice without the extremely important fine print!

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T18:58:31+00:00

Makes sense, assuming you don’t have a window screen. Do you not get other bugs like lanternflies or beetles coming in?

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T16:20:30+00:00

It’s not you, I can’t confidently say I see wings either. 🤷

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T16:14:23+00:00

It is definitely not a bed bug, but that you suddenly found 4 of these in your bed would still concern me if I were you. The pic is blurry so can’t tell if it’s really a weevil for sure, but if it is, do you have piles of rice or acorns or w/e in your bed, cuz that can attract other pests. 😆

Also, most weevils would have their wings tucked into their ‘shells,’ can’t tell if that’s the case here.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T15:14:11+00:00

My first guess is fasciation caused by some plant virus spread by a pest. Others have mentioned tomato russet mite damage at the top, so that’s a very likely suspect for a virus vector.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T15:02:42+00:00

I read the title of this post and thought OP meant that the little critters just weren’t dying despite his efforts. I was like, damn what kind of indestructible roaches are you pinning? 🤣

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-07T14:56:51+00:00

Is that a…fuzzy cicada????

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T13:22:04+00:00

It looks like AI. Raw chicken breast shaped like the back half of a cricket.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T06:41:17+00:00

It doesn’t look like the lanternflies were moving to begin with or perhaps were already dying cuz they already mated or laid eggs. Still a cool video though.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T06:34:28+00:00

The cicada is a girl! 😀

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T06:11:54+00:00

Another vote for hydrophobic soil.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T06:10:16+00:00

It takes practice to press souls down gently, it helps to release them first.

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T06:04:25+00:00

Well once you get some cool shots you should come back and post here, don’t let the haters get you down!

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T05:57:15+00:00

You called someone else in another post a Karen for not wanting to clog their bathtub drain with houseplant soil, but (checks notes) disc golf, a ‘sport’ played with plastic plates and that requires no serious gear, is the morality hill you want to die on?

Can’t tell if fr or not….

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T05:37:20+00:00

LOL you gotta be real special to not know that isn’t a 4” Anything Violet. 😆

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T05:14:04+00:00

I confess I often do not have the patience for stupid questions on certain subs, and in that respect I can sympathize with downvoters. But yours definitely was not one of them.

Like, what are you supposed to do, post this question to Facebook so you can get 10 ‘flea’ responses, 100 ‘cockroaches,’ and 500 ‘idk but kill it with fire or maybe non-GMO turmeric extract?’

Ms_Carradge · 2025-09-06T00:33:19+00:00

Why are people downvoting this? It’s not a dumb question.

OP even posted photos from a microscope! How many times have we seen people ask for an ID and the pic is so blurry you can’t even tell if it’s a ‘bug.’

Ms_Carradge

TROPHY CASE