I have been trying to find a plant light that will help my plants grow/make it through the dreary winter like you suggested in a reply to an earlier question of mine. I was talking with my grama and she said that she uses a small one that she bought probably at Wal-Mart that came with the special light bulb and the lamp/light holder thingy. I can't find one anywhere! I guess I'm asking if you know what type of bulb it is I need to actually help the plants grow so maybe I can find it on-line to buy?

Do I need to buy new dirt every year? Or will the open, 1/2 full bag left over from last spring still be ok to use?

Another note on my rubber tree, I got it in the late summer of 2008 so it did survive one winter before this one. Although what really baffles me is that I just left it in our living room that winter under one of the north facing windows. It didn't grow any bigger during that time but it didn't drop all its leaves either. It was when I got the Easy Bloom and found out more about the plant and its needs, namely the sunlight requirements, that I moved it to the office by the 1 south facing window. Also now that all the leaves have dropped off, I am not sure whether it is even still alive at all. The stems that are left are not green at all anymore. I have watched them turn a brown/black color that has creeped up the stems and subsequently then the leaves on those stems fell off.

I also am intrigued by what you said about taking the plants outside in the summer. I have always just kept them inside and because the sun is increased during the summer they do just fine inside. My whole goal is to have plants that look nice that I can have as houseplants inside to help purify the air inside our home.

Thanks for your answers so far. I live in NE Iowa and the plants that are doing the worst are my rubber tree plant that just dropped its last leaf off, Hawaiian Anthurium which is just hanging on, and an african violet which looks terrible and wilted. We live in a middle townhouse so that eliminates any windows on the east or west sides of the house and being so far north, our north facing windows don't get any light. In fact, it takes weeks longer for the snow to melt on that side of the house than the south side. So that leaves 1 window on the second floor that faces south that gets any sun at all during the day. I just don't know what to do. I have thought about those lights you talked about but for the very reasons you brought up, I hesitate. Any more thoughts you have would be much appreciated! Thanks.

If, as is the case with all my plants, there is not enough sun light due to the position of our house and south facing windows (1 total) how do I keep my plants alive through the winter? They are all dying!

I am looking for some good options for plants and/or flowers that thrive in deep shade to shade lighting. Our south facing windows are small and we live up north where we don't get much of any sun all winter long. Any recommendations?