Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor G… (2024)

It's a little strange to review your own book, but as the author I suppose it's handy to offer up some information about my approach to the book!

My goal for this book is to take the closet garden out of the closet! There is a stigma attached to indoor gardening...but it's not just for cannabis. Rest assured, you can grow just about anything indoors using all the same science, technology, and methods, whether you're growing tomatoes, orchids, succulents, citrus, or cannabis. This book is a comprehensive guide for both total beginners and those with gardening experience. I include information ranging from basic light science and gear, to starting seeds and cuttings indoors, and growing information for a variety of plants. The book is meant to be used as a guide and reference for you to refer back to many times in the future as you grow your indoor gardening skills. If you want to skip the more scientific information, at least to start, feel free! You can pick and choose the information you need to get started.

The first part focuses on understanding some basics of light science, so that you have a better grasp of how and what with to light your chosen plants. Understanding a little about how plants grow and use light will really help you be more successful growing them indoors. It might feel a little bit like botany class, but it can enlighten you as to why your plants might have failed in your previous attempts at indoor gardening.

The second part focuses on all the grow lamps and gear you can use to grow a wide variety of indoor plants and food crops. Use this as a reference when you're choosing equipment and buying supplies. I cover using grow tents and environmental control. I also go into the basics of plant propagation (seeds and cuttings), as well as pest and disease control.

The third part covers a variety of ornamental plants and edible plants, from popular veggies and herbs, citrus, succulents, foliage plants, orchids, carnivorous plants, and bonsai. Yes, there is one plant profile section on basic cannabis information, but it's about the same length as the other herb and veggie entries. Again, all the science, gear, and methods translate across any plant type you might want to grow. I provide specific information on how to grow the plants, how much light they need, and other tips for successful indoor growing.

I hope you enjoy my book for years to come and it helps you take your indoor gardening skills to a new level. There's nothing better than harvesting your own fresh tomatoes in the middle of winter!

Wow, this is everything you would ever need to know concerning inside plant growing. Gardening Under Lights by Leslie F. Halleck is full of information, excellent photographs and drawings. Honestly, I could see this used as the text in a vocational plant biology class.

As for the causal gardener such as myself, it can be a bit overwhelming. Photosynthesis is explained in great detail, along with plant requirements and growth. Then just as much detail is given on the sources and types of indoor light. In addition, types of plants and their individual needs are described. I think I would use this as a reference book, more than a straight read through book.

The publisher through Net Galley provided an ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

This is a very informative read if you indoor garden. As a Canadian apartment dweller, at the end of summer I can choose to let my plants die in snow, or bring them in, and I always try to bring them in with varying results. Having read this, I have a better idea of which lights to use, and why some thrive while others don't. Some of it went over my head, as high school biology was quite a while ago, but it's a subject I'd like to learn more about. This would make a good textbook as it goes into scientific detail about the processes plants live and die by. I thought I understood photosynthesis pretty well only to discover that maybe I only knew the grade school level explanation. Very interesting, and I will be consulting it again to better understand plant biology.

*Received a digital copy via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review*

This is an extremely comprehensive book on gardening with grow lights---more comprehensive than I imagined it would be! For any beginner some of the starting discussions might be a bit tough to digest but I imagine those dedicated souls interested in gardening indoors will eat up all of the recommendations the author gives for lighting types. I was also impressed with the addition of various plants both edible and ornamental in conjunction with what type of lights pair well with each plant.

This book would be great for the growing indoor gardening crowd...and definitely for those starting seeds before the growing season begins!

I really enjoyed this book. As a wife to an arborest we do a lot with plants and I liked that this book made sense to me. It had great information that allows me to keep up with the husband a little more as we work in the greenhouse together. Great read and perfect for those wanting to gain a greener thumb.

An extremely comprehensive, yet not intimidating, book on everything you need for indoor gardening. This is a book that anyone can use with tips on how decorative plants and edibles for indoor farming. Not to mention, beautiful photography!

Good book for people just starting to get serious about growing plants indoors. Great info on all types of lighting arrangements. I appreciated the chapters on the total home environment--details about how to gauge what size fan you'll need for air flow, etc. Overall, a very useful book.

If you told my younger self I would enjoy a book about lighting for plants, I would have laughed in your face. Well, I’m not laughing anymore because I enjoyed reading this book cover to cover. While I am primarily interested in finding the right lights for seed-starting and supporting some of my tropical plants in the winter, this book was informative and so interesting! It opens with an overview of photosynthesis and the importance of light in general and then moves on to the different kinds of light plants require - such as the main difference of blue and red light to grow plants, and the different types of lights a consumer can buy. And then it moves on to moisture, biosecurity of greenhouses and other aspects of growing that are related to light, followed by a comprehensive section on individual plants - edibles and ornamentals - and what lighting requirements (and other requirements) they have. This is a fantastic resource and I love that it also has two sections on cannabis. A great resource!

This is such a good book and enjoyably written. It lays out both the science and the suggestions of how to grow plants under lights. I have a lot of grow lights, and Leslie's book helped answer some of my questions and better understand some of my struggles. (And also confirming a few struggles with my outdoor garden as well.) It did take me a while to read the science-heavy stuff, and I took copious notes in order to assist in processing the information, plus shift some of my reading hours. (I often read right before bed, and heavy science before bedtime either was too much (fatigue) or got me too excited to sleep.) I'll definitely be referring it, and the sections covering certain common veggies and houseplants will be handy.

Vast, Fun, and Inspiring

This box covers such a vast range of growing methods, environments, and plant types its hard to believe it all fit inbetween the covers. The narrative was just enough to entertain the reader, while nerding out enough to satisfying the scientific craving. Inspirational ideas, photos helped me design a indoor growing area of my own. As well as tips for getting my existing plants to optimal health!! Will be referencing to this box every time I find a new corner to fill i or after bringing home my next spontaneous purchase. I certainly have a much bigger wishlist... 😁

I’m a new plant mommy introduced to Leslie Halleck through a planty podcast that I love. She always has such wonderful nuggets to share. But after “reading” this book (truth nugget: I skimmed it), I realize I appreciate her science-y approach to indoor plants in small doses.

We’re preparing to move into winter here in the Northeast and I’m curious about grow lights and how I can effectively use 1 or 2 to benefit my plant collection in these lower light months. I, however, was not up for the robust writing and detailed formulas on light spectrums. It paralyzed me at this stage in my plant knowledge.

With that said, I love Leslie, she’s brilliant, a great resource - - I’ll continue to follow her on IG and enjoy the podcast interview where she’s featured, but I should have chosen my reading more carefully. I simply want a light reading on lights! 😂

I’m interested in having a greenhouse someday and began reading Gardening Under Lights by Leslie F. Halleck with greenhouse ideas in mind. The first fifth of the book explains light for plants scientifically and in depth with the variations and types of light. The next section discusses grow lamp options and their effects on plants. Then the following: growing environments, pests and diseases to be aware of, plant care and propagation and, the final section: edible plants and ornamental plants, make up the biggest part of the book with plants listed alphabetically in both categories. This is botanical level information, which is helpful but I would prefer a more concise instructional guide for plant growth, 4 stars.

This book is a great reference work--it has a lot of useful information. It starts with the basics of how plants work and goes all the way through. It does seem to be geared to a very serious indoor gardener, one who's going to invest in a grow tent and spend a lot of time and money. The book didn't really work for me as a resource because I have a shelf and some cheap grow lights from Amazon. You really need to have a light meter (as described in the book) or have a lot of information from the manufacturer to understand what you're working with and apply information from the book, and I don't have either of those. A great resource for serious indoor gardeners, but everyone can learn something from this book!

While I enjoyed this book and did get quite a bit out of it, it was very overwhelming and text heavy. The font is also quite small, making it seem that much more academic. Some of it is very accessible but a good portion of it is not. If you're looking for specifics on plants, rooms, and whatnot then I suggest using the second half or so of the book more than the first half or so. But do atleast skim as much as you can.

From beginner to serious amateurs (fringing on professional), this book is the holy-grail for any owners who are considering selling their souls to cultivate their green thumb. With the author's background in professorship, the prose reads much like a textbook with useful scientific information, solid references, and signs of reflective teaching as Ms. Halleck includes her personal experience to make her topics as engaging as possible.

A super informative must have for all level gardeners!!!

Excellent book Super informative

This book is a guide to growing anything you want under grow lights. The beginning really breaks down how plants use & process light. The remaining chapters have all the info you would need to have a beautiful home garden. I've decided to purchase this book it's a must have for beginners & experts!!!

Gardening Under Lights is a guide for those looking to grow plants where there is not enough natural light, such as the wild indoors where most people reside. It is technical and scientific in all the ways plant geeks would enjoy. However, it is also academic and overly verbose, which makes its content slightly inaccessible and all the more likely to be skimmed through. I’d suggest potential readers flip through its pages to see if the material makes sense before buying it.

I live in the north, and my family has been wanting to try hydroponics for a while. We needed to learn more information about how lighting affects plants. This book is good, but it was pretty technical for me. It also has a lot of information about pests, etc., in addition to the lighting information.

I received a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

BASIC, i got nothing out of this book. wish it would had more species... maybe you blame me of not getting the concept of the book, but very generic information, it wont help luckly i only spent 1 day reading this.

I wish I had my own copy of this book.

Great guide to indoor gardening

Great resource, I will probably buy this book as a reference.

Great resource.

This is a serious manual for botanist, but it can be read also be gardner wannabee like me, in a superficial way or just in regard of the plants that are we treating in that moment. It is very detailed and full of useful instructions to grow your plants inside (a house, a closet, whatever)..

Questo é un vero e proprio manuale per botanici, ma puó essere apprezzato anche da giardinieri in erba come me, perché si puó leggere a diversi livelli di approfondimento, o anche leggere solo la parte sulla pianta che ci interessa. È piena di informazioni utili ed interessanti per crescere piante all'interno (di casa, di un armadio, dove vi pare).

I wasn't particularly encouraged by this book. The first half is very technical about photosynthesis, light, wavelength, equipment etc and it felt a bit like a school physics text book. The second half was about plants, but there wasn't any particular logic to it. I did have to go back and check that it wasn't a redraft of a 1980s book (not that I could see).

Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers by Leslie F Halleck is currently scheduled for release on July 11 2018. This book is a resource that gives information on just about everything a gardener or hobbyist needs to know to garden indoors. Part One of the book starts with the basics of photosynthesis, the science of light, and how to accurately measure how much light a plant needs. Part Two gives an overview of the most up-to-date tools and gear available. Parts Three and Four offer tips and tools for growing popular ornamental and edible plants independent of the constraints of volatile outdoor conditions.
Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers is an extremely detailed and informative book. As someone who has had terrible luck with indoor growing, but much better results with outdoor growing. I thought some of the information was a little overkill- like the full explanation of photosynthesis, which I remember quite well from previous science classes- but I understand that knowing the whys make implementing the strategies much easier to understand. There is a lot to take in, and I think that readers that are looking for quick answers to questions like "how can I best grow this inside" and "why did this plat die" will be a little overwhelmed or frustrated. However, readers that are more interested in the science and technical reasons for the hows and whys of growing plants inside will be very happy. I would suggest tackling this book like any serious non fiction book or reference guide, giving yourself time to process the information and digest it rather than just quickly flipping through the pages looking for a specific hint to help you, or simply worded answer or solution.

Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers is a well organized and helpful resource to new and experienced gardeners alike. It is very dense with facts, and not really for those looking for a quick read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An extremely comprehensive gardening book containing detailed information about how to grow all things under lights. Really great guide for the gardener who wants to extend their growing season, or set up a growing operation in their spare room. There is a stigma attached to growing stuff indoors. It isn't just cannabis, but everything! If you can grow it outside, it can be grown indoors! Great book. Definitely, recommend.