My succulents test the solarium
15/1/2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
Off to the sunbed: that's what I decided to do for my succulents and put them under plant lamps. However, I didn't quite experience the desired enlightenment.
The days are getting brighter again - just not my living room. The sun is still too low and short in the sky for my plants to get enough light. Some succulent stems are already a little long and shrivelled and individual leaves are falling off.
It's high time to test some plant lamps. And ones that I don't have to set up, but that I can clip on to save space: the Sansi LED plant lamps.
Easy installation, but cable clutter
Three are included in the pack. That's around 40 francs per lamp - not exactly cheap. Nevertheless, I was impressed by the quality when unpacking: the lamp clip, neck and head look sturdy and of high quality. And they can be fitted in no time at all.
Installation
I snap on a clip on each level of the shelf. They would also hold on the edges of the pots. However, I don't like the look of this as the clips look a bit clunky on the small pots
Alignment
I align the three goosenecks with my succulents. The distance I need to keep and the width covered by the light is not listed in the user manual. I stick to a distance of 20 to 40 centimetres and a coverage of 20 to 35 centimetres for comparable plant lamps. The fact that the lamps can be rotated 360 degrees is very practical. This allows me to bend them so that they don't shine directly into the eyes of people or animals, as stated in the safety instructions.
Power connection
I connect the three power switches to the respective power plugs (each cable is about three metres long) and plug everything into a triple plug - because there is no room for the power plugs next to each other.
The three separate plugs lead to quite a mess - it's a shame that the individual connections can't be bundled into a single plug. I also have to press the three switch-on buttons individually. Well: Let there be light!
As long and bright as possible!
But how long and how bright? I can now determine this using the two switches above the switch-on button.
- With the timer, I can set the lighting duration to three, six or twelve hours. I opt for the longest option, which now starts at the same time every day. With three 10-watt lamps, this results in 360 watt hours per day - the power consumption remains reasonably manageable, especially as I only provide targeted lighting for individual plants.
- I use the +/- to regulate the brightness. Four levels are available to me: 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 75 per cent and 100 per cent brightness. Again, the user manual does not indicate which level is suitable for which situation. I choose the highest one.
Wow, that's really bright! No wonder: the three plant lamps provide full-spectrum light. Put simply, they don't just emit individual light components, but the entire spectrum that plants need for photosynthesis, growth and leaf formation. This ranges from blue (promotes leaf growth) and green (supports the shape of the plant) to red and far-red light, which is just beyond the visible red light (promotes flowering and fruit formation). In other words, as if they were standing outside in daylight.
This takes a bit of getting used to. As I use warm light everywhere else in the living room, the plant lamps with 4000 Kelvin colour temperature (neutral white) are quite dazzling. You have to be a big plant fan to overlook this. Or choose a lower brightness level. But I'm not doing that - for the time being. I want to get the maximum out of it ...
Something is happening
After two weeks, I can see the first change. My Pachyphytum oviferum already has somewhat fuller leaves and has turned towards the lamp. And the Crassula ovata also seems to have straightened up a bit. I'll be able to say more in a few more weeks. So far, I'm quite happy, even if I'm left with questions about light coverage and optimal spacing.
Meanwhile, I'm even sitting next to the plant lamps on the reading chair and devouring an interactive crime novel in full spectrum light. After all, I have to look closely to see who the murderer might be. And that I don't stumble over the three cables ...
What experiences have you had with plant lamps? Write it in the comments.
In a nutshell
Lots of light and cables, too little information
The clip-on LED plant lamps are space-saving, quick to install and can be flexibly rotated in all directions. The workmanship is high quality and the full spectrum light covers all plant requirements. What causes chaos, however, are the plugs. Each plant lamp has a separate power connection. An integrated distributor would be more practical. It would also be desirable for the user manual to specify the distance to be maintained from the plants and the light range covered by the lamps.
Pro
- Space-saving, as it can be clipped on
- Flexible (thanks to 360 degree swivelling goosenecks)
- Simple installation
- Extensive full spectrum light
- High-quality workmanship
Contra
- Cable chaos due to three separate plugs
- Unclear coverage areas and distances to plants
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love anything with four legs or roots - especially my shelter cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. My favourite things to do are stalking around with police dogs and cat coiffeurs on reportages or letting sensitive stories flourish in garden brockis and Japanese gardens.
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