11:59 AM PST on Sunday, January 8, 2006

It's gray and dark in the winter, yet your gorgeous orchids need a bright sunny spot. You can keep them blooming for a while but if you want them to grow and bloom next year they need more light. 

A new kind of grow light will provide all the light your orchids need. It’s a fluorescent light you can put in an incandescent light fixture. It lasts a good year and the thing that's so great is that it’s full spectrum. 

KING

The bulbs provide full spectrum light.

A bonus you’ll get with these fluorescent lights is that they're not hot. You can have a plant two inches away from the bulb and your plants will be just fine.

Typically, orchids need 14-16 hours of light per day, so if you leave the light on 14 hours a day you're in great shape.

One problem is that these bulbs have mercury like all fluorescents so when they’re done you can’t just toss them in the garbage, you have to recycle them.

CLICK HERE for a list of recycling locations in the Seattle area.