I made a makeshift reflector for it. It's not pretty but at least it's reflecting the wasted light.

Doubling the fixtures won't change the Kelvin but will double the Lumens, Cameron. I am surprised that a "plant light" label would be on a 2700K light. That's probably about what a warm-white incandescent/fluorescent light would produce. A 4500K would be better and as Gene says, 6500K would be best. I use a mixture of 4500 and 6500K tubes in my T5H fixtures. The 4500K are good for blooming and the 6500K good for (green) growth.

I guess I'll have to eventually get a CFL then? I was hoping it would be sufficient. Unfortunately I can't set up shop lights because of my ceiling. I'll have to use my desklamp again and put a CFL bulb in it. I may use the current ones for my hoyas or African violet.

What is wrong with your ceiling?

Cameron, if mounting from the ceiling won't work, you can mount most shop-lights/T5 fixtures from shelving of all kinds. You might then have the fixture(s) as hanging or horizontally mountings. There are lots of ways to use 4' fixtures. The advantage of the T5 fixture is that it puts out so much light. The T5H produces even more light intensity, way more.

My ceiling isn't stable enough to hang lights from. Since the monstera is so big would I have to make some type of stand to attach the shop lights to it? I'll have to do a little at a time since I'm on a shoestring budget.

Cameron, if you have some wire shelving, something like I have in the garage that I stores boxes and tools on, that will work. It can be almost any sort of shelving, even wood shelves. You just figure out a way to use screws, nails, wire to attach a fixture to so that it can hang. Only your imagination limits what can be done with "hanging" fixtures. Shop lights (get T8, or better, T5) are relatively inexpensive. The HO fixtures are more pricy, though you get a lot of bang-for-the-buck with T5H fixtures.

Thanks I'll have to price everything and make a goal of setting up something for my monstera until I can put it back outside in Spring.

Costco sells some wonderful metal shelving meant for garages. They work well to suspend shop lights from each shelf.

Thanks for that tip Karen. Are they expensive?

Cameron, check out your local Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes for metal shelving ... you might find them on sale this time of year. I grew African Violets years ago and didn't want the expense of the professional type set ups which are quite pricey so I purchased two metal shelving units from Walmart, wired grow lights to each shelf and placed floor tiles on the shelves to keep the pots stable as shown in my old photo below.

Walmart has this one at their website listed for $24.32 and they may also have them in store or you can order them online and pick up at the store for no additional charge: https://www.walmart.com/ip/San...

Home Depot has the same one listed for $30.60: http://www.homedepot.com/p/San...

Wow thanks Lin! Your shelf looks amazing! I wonder how I could set one up for my monstera since it's so tall?

That's easy, Cameron. You have two options, at least with my (garage) shelves.

The shelves are adjustable and can be raised or lowered to any level you wish. I can also eliminate shelves if I wish.

Or you can just attach the fixture(s) to the front-edge of a shelf (wire can be twisted to secure). Then the light would be angled more outward than downward. Because the plant will grow towards the light source, you would want to rotate the plant every few weeks to keep it growing straight and balanced. The plant doesn't care whether the light comes from above or from the side

That's a great idea Ken. I could definitely place the shop lights on the front of the shelving. I have a piece of PVC pipe that sticks about 5 ft out of the pot so it makes the plant pretty awkward. I told my family about the lighting plans and they said it sounds expensive.

Do keep in mind that Monstera do not need a lot of light. Most of mine are not under lights. They are off to the side of lights. Perhaps sitting on the floor next to a shelf of lights, etc. Gene

Oops, I'm still in a fog after being sick with a horrible cold the past few weeks. I forgot the discussion was about Monstera deliciosa. The shelving I referred to won't work for a plant that size; you'd need shelves that are adjustable as Drdawg/Ken referred to but I agree with gasrocks/Gene, Monstera don't need tons of direct light and you shouldn't place the foliage too close to grow lights or they will burn. Although my potted Monstera get bright light, they are in a shady spot beneath oaks and other trees in the backyard.

Thanks Gene and Lin. I have it in a dark bedroom that sometimes gets a little light from a north facing window. There's also two big shade trees nearby. I was thinking of moving it near a south facing window but that would probably be too bright and it's so large, it wouldn't fit in that space anyways. My house is pretty dark and I have most of my houseplants in front of two small windows in the dining room and another bedroom. I guess with the lighting on the shelf I'll have to put it a distance away from the monstera? I just look forward to Spring when I can put it outside.

I also have a small, dark house. Only one small south window, rest face west. However, I do have a LOT of T5 HO light fixtures. I'm up to about 835 pots of house plants. 7 species of Monstera. Largest split leaf is 3' in dia. Gene

Wow, Gene. 835 potted plants. You are as addicted as I am.

That's amazing Gene. I think I have around 100? I really appreciate everyone's advice. I may go into Lowe's one day this week to see what they have.