Growing Variegated Houseplants with Artificial Light

People always love more of a good thing, and perhaps this is one reason why gardeners find variegated plants so popular. You get two or three great colors for the price of one plant, and these types of colorful plants can have a great impact in your garden. But why stop at the garden? Some variegated plants look wonderful indoors as well, when they are grown using their correct cultural requirements, including appropriate artificial light.
Variegated ginger makes a great houseplant. Some of the varieties have white and green foliage, and others have yellow and green.
If you want a smoky, dark-hued sensation in your home, try Persian shield. This beauty sports plum and purple variegation on the leaves, and is stunning both indoors and outside in containers.
If you live in a sunny summer part of the country, you could grow a beautiful red banana. The green and red-tinged foliage is beautiful, and if you put the plant outside after it warms up in the spring, it might flower and produce fruit before it gets too cold and you need to bring it back inside.
Rubber plant is part of the Ficus genus. It has thick green leaves that sport white, yellow or light green edges.
If you are a beginning indoor gardener, an easy indoor variegated plant to try is Chinese evergreen. It has lovely light cream leaves edged in darker green.
It might be hard to pronounce, but once you grow Alocasia sanderiana indoors, you will discover that it is easy to love. Featuring big, bold dark green leaves that are edged and its veins are highlighted in white, this beautiful plant can in time reach six feet in height.
All plants require food, which they make themselves through light outdoors but which you will need to supplement indoors; some kind of growing medium, which is usually soil; and water to thrive. Indoor plants face fairly dry conditions, so many plants perform better when there is adequate humidity in the room. You can do this by using a humidifier, or by placing a shallow dish with some pebbles and water near the plants. Soil is important, because indoor plants, like many container plants, usually require a light and well-draining mix. Any nutrients that are in the limited amount of soil will wash out rapidly with repeated waterings, so you will want to add light fertilizer applications during the plant's growing season.
Good lighting is crucial to your success with variegated indoor plants. Choose HID lights with either electronic ballasts or digital ballasts for indoor light that most closely resembles sunlight. These lamps produce an intense light that all of your indoor plants will appreciate.

Susan Slobac is an expert in indoor gardening topics such as hydroponic gardening, digital ballasts and full spectrum grow lights.