Yup, too many tall trees blocking my south windows. Winter is the best light there all year since the leaves are gone but it's still too little.

I measured yesterday - the sun on my roof is now providing (over the course of a day) around 1/4 of what I was getting in the summer.

I have most of my plants under lights in the winter, but I have a couple of south windows that get completely unobstructed sunlight from around 10 in the morning to past 4 in the afternoon. I may try to keep some plants there over the winter and see how they do.

I'm beginning to think that for some people with very cold windows, which in some cases can be the coldest place in the house, it would be better to use lights away from the cold into a much warmer room)

Some really tolerant plants go in the bay window facing North, higher light go in front of theSouth facing slider, highest light go under additional lights and in front of a South window.

I disagree.....cold windows with bright light are better than warm windows with bright light. Plant growth will slow in cooler temperatures and there's less risk of etiolation.

Breton, I suppose that all depends on what you are growing ...Some of mine do much better in a very warm window, not HOT, better than in a cold one...

If you are growing yours in a very porous mix, yeah, I'd say you have much better luck, but some around here growing in mixes that stay wet too long or water too often, are not better off growing in cold windows.....And every single one of my plants grew much better under lights in a warm environment with lights provided for more than 8 hours verses cold windows with less than 5 if that during the winter, for example Desert Roses..

What Zone do you live in?

Mike

My plants all sit on a table that's right in front of two big windows, I have some supplemental lights on the table, especially for those that need the most light like some of my echeveria. I do have a few on the windowsill. I am ever so slightly concerned about the cool temps in the winter here, even though it doesn't get super cold just because my room is the coldest in the apartment in the winter (and the hottest in the summer). Seeing what other people have said though, it sounds like mine should be okay (it's my first winter with succulents).

Without the supplemental lights, some of mine would definitely be getting etiolated as evidenced by the times before I had the lights and the fact several have started to stretch when too far from it. As the sun has shifted inthe fall I get a little less direct light to my room. There is a post somewhere on this site where I posted my setup.

Succulents will do well in colder temps as long as they are not wet. I have quite a few still outdoors, and our temps have dropped to around 0*C (approx. 32*F) on many nights already. They are kept dry.

Rina, exactly! I still have all my Jades outside hoping they flower from the very cold nights and warm days...BUt I will water them in the early a.m as the sun hits them against the warm side of my house and usually they dry out by nightfall. I have to leave many orchids outside too in cold temps to initiate bud set, but the roots must be dry. Keeps your fingers crossed will you?

Rina, going to check my e-mail tomorrow. Have a sparkling day)

Mike

As others have said, i aim to keep my plants cool and dry over winter, most of them will do dormant in these conditions and i don't need to worry about light levels.

Sometimes ((if I remember!)) during winter I use extra lighting when the sun hasn't been seen for a few days. I have to pick the favorite shorter plants (mostly jades) as the light is only 2ft wide with 4 tubes. It was a jade life savor when I had special young cuttings to get rooted too.