The company of plants is one of the things that gets us through a Chicago winter. Those with sunny southern windows are blessed, but many of us need some electrical help to give our plants the light they need. Here are some tips for gardening under lights. For more information, see the University of Missouri Extension, www.muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agg uides/hort/g06515.htm or Gardene'rs Supply Co., www.gardeners.com/growing-under-lights/defaut/5080.page.

1. Expand your indoor garden. Lights make it possible to have a foliage plant in a dark interior hallway; to have some flowering plants indoors; to grow herbs or salad greens indoors in winter; and to start seeds before it is time to transplant them to the garden.

2. Match lights with plant's needs. Different plants have different light needs. In general, leaves can get along on less light than flowers. Variegated leaves -- such as white-streaked pothos -- require more light than plain green ones. And flowering is especially energy-intensive. The red and blue parts of the spectrum are most important for plants; flowering requires even more red light.

3. Know the differences between bulbs. Incandescents -- standard lamp bulbs -- burn so hot that they will toast any plant close enough to feel the effect of their limited light. More efficient fluorescents are the indoor-gardening workhorse: Many gardeners use a common hardware-store shop light with one cool-white tube (for blue and red wavelengths) and one warm-light tube (for more red). Special full-spectrum plant light tubes are more energy-efficient and have more wavelengths, but cost more.

4. Know how close to position lights. Lights need to be near plants. Fluorescent tubes placed 16 or 18 inches away from plants may be enough for a shade-tolerant fol
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