While I don't use grow lights for indoor tropicals, I do use them for seed starting. What I've been using for the past few years that seems to work great are 'daylight' fluorscent bulbs by Philips. They have a more natural spectrum than the cool white/warm white combination I used to use or true 'grow' lights. I gather these lights are recommended/can be used to help minimize the SAD problem some people have in winter. If you have, or can add, several fluorescent fixtures to the room where you're going to keep the plants, use the daylight bulbs in them. The light is quite bright - like strong sunlight. I had to put valences on the shelves of my light stand - it's in the livingroom and, without the valences to limit light leakage into the room, it was too bright! Tropical plants should love it!

Brugs

I as well have a love for these tropicals and more.
We where going to build a greenhouse or solarium but then decided to buy a little place in FLorida.
It has been a terrific decission the past six years

I garden mostly year round.
Brugmansia I overwintered many years in Canada and still do. A number of the plants I let go dormant in the basement even without special lighting.
But I did always keep cuttings of special Brugs on window sills with bright light and they did fine. Not to much watering I think is applicable to all the tropicals you bring in. And don't expect them to do as well in winter inside as they did outside. Just keep them living.
WHite fly is a nuisance on them all. You might look for a couple of those sticky bug catchers that you hang up.

Good luck.
Do you have Brugmansia or Datura blooming outside now.

Diane

I've thought about this too. I'd like to save our two mandevilla vines. One of two made it last winter(had to buy another). I'd like them both to survive this year. I use shop lights for seed starting, but I wondered if I hung the lights vertically, if that would work for the taller vines. What do you think?

Hi Diane, as for you question if I have any brugs or dats blooming now, my Ecuador Pink just started blooming about a week ago. As for my others, no. I think the summer was just too hot. I do have a dat blooming in my garden too. How about you?