Living Plant Lamp Brightens Room Decor

1980 - Volume #4, Issue #6, Page #29

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Many people talk to their plants to encourage them to grow better. But very few people caress their plants in order to turn the lights on.
One man who does is John Melde of Sandy's Sweet Cream Shoppe in Coon Rapids, Minn. Some customers are lured into the store just so they can touch his two "plant operated" lamps.
And touch it they do. Hundreds of people have stopped by to turn the lamps on and off with a quick tap to a leaf. If they give a gentle squeeze, the lamp dims or brightens.
"I feel like a dummy because everybody asks me how it works and I don't know," says Melde. "I tell them it's a magic lantern. Plant experts have assured me its a legitimate phenomenon".
Actually, the plant itself has no control over the Living Light, as it's called. The plant simply becomes a part of the switch when you touch it.
According to Patricia May, who assembles and sells the lamps, the Living Light is controlled electronically by a circuit board near the light bulb. The plant you decide to use must be grown hydroponically. That is, the roots grow in a liquid nutrient solution with perlite growing medium used to replace soil.
The plant is electronically grounded to the pot. May says that when you touch a leaf, the electrical impulses from your body cause the circuit to short out. This, in turn, signals the circuit board to turn the light to on, off, dim or bright.
"There's no danger of electrical shock - unless you pour water right on the electrical wires of the lamp itself," May says. "Then you'd get a shock just as you would with any regular electric lamp."
May has sold about 100 Living Lamps since February. She assembles them with electronic parts from a Florida manufacturer, although she intends to be able to buy them from a local manufacturer soon. Price is $119 complete or $60 without the plant, pot and shade. "It makes a great conversation piece. Any plant can be used although plants with a low light requirement work best," says May.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Patricia May, 3655 NW 172 Lane, Anoka, Minn. 55303 (ph 612 753-1382).

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Living Plant Lamp Brightens Room Decor CROPS New Techniques 4-6-29 Many people talk to their plants to encourage them to grow better. But very few people caress their plants in order to turn the lights on. One man who does is John Melde of Sandy's Sweet Cream Shoppe in Coon Rapids, Minn. Some customers are lured into the store just so they can touch his two "plant operated" lamps. And touch it they do. Hundreds of people have stopped by to turn the lamps on and off with a quick tap to a leaf. If they give a gentle squeeze, the lamp dims or brightens. "I feel like a dummy because everybody asks me how it works and I don't know," says Melde. "I tell them it's a magic lantern. Plant experts have assured me its a legitimate phenomenon". Actually, the plant itself has no control over the Living Light, as it's called. The plant simply becomes a part of the switch when you touch it. According to Patricia May, who assembles and sells the lamps, the Living Light is controlled electronically by a circuit board near the light bulb. The plant you decide to use must be grown hydroponically. That is, the roots grow in a liquid nutrient solution with perlite growing medium used to replace soil. The plant is electronically grounded to the pot. May says that when you touch a leaf, the electrical impulses from your body cause the circuit to short out. This, in turn, signals the circuit board to turn the light to on, off, dim or bright. "There's no danger of electrical shock - unless you pour water right on the electrical wires of the lamp itself," May says. "Then you'd get a shock just as you would with any regular electric lamp." May has sold about 100 Living Lamps since February. She assembles them with electronic parts from a Florida manufacturer, although she intends to be able to buy them from a local manufacturer soon. Price is $119 complete or $60 without the plant, pot and shade. "It makes a great conversation piece. Any plant can be used although plants with a low light requirement work best," says May. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Patricia May, 3655 NW 172 Lane, Anoka, Minn. 55303 (ph 612 753-1382).

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