Does anyone know anything about grow lights?

Seems to me I recall someone telling me once upon a time that lights packaged as grow lights are expensive and there is another light at home depot which is just as effective but is not so labeled, hence cheaper. I am a nun, vows of poverty and all that. So I need it as inexpensive yet as effective as possible.

I know one could use florescents if one had a cool one and warm one and used them together. But of course, they need to be attached to something.

Also I am not sure how many watts I need.

I want to put some on my balcony so i could grow some crops. I have spent the afternoon screwing some long narrow planters to as much of the railing of my balcony as i could reach. All the time I was thinking how I don;t get the minimum 6 hours of sun. So naturally I thought of using grow lights. I figure they could be attached to the underside of the balcony upstairs.

Also I was thinking... I have some extra lamps because mom has given me some of hers that I like better and i was thinking I could but grow light like light bulbs in the lamps. If of course i know what sort of light bulbs to put in them.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you.

Oh! and yes, I did have permission to screw the planters into the railing. My apartment manager said I could do whatever I liked. He didn' care. I promise not to abuse such license!!!!!!!!

Oh! Oh! Perhaps you need some info about my balcony. It is approximately 12X 4. And is open on one long side and one short side. The long side faces east and the short side south, but is shaded by eucalyptus trees. And as I said, there is a balcony upstairs. And along part of the wall, I was hoping eventually to do some vertical gardening there.

Thank you very much,
Sr. Gloriamarie

What sort of crops would you like to grow?