Grow Lights For Plants
Indoor Plant Lights
Which Grow Lights For Plants are the right ones? Learn how the different types of indoor grow lights work and when to use them.
Blue LED Grow Lights stimulate leafy growth in plants
Photo: amymyou
When do you need a plant grow light?
Plants require light and heat to grow. The amount required depends on the type of plant under consideration. There are plants that need a
lot of light to thrive, while others require less light.
Indoor grow lights for plants provide light and heat to facilitate development of a plant
from a seedling to a mature plant. A horticultural lighting system allows the gardener to have an extended growing season.
Consequently, there is
an increased supply of vegetables and fruits throughout the year.
A Plant Grow Light Guide
Which is the best grow light?
There are generally three types of grow lights for plants.
High Intensity Discharge Grow Lights
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights are highly efficient and come in two forms, Metal Halide (MH) lamps and the High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps.
Metal Halide grow lamps produce blue spectrum light, which is ideal for growth of young plants. The light produced is cool measuring 6500 degrees K.
It is the best alternative to natural light. Most MH lamps have a cumulative life span of at least 10,000 hours.
The light produced is also quite bright at 125 lumens per unit watt.
The standard fluorescent lamp produces only 39 lumens per unit watt.
Metal Halide lamps are 5 times more efficient than incandescent lamps and last 25 times longer than the average incandescent lamp.
High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps are best for flowering and budding plants. They produce red spectrum light.
For best plant results, use them in
conjunction with natural light. HPS lamps are very economical and have a life span of up to 18,000 hours.
They are also brighter than Metal Halide
lamps with an average brightness measuring 140 lumens per unit watt. They produce great results when used in a green house.
However, HPS lamps do have a few limitations. They are lacking in blue spectrum lighting. Due to this, HPS are unsuitable for plants that are just
beginning to grow. HPS can only be used in on young plants in conjunction with another lamp that produces blue spectrum light. It also makes the growing
plants look pale, washed out and lacking in nitrogen.
Fluorescent Grow Light
Photo: sarahloo
The second alternative is the fluorescent grow light. The best to use are either CFL or T5. They produce bright light measuring 75 to 90 lumens.
Fluorescent lamps are more efficient and facilitate greater utilization of light when compared with incandescent lamps or high
intensity discharge lights.
They also produce less heat. Since they do not scorch the plants, they can be lit close to the plants without
endangering them. Being close to the plants also reduces lumen loss, enabling increased productivity.
Fluorescent plant grow lights appear in two versions. Some produce red spectrum light measuring, 2700 degrees K to 3000 degrees K. These are suitable for flowering
and budding plants. The other version produces blue spectrum light, measuring 5000 degrees K to 6500 degrees K. These lights are suitable for young plants.
The other fluorescent grow light for plants is the standard T12 bulbs. These are suitable for startup plants but are ineffective for plants in
the flowering stage. Use them on African violet and herbs.
To obtain good results, the fluorescent grow light should not be further than 4 inches from
the plants. They are cool to the touch and are unlikely to damage the plants.
Fluorescent lamps are also suitable for the display of plants.
They are more efficient than incandescent lamps, producing double the amount of brightness produced for an equal amount of unit wattage.
Fluorescent lamps have a long life span, lasting 20,000 hours, almost 30 times that of incandescent lamps.
Fluorescent lamps also have a High Output (HO) model. It is very powerful and produces twice as much light as standard fluorescent grow light.
It has a thin profile and may apply in difficult to reach areas.
The other advantage is that it is available in a variety of models, from 2-tube to 8-tube lamps. They have an average lifespan of 10,000 hours.
High Output fluorescent lamps are available in two formats, those that produce red spectrum light (warm) and those that produce blue spectrum light (cool).
Photo: lauracreekmore
Incandescent Plant Grow Lights
The third category among the indoor grow lights products are the incandescent indoor plant lights. These are the least expensive lamps among
the three. They are also the most inefficient.
They may function as a supplemental light source to serve individual plants.
Incandescent plant grow lights have a low lumen output unlike the high intensity discharge lights or fluorescent lights.
Their disadvantage is that they produce a lot of heat and may scorch the plants especially when brought too close to them.
These grow lights for plants also have a very low lifespan averaging 750 hours.
Related Pages
Soil-less Systems:
Basic Hydroponic setups and the two main systems used.
A Homemade hydroponic System:
Gardening without soil in your home.
Grow Lights For Plants:
Which is the best type of indoor plant lights for your purpose? A guide to indoor grow lights.
Water Gardening:
Learn about the benefits of Water Gardening.
Indoor Plant Lighting:
All you need to know about Indoor Plant Lights.
|
Growing Culinary Herbs In Containers - Healthy&Delicious!!
