When it comes to plants, not all light is created equal. Unless you have a greenhouse or an unlimited number of south-facing windows, grow lights are your best bet for providing the right amount of light for your plants. While nothing beats natural sunlight, grow lights are designed to deliver Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) so plants can photosynthesize as they do in nature.
Indoor Plant LED Grow Light Description
If you’re a beginner, you might be wondering why your houseplants need LED lights. To help you choose the best LED grow lights, you need to first understand what grow lights are and why houseplants need them. Indoor LED grow lights are artificial lights that can help stimulate plant growth.
Plants often do not get enough direct light and may have difficulty blooming, hence the need for LED lights.
LED grow lights are handy for any houseplant that needs direct light. Grow lights not only stimulate plant growth, but also allow you to start seedlings indoors, but there are certain devices you need to know about, such as built-in timers, which allow the plant to control the type of light it chooses.
LED grow lights might really be a good fit, so you’ll want to make sure you have a timer to give it shade when it needs it.
One of the main advantages of LED grow lights is that they can easily fit into limited spaces while still helping your plants thrive. LED grow lights also reduce the need to treat plants with chemicals and pesticides, as they are less susceptible to pests with this grow light.
ECO Farm MB660 Foldable Grow Light Bar
Features:
The UV+IR bars of this ECO Farm LED grow light can increase your plant THC content. UV light causes the plant to create more resin to protect itself, which means higher THC and CBD levels. This LED grow light utilizes the latest technology on the market–from intensive research for optimum performance, to customized spectrums to achieve the highest yields possible. This grow light is the most powerful commercial-grade LED grow light on the market. No fans = silent & noise-free operation. The full spectrum(2112pcs LM301b 3030 White chips+48 Osram 660nm Red chips) allows you to drastically increase yields and quality. Using this LED grow light is a great way to save on lighting for larger grow rooms and greenhouses.
GrowBright Command Series 660W LED Grow Light
Features:
The system design features 8 bars, each equipped with 240 enhanced-red full-spectrum chips. A spanning frame and cool operating temperature allow Command Series lights to be placed close to the garden canopy for increased efficiency, while bars can be adjusted laterally to customize the lighting footprint. Coverage capability combined with a uniform 4×4 light footprint makes the Command Series fixture an ideal LED lighting solution for a wide range of facility configurations. Our most energy-efficient growth spectrum is designed for those seeking maximum nutritional growth and flowering capabilities Design for people. It is heavily biased towards the red part of the spectrum and aims to maximize the blade and radiation capture. On-site and laboratory testing allows us to guarantee that the luminaire will provide a higher growth rate than any LED luminaire under the same wattage. If you need efficiency, this spectrum can provide the highest μmol/Joule level of all our spectrum options.
Buying Guide
Types
Incandescent lamp
This is still the most common and cheapest form of indoor lighting. However, they should be kept at some distance in the greenhouse so that the plants are not scorched by the heat they generate. They last about a thousand hours and are great for certain plants.
Fluorescent light bulb
However, the blue light emitted by fluorescent lamps is known to promote lush plant growth. This type of light source is more efficient and uses less energy than an incandescent bulb. For seeding purposes, they are preferred by greenhouse gardeners.
High Intensity Discharge Lamps (HID Lamps)
Large greenhouses benefit greatly from these lighting options. Due to their high heat output, they also require careful placement during installation. I learned that both metal halide (excellent during flowering and germination) and high pressure sodium (HPS) HID lights are available (great for stimulating plant growth).
LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights
These LED lights for greenhouses are the most advanced options available. The term “new kid” is apt. LEDs outperform their competitors and last longer; plus, they consume far less energy. LED lights for greenhouses are available in blue or red and produce even heat.
Choosing the best greenhouse lighting for your plants is simple if you know this information. Plus, I’ve done the legwork and compiled a list of the best lights for the various plant species we typically grow to make your life even easier.
Spectrum
When discussing the spectrum of grow lights, we focus on the wavelengths that are beneficial to plants. Since your plants will still be exposed to some sunlight, this will largely be supplemented by the greenhouse lighting you install. Light with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm (in the blue, green and red range) is most efficient for photosynthesis. The wavelength range of photomorphogenesis (the process by which plant structures are formed) extends from 260nm to 780nm, including ultraviolet and far-red light.
But how do you determine the most suitable lighting? What matters is the effect each light has on the plant.
UV light (100 to 400 nm)
Although there is not enough data on how badly UV light affects plants, it is possible to find this option in greenhouses because it is thought to increase resistance to environmental stressors, fungi and pests.
Blue light (400 to 500 nm)
The main reason to use blue light is for its flowering and growth benefits. By adding extra light hours, it promotes root growth and higher chlorophyll uptake.
Green light (500 to 600 nm)
Green light is rarely used because it is not well absorbed by plants; however, when combined with other types of light, it may aid photosynthesis in the lower leaves. Green light should never be used alone.
Red light (600 to 700 nm)
The red end of the visible spectrum is also commonly used in grow lights. This combination of red and blue light is commonly used to boost photosynthesis and plant growth. Without the bushy effect of blue light, plants grown under red light grow longer instead.
Far-red light (700 to 850 nm)
Like red light, far-red light should not be used alone, but it is thought that it may promote flowering and leaf expansion, which increases the surface area available to plants for photosynthesis.
Greenhouse type
Which grow lights you need depends on the size and layout of your greenhouse. Greenhouse lighting for small home greenhouses differs from the lighting required for larger commercial greenhouses.
For example, grow lights must be able to withstand the wet, harsh conditions often found in industrial greenhouses.
Electrical Efficiency
You should always check the efficiency of a product before buying it. This will guarantee the best possible results while keeping costs to a minimum. Try to find grow lights that are both efficient and energy-efficient.
Heat
Some plants cannot survive temperatures that are too cold or too hot for their needs. Therefore, it is crucial to always choose grow lights with good heat dissipation. Some lamps generate too much heat, and some lamps generate too little heat.
Conclusion
LED grow lights can definitely be used to grow plants indoors, and it gives you the opportunity to keep growing in winter. There are different types of LED lights, and keep in mind that some are better than others. Your indoor plants do need as much sunlight as your outdoor plants, so you’ll want to choose your LEDs carefully for your grow light.
The type of LED grow light you choose will also determine the quality and quantity of plant growth.