Artificial lights, such as LED grow lights, have served as reliable sunlight replacements for indoor succulents, and other vegetation, for many decades. If you’re new to the concept and utilization of LED grow lights within indoor gardens, you may be confused as to how they actually work and operate.
While LED grow lights are not the only type of grow light available on the market, they are definitely one of the most popular choices when it comes to indoor gardening. However, before you immediately purchase one for your own indoor garden, it is very important to not only learn about how LED grow lights work, but also how to use them appropriately and effectively.
Light and plants
We all know that it is crucial for plants to have access to sufficient sunlight in order to grow successfully. This is due to the fact that plants require sunlight in order to photosynthesize. Photosynthesis occurs when the chlorophyll, which is found in the leaves of plants, absorbs the sun’s light energy along with carbon dioxide and water in order to produce oxygen and glucose.
However, the required amount of sunlight needed to facilitate this process is not always available to plants in many indoor living spaces. Thankfully, grow lights are a great remedy for indoor gardeners who wish to provide their plants with a sufficient light energy source.
Different types of light
It is important to note that grow lights are not the same as the normal everyday light bulbs found in households. This is due to the fact that grow lights emit light that is of a different wavelength compared to the light emitted from standard light bulbs. While normal household lights tend to emit light that looks white, grow lights emit light that from a range of specific wavelengths within the visible electromagnetic spectrum. Unfortunately, plants may not be able to utilise the ordinary white light — emitted from normal household lights — for their much-needed process of photosynthesis.
Amount of light needed
Another important detail to note about grow lights is that plants should definitely not be exposed to their light for 24 hours. While grow lights ultimately benefit the growth of plants, much like the sun, your plants should not have access to it continuously.
As a general recommendation, grow lights should be left on from anywhere between 12 to 16 hours of the day. However, the safest bet would be to mimic the general hourly patterns of the sun throughout the seasons. Ultimately, all forms of vegetation also require periods of rest and darkness, in order to grow successfully.
Types of grow lights
The wavelength of lights that can be used by plants for photosynthesis is known as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), and the visible light within these specific wavelengths amount to different colors — violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange and red. While normal lights usually only give off non-PAR white light, grow lights act as an artificial light source that plants can use, as if they were photosynthesizing with normal sunlight.
There are actually three main types of grow lights:
- High Intensity Discharge (HID)
- Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL)
- Light Emitting Diodes (LED)
All of them accomplish the same task, however, LED grow lights are the most modern, and are therefore more technologically advanced compared to CFL and HID grow lights.
LED grow lights vary in sizes and while they are used in commercial greenhouses, they are also perfect for those who are looking to successfully grow their own vegetables, herbs, flowers or decorative succulents at home.
Best light for vegetative growth
The PAR light emitted from the individual diodes of LED grow lights allows plants to photosynthesize and grow healthily.
While all of the visible light within the PAR range — of the electromagnetic spectrum — can be utilized by plants, there are a few colors that are known to be more effective than others.
For example, blue light contains shorter wavelengths and is the recommended light to use during the germination or vegetative phase of plants.
Best grow lights for vegetables
On the other hand, the visible orange and red light contains longer wavelengths, and are both recommended to promote flowering and possible fruiting of plants.
Why LED grow lights are preferable
Ultimately, HID, CFL, and LED grow lights all work well in sustaining and promoting the growth of indoor plants. In that case, why should you pick LED grow lights, instead of a CFL or HID one?
The truth is that LED grow lights have many advantages when compared to the other two options.
1. Full spectrum light is best
While both CFL and HID grow lights do provide light that is within the PAR range of the electromagnetic spectrum, one bulb is capable of only shining one specific light wavelength. Unfortunately, different colors are more effective for different plant growth stages. This means that indoor gardeners will most likely have to purchase two or more different grow lights when it comes to using CFLs or HIDs.
On the other hand, LED grow lights can offer either one color from the spectrum or consumers can also purchase those which feature colors from the full electromagnetic spectrum. These are called full spectrum LED grow lights.
2. LEDs are known to emit more light while consuming less power.
This means that LED grow lights are extremely energy efficient and last longer compared to CFL and HID light bulbs.
3. LEDs provide for a safe grow light option; especially around the house.
They are also different compared to HID or CFL grow lights, as LEDs produce light electrically through a circuit — without requiring the presence of gas, mercury, lead, or any other harmful elements.
Unfortunately, CFL and HID lights are likely to shatter if knocked or dropped from a height. This poses as a huge health risk, as shattering the bulbs of these two types of lights will result in the release of dangerous gases. Hence, LED grow lights are the safest option for household indoor gardens.
4. Cost effective setup
Despite the fact that LED grow lights are usually the more expensive option, the total price of the entire set up may actually be cheaper than a system which utilizes CFLs or HIDs. This is due to the fact that both CFL and HID grow lights actually require a ballast, which controls the electrical current of the bulb, as well as a reflector, as the light emitted is often wasted and needs to be reflected onto the plants. On top of all of that, both of these grow lights are also known to have a short life span, and need to be replaced much more frequently compared to an LED grow light.
Things to Consider When Buying an LED Grow Light
- Keep in mind how big or small your indoor garden is
- The LED grow light should be of similar size to your indoor garden area. If the LED grow light shines on a much larger area, you risk wasting PAR
- light. Alternatively, if the LED light isn’t big enough then some plants will not receive sufficient light.
- Make sure the LED grow light comes with a cooling fan
- While LED lights are known to produce very little heat, certain environmental factors may cause it to produce too much heat.
- It is important to avoid this, as heat can dry out your plants.
- LED grow lights provide a lot of light
- While this is great for your plants, the vibrant colors may conflict with your living space. With this in mind, you may wish to make sure that you have a designated space for the grow light before purchasing it.
- Consider what light your plants need
- Do they need blue light? Red light? Or something else?
- Quite a few LED grow lights come with a full spectrum of colors, which can be a great option if your plants are at different stages of growth.
‘Full spectrum’ LED grow lights are essentially capable of emitting most, if not all, of the visible PAR colors from the electromagnetic spectrum. These types of LED grow lights are particularly useful for gardeners who require both blue light and orange or red light for their plants’ growth process. Most ‘full spectrum’ LED grow lights allow users to alter the color of the light, or wavelengths, to best suit their plants’ needs.
The Best Artificial Light for Plants
Artificial light sources are a great solution if you’re looking to successfully grow vegetables, herbs, flowers or any other plants indoors. While there are many options to choose from when looking for a great grow light to suit your indoor garden needs, LED grow lights are definitely one of the safest and most energy efficient choices that works well to support the healthy growth of plants.
