What is a Plant Grow Light?

Farmers have been relying on sunlight for thousands of centuries to grow their crops, and one thing we can agree on is that plants need light to grow. However, this doesn't mean that it should necessarily be sunlight. Recent technological and scientific advancements have revealed that plants can still grow optimally with artificial light.

What are grow lights?

Grow lights are artificial lights used to supplement part or all-natural sunlight that plants need to trigger or accelerate various chemical reactions like photosynthesis. Grow lights help with various tasks like germinating garden seedlings, providing light to potted indoor plants, etc.

Grow lights can be tailored to provide light according to the plant's specifications or try to provide a similar spectrum to that produced by the sun. Grow lights mimic outdoor conditions like temperature, color, and spectral outputs.

Grow lights are relatively new in the horticultural sector; however, NASA has studied them for years. Their research determined that growth light usage depends on the plants the light is used on, the energy expenditure, and economic feasibility. However, these factors play a minor role when growing a few indoor plants.

Typical Uses of LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants

Grow lights have several uses. For instance, they are used for indoor gardening, horticulture, food production, and plant propagation. You can also use them to provide light for aquatic plants and indoor hydroponics. While most of them are used on an industrial scale, they are also used in households.

The inverse-square law dictates that the amount of light radiating from a source to reach a surface is inversely proportional to the distance of the object from the light source squared. For instance, objects twice as far from the light source receive only a quarter of the light.

This causes a tough challenge for indoor plant growers. There are lots of techniques meant to help solve this issue. Some individuals use reflectors to maximize light efficiency. Others place plants and lights closer together, enabling them to receive equal lighting.

What to consider

Style

There are several grow light options, making it easy for you to become overwhelmed when choosing what grow lights to purchase. You can choose to go with several LEDs or a standard tube mounting. You could also purchase a standard light panel with adjustable light angles and height. You can choose a floor lamp, tabletop grow light, hanging pendants, desktop grow light, etc.

Light spectrum

Plants absorb light ranging from 400-700nm in the spectrum. The plants use different colors during different stages of development. For instance, light in the red spectrum is great for flowering and fruiting. White light encompasses the entire light spectrum allowing the plants to get all the light they need.

Adjustability

Most people invest in full-spectrum lights that cover all stages of plant development. However, more serious indoor gardeners use adjustable, multi-colored lights for various stages of growth. The lights include red, blue, and white, making it easy to fine-tune the lights to fit the plant, growth stage, and season.

Power

While you may know an LED's wattage, this doesn't usually mean you know how powerful the light is. Most LEDs burn bright and use less energy than bulbs. A light's brightness is measured in lumens (lm).

Additionally, LEDs don't get as hot as fluorescent bulbs making them safer to use on your plants since they won't burn the leaves. Other LEDs also have reflective aluminum panels that increase efficiency and internal cooling systems that reduce overheating.

Connectivity

You can link grow lights together and increase your coverage. Doing this provides you with sufficient coverage without using many electric outlets. There is a minimal number of lights you can connect safely. Thus, you should ask for help from a professional if you don't know how to make electrical connections.

Conclusion

Your choice of LED grow light for indoor plants depends entirely on your needs. For instance, you can choose to buy a simple table top grow light or desktop grow light if you have one single indoor plant that requires extra light.

Research what type of light and how may grow lights the plant needs to grow optimally before going through any purchase. Have fun!