January 04, 2022
When a crop grows in the wild, it survives and blossoms because of the abundance of the basic necessities needed for growth — air, sunlight, water. These three factors are all it needs in combination with the sun’s natural changing cycle and the environment.
However, these necessities of life are not in abundance when professionally growing plants indoors. The grower needs to put many things in place, and lighting is one of the most vital essences of life. The best light for vegetative growth will provide optimum lighting to make your plant grow healthier, leafier, and greener.
After years of indoor gardening with excellent yields, we have identified some of the best light that consistently gives excellent results. Here we discuss these 7 products; they will help your crop develop leafier and greener leaves for optimal photosynthesis, growth, and development. We also included a buying guide that reveals factors to consider in a vegetative growth light before buying. And lastly, we answer some of your pressing questions in the FAQ section.
Everyone knows plants need light to grow, but not all light sources are the same. Grow lights allow you to cultivate beautiful indoor plants in any climate, any time of year. There are many different types of grow lights that are all specifically designed to stimulate photosynthesis and help your plants grow.
Remember learning about photosynthesis in middle school science class? Great, let’s get back to basics for a minute. Photosynthesis is a process that occurs in plants. It converts light energy into chemical energy that the plant can then use to grow. Photosynthesis occurs differently depending on the plant.
This means that plants sometimes require different wavelengths of light to grow. Grow lights can either mimic the light spectrum of the sun or emit specific wavelengths needed to help an indoor plant flourish. For example, blue light can help with foliage, while red has an effect on root formation and flowering.
ChilLED Tech Growcraft X3 mini — 200W
Features:
ChilLED LED Grow Light will maximize your yields and profits. Switch from HPS to ChilLED and increase your yields & profits 30–70+% without adding any additional heat, energy costs or cooling requirements. The market-leading efficiency combined with the tunable Yield Max spectrum equals unmatched performance. This grow light uses the highest build & component quality — never sacrificed for profits. ChilLED grow lights are built to last. Retrofit into your environment with ease. Hands down, ChilLED lights are the most versatile on the market. Growcraft lights have very high light output and unless your plants are already acclimated to high light intensity, it is best to start slow with the light hanging high and possibly also dimmed. Then monitor plant reaction over a few days and slowly adjust as needed.
BESTVA BAT W200 Dimmable LED Grow Light
Features:
BESTVA grow light provides highly efficient full spectrum with a healthy red-to-blue ratio to drive photo synthesis. Light energy between 500–599nm, previously thought wasted, penetrates deeper into the plant canopy promoting photo morphogenic responses. High color rendering “white” light aids to rapidly identify potential threats to your crop and provides superior working conditions and safety for personnel. Ideal for both flowering and vegetative production. Bar light design and aluminium material on the back contribute to better airflow and great heat dissipation. This growing light comes with a detachable driver and long power cord, thereby reducing ambient heat in your growing space for extended lifespan. With the waterproof circuit board, worry free of the moist environment. Easy installation.
Succeeding with grow lights will be a process of trial and error. So have fun, experiment and don’t get discouraged too quickly.
Here are a few steps to help you succeed:
Choose your bulb wisely. Figure out what you want to do with the light before you buy it. Remember: More expensive lights may only need to be on a fraction of the time as their cheaper counterparts.
Put the lights close to the plants. The closer to the crop, the more of that light is going to be used by the plant.
Use a timer. Some plants do better under consistent daily light.
Don’t forget the water. It’s actually a myth that succulents like aloe don’t like ample water. Usually, they aren’t getting enough sunlight to use all the water. Also, for seedlings, keep them evenly moist. If they look stretched with lots of space between their leaves, they need more light.
Maintenance and safety. Clean your lighting apparatus as needed for maintenance, but be cautious.
Blue light is excellent for the vegetative stage, and red light triggers flowering and fruiting. The vegetative light color temperature denotes if the grow light output tends towards a red or blue.
A plant in the vegetative state should be allowed to soak in lights for at least 18 hours; this is called 18/6. However, some growers keep plants under a vegetative light for 24 hours, known as 24/0. This allows plants to become healthier, leafier, and greener.
In general, additional exposure of two weeks of vegetative growth light will significantly increase your yield. After two weeks of rooting time and two weeks of vegetative growth time, your crops will blossom.
What is the difference between reproductive and vegetative growth? Reproductive growth is concerned with flowering and fruiting for the production of a marketable crop. While vegetative growth is concerned with the development of shoots and roots for solid plant structure and green leaves for photosynthesis.
No matter which grow light you choose, your indoor houseplants are sure to thank you for the extra boost!
In the end, hope this article will help you choose the best LED grow light!
October 20, 2023