March 05, 2022
Indoor gardening has never been easier. Grow lights for indoor plants allow you to cultivate a wide variety of plants at any climate during any time of year. These growing lights are specially designed to substitute natural sunlight, stimulating photosynthesis and providing the right color spectrum where the plant can grow and flourish.
There are a number of types of grow light types available, each with their own strengths and characteristics. Here’s a guide on how to choose the best growing lights for your situation, as well as how to properly set them up.
Incandescent grow lights are the least expensive technology, but they are also the least energy-efficient and have a relatively high heat output.
An incandescent grow light bulb. Although they are the least expensive option, their high heat output and low efficiency make them the weakest contender for grow light options.
Fluorescent lights have a low heat signature and produce a decent spectrum of light for growing. They generally come as tube lights or compact fluorescent (CFL) reflectors. Growing with fluorescent lights is a more energy-efficient option than growing with incandescent lights, but they tend to be a more expensive option.
High-Intensity Discharge or HID bulbs produce light through an electric arc between tungsten electrodes inside a tube fused with alumina. These specialty bulbs have a very high light output level and are commonly used by commercial growers.
Metal Halide lights use mercury vapor mixed with metal salts to create a powerful light source. They use a special fixture and, like HIDs, are commonly used by commercial outfits.
LED grow lights offer the latest technology on the market today. Extremely energy-efficient, they have an ultra-low heat output and offer an ideal light spectrum range. Offering low energy usage, low heat, and color optimized for growth, LED lights are the most efficient, effective, and customer-friendly way to grow plants at home than growing with fluorescent lights or incandescent lights.
An LED grow light array. This technology uses the least amount of heat output and offers more energy savings, making it a great choice for indoor plantings. Keep reading to find the best LED grow lights for your indoor garden!
Grow Light Science PROGROW 850 850W LED Grow Light
Features:
PROGROW 850 is a full-cycle overhead lighting solution for commercial or residential plants cultivation. The 850’s form factor allows for expandability and multiple grow room and grow tent configurations where photosynthesis and yield maximization are the goals. PROGROW 850 provides high PPFD levels and can be used with CO2 supplements. PROGROW 850 will also provide PPFD levels of over 1,400 umols/m2/s, either individually or in arrays of multiple cells. These top light output (PPF), spectral distribution and efficacy will deliver amazing results with a modest impact on your wallet.
Mammoth Lighting Fold Series MF08 LED Grow Light
Features:
The Mammoth Lighting grow light is developed with SAMSUNG LM301B diodes that deliver full-spectrum LED light with a unique blend of 3000k+5000k+660nm+730nm, encompassing a continuous wavelength of blue to green and red light. And create a light blend to form natural sunlight indoors. Mammoth grow light has PPF — 2224 µmol/s along with efficacy — 2.9 μmol/J, which helps Mammoth drive higher harvest at the lowest cost possible. 800W LED grow light delivers undoubted performance for at least 5 years and provides full coverage for a minimum of 50,000 hours. As it has a dimming capacity, you can easily adjust light exposure to support different flowering stages and vegetation. The detachable and foldable LED grow light bar makes it easy to manage and adjust.
Light Color
Blue light helps photosynthesis and early plant growth. Red light helps flower and fruit growth. However, different types of plants have different needs, so suggesting a blue/red spectrum LED is an oversimplification at best. Commercial growers who focus on a single plant may wish to investigate a precise color solution, but in most cases a full spectrum LED grow light, which includes white light, infrared (IR), and occasionally ultraviolet (UV), offers best overall performance for the majority of growers. This is particularly true in grow rooms that don’t have a lot of natural light, as full spectrum LED most closely mimics natural sunlight.
LED Type
LED grow lights are supplied either as bulbs, strips (bars), or panels. LED bulbs are a good idea where existing halogens or high-intensity bulbs are already used. Just swap out the existing lights as they burn out. LED grow light strips are often used in commercial environments, as they are economical for large areas and often hang well above the growing areas. Panels are very popular with both hobby growers and professionals. They are available in a wide variety of sizes and performance options, and often very affordable.
Coverage
LED grow light panels and strips are usually rated for the coverage they offer. It is an important consideration when choosing the best LED grow light for a particular area. The figure may vary depending on whether the growth is vegetative or for flowers and fruit. Manufacturers usually supply this information, though may just provide figures maximum coverage, which is for vegetation. For flowers and fruit, it will likely be around 20 percent less.
Performance
Many different figures are given for LED grow light performance, and it can be very confusing. PAR is Photosynthetic Active Radiation, but measurements of PAR are calculated using PPF (Photosynthetic Photon Flux), which is given in micromoles per second (μmol/s). PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density), is given in micromoles per square meter per second (μmol/m2/s). This is the actual amount of useful light reaching plants at a given height and distance (usually specified). Micromoles per Joule (μmol/J) is sometimes quoted as a rating of efficiency.
This explains the science, but practical application can be difficult, and some LED grow light manufacturers don’t provide these figures. However, when they are supplied they can be very useful for comparison. If a specific type of plant is being grown, it is worth researching the recommended PPFD for maximum yield and buying accordingly.
Watts
One of the major advantages LED grow lights have over other types is that they consume comparatively less power, making them more economical to run. As wattage does not directly relate to PAR, PPF or PPFD, it should be considered separately. Model names often include what appears to be a wattage figure but these are frequently misleading.
One of the most difficult aspects when growing plants indoors are the lack of light. However, the best grow lights can be useful when there isn’t enough sunshine to help your plant survive. They are also useful for starting a garden indoors or getting a good start on your plants.
Grow lights are an excellent technique to promote your plant’s growth or to extend your indoor growing season throughout the winter or all year. These lights are made to mimic the light of natural sunlight. Here is a list of some beautiful grow lights above for indoor plants we have compiled. And I hope it will help you. Thanks for reading!
October 20, 2023