What are grow lights?
The artificial lights used to grow plants in the garden are called grow lights. The light provided by grow lights is the same as the light coming out of the sun. The plant’s health is maintained when the grow light comes in. When people grow their own herbs or vegetables, it becomes a challenge for them to provide efficiency. LED grow lights play a vital role in maintaining the life of the plant, no matter if you are a gardener or someone who wants to do it out of fondness.
Why are the gardening lights important?
Light is one of the essentials that plants need to grow food. Although sunlight is the best factor for the plant to grow, it is not possible for all the year, sometimes due to winters or limited space that does not cover sunlight.
How to hang grow lights
Proper hanging of your grow light ensures maximum efficiency. Placing them in an incorrect position can damage your plant.
What is the right height for each stage?
Determining the height of light depends on what stage the plant is going through, either seedling or mature stage. During the seed germination, the light should be 2 – 4 inches above, vegetative growth stage requires the distance of 10 – 24 inches and when the plant comes into flowering phase, place it 18 – 34 inches above.
Spectrum and intensity of light
These two factors also play a crucial role in plant growth and productivity. Different light spectrums active development in different phases of the plant.
- Ultraviolet light (100 – 400 nm)
Used to increase plant disease resistance and terpenes in your plants. Ensure to keep the limited light because excessive UV light can damage the plant.
- Blue light (400 – 500 nm)
Encourages chlorophyll absorption, making it essential for the growth of vegetables and leafy greens.
- Greenlight
It is not considered as important as other lights as plants absorb very little of it. However, it is suggested that it be used for canopy penetration as it sneaks deeper into plant stands.
- Red light (600 – 700 nm)
Supports flowering and fruiting stages by stimulating photosynthesis. It is the most effective light spectrum.
- Full spectrum light
The mixture of red, green and blue light wavelengths is known as full spectrum light that promotes overall plant growth.
Light intensity
- Measured in PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) determines how much usable light reaches the plant surface.
- Different plant stages require different varying intensities:
- Seedling stage: 100 – 300 µmol/m²/s
- Vegetative growth: 400 – 600 µmol/m²/s
- Flowering and fruiting stage: 600 – 900 µmol/m²/s
Each grow light has a different PPFD value
It’s very important to adjust the intensity of light by managing the distance between the plant and light. Different LED lights affect intensity and quality delivered to the plants.
- LED lights with 200 – 1000+ µmol/m²/s achieve similar values with the advantage of customising the light spectrum for different plant stages.
- Metal Halide Lamps with 200 – 600 µmol/m²/s fixtures generate more heat and tend to have a shorter lifespan as compared to LEDs.
- CDM with 300 – 800 µmol/m²/s leads to more consistent light output and has a longer life as compared to Metal Halide Lamps and LEDs.
- High pressure sodium lamps with 400 – 900 µmol/m²/s produce a lot of heat which is efficient for maximising yield.
Understanding how and when to use grow lights is vital for successful cultivation. We as a team at Bayton Horticulture Centre are proud to have earned top customer service satisfaction and we’re here to help. If you need assistance, please contact us now!
