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Using Grow Lights For Indoor Gardens

Grow lights are special electrical lights that are used for growing plants. They work by giving off light in the same light spectrum as the sun does. Plants are then able to use this light in photosynthesis. Therefore, grow lights are very useful for indoor gardens, where plants don't receive enough sunlight to grow on their own. Here's a brief description of why you should use grow lights, which bulbs give off what colour of light and the light requirements for different plants.

Why Use Them?

Here are a few reasons why you should use grow lights:

• Sometimes you have to place a plant in an area that doesn't receive enough light and you want to give it an extra boost,
• You want to have beautiful flowers all year long on plants such as African Violets or orchids,
• To start seedlings indoors before planting them outside or,
• To grow an herb and vegetable garden inside your home so that you can enjoy fresh herbs and vegetables during the winter months.

What Are The Different Colours of Lights?

Blue and red are the most common colours of light that you will hear indoor gardeners talk about. Each colour is used for a different stage of growth by the plant. Blue light is the colour of light that makes a plant grow. It is perfect for starting seedlings and leafy plants. Later, plants need red light because it makes the plant produce vegetables and flowers. However, too much blue light can cause a plant to become stocky, while too much red light can cause a plant to become tall, thin and spindly.

There are three different kinds of grow lights: incandescent, fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) lights. Each type of light produces a different colour from the light spectrum.

• Incandescent light bulbs give off mostly red light.
• Cool white fluorescent bulbs produces only blue light, while warm white fluorescent bulbs produce mostly red light. Another alternative is to use a full-spectrum fluorescent bulb, which provides both blue and red light.
• A metal halide HID bulb gives off mostly blue light, while the high-pressure sodium HID light bulb gives off light from the orange-red spectrum.

What Are The Growing Conditions for Plants?

Different plants need different growing conditions. They respond to different spectrums or colours of light in different ways, some need more light than others and some need light for shorter or longer hours each day. Plants can be broken down into two general categories: flowering and non-flowering. Here is a brief description of the growing conditions required by plants in each category.

Flowering Plants and Vegetables: Includes African violets, begonias and chrysanthemums. They like to be close to a light source, about 10 to 12 inches. The use of red light will cause these plants to produce lots of flowers.

Also, they love the light - the more the better for them. If these plants don't receive enough light, they become very pale. They require anywhere from 14 to 18 hours of sunlight a day to produce flowers or vegetables. There are a few exceptions to this rule; plants like African violets, coleus and geraniums only require 8 to 12 hours of sunlight. Other exceptions are azaleas, begonias, chrysanthemums and kalanchoe; they require less than 12 hours of sunlight year round and even shorter hours of sunlight before they will flower.

Non-flowering Plants: Includes ivy and philodendron. They can be further away from a light source, even as far away as 36 inches. They will do well with only 8 to 12 hours of sunlight each day.

 

 

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