How high should I hang my light above my plants?
by Admin
Posted on 08-02-2023 10:24 AM
Led (
emitting diode) horticultural lighting is a viable alternative for indoor use.
They benefit from low operating temperatures and are longer lasting and more energy efficient than t5 ho fluorescents. At this point in their development, however, they can still be more expensive than t5 ho fluorescents to install. Specialist light meters may also be required to measure the light output of these systems, which can add to the expense of the set up. Hid (high intensity discharge) lights, which include metal halide and high-pressure sodium systems, give off a tremendous amount of heat. This makes them less useful in the home as extraction equipment is necessary to remove the hot air.
Along with quality light, when managing young seedlings, you also want to ensure you give them: 14-16 hours of light per day. Proper space between the plant canopy and fixture. Adequate air flow. Proper timing between irrigation cycles to allow for drainage. Appropriate amounts of nutrients. An ideal temperature between 65-75° f. Some crops like their environment warmer, closer to 80-82°f. A higher humidity within your seedling’s growing environment, nothing less than 65-75%. The bottom line is, optimal lighting for your seedlings and proper environmental management can increase crop productivity in any growing setting. Using led grow lights for the beginning phase of your crops’ development has proven to be effective in producing stronger plants, resulting in higher yields.
Generally speaking, more watts (energy consumed) translates to more plant available light energy. All else equal, higher wattage globes will be placed further from the plant and low wattage globes need to be placed closer. Note that some manufacturers attempt to mislead consumers by quoting an "effective" wattage. This is irrelevant for plants, and we recommend ignoring it.
Andrea aka @basillicana , a plant lover based in kent with a gorgeous collection of unusual house plants, uses the ikea lersta floor lamp with the ikea vaxer led bulbs. Andrea uses them for 4 hours a day from 4pm-8pm for her more high maintenance plants like the aroids, which need a lot of light to develop properly. “it’s blue light with a hint of pink and it’s not too harsh on the eyes. It’s also really powerful and long lasting and relatively cheap and easy to find for everyone. ”dr laura jenkins aka @_houseplanthouse is a plant blogger with a great website packed with information and advice.
How long should I leave my grow lights on?
The main problem faced by uk growers is our short growing season, and the lack of light over the winter months and early in the spring. In order to get worthwhile harvests later in the year, it is often necessary to sow early, when seedlings will often suffer from lack of light.
Light starved seedlings can become tall and straggly and will be less resilient to later problems. Often, germination is patchy, and the success rate even lower. Grow lights are a solution to problems with low light levels for indoors seedlings. Indoors, or in a polytunnel, seedlings can be started throughout the year as long as the requirements for heat and lighting are met.
Image by supersmario we all know plants need light to grow and be healthy. Indoor plants often suffer from too little sun and can benefit from artificial light. Most lighting options today feature leds due to their long life and low energy use. Should you use led lights to grow plants? the traditional grow lights were fluorescent or incandescent. Let’s see what the difference between led lights and grow lights stacks up to and which is better. Keep reading for led grow light info that will help you make an informed decision before you purchase plant lights.