Sunlight is one of the crucial ingredients for plant growth, but, as evidenced by indoor houseplants, the light they receive does not necessarily need to come from the sun. Artificial light from grow lights can get seedlings started and keep plants growing in dark, indoor areas.
Sunlight is one of the crucial ingredients for plant growth, but, as evidenced by indoor houseplants, the light they receive does not necessarily need to come from the sun. Artificial light from grow lights can get seedlings started and keep plants growing in dark, indoor areas.
When it comes to providing artificial light for your plants, your regular desk lamp probably isn’t going to get the job done. Sunlight contains all spectrums of light, including all the colors of the rainbow—colors of light that plants use in different ways. Red and blue light seem to be the most important.
An indoor grow light system uses fluorescent lights to mimic sunlight’s properties., although incandescent bulbs may be used. Fluorescent is often the choice of professional and high-output gardeners. LED grow lights are another option to provide light while using less electricity.
Standard fluorescent bulbs are often used to start seedlings. They can be used indoors to supplement low sunlight conditions or completely replace sunlight in dark areas. Depending on the type of plants being grown, grow light systems are tailored with spectrum and temperature requirements that fit the needs of the plant. Incandescent bulbs work well to provide light to plants that would normally grow in low light or shade.
Just as outdoor plants receive light from the sun during the day and darkness at night, indoor plants grown with grow lights should receive some periods of darkness, and setting up a timer can help to control that.
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