Indoor gardening has never been more accessible. Grow lights may now be used to grow a wide variety of plants all year round, regardless of where you reside. Grow lights are intended to serve as a substitute for natural sunshine. Plants’ photosynthesis is aided by exposing them to the proper color spectrum.
Using the right bulb or fixture, you can grow all of your favorite herbs, fruits, and veggies all year long. There is a variety of grow lights on the market, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Investing in grow lights for your greenhouse can be a wise decision, and we’ve got the information you need to make an informed decision.
In the first place, what exactly are grow lights?
There is no doubt that growth lights used in greenhouses are man-made sources of illumination. A few are made to look like the sun by emitting a spectrum of light. Others offer a light spectrum tailored to your greenhouse’s plants. Grow lights allow you to replicate various spectrum outputs, colors, and temperatures of light, making it possible to grow plants in a variety of conditions. The light output from these bulbs and fixtures can also be adjusted to meet your specific needs.
Is it possible to grow plants with grow lights?
In a nutshell, the answer is yes. However, many people believe that they only operate if the appropriate light is used. Despite the fact that all grow lights claim to be like the sun, providing the whole spectrum of colors and temperatures needed for photosynthesis, some people are skeptical.
Grow lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Plants can be grown using three types of “conventional” lighting.
- High-intensity discharge lamps
- Infra-red bulbs
- Lighting that uses metal halide bulbs
LED lights are now a viable option in the competitive grow light market due to recent technological advancements. It’s the LED lights, not the LED bulbs, that some greenhouse owners believe aren’t living up to the hype surrounding them.
Sodium-vapor lamps with high pressures
These lights are the most popular among people who grow fruit and flowers. Intense, bright light from high-pressure sodium lamps contains most of the color spectrum’s oranges and reds.
They have the additional drawback of becoming unbearably hot. To get the most out of these grow lights, you’ll need to have a well-ventilated greenhouse and keep an eye on the temperature.
Infra-red bulbs
It’s a good idea to use fluorescent lights if you’re growing seedlings or working with plants that require low light levels. These lights are commonly available and reasonably priced at a wide variety of retail outlets. Also, they’re far easier to use than any of the other grow lights on this list, making them ideal for beginners.
However, as a primary light source, grow lights like these aren’t all that effective. Fluorescent lights, on the other hand, can be quite useful when used as supplemental illumination.
Lighting that uses metal halide bulbs
Metal halide lights are the closest to the sun’s light of all the lights we’ve discussed so far. They have a lumen output of roughly 100 lm per watt and may be used with any sort of plant. For up to 20,000 hours, they’re good to go. As a result, they could be used for nearly three years before they need to be replaced.
However, one of the drawbacks of these lights is that they get extremely hot. Getting your hands on one after it’s been on for a long might cause severe burns.
LED grow lights for greenhouses
Even though some people feel that LED grow lights don’t meet the same requirements as traditional lighting, there are still many advantages to using them. LED lights, on the other hand, have the following advantages:
- They’re good for the environment. Mercury is not used in the manufacture of these lights, which means they will not break like glass if dropped.
- Compared to fluorescent lamps, their lifespan is five times longer, and their power consumption is half as great.
- Just like the fluorescent lights on our list, these bulbs give off a wide spectrum of light.
LED lights may save you money and energy in the long run, but their high initial cost means that whatever savings you do receive are quickly outweighed by the additional costs of owning and maintaining them. Because LED lights are more focused, they produce less diffused light than other types of lighting systems.
Does the purchase of grow lights pay off in the long run?
Growing plants in greenhouses produce more fruit and vegetables when they receive adequate levels of photosynthetic light. When your plants get the light they need, you’ll get more lush greens and bigger, juicier fruits.
As a result, the amount of sunlight diminishes as winter approaches. During the winter, the amount of photosynthetic light diminishes dramatically in many places. A grow lighting system that can complement natural sunshine is an investment that makes sense for people who want to produce and harvest year-round.
