Light is one of the most critical factors for the growth of plants. For outdoor growers who rely on sunlight to grow their plants, there is no need to worry about their light source. However, indoor growers who sow pot seeds indoors have to worry about replicating the effects of the sun’s rays indoors. Highlighted below are the most popular types of lights you can buy.

Why are LEDs the Best Grow Lights for Indoor Plants?

There are several types of indoor grow lights available for indoor growing. However, most farmers prefer to use LED grow lights. Research shows that LEDs are the favorite lighting method for North American farmers. Here are some of the benefits of LED grow lights;

Energy saving: With LEDs, you can save 50–70% energy anywhere. They save energy and are also able to maintain a constant light intensity. Light does not fade over time.

Full Spectrum: LEDs have a full spectrum, comparable to the radiation spectrum of natural sunlight. This is one of its selling points.

Reduced Heat Emissions: LEDs generate the least amount of heat of all grow lights. They produce sufficient light intensity while reducing heat emissions.

Durability: One of the main advantages of LED grow lights is durability. Most LEDs have a lifespan of 3–4 years if maintained properly. You get nearly 50,000 hours of light.

Eco-friendly: LEDs do not contain mercury or any other harmful gases that can affect the growth of plants. They are recyclable and very safe.

Better Plants Quality: Some plants are of higher quality due to the absence of UV rays.

Low Maintenance: In addition to being easy to install, LEDs are also very low maintenance. Once installed, you can focus on growing your plants. None of the traditional conventional problems. So, you can save more money.

GrowPros HM480 LED Grow Light

Features:

This GrowPros grow light, with an increased lifespan over traditional grow light sources, cultivates healthier, happier plants. The HM480 Series produces 1.8 gram per watts (dried) of crop yield. A high-PPFD and PAR indicates high efficacy, or light output produced per expenditure of unit of power. Generating about 50% more in energy savings over traditional HID and HPS light sources, the HM480 gives you meaningful savings over time. Will not produce the same results without CO2 supplementation. A full-spectrum LED rack lighting solution designed for commercial indoor and greenhouse applications, enabling control over the plant cycle from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage.

TotalGrow MH Lumyre 480W LED Grow Light

Features:

TotalGrow LED grow lights feature multiple high-intensity light strips in a slim profile and built-in power supply to distribute the ideal light intensity evenly across your growing area to meet your growing goals. Superior, customizable full spectrum supports efficient, high-quality growth of any life stage and crop variety. This plug-and-play solution with direct daisy chaining is easy to implement, has low up-front and ongoing costs, and sustainably produces high-quality crops. The efficacy of this LED grow light is as high as 2.8 μmol/J to meet the light intensity your plants need. Robust, reliable, ideally shaped design for ease of use and excellent uniformity.

Best LED Grow Light Features

You may be looking for the best product for the money you can buy. You may also want a grow light that covers a wide area. Here are guidelines to consider as you make your product choice.

Light Output
The wattage capability of an LED is not the same as the actual light output. For example, a 3W LED will typically only run at 1–2W so that the life of the LED can be extended.

If a product has 100 3W LEDs, it is often marketed as a 300W LED grow light. It is important to know that the marketed wattage is typically more than the actual power of light emitted.

Light Spectrum
Many LED grow lights are marketed as full spectrum lights. This means that the LED chips offer a wide spectrum of colors for your plants. Plants need different light depending on the current growth stage. Plants need more blue light during the vegetation phase and more red light during the flowering phase.

A good LED grow light will contain both red and blue LEDs along with small amounts of UV lighting to give a broad spectrum of light for your plants.

Lighting Amount
The amount of light you need to have will vary based on what you are growing. Low light is great for lettuce, herbs and leafy produce. You need to have high light for vegetables. Although coverage area is important, it is better to have the right light wattage for the specific plants you are growing. Low light plants need about 25W per plant and high light plants need about 50W of light per plant.

Conclusion

When you’re growing plants indoors with lights, you have to decide what’s most important. Would you rather buy cheap lights that use a lot of energy, or would you rather spend a lot of money in the first place and reduce your electricity bill? You also have to consider the conditions in which the plants will be grown.