Grow lights are one of the most important parts of an indoor gardening setup, especially if what you’re trying to grow is edible. But with many options available, and so much technical mumbo-jumbo being used by manufacturers, figuring out the right option for you can be an overwhelming task. The purpose of this article is to simplify your grow light purchasing experience.

What is an LED Light and How Does it Differ from Grow Lights?

First of all, for the uninitiated (which let’s face it, is most of us), here is how LED works. LEDs consist of two types of material through which electricity flows, emitting visible light in the process. LEDs are simple to make, cost-effective, and provide energy-saving opportunities. This is why LEDs have become increasingly popular over the last few years.

LED lights were primarily designed for lighting buildings, for humans, so often do not cover the full spectrum required for optimal plant growth. This is done by manufacturers to increase brightness and efficiency.

Grow lights, on the other hand, are specifically built keeping in the mind the requirements of photosynthesis in plants, and blooming in flowering plants.

Depending on the needs of the plants, grow lights come in varying intensities and color spectrum distributions. Although grow lights do not replace the effect of sun, when selected carefully, they can be quite useful for indoor gardening. Grow lights can be different types, including LED grow lights.

What are the Advantages of Using LED Lights for Gardening?

Alright, so we have already talked about how LED lights are, in general, better than other lights for their brightness and efficiency. Their simplicity, energy-saving features, eco-friendliness, and long-term cost-effectiveness make them an ideal choice for any household. All of these advantages hold even when using LED lights for gardening.

Here are also some additional benefits of using LED lights for gardening:

LED lights can speed up the plants’ harvest cycle for indoor gardening. This is especially beneficial for growing vegetables, when you want successive harvests more quickly.

They emit less heat than other types of lights. With other types of lights, you must place the lights at a distance from your plants to ensure less heat damage. You may also have to invest in an indoor cooling system or fans. Otherwise, plants may wilt or even die due to excessive heat.

LED lights can be placed as close as 6 inches around your plant. This is perfect for gardeners with little indoor space. A small apartment dweller can be a happy gardener too.

Decreased maintenance time and cost, as LED lights last much longer than regular grow lights.

Mars Hydro SP-250 LED Grow Light

Features:

This Mars Hydro grow light uses the latest SMD LED technology, which can achieve maximum output at 2.5g/watt (power consumption). Compared with other 1000W old LED plant growth lights, 2.8μmol/J will increase the output by 50%. All enclosures are heat sinks, which allow heat to escape from the lamp. Designed for home growers, the fan will produce noise when used for a long time, bringing you a quiet planting experience without a fan. In addition, you can face it up in any direction from left to bottom. Not only can it be hung vertically to increase penetration, but it can also be hung horizontally as a sidelight for vegetables and flowers. The Mars SP250 planting lamp waterproof LED board can work in a high-humidity greenhouse planting environment and has a life span of 50% longer than other brand lamps.

ECO Farm 240w Samsung 301H Waterproof LED Grow Light Bar

Features:

The ECO Farm LED grow light uses High Efficient LED Beads, higher light intensity, less light decay, better lumens and PAR values than ordinary leds. It runs at a lower temperature and can bring higher energy conversion and longer life. The full spectrum design (Samsung 301H 3000k+6500k+660+730nm) promotes plant growing faster. The actual power is 240watt, light efficacy is up to 2.6umol/W. This grow light has a lower temperature, is more scientifically and energy-efficient, making you get a 30% higher yield than HPS. Perfect for 2x4ft growing area, higher intensity in an ECO Farm mylar grow tent. No fans no noise and waterproof function. Lots of heat sinks and hollow body ensures maximum heat dissipation. No additional fan zero noise.

What You Need to Know Before Buying Grow Lights

Many of the growers who grow their plants indoors consider buying grow lights at one time or another. I, myself, have a few grow lights myself. However, before you even think about buying grow lights, you need to understand some important facts.

Not All Grow Lights Are Created Equal
The first thing you’re going to notice when you go out to buy grow lights is that there are many different kinds. Some of them work, some of them don’t, some are safer than others and some cost more than others. If you’re serious about buying grow lights, you need to understand the basic differences between them.

Safety First
When it comes to using grow lights indoors, you need to consider safety first. Because of this, never buy a grow light that isn’t UL (Underwriters Laboratory) listed. If the grow light isn’t UL listed, it may not be safe to use in your home.

The Cost
When it comes to prices, grow lights really do run the gambit. You can get spot grow bulb grow lights for about twenty bucks or a sophisticated grow light system for thousands. It really depends on what your needs are and how much money you have in your budget.

Just remember, whenever you use your grow lights use them according to the manufacturer directions. Grow lights are safe as long as you use them properly. Otherwise, they can potentially be a fire hazard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Plants like LED Lights?
Just like the illumination that comes from the sun, LED luminescence devices produce enough illumination that is required by herbs during the different stages of growth. However, a model that provides full-spectrum colors seems to be the best. Most plants require illumination with a wavelength of blue, red, purple, and white colors.

How far Should LED Grow Lights be from Plants?
There are no specific guidelines on how close you should place the illumination from plants. However, you should place them about 12–18 inches away from the plants. If they are too close, they may cause the leaves to curl or even burn. On the other hand, when they are placed far away from vegetables, they may not provide them with enough illumination.

How Many Hours Should I Use My Grow Lights?
Plants require illumination for 12–16 hours within a day. Therefore, the illumination should be on for at least 8–10 hours per day depending on the conditions. Since luminescence devices do not consume a lot of electricity, you can leave them even for up to 18 hours. However, plants also require some darkness to enlarge. It means that you should not expose them to luminescence for 24 hours.

Can LED Grow Lights Burn Plants?
They emit too much heat which can damage your plants. To avoid this, you should ensure that the ones you have chosen match with the surface area where you are growing plants. Those with high wattage are the most powerful.

Conclusion

When growing plants indoors, you have to decide what takes top priority. Do you care about your energy bills, the environment, secrecy, or efficiency?

If you’re looking for discretion, LED grow lights and fluorescent grow lights are the likeliest options. However, if you’re after efficiency, HID is probably the best grow light for plants available. That is, as long as you don’t mind the increase in your electricity bill.

Then again, if you have a grow space of less than five square feet, fluorescent light is enough when your plants are small. You can upgrade to a 250W HPS as the plants get larger. If you have space, an MH light for plants in the vegetative stage and HPS for the blooming phase works well. Using MH lighting throughout is fine but will have fewer flowers, more foliage, and a lower yield.

Different options work best for different solutions, so pick the one that’s right for you and work to its advantages. Once you have selected the right light for your needs, you can start growing plants. After choosing the soil type, your fertilizer preferences, and a few other things, of course!