Imagine an example where you’ve got everything set up for your indoor hydroponic farm, and then the question pops into your head; how many watts of LED grow lights should I provide for my plants? If you don’t know how to answer that question, this article will help you determine how much wattage to provide to your plants for optimal growth with LED grow lights. let’s start.

How many watts per plant LED grow lights?

Let’s use the square footage per plant to find out. The first thing you need to do is measure the size of your growing space or tent in square feet. After determining the area, choose an LED plant light with suitable light intensity according to this size. If you are still not sure, you should consult a lighting expert in a lighting store.

Note that other factors may also determine your choice of LED grow lights. These factors will help to choose the right light intensity for plant growth.

What are the advantages of LED lights?

When you’re growing in a small, confined space like a grow tent, LEDs are really the only lighting option. Scroll down to read what makes LED lights better and more convenient than other options.

Dimmability
Excellent dimmable LED lights to support your plants throughout their life cycle. The dimmable feature means you can adjust the light to a fraction of the power when you’re growing tiny seedlings, or when you need to light your plants for larger fruit for the last few weeks. Turn it to maximum. This is a big advantage of LED lights. Other lamps such as HPS, metal halide or fluorescent lamps have very limited dimming options.

LEDs are cooler
Also, LED lights stay cooler compared to other lights, which is especially important for growing tents without much air circulation. A high powered HPS light will heat your tent in no time, while also drying out the air and increasing the need for humidifiers and ventilation, ultimately costing electricity and money.

Power savers
For a similar light output, LED lights use only 60% of the energy needed compared to other options.

Spider Farmer SE5000 480W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light

Features:

This Spider Farmer LED grow light features a uniquely designed 6 extended LED strips that provide more even canopy coverage, especially on the outer edges of the growing area. With 1680 SAMSUNG LM301B diodes, the SE5000 Led Grow Light consumes 480 watts at 1333 umol/s, achieving an impressive PPE of 2.75 umol/J, covering a high yield full-cycle growth of 4'x4'. The full spectrum (380–410nm, 660–665nm, 730nm, 3200–4200K, 4800–5000K) is ideal for vegetable flowering to suit every stage of the plant cycle. The dimmer knob is ideal for growers to adjust the light intensity for different growth stages. The daisy chain feature allows you to connect up to 30 spider farm grow lights — dimming multiple lights at the same time.

Maxibright Daylight 480w PRO LED Grow Light

Features:

The Maxibright grow light is suitable for growers looking for higher outputs and greater yields in a more compact and versatile unit. This fixture boldly bridges the gap between the higher and lower powered units in the range, meaning they’re adaptable to a wide range of applications such as propagation, multi-layer gardening and grow tents/rooms. The ability to dim the fixture from 25% up to 100% power, means you can use it from the early stages of growth right through to flowering. The DAYLIGHT 480W LED PRO boasts a full spectrum of light with a fixture efficiency of 2.7 μmol/J and a total output of 1296 μmol/s. This is all made possible by 5 bars of high-quality Osram and LUMLED LED chips, covering a 1.2m x 1.2m area perfectly, with outstandingly uniform light coverage.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best LED Grow Lights

The right power and the right coverage area
Power and coverage are two key factors to consider when choosing the best LED grow lights. The wattage of LED lights refers to the power consumed by LED plant lights, which is proportional to the light output. Generally, 400–600W of wattage is suitable for a 4×4 growing space. However, it’s important to note that higher wattage doesn’t always mean better coverage or higher light intensity. Coverage, on the other hand, refers to the area that a grow light can effectively illuminate. Grow tents require grow lights that can cover an entire area without leaving any gaps. Therefore, it is imperative to choose the best LED grow lights with the proper wattage and coverage to ensure that all plants receive sufficient light for optimal growth and yield.

Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights Provide the Light Your Plants Need
Spectrum is another key factor to consider when choosing the best LED grow lights. Spectrum refers to the range of wavelengths of light emitted by grow lights, which is important for the photosynthesis process of plants. LED grow lights are available in a variety of spectrums, including full-spectrum lights for all stages of plant growth and broad-spectrum lights that offer different combinations of wavelengths. In addition, some LED grow lights have specific spectra, such as red and blue spectra, which are good for flowering and plant growth respectively. Therefore, it is imperative to choose LED grow lights with the right spectrum for the specific plants you plan to grow in your 4×4 grow space. By providing the correct light spectrum, you can ensure your houseplants receive optimal light for healthy growth and increased yields.

Uniform PPFD for plant growth
PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) is another important factor to consider when choosing LED grow lights. PPFD measures the amount of light received by indoor plants, specifically the number of photons hitting a square meter per second. A higher PPFD means more photons are available for photosynthesis, which is essential for healthy plant growth. Optimal PPFD varies with the growth stage of the plant, with higher PPFDs required during flowering. Therefore, it is imperative to select LED grow lights with the proper PPFD based on the specific houseplants and growth stages that you plan to grow in your grow tent. By choosing LED grow lights with the right PPFD, you can ensure your houseplants get enough light for optimal growth and yield.

High quality and excellent after-sales service
Durability and warranty are also key factors to consider when choosing LED grow lights. Durable grow lights will last longer and provide consistent performance, ensuring your grow light investment is worth it. Plus, the warranty ensures that you can get a repair or replacement if the grow lights break down or fail during the warranty period. Therefore, it is very important to choose a reputable LED grow light with a quality guarantee of at least one year and good after-sales service. By choosing a durable grow light with a warranty, you can have peace of mind and confidence in the longevity and performance of your grow light.

Cost-effective LED grow lights
Price and budget are also important factors to consider when choosing LED grow lights. The price of LED grow lights varies, and the cost depends on many factors such as wattage, coverage and spectrum. When choosing grow lights, it’s important to set a budget and stick to it to avoid overspending. However, it is important to note that these cheap grow lights may not provide optimal performance and quality, which can affect the growth and yield of your plants. Therefore, it is recommended to choose cost-effective LED plant growth lights. By choosing LED grow lights within your budget, you can be sure that you are getting a quality grow light with the best performance without breaking the bank.

Conclusion

A rule of thumb is 32 watts per square foot of planting area. But remember to take other influencing factors into consideration when choosing grow lights. Familiarize yourself with the information presented here and you’ll be well on your way to mastering grow lights.

With that being said, we hope you can figure out how many watts each type of plant LED grow light needs for optimal growth.

Happy gardening!