Indoor grow lights facilitate the cultivation of high-quality, high-yield, and consistent harvests. It is a particularly tricky plant, demanding lots of care and full, direct light. Cultivators can take their harvests to the next level by utilizing state-of-the-art grow lights.

Understanding plants growth requirements and the science behind plant lights can enable you to replicate natural light, aid plant photosynthesis, and ultimately lead to a higher quality of plants It will also help you select a high-quality product for your plants growing needs rather than wasting your money on cheap, low-quality pot-growing lights.

4 Key Stages in the Plant Grow Stages

At every stage, you need to provide the best environment for the plant to thrive and that can be challenging at times. Generally, plants i.e. its complete lifecycle can expand over a year. However, most varieties of plants can grow indoors within 3 to 5 months.

Stage 1: Germination
The first stage of any plant begins with a seed. The seed needs to be germinated and there are several ways to do that. Even at this early stage, quality is crucial. The indication of a quality plant seed is that it should be dry, hard, and brownish in color.

In germination, the germ inside the seed breaks out in the form of a root. This germinated seed can then be introduced to a growing medium (e.g. hydroponics). Most home growers use the good old paper towel method to germinate the seed.

The germination stage can take anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days depending on its variety. When the first two leaves form, the plant loses the seed husk and this is where the next stage begins.

Stage 2: Seedling
This stage perhaps requires the most care. The plant at this stage is susceptible to disease. You have to be very careful about how much water or fertilizer you give to the seedling. Too much water or fertilizer may hamper growth.

The most important need of the plant at this delicate stage is light. It needs as much light as possible. You can provide the light indoors with the best LED grow lights and we would prefer ECO Farm grow LED, which provides full-spectrum and are budget friendly to buy. Ample light and water will allow the plant to develop stronger roots. As a result, you will start to see the characteristic plant leaves.

The shape of the leaf and the number of leaflets may vary depending on the kind of plant you are growing. At this stage, the leaves usually have just one leaflet. Once the number of leaflets per leaf becomes 5–7, the seedling stage is over. This entire stage can take 2 to 4 weeks.

Stage 3: Vegetation
During the vegetation stage, the growth accelerates. Your plant can grow as much as 5 inches in just one day. You need to supply the right nutrients to the plants at this time for them to start growing buds. The supply of nitrogen is crucial at this point as it helps provide chlorophyll and protein.

The water intake of the plants also increases at this stage. Again, the light remains a vital component for growth. You need to have the best lights for all cycles of flora growth. Most grow lights have a vegetation model that is optimized for this stage of the plant.

The duration of the vegetation stage varies greatly from one variety of plants to another. However, if everything is done right and the plant is growing in a healthy way it should gradually move to the next stage of growth within 2–3 weeks.

Stage 4: Flowering
This stage is perhaps the longest of the plant growth lifecycle (4 to 12 weeks). It can be divided into two sub-phases: the pre-flowering stage and the flowering stage. The pre-flowering stage begins when the days become shorter and the plant receives less light. Of course, you can control that indoors.

This is also the time when you will know the sex of your plant. Female plants produce flowers or buds while the male cones produce pollen. Once you can identify the sex of the plants, it is time to isolate the females to avoid the production of seeds.

During the pre-flowering stage, the plants need a lot of water. Some growers even use special fertilizers to enhance the formation of buds. Potassium and phosphorus-based nutrients are great for this stage and may speed up the process. Finally, in the flowering stage, you will see grown buds with milky pistils and a pungent smell.

Sun System RS 1850 LED Grow Light

Features:

The Sun System LED grow light is a 6 rail, foldable LED producing 1850 μmol/s with an efficiency of 2.5 μmol/j. This fixture is DLC listed, IP65 wet-rated and comes complete with a manual digital dimming button and an internal embedded smart controller that is compatible with the Gavita e-Series Controller. Together, these features give you the ability to control up to 500 fixtures (e-Series Controller required, sold separately). The Sun System RS 1850 utilizes top-bin Sun System-brand diodes to produce a full-spectrum light source. The RS 1850 operates at 120–277 volt.

Grower’s Choice ROI-E720

Features:

The Grower’s Choice grow light delivers the entire spectrum of light to your plants, giving them exactly what they need to grow big and beautiful. It has a standard PPF of 1870–1924 umol/m2/s for professional cultivators who demand ultimate light output. The ROI-E720 was engineered with greater dimensions to provide more versatility and better canopy coverage, especially to the outer edges of 4’x4’ cultivation areas. The ROI-E720 is IP65 water-resistant rated, UL8800 certified, and Horti DLC certified for energy efficiency rebate eligibility. With unbeatable safety, reliability, savings, and performance, the ROI-E720 is unquestionably the right choice for cultivators who demand only the best.

Choosing the Right Grow Light

These popular indoor cultivation lights come in a variety of wattages and designs. The reflective light hoods used to maximize their effectiveness vary tremendously. These hoods are designed to direct the light back onto the plant’s canopy. Some hood options have a vertical, domed look, while others have a flatter, horizontal appearance.

The most popular wattages are 200, 400, 600, and 1000 watts, although other sizes are widely available, depending on your garden needs. The lower wattages are used mostly by home growers, while the larger 1000-watt and higher wattage lights are favored by commercial growers. The electrical output and limitations of the power source must be compatible with the lights used.

The Controlled Growing Environment

One of the big advantages with grow lights and the indoor growing environment is that the grower can control a variety of factors in his or her artificial environment. Not only can the intensity and distance of the light be manipulated, but the temperature and humidity can as well. The indoor grower can also provide supplemental CO2, which is impractical and ineffective outdoors.

The controlled indoor environment is also free of risks from pests and harsh weather. No animals or inclement weather will adversely affect the grow and harvest, which is common outdoors. Light intensity and duration stays constant throughout the entire growing period with the right automated tools.

One of the biggest advantages of using artificial lights is the ability to grow plants all year long. Unlike outdoor growing, growers aren’t dependent on the changing seasons. Artificial light can provide full-spectrum lighting even in the darkest and coldest months.

In an indoor growing environment, however, you must consider how much light your plants get. Lighting requirements depend on the stage of growth your plant is in. During its vegetative stage, plants need at least 18 hours of light per day and 6 hours of darkness. During its flowering stage, plants need at least 12 hours of light per day and 12 hours of darkness.

Another downside of artificial lighting is the cost of buying and replacing equipment, as well as paying for the energy use. While there are budget-friendly ways to use grow lights, they are still more costly than growing naturally outdoors.

Conclusion

There is much more to learn about these plants. Whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors, the right type of plants education can help you optimize your garden to achieve high yields.

Happy Growing!