A LED grow light is a special lamp designed for use in indoor gardening, plant propagation, and food production, including aquatic plants and hydroponics. Most grow lamps are used for industrial purposes, but some people use them for domestic use. They work by producing a light spectrum similar to sunlight, thus aiding plant growth indoors. Plants need a specific electromagnetic spectrum for photosynthesis and grow lights replicate this very successfully.
There are different light spectra used during the different plant growing cycles. The initial vegetative stage needs blue light and the flowering stage requires red-orange light. Lights can be color specific, or bulbs can be bought which produce a full spectrum of light necessary for all stages of plant growth. Grow lights usually work with a reflector that controls the intensity of light emitted. Due to the high intensity of the light produced an electrical ballast controls the current to the light.
There are four main types of grow lights: incandescent, fluorescent, high-pressure sodium lamps, and LED growing lights. LED grow lights are very popular with indoor growers. They are relatively cheap to run, as they do not consume as much power as alternative grow lights. They also do not require ballasts and produce very little heat compared to some types of grow lamp.
One useful side effect of the lower heat emission is that plants do not need to be watered as often as they transpire less. As such, plant growers need to be wary of over-watering their plants. LED lights use 6 watt LED’s; two red and two blue LED’s.
Plants need to be kept close together so that the lighting they receive is equal and all the light emitted hits the plants and not the area to the side. If grow lamps are used in home gardening, the walls of the room can be covered by a reflective material, or even painted white, to maximize light efficiency. PVC sheeting is a useful material that is commonly used in home gardening. The white side will reflect the light and the black side faces the wall to reduce mold and fungous growth.
LED lights need to be placed on a timer so as to allow the plants some time in dark. The optimum light and dark periods depend on the plant species being cultivated. Some varieties prefer long days and short nights, whereas others thrive under the opposite conditions. Different plants also require different amounts of light to grow successfully. To achieve the best results using LED grow lighting, the amount of light a plant would receive under natural growing conditions needs to be replicated in the artificial environment. If a plant does not receive enough light, it will not thrive.
Whether you are a hobbyist growing specialized types of plants in your home, or you have a commercial greenhouse business, an LED grow light is a proven, effective way to help your plants thrive and grow and you can expect to make substantial energy savings over traditional HID lighting.
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