If you want to grow plants indoors but aren't familiar with the amazing world of LED grow lights, it might be difficult to figure out which light is best for your needs. In some areas of Canada where there could be long winters, plants have difficulty growing because they can’t photosynthesize. The best way is to use LED grow lights. LED grow light, on the other hand, differs significantly from metal halide or high-pressure sodium lighting in terms of shape, spectrum, heat load, and power. If you plan to buy an LED grow light, this article will assist your LED grow light search and help you save time, and money, and assure you find the best LED grow light that meets your needs.
In this article, we will help you to choose an LED grow light in four simple steps, but before we start, let’s take a look at some basics of grow lights.
The Basic Of LED Grow Light
All green plants require light for photosynthesis, which involves specific cells converting the light's energy into sugars. Plants release oxygen as a result of this mechanism.
Plants require different amounts of light to flourish, ranging from low-light houseplants like dracaenas to fruiting foods like tomatoes, which require significantly more light.
Seedlings need a lot of bright light to grow, and if they don't get enough, they become weak and leggy. Even the sunniest windowsill, especially in the winter, won't supply the intensity or duration of light they require.
The Basic Terms Of Lighting
The amount of light that reaches a surface at a particular distance from the light source is referred to as intensity. For example, a super-bright bulb placed 12" from a surface might produce the same amount of light as a dimmer bulb placed 2" away.
The amount of hours of light a plant receives in a 24-hour period is referred to as duration. We can regulate it by turning lights on and off, or by using a programmable timer, which is more convenient.
The visual appearance of light is described by colour. The majority of grow lights provide full-spectrum light. Plants mostly employ light from the blue and red (also refers to the cool and warm) ends of the spectrum, with just a little amount of yellow and green light. Plants are stimulated by blue light, which stimulates vegetative development for foliage and roots while plants are stimulated by red light.
Now that you have learned the basics, let’s take a look at the 4 steps for choosing the right LED grow light for your grows.
Step 1: Know what factors should be considered when choosing a LED grow light.
When selecting a grow light, it will make things much easier if you know what to consider and avoid. Make sure to ask some questions that can assist you in making the best decision on choosing the grow light.
Here are some questions you may what to ask yourself before shopping around:
What kinds of plants am I planning to grow?
Will I plant all year round?
Do I need to do seedings?
What height will the plants reach?
Is it necessary for the light to be moveable like installed with casters?
Where are you going to install the light?
By asking these questions, you will have a clear view of what type of grow light you need.
Step 2: Think of the nature of your grow
Before you buy an indoor grow light, you need to know what you're going to use it for. Because the major function of an LED grow light is to give light for plants to photosynthesize. Therefore, you must first evaluate your plants before deciding on an LED grow light. A plant can be grown from seedling to flower with any full cycle with the help of high-quality LED light. However, certain lights are made for specific sorts of plants. For example, commercial growers require LED grow lights that have ETL or UL certification while vertical farmers growing lettuce and greens require specific LED modules. Do some search once you've decided which plants you wish to grow. Find out what kind of environment they prefer to live in so you can meet their needs. LED grow lights can have a variety of characteristics that affect plant health, and different plants react to different situations in different ways.
Step 3: Know the size of your growing area
If you intend to grow plants indoors, you may not require a large number of LED grow lights. Large greenhouses, on the other hand, will necessitate the utilisation of multiple units. You'll need to know the surface area to figure out how much light you'll require. The size and quantity of LED units you’ll need to buy will be determined by the size of your growing space.
For flowering medical or other large flowering plants, the rule of thumb for LED grow lights is 32 watts of real wattage per square foot of growing space. For example, if your growing space is 16 square feet, you'll need at least a 500-550 watt grow lamp (assuming your plants are gathered in one place and you're flowering a plant that takes a lot of light). High-light plants require around half of this wattage for vegetative growth. Herbs and lettuces, for example, require roughly 11-18 watts per square foot of grow space. This, however, will vary depending on the crop and chosen light levels. A brief reference table is provided below to assist you in determining the appropriate wattage for your grow space. You can increase these numbers if you have a larger grow space. Keep in mind that 1 sq ft of grow space necessitates approximately 32 watts of actual energy.
Grow Space | Wattage |
2 sq ft (2x1) | ~60 |
4 sq ft (2x2) | ~120 |
6 sq ft (2x3) | ~200 |
9 sq ft (3x3) | ~300 |
12 sq ft (3x4) | ~400 |
16 sq ft (4x4) | ~500 |
20 sq ft (4x5) | ~640 |
25 sq ft (5x5) | ~800 |
30 sq ft (5x6) | ~960 |
36 sq ft (6x6) | ~1150 |
40 sq ft (6x7) | ~1280 |
Step 4: Consider the types of LED grow lights
You now should have a good idea of how to choose a LED grow light for your plant and growing space. You will now learn about what type of LED light is right for your plants.
If you want to nurture plants from seedling to flower, you should invest in a full-cycle LED light. If you only simply require lighting for vegging or blooming, a single-channel light with a veg and bloom mode can work. While some programmable lights allow you to set light schedules, customise spectrums, and alter other parameters for high-light plants and vegetable growth/flowering. The programmable lights are by far the most advanced LED grow lights on the market, allowing for an almost stress-free grow. There are also various-shaped LED grow lights available, such as panels, bars, and bulbs.
While you may be able to locate cheaper LED grow lights, examine whether they are truly worth it. Because of its low quality, buying a cheap LED grow light doesn't always save money, and you may wind up spending more on repairs or replacements. As a result, always go with the option that provides the most value.
The use of LED grow lights has revolutionised plant growth. It's not always enough to rely on sunlight to grow your plants, especially in areas where the winters are long and dark like in most parts of Canada. If you're looking to buy LED grow lights, keep the suggestions above in mind to ensure you pick the best one for your plants.
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