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LED Grow Lights Basics: To Be A Successful Indoor Grower

Every person on the planet knows –or at least should know- how important plants are for the environment. I have always considered them special. With just some little care, plants can adorn your home or the streets. Also, they help the environment at the same time, which I believe is truly amazing. And especially because of the “some little care” part is why I decided to write this article.

LED Grow Lights

Plants only require soil, water, and light to grow. They produce oxygen and some even produce fruits. But in different regions or situations the light can be scarce. I believe it is important for people to know that they can nurture and take care of their plants using LED plant lights. I decided to put this article together to explain what LED Grow Lights are, how they work and many other things I believe everyone should know. So, let’s get at it, shall we?

What is LED Grow Light?

LED-Grow-LightA grow light –sometimes called a plant light– is any form of artificial illumination that emits a light that is appropriate for photosynthesis. Grow lights can help plants grow when there is no sunlight available. They also supplement sunlight when it does not last long enough for plants to grow. The artificial light is appropriate for photosynthesis when it emits a light spectrum similar to that of the sun. Some are even specially tailored for the requirements of a particular type of plants.

A LED Plant Grow Light is one of the many grow lights available that works using diodes. LED stands for “light-emitting diode” to provide plants with the light they need to grow when there is not enough sunlight available. As you will see, LED Plant Grow Lights have many advantages over other types of grow lights.

Can plants grow with artificial light?

No doubt sun is the best source for required light spectrum to grow plants. But if there is no scope to get sufficient sunlight you may use an artificial light source. I will suggest using a full spectrum LED plant light due to energy efficiency, easy to use, small in size and longer lifespan.

Do LED Grow Lights work?

If your lights are able to provide all light spectrum according to plant need obviously it will work for your indoor garden. All lights in the market are not quality-full so you will need to check features & specifications before buying it.

Which one is better – HPS or LED?

HPS stands for High-Pressure Sodium and it is a different type of grow light that is also very popular. HPS and LED have different characteristics and work in different ways. However, the LED plant grow lights are better for many reasons, but I think that this one is the most important:

HPS lights reach a high temperature.  That makes you need a separate ventilation system to avoid your plants getting burned. LED grow lights are only warm to the touch and you can almost place them directly touching your plants without any burn risk. This reason, among many others, makes LEDs a better option both for your plants and for your wallet. HPS grow lights require expensive ventilation. Also, you need to place them correctly to properly avoid burns on your plants.

I have a plan to write a detailed article about HPS vs LED. I am working on this & hope that I will able to reach you shortly.

Can I use any LED light for growing plants?

The answer is No, you can’t use any LED light to grow plants. Because plants need different light spectrum for different growth stage. Some spectrums help for vegetative growth and others works for flowers and fruits. But normal LEDs can’t provide all light spectrum according to requirements of plants. So you have to choose a quality LED plant Light for your garden.

How do LED Grow Lights work?

These lights can come in many different colors. The color depends on the specific needs of your plants and the specific characteristics of your grow room. For example, red, far-red, green and blue light spectra have a positive effect on flowering, root formation, and plant growth.How-do-LED-Grow-Lights-Work In general, all LED plant grow lights work by using electroluminescence and a semiconductor to make light-emitting diodes produce light. This is regardless of the color spectrum that you choose for the specific needs of your plants. The color is then reflected, amplified and focused on different components of the LED lighting system. It don’t require any ballast since they can plug directly to a regular wall outlet. That makes them a very versatile and easy to install choice for grow lights.

Do LED grow lights get hot?

According to physics any device which consumes electrical power will produce heat. We can’t break physics theory. But LEDs are more efficient in converting energy to light so it produces less heat than any traditional artificial lights.

What are benefits using LED Plant Lights?

These grow lights have many advantages, as I have mentioned in previous points, but there are many other incredible features. Some of them are:

  • Versatility: This lights are smaller and cooler than other types, which makes them very versatile. You can place lights around your plants and closer to them without burning them.
  • Durable: LED lights can last for up to 50,000-100,000 hours. That is an amazing lifespan by itself. Still, it becomes even greater when you compare them to other types of grow lights, like HPS that only last around 10,000 hours.
  • Better yield: While many other grow lights only achieve a yield of .5g per watt, LED lights can produce up to 1-1.5g per watt.

How many watts do you need?

On top of everything else, LED plant grow lights are very efficient. Your wattage requirements can vary a little bit depending on the type of plants and the characteristics of your grow room. Still, on average, 32 watts can cover 1 sqft using LED plant growing lights.

How do I know that my plants are getting enough light?

This might be a tricky question since the answer depends on what you are trying to accomplish. There are some different goals that people try to achieve with their grow rooms. I am going to focus on the most popular: increased yield.

Basically, you can know that your grow lights are working if your plants look overall healthy. Also, If they grow at the appropriate rate and if they start flowering when they’re supposed to. But, ultimately, you will know your plants are getting enough light if the yield is good and the fruits are healthy. If you have the knowledge and the resources, you can perform scientific tests on the leaves or fruits. This way, you will find out if they are healthy enough.  However, this is a beginner’s guide. You should only look for obvious signs of malnutrition to know that your plants aren’t getting enough light.

Do LED plant lights damage your eyes?

It is a myth that LED Plant Lights can cause harm to your eyes or even lead to blindness. Naturally, if you stare at them for hours, they can be harmful as any other type of artificial illumination.

The best option is, use LED Grow Room Glasses to protect your eyes from the harmful lights comes from LED while working under LED Grow Room for hours. But if you use them in a normal way, there is absolutely no risk to your eyes.

I personally find LED plant growing lights are the best option. I really wish everyone could know about their benefits and advantages. You can click Best LED Grow Lights Review to find the suitable light for your plant.

How about you? Did you enjoy this article? Do you think these lights are a suitable option for your grow room?

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