The Benefits of Grow Lights for Indoor Plants
How can you keep your houseplants thriving inside? Read on for everything you need to know about grow lights for indoor plants!
If you love the sight of a room full of greenery in all different shapes and sizes, you know that there’s no such thing as too many plants! However, there’s one problem that may stand between you and the lush living space you desire: lack of light.
Will adding a few lights to your living space solve the problem? Not necessarily—standard LED lights don’t have the same capabilities as grow lights, which are created specifically to support plant growth.
What makes a grow light different from a standard light? Factors like light intensity, energy efficiency, and light spectrum all come into play. Keep reading as we put a spotlight on the differences between light options for your houseplants and illuminate the benefits of grow lights in helping them flourish!
Will adding a few lights to your living space solve the problem? Not necessarily—standard LED lights don’t have the same capabilities as grow lights, which are created specifically to support plant growth.
What makes a grow light different from a standard light? Factors like light intensity, energy efficiency, and light spectrum all come into play. Keep reading as we put a spotlight on the differences between light options for your houseplants and illuminate the benefits of grow lights in helping them flourish!
Why Light is Essential for Plants
Plants are like tiny green solar panels, soaking up light to fuel their growth through photosynthesis. Without enough light, they can’t make the food they need to flourish. This can lead to sad, droopy plants that look more “blah” than “blooming.” While outdoor plants get their fill of sunshine, our indoor buddies often miss out. That’s where LED grow lights come to the rescue!
The Perks of LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights are the superheroes of indoor gardening. Here’s why they’re awesome:
Energy Efficiency
LED grow lights are energy-saving champs. They use way less electricity than traditional lights, which means you’ll save on your power bill. Plus, you’ll be doing your bit for the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. Win-win!
Long Lifespan
These lights are in it for the long haul. While regular bulbs burn out faster than a candle in the wind, LED grow lights can last for years. That’s right, years of bright, healthy plants without the hassle of constant bulb changes.
Customizable Light Spectrum
Different plants have different light needs, and LED grow lights can be customized to give each plant exactly what it wants. Whether your plant needs blue light to grow leafy and lush or red light to help it flower and fruit, LED lights have got it covered.
Low Heat Emission
Say goodbye to scorched leaves! Unlike old-school grow lights that get hotter than a summer sidewalk, LED grow lights stay cool. This means you can place them close to your plants without worrying about burning them.
Energy Efficiency
LED grow lights are energy-saving champs. They use way less electricity than traditional lights, which means you’ll save on your power bill. Plus, you’ll be doing your bit for the planet by reducing your carbon footprint. Win-win!
Long Lifespan
These lights are in it for the long haul. While regular bulbs burn out faster than a candle in the wind, LED grow lights can last for years. That’s right, years of bright, healthy plants without the hassle of constant bulb changes.
Customizable Light Spectrum
Different plants have different light needs, and LED grow lights can be customized to give each plant exactly what it wants. Whether your plant needs blue light to grow leafy and lush or red light to help it flower and fruit, LED lights have got it covered.
Low Heat Emission
Say goodbye to scorched leaves! Unlike old-school grow lights that get hotter than a summer sidewalk, LED grow lights stay cool. This means you can place them close to your plants without worrying about burning them.
Compact and Versatile
Got a tiny apartment or an awkwardly shaped corner? No problem! LED grow lights come in all shapes and sizes, making them perfect for any space. You can hang them, mount them, or even stick them under cabinets to brighten up every dark spot in your home.
Choosing the Right LED Grow Lights
Picking the perfect LED grow lights for your indoor jungle is easier than you think. Here’s what to consider:
Light Intensity
Different plants need different amounts of light. Flowering and fruiting plants usually crave more intense light than leafy greens and herbs. Check the specs to ensure you’re giving your plants the right intensity for their needs.
Light Spectrum
Remember, blue light is great for leafy growth, and red light is perfect for flowering. Full-spectrum LED lights are a great all-around choice if you have a variety of plants.
Coverage Area Make sure your light covers all your plants. LED grow lights come in various sizes, so pick one that suits your space. Some lights have adjustable arms or mounts to help you direct the light where it’s needed most.
Got a tiny apartment or an awkwardly shaped corner? No problem! LED grow lights come in all shapes and sizes, making them perfect for any space. You can hang them, mount them, or even stick them under cabinets to brighten up every dark spot in your home.
Choosing the Right LED Grow Lights
Picking the perfect LED grow lights for your indoor jungle is easier than you think. Here’s what to consider:
Light Intensity
Different plants need different amounts of light. Flowering and fruiting plants usually crave more intense light than leafy greens and herbs. Check the specs to ensure you’re giving your plants the right intensity for their needs.
Light Spectrum
Remember, blue light is great for leafy growth, and red light is perfect for flowering. Full-spectrum LED lights are a great all-around choice if you have a variety of plants.
Coverage Area Make sure your light covers all your plants. LED grow lights come in various sizes, so pick one that suits your space. Some lights have adjustable arms or mounts to help you direct the light where it’s needed most.
How close or far away from plants should a grow light be?
As a general rule, LED grow lights should be at least 30cms away from plants. You’ll often see 60cm to 1 metre recommended for LED grow lights. The younger the plant the further away it should be from a grow light. The higher the output of your grow light, the further away it should be.
Some lights have more narrow, concentrated beams so the more focused, higher intensity output means they should be further away from plants. Luckily the supplier can normally recommend the distance for each bulb. For example, Sunbulb recommends 30cms to 1.5 metres for their 24 watt LED grow light. You should also take the plant’s light tolerance into account also. Even if a guide says 30cms, if your plants are not tolerant of very bright or direct light, opt to start further away and adjust from there.
The type of light matters also. LED grow lights in general are higher output than fluorescent, so will typically be better hung or placed further away than fluorescents. When looking up the distance your light should be, make sure to check what type of light the guide is talking about.
Some lights have more narrow, concentrated beams so the more focused, higher intensity output means they should be further away from plants. Luckily the supplier can normally recommend the distance for each bulb. For example, Sunbulb recommends 30cms to 1.5 metres for their 24 watt LED grow light. You should also take the plant’s light tolerance into account also. Even if a guide says 30cms, if your plants are not tolerant of very bright or direct light, opt to start further away and adjust from there.
The type of light matters also. LED grow lights in general are higher output than fluorescent, so will typically be better hung or placed further away than fluorescents. When looking up the distance your light should be, make sure to check what type of light the guide is talking about.
How long should a grow light be on per day?
Most plants need at least 12 hours of ‘Good Growth’ light per day, with at least 8 hours of darkness, however will grow better with 16 to 18 hours of good light. You can look up the Good Growth level for different plant in the Plant Species Light Guide below.
Houseplants in general tend to be more tolerant of fewer hours of light, with 6 to 12 hours being sufficient, provided the light source is strong enough during that time, but will grow better provided with more. How long a grow light should be on depends on how many hours of ‘good light’ a plant gets from natural sources. A grow light can be used to supplement the good light hours, or as the only source of light if it’s bright enough (again, depending on the light requirements of the plant).
Indoor plants typically get good light for only part of the day, depending on how far away from a light source they are located, time of day, time of year, and the direction the closest windows face; so in that situation a grow light can be used to supplement light levels to reach at least 12 hours of good light a day.
For example, a plant that requires bright light and gets good natural light for 3 to 4 hours in the mornings, might have a grow light programmed to come on for 8 to 9 hours a day, starting around midday, every day.
Houseplants in general tend to be more tolerant of fewer hours of light, with 6 to 12 hours being sufficient, provided the light source is strong enough during that time, but will grow better provided with more. How long a grow light should be on depends on how many hours of ‘good light’ a plant gets from natural sources. A grow light can be used to supplement the good light hours, or as the only source of light if it’s bright enough (again, depending on the light requirements of the plant).
Indoor plants typically get good light for only part of the day, depending on how far away from a light source they are located, time of day, time of year, and the direction the closest windows face; so in that situation a grow light can be used to supplement light levels to reach at least 12 hours of good light a day.
For example, a plant that requires bright light and gets good natural light for 3 to 4 hours in the mornings, might have a grow light programmed to come on for 8 to 9 hours a day, starting around midday, every day.
Can you run grow lights at night?
You can run grow lights day or night, but having grow lights mimic daylight hours will give you better results. However if your plants are in a dark area with little to no natural light, by all means create your own schedule for them. About 12 to 16 hours light with a rest period of at least 8 hours darkness is an ideal balance for most indoor plants. Take temperature into account also as combining light and warmth will get better results.
Can you keep grow lights on 24/7?
Plants need both light and darkness but how much of each they need varies by species. To grow, photosynthesis has two biochemical processes, light reaction and dark reaction. Keeping lights on 24/7 can cause stunted growth or plant tissue to die in some plants. As a general rule for indoor plants, aim for at least 12 hours of good light a day and around 8 hours of darkness.
What is Lumens?
Lumens measures visible light from a light source and tells you the intensity of the light. One lumen equals one candle. One foot candle (FC) is 10.76 lumens. More lumens isn’t always better. The brighter the light is, the higher the lumens. However lumens alone doesn’t tell you much about grow lights as far as your plants are concerned. Lumens is more helpful for us, to measure how bright a light is to the human eye, however PAR is what plants care about.
You can run grow lights day or night, but having grow lights mimic daylight hours will give you better results. However if your plants are in a dark area with little to no natural light, by all means create your own schedule for them. About 12 to 16 hours light with a rest period of at least 8 hours darkness is an ideal balance for most indoor plants. Take temperature into account also as combining light and warmth will get better results.
Can you keep grow lights on 24/7?
Plants need both light and darkness but how much of each they need varies by species. To grow, photosynthesis has two biochemical processes, light reaction and dark reaction. Keeping lights on 24/7 can cause stunted growth or plant tissue to die in some plants. As a general rule for indoor plants, aim for at least 12 hours of good light a day and around 8 hours of darkness.
What is Lumens?
Lumens measures visible light from a light source and tells you the intensity of the light. One lumen equals one candle. One foot candle (FC) is 10.76 lumens. More lumens isn’t always better. The brighter the light is, the higher the lumens. However lumens alone doesn’t tell you much about grow lights as far as your plants are concerned. Lumens is more helpful for us, to measure how bright a light is to the human eye, however PAR is what plants care about.
How to read the Plant Species Light Guide (below)
The first set of numbers is the Minimum for Maintenance (MM). The middle set of numbers achieves Good Growth (GG), and the third set of numbers is for Commercial Growth (CG).
Plants with a higher Minimum Maintenance level (the first set of numbers), are more likely to require a grow light when grown indoors, unless you can give them plenty of bright light for 12+ hours a day. If the Minimum for Maintenance is low, this indicates the species is more low-light tolerant. If the Commercial Growth level is low, this indicates a species than won’t tolerate very bright light or direct light well.
For most indoor settings, aim for at least the Good Growth level. To maintain a Commercial Growth level of light requires a more controlled setting such as a greenhouse, along with control over and close maintenance of other factors such as soil pH, airflow, temperature, humidity and fertiliser.
Plants with a higher Minimum Maintenance level (the first set of numbers), are more likely to require a grow light when grown indoors, unless you can give them plenty of bright light for 12+ hours a day. If the Minimum for Maintenance is low, this indicates the species is more low-light tolerant. If the Commercial Growth level is low, this indicates a species than won’t tolerate very bright light or direct light well.
For most indoor settings, aim for at least the Good Growth level. To maintain a Commercial Growth level of light requires a more controlled setting such as a greenhouse, along with control over and close maintenance of other factors such as soil pH, airflow, temperature, humidity and fertiliser.
Can I just use a regular light bulb as a grow light?
While some regular light bulbs may produce some of the specific light waves needed for plants, they’re mostly not effective when it comes to growing plants. This is because they’re designed to brighten our homes. With a grow light the spectrum of light they use, how powerful they are, their colours and even the design or shape of the light itself all go towards providing a plant with the maximum amount of energy they need to grow.
Some grow lights may appear to look similar to regular household globes. But keep in mind that how our eyes perceive light is very different to how plants perceive and use it.
Some grow lights may appear to look similar to regular household globes. But keep in mind that how our eyes perceive light is very different to how plants perceive and use it.
What colour grow light is best?
You may have noticed that grow lights come in all different colours. This is because plants use different light waves for different uses, such as flowering, fruiting or general leafy growth.
If you’re looking to supplement a grow light for your indoor plants (aka leafy, green growth), I would suggest a full spectrum bulb. A full spectrum grow light will provide plants with the full range of light they need (and if you find a white one, they look much more appealing that the coloured ones)!
A full spectrum grow light is therefore great for common indoor plants such as Fiddle Leaf Figs, Philodendrons, Calatheas, Peace Lilies, Palms and more.
Other popular grow light colours are red, blue and red & blue together. Red light is great for flowering, while blue helps with vegetative growth. However if a plant gets too much of one colour, its possible they can grow a little deformed or out of shape.
If you’re looking to supplement a grow light for your indoor plants (aka leafy, green growth), I would suggest a full spectrum bulb. A full spectrum grow light will provide plants with the full range of light they need (and if you find a white one, they look much more appealing that the coloured ones)!
A full spectrum grow light is therefore great for common indoor plants such as Fiddle Leaf Figs, Philodendrons, Calatheas, Peace Lilies, Palms and more.
Other popular grow light colours are red, blue and red & blue together. Red light is great for flowering, while blue helps with vegetative growth. However if a plant gets too much of one colour, its possible they can grow a little deformed or out of shape.