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LEDVANCE 9/6/2023 How to guides

Grow Lights for Plants Buying Guide

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Growing plants indoors requires proper light, and grow lights are just the thing to do. Whether you're a novice or seasoned gardener, this article will provide you with key information on grow lights to help you create lush green landscapes indoors.


What is a Grow Light？


In indoor planting, grow lights for plants are a key tool that can simulate the spectrum provided by sunlight to provide the plants grown indoors with the light they need. These lights typically emit blue and red light, two wavelengths of light that have an important effect on the different growth stages of plants. Blue light helps plants grow leaves and stems, while red light promotes flower and fruit formation.​



using grow light to plant​


​Why Use Grow Lights?


Lack of sunlight is a common problem with indoor growing, especially in rainy weather or sheltered environments. Plant growth lights make up for this deficiency, ensuring that plants can get the light they need to maintain a normal growth rhythm. Additionally, indoor growing has the advantage of being able to control the timing and spectrum of light to optimize the growth process for plants to thrive in any season.


By understanding what grow lights are, how they work, and the different types, we can better utilize this tool to meet the lighting needs of plants in indoor growing environments.


How do Grow Lights Help Plants Grow Healthily?


Provides the spectrum and color of light that plants need


The light that plants need to grow comes primarily from the blue (400-500 nanometers) and red (600-700 nanometers) regions of the visible spectrum. These two colors of light play a key role in photosynthesis, promoting plant growth and development. Blue light helps the plant's leaf growth and photosynthesis, making the stem thicker and the leaves bigger. Red light plays an important role in the flowering and fruit-ripening stages of plants.



grow light for plants​

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Provide reasonable photoperiod and light intensity


Photoperiod (the ratio of light hours to dark hours) and light intensity have a major impact on plant growth and flowering time. Some plants require specific photoperiods to trigger flowering, such as short-day plants and long-day plants. The light intensity must also be appropriate, too high or too low light intensity may cause adverse effects on plants, such as too high light intensity may cause leaf burns.​

grow light intensity​

​Advantages of LED Grow Lights


LED grow lights are becoming more and more popular in indoor planting. They produce more light using less energy and are more energy efficient than traditional light sources. Moreover, Dimmable LED lights can adjust the color and spectrum of the light to meet the needs of different plant growth stages. LED lights typically have a long life, lasting for years without frequent replacement. Here are two LED grow lights for recommendation:


LEDVANCE Grow Light


The new LEDVANCE Grow Light has several advantages and functions. It provides an indoor spectrum, including peak red light (660nm) and peak blue light (450nm), to promote plant growth year-round. Adjustable 0-10V function can maximize energy saving. Through the AC connector on the right, you can connect up to 4 480W lamps, 3 660W lamps or 2 960W lamps, or you can connect up to 20 lamps through the RJ-12 interface. Compared with traditional grow lights, it produces less heat, has a longer lifespan, lower maintenance costs, is easy to install, and has a high luminous efficacy of 2.7 µmol/J. Equipped with a lifting function to maximize growth during the fruiting phase.



ledvance grow light 

​​ULTRA LED™ Grow Lamps - A19, BR30, PAR38


SYLVANIA ULTRA LED Grow Lamps comprehensively enhance all stages of plant growth. Its high output power of up to 25 micromoles per second is applicable to a wide range of plant species. In addition, its high light efficiency of up to 97 light per watt further enhances its performance. During the seedling stage, keep the light between 6 inches and 12 inches from the top of the plant stem, and use it continuously for 18 hours per day; during the vegetative growth and flowering stages, keep the light between 18 inches and 30 inches from the top of the plant stem, daily Continuous use for 12 hours. This well-planned use helps to achieve the best possible growth for your plants.



ultra-led-grow-light 

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Q&A: The Use of Grow Lights


Q: Are grow lights bad for your eyes?

A: Regardless of the type of light bulb, exposure to excessively bright light can be harmful to the eyes. Lights with high intensity and high blue light content, in particular, can cause eye strain. It is recommended to wear protective glasses when working in a bright light environment, and avoid looking directly at the light source.


Q: Can plants grow with artificial lights?

A: Yes, grow lights are for plants indoors. At the seedling stage, providing blue light helps stem and leaf growth. During the vegetative growth stage, an appropriate ratio of blue and red light is provided to promote overall growth. During flowering and fruiting stages, increasing the proportion of red light promotes flower and fruit formation.


Q: How to use grow lights?

A: Distance and height: Depending on the growth stage, adjust the distance and height of the light to ensure proper coverage.

Lighting time: Adjust the daily light time and dark time according to the photoperiod needs of the plants

Spectrum adjustment: As the growth stage changes, adjust the spectrum of the light to meet different light needs.

Regular maintenance: keep the light clean, check the condition of the bulb or lamp beads regularly to ensure normal operation.


Conclusion


Grow lights play an irreplaceable key role in indoor planting. By providing the right spectrum and intensity, they meet the lighting needs of plants at different growth stages, from seedlings to flowering and fruiting. When selecting and using plant growing lights, make sure to comprehensively consider factors such as plant species, light requirements, and adjustment parameters to maximize the growth environment. By using grow lights correctly, you can create a vibrant green corner at home and share the fun and results of planting with others.  But if you are still hesitating which product to choose, you may wish to consider LEDVANCE's new Grow Light, which is the best choice for indoor growing plants.​​

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