How to Choose the Best Grow Lights for Indoor Plants Ideas & Advice

However, although it’s an excellent hanging option, it’s worth noting that we found setting up the hanging element to be difficult, as you need to have hooks readily available. For example, if you buy standard LEDs with an energy-saving design, these choices are significantly more efficient than grow lights. Heat production or emission is a massive component of choosing between regular and grow lights.

CFLs have largely replaced incandescent light bulbs in households because they last longer and are much more electrically efficient. Like standard fluorescent lights, they are useful for propagation and situations where relatively low light levels are needed. LEDs are most often recommended for grow lights, though some fluorescent and incandescent bulbs can work. The most important thing is that the bulbs offer full-spectrum illumination and produce waves of red and blue light, which is often necessary for plants to thrive indoors. The LBW provides white, blue, and red light, and we were able to select which color we wanted.

High intensity discharge lights have become a popular type of grow light for a number of reasons. They put out a massive amount of light and are used by most commercial growers because they replicate the sun better than any other bulb. Fluorescent bulbs can give off the full spectrum—warm for flowering, and cool for vegetation. This LED light with stand is the perfect place for small house plants, herbs or succulents. It’s about 17 inches tall so it will fit in most small spaces, including on your desk. This light fits neatly on a counter, so you can grow herbs or other small plants, such as succulents.

Because of heat dissipation, these chips are often less efficient. Standard LED lighting usually has a power factor of at least 0.90, while good quality LED lights will be around 0.99. A standard, full-spectrum grow light will support most plant growth. Some grow lights allow you to adjust the balance of color from warm to cool , depending on your plant’s needs. With less light coming through your windows during these shorter winter days, you may be wondering if your plants are getting what they need to thrive.

Medium-light houseplants

Violet-blue light in the 400 – 520 nanometer range encourages chlorophyll absorption, photosynthesis, and growth. Should you swap out the bulbs in an existing light with special grow bulbs, or should you buy a brand new fixture with built-in lighting? It all depends on what you’re looking for – convenience and cost or specialized quality. Thank you to our wonderful house plant fans for their tried and tested grow light methods and recommendations. Dr Laura Jenkins aka @_houseplanthouse is a plant blogger with a great website packed with information and advice.

Fluorescent lights are more affordable, and may be a good choice if you’re new to indoor gardening or grow just a few plants. Intensity describes the amount of light that reaches a surface at given distance from the light source. A super-bright bulb that’s 12″ from a surface might, for example, provide the same light intensity as a dimmer bulb that’s 2″ from the surface. This indoor light fixture comes in 24 or 48-inch lengths to attach to any shelving unit or bookcase. You can use this picture frame plant light indoors or outdoors, and the coolest thing about the design is that the light and timer are concealed. This three-light set features adjustable brightness levels and a timer, which gives you more control over how much light you’re supplying plants.

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Given that they produce light farther along the red spectrum, they lack the blue light needed for healthy growth. However, if combined with other types of light, they can contribute to overall requirements. Keep in mind that halogens get quite hot when activated, so take care to avoid burned and damaged leaves.

• If you only have a few plants, we recommend the Aceple Desk Plant Grow Light.
• Our top pick is the GE BR30 Grow LED Light, which fits into any standard-sized lamp and helps a wide variety of plants and flowers grow year-round.
• If your plants receive some natural light, they generally won’t need as much artificial light, whereas a plant that doesn’t get any natural light may need the full 16 hours.
• A single fixture can provide the illumination for multiple plants, dispersing the lighting evenly throughout the space.
• My succulents haven’t regained their California colorings, but they do look a little healthier.

We wanted to know if they worked well enough to keep plants not just alive—but thriving—so we tested the most popular models on the market. Learn how to use grow lights for houseplants to help them thrive indoors year round. There are various types of grow lights to consider, from panels to ones that hang overhead or screw into a regular light fixture. The type of plants you have, the amount of existing natural light, and where your plants are located will help you narrow down your choices. Hanging lights are typically larger, while desktop lights are smaller and easy to move around.

Lighting fixtures are a better option if you have multiple houseplants; however, they are pricier than a bulb. Violet light is typically only useful when combined with red and blue. It can be used to make a plant’s color, taste, and smell more prominent.

PCA reduces sodium loss, which in turn reduces color shift and variation compared to standard MH bulbs. Horticultural ceramic metal halide offerings from companies such as Philips have proven to be effective sources of growth light for medium-wattage applications. White LED grow lights provide a full spectrum of light designed to mimic natural light, providing plants a spectrum of red, blue and green.