LED Grow Lights to Grow Plants Indoors
Led grow lights can give you superior results and allow you to grow produce inside even in winter – but you have to pick the best ones! If you try to go the cheapest route, you’ll probably have disappointing results. Below I’ve collected some of the highest rated led plant grow lights and summarized the features plus what actual customers think about the lights – if they ran too hot or too loud and, most importantly, the results they got from them.
Advantages to Using LED Plant Grow Lights
If you want to grow plants indoors during the winter or in a climate that is not very sunny, then LED grow lights are a great option. The seasoned hydroponics specialists at Bitponics.com state that while you can utilize fluorescent lights, fluorescent tubes, or the high-pressure sodium/high-intensity grow lights (HPS/HID), LEDs are becoming the be-all and end-all to hydroponic grow light solutions. The main reason for this is they are that they’re energy-efficient, have an incredible lifespan, emit little to no heat, and cast light over a large area. You can use these lights to grow flowers, vegetables and herbs allowing you to have plant growth all year long.
Because the Best LED grow light only emits certain wavelengths, they have a much longer lifespan than other types of grow lights. So, whereas they may cost a bit more you’re going to be able to use them a lot longer which actually makes them more cost-effective.
Grow lights will give you an advantage over sunlight because you’ll be able to grow larger, fuller plants with this additional consistent lighting. In fact, commercial greenhouses have used grow lights for growing fruits and vegetables for decades.
Although LED plant grow lights can be expensive they do have many advantages. One is that they are easier to use than traditional ballast lights which can be bulky and hard to hang. LED lights are simple small fixtures that can be affixed anywhere so it gives you more options for where to grow your indoor plants.
An LED Grow light can last you about 5 to 10 years as they are typically rated for 55,000 hours. This is opposed to HID lights which are only good for 17,000 hours.
Another advantage to LED lights is that they don’t put off a lot of heat unlike the traditional HID lights.
What to Look For When Buying LED Grow Lights
In addition to reading LED grow lights reviews, you want to look for a few things when buying this type of light for your indoor plants.
Power cooling system
High power LED grow lights usually need cooling. For this reason, it is very important to choose LED grow lights with a really working high quality cooling system. LED grow lights may not emit heat because they come with metal spacers that provide a quick and easy way to dissipate heat, but with a fan or radiator in mind.
Size of grow space
One of the factors that will help you choose the right LED grow light is the size of your growing room. Size determines the quantity as well as the size of the units you need. Typically, 25 watts is suitable for a square foot of growing area for plants that are considered to be well lit. Seek professional help if you are not sure that all plants are getting the light they need for excellent growth.
Mounting
LED grow lights mounted on metal core PCBs are better than ordinary PCBs of the device. They are most suitable for higher power levels and higher temperatures. The PCB must also be mounted on a sufficiently large heat sink; A sink with multiple fins is the best way to distribute heat faster and cool down just as quickly. With such a device, overheating and damage are minimized.
Type
Most auxiliary plants from seedling to flowering; this is a full cycle LED plant growing lamp. But in some situations, all you need are lights for flowering or vegetation. Some grow lights are designed for specific plants and growth stages, so information on the types of lights should be obtained prior to purchasing. When choosing the right type of LED grow light, the plant and lighting requirements must be considered.
Coverage
Coverage -you want to look at the amount of space the light will cover. This is the square footage of garden that the light will work on. When comparing different types of LED grow lights this can be important because the cheaper light may not cover as much square footage as a more expensive light thus making the more expensive light a better buy in the long run because it can service more plants.
Spectrum – Different types of plants need different types of light. Thus, you will find grow lights that offer different spectral wavelengths. Blue is good for vegetables and growing seedlings, red is good for flowering plants. A mixture of both however is usually required for most types of plants. Depending on what you are growing, you may want to look for lights that offer the ideal types of light for that plant.
How to Use Grow Lights
Light Type and Quantity
The first thing to do is to determine the optimal type of light that your plants need. Buy the best LED grow lights that will provide the spectrum of light your plants need to thrive. You also want to figure out how big of a growing area going you want and make sure you get enough lights to cover this area.
Find a Good Space
Next thing is to set up your growing space. Some people use closets, extra bathrooms and basements. Just make sure you have enough room for the amount of plants you want to grow. Also, be mindful that it will be very bright there for many hours during the day so your bedroom isn’t a good choice 😉
Make sure that you have some sort of the rack where you can move the grow light away from the plants as they get taller.
Plant Your Plants
Naturally, you need to plant your plants, or buy them at the store and set them up under the light. Make sure you have the light situated correctly so that all plants are illuminated. Don’t forget water and fertilizer!
Schedule Lighting
Determine how many hours of light your plant needs and get an automated timer so that you can have your LED lights turn on and off to simulate daylight and nighttime.
