Whether you’re a plant enthusiast looking to enhance your green space or a beginner seeking to bring nature indoors, understanding the art of lighting is crucial. Discover how to make a place for your plants to grow and thrive, giving them the right amount of light for health and growth.
So, what is the best indoor plant lighting? LED is the best for indoor plant lighting, whether for growing bulbs or lighting fixtures. You should choose the one with adjustable spectrum options to mimic sunlight to meet your plant’s requirements.
Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing the lighting system for indoor plants, other factors come into play as well. This is why knowing the different lighting types and the lights is essential to making an informed decision. That’s what we are going to do today. Let’s start.
Choosing the Type of Indoor Plant Lighting
Before you select the perfect light for your plants, the type of light you are willing to invest in consistently pops up first. There are many choices for choosing the right light type for indoor plants. The types of lighting include growing bulbs and lighting fixtures.
Different types have pros and cons, so let’s look at what makes each other so you can make an informed choice.
Grow Bulbs
Grow bulbs are individual grow lights that can be used in any bulb holder at home. You just have to remove a regular bulb attached to the holder and replace it with the grow bulb. This lighting type doesn’t require any special care to be installed.
Here are the benefits you will get with grow bulbs;
- Grow bulbs are highly flexible regarding placement and configuration, so you can customize your lighting setup to fit your space and plant requirements.
- You can target specific areas or individual plants with focused light.
- Grow bulbs are straightforward to replace, so they will come in handy when your plants reach the end of their lifespan or require a change in spectrum.
- Compared to lighting fixtures, grow bulbs are super cheap.
Lighting Fixtures
For lighting fixtures setup, lighting equipment such as LED panels, fluorescent tubes, or HID lights, which consist of multiple light sources, is built into one unit. These fittings come in different sizes and shapes, each with its features and benefits.
Here are the benefits you will get with lighting fixtures;
- Lighting fixtures provide an area for a greater area to be covered and are excellent at delivering uniform lighting to all plants.
- Most lighting fixtures come with features such as spectrum settings, built-in timers, and dimming controls, making the growing process a whole lot easier.
- Lighting fixtures are space-saving solutions that are easily mounted or suspended above your plants.
What Is The Best Indoor Plant Lighting
After you have chosen the type of plant lighting system, the next question is what lighting to select. There are various options, such as fluorescent, incandescent, and LED plant grow lights. Let’s examine what these bulbs provide and their plant-growing capabilities.
Fluorescent Growing Light
Many affordable fluorescent tube lights, especially T5 and T8 fixtures, can give indoor plants extra light. They give off a balanced spectrum of light close to sunshine. This makes them perfect for plants that need medium to low light levels.
Incandescent Lights
You should avoid incandescent lights when growing plants. First, they emit a lot of heat when kept on for an extended period. Second, incandescent lights don’t have options for the light spectrum, which is essential for growing plants.
Lastly, these lights could be more cost-effective. They will significantly increase the electricity bill. Overall, you shouldn’t choose incandescent lights for growing plants.
LED Growing Lights
LED grow lights are highly recommended for their energy efficiency, adjustable spectrum options, and minimal heat output, making them suitable for various indoor plants. This is the perfect lighting system for plants as it provides everything they need.
To sum up, the best indoor lighting has to be LED growing lights and should be your first choice. However, fluorescent might not be as effective as LED, but it is on the list for its capability to serve plants requiring medium to low light levels. Lastly, you should avoid incandescent lights for indoor plant growth.
Which Color of Light Helps Plants Grow the Most?
The best color of light for plants depends on the kind of plants being grown and their growth stage. Light has different wavelengths that make up other colors.
Each color range is essential for photosynthesis and plant growth in its own way. However, the most important two are red and blue. Here’s how the two critical colors impact your plant’s growth;
- Red Color: Red light stimulates plant growth, especially during flowering and fruiting.
- Blue Light: Plants in the vegetative cycle require a lot of blue light, which helps them develop strong, durable, and healthy stems and leaves.
So, what is the best color for plants to grow the most? Well, there’s no best color. The primary purpose of these indoor lights is to mimic sunlight, which can only be achieved by whole-spectrum light.
On the other hand, choosing only one color, such as red or blue, will lead to deficiency in some parts of the plants. Meanwhile, whole spectrum light, which encompasses a balanced combination of red, blue, and other wavelengths, mimics natural sunlight and provides optimal plant growth and development conditions.
Indoor Light Distance For Plants
How far away your plants are from the light source significantly affects how much light they get and how fast they grow. You should place the plants that need more light closest to the light source, while plants that require less light can be placed farther away.
Measure the amount of light at different heights above your plants with your hand or a light meter. Ensure the lights are at the right height so the plants get the right light without light burn or stress.
How Much Indoor Light Should I Provide for My Plant?
Knowing how much indoor light you should provide your plant is essential. Giving light for longer is no harm, but it’s incredibly damaging.
Darkness is equally essential to sunlight since plants use the stored energy from the daytime to grow and repair tissues within themselves.
Nevertheless, the general rule of thumb is to give 12-16 hours of light daily. I highly recommend that you use a timer to keep track of this. Numerous timers are available, made specifically for indoor plants.
Finale
By knowing what kind of light your plants need and choosing the right fixtures or bulbs, you’ve already taken a big step toward creating a beautiful indoor garden.
Remember that constant and good lighting is the key to success, whether from natural sunlight or artificial sources. Now that you know more about indoor gardening, may it grow and bring you happiness and peace for many years.
