Plant lighting - facts and tips about growth lights and plant lights

Grow your own

Are your indoor plants looking a bit droopy during the winter months? This is usually because the natural sunlight from the sun is too weak. With the help of plant lighting, you give both plants grown from seeds and potted plants the extra boost they need to thrive at home year-round.

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Vegetable growing – How to succeed

Growing your own vegetables has become very popular, even in smaller spaces like balconies and terraces. There is a lot to choose from when it comes to vegetables from seeds. More and more varieties are now available as small plants, as well as fully grown plants with fruit already on them.

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Grow your own

Create winter magic in the garden with plants that can withstand frost

When the summer flowers have withered and the cold arrives, you can still enjoy plants that can withstand a frosty night or two. They sparkle beautifully with ice crystals and give the garden a magical feel. Plant them together with evergreen jewels that you can illuminate during Christmas time, or in a beautiful pot by the entrance.

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Soil and fertilizer when you are going to sow and cultivate

When sowing seeds and growing plants, there are a few things you should consider to get healthy, strong, and vibrant plants. The right soil at the right time is one of the most important.

Soil and fertilizer

Soil and fertilizer for indoor plants

Good soil and nutrients are the alpha and omega for both green and flowering indoor plants. Since the plants are in pots, they are completely dependent on us to give them what they need to thrive.

Soil and fertilizer

Light is the energy source for plants and actually the most important thing we provide to our plants. With the increasing interest in indoor plants and cultivation, there are more and more varieties of plant lighting - and they are becoming increasingly energy efficient. There are lamps that fit both in the kitchen as well as in a dark corner of the living room, or in the basement and garage if you want to grow from seed there.

LED lights for the plants

LED plant lamps:
Most plant lamps are now equipped with LED lamps (Light Emitting Diode) that have a long lifespan and use little electricity. LED lamps use 80–90 percent less energy than a regular light bulb or halogen lamp. The new LED fixtures are often slightly slimmer in shape and take up less space than others.
Quality of light:
In the world of lighting, there are many terms to describe the quality of light. Natural daylight contains all the colors of the rainbow and is therefore called full spectrum light. This is the type of light plants need. You will also encounter many more words that describe the light of the lamps:
Important light measurements:
- Watt measures power, for example, 60 W
- Kelvin degrees measure color temperature, for example, 4000 K
- Lux is a measure of light intensity, which is how much light hits a specific surface.
- Lumen measures how much light a light source emits, for example, 2200 lm. If a light source of 100 lumens shines on one square meter, the brightness on that surface will be 100 lux.
- Micromole measures brightness per second and square meter, for example, 200 µmol/s/sqm.
Lumens and lux vs. micromoles:
Apart from watts, lumens and lux may be the most well-known terms, but they are not actually so useful when it comes to growing plants. Lumens and lux describe how our eyes perceive light.
Micromoles for plant growth:
When growing plants, we therefore talk about micromoles instead. This term describes the number of light particles emitted from a lamp and hitting a surface. A basic rule among professional producers is that it takes about 200 micromoles per second and square meter for seed sowing.
Watts and micromoles:
If you have a lamp of 100 watts, the brightness on a square meter will be about 200 micromoles. A good benchmark is therefore 100 watts per square meter. The lamp should be on for 16 hours to achieve the best growth for the plant.
Supplemental lighting for indoor plants:
If the lamp is used as supplemental lighting for indoor plants or for plants that will overwinter in a cool room, less light is needed.

Good light for plants

In today's market, there is a wide range of different plant lighting available. You can also use cheap low energy lamps with a simple screen or a fluorescent tube with white light. They are both options that provide a lot of light for the money.

For white color shades, there is a rough division into warm white, neutral white, and daylight white. All white variants work well, as they contain all colors. The only lighting that cannot be used is regular light bulbs. They are inefficient, emit too much heat, and do not contain the type of light that plants need.

Fluorescent fixtures are available in many different lengths. They usually have a cool, blue-white light. If you want a warmer and more comfortable light, you can choose a fluorescent tube with 4000 kelvin. The higher the number, the colder the light is perceived.

Correct distance to the plants

The distance to the plants should ideally be around 10-20 cm. As the plants grow taller, gradually raise the lighting to a distance of 50 cm. If you use LED lighting, it is possible to have it closer to the plants without causing burns. LED lights emit less heat.

Tips! Regardless of the type of lighting you choose, it is wise to choose a variant that can be raised and lowered!

Choose the correct brightness for the plant lighting

Light for sowing seeds:
What is most light-demanding is to sow seeds and pre-cultivate vegetables, herbs, and flowers for planting. They need at least 200 micromoles or 100 watts per square meter. The lighting should be on for 14 to 16 hours per day. Follow the circadian rhythm and turn off the light at night.
Light for indoor plants:
If your indoor plants are a bit inside the room, they normally do not receive enough light in winter and therefore need supplemental light from a lamp. They need about 100 micromoles or 50 watts per square meter, for 12 to 14 hours per day. Follow the circadian rhythm and turn off the light at night.
Light for overwintering plants:
If you have plants that need to overwinter, it is best to store them in a cool place, such as a cellar. They need about 70 micromoles or 30 watts per square meter from 8 to 12 hours per day.
Tip:
Feel free to use a timer so you don't have to remember to turn the light on and off.
Source:
Bergstrand, Karl-Johan. 2015. Modern plant lighting.

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Grow your own