LED Grow Lights For Indoor Gardening Success
Article by Susan Slobac
If you are new to growing plants indoors, lighting for gardening can be a bit of an overwhelming topic. However, there are a few basic tips that you can keep in mind when you are looking at the myriad grow lamps that are available so that you purchase the appropriate equipment for your specific gardening applications. A great light for all types of indoor gardening, including hydroponic gardening, is LED grow lights. LED grow lighting offers several benefits not found in traditional grow light systems.
LED grow lights and how they work
LED grow lights are created from LEDs, or light-emitting diodes. They utilize electronic semiconductor diodes that, when turned on, create electroluminescence, which is energy released as light. The light is seen by the eye as having different color spectrums, ranging from red to blue, and colors in between. Because the LEDs are very small, they utilize optical elements to aid in reflection as well as shape the light pattern.
LED grow lighting and how it is used in indoor gardening applications
An led grow light can be used in the same way that other types of traditional grow lamps are used for gardening indoors. Greenhouses often turn to an LED grow light system due to the bright light an LED grow light can produce, as do home indoor gardeners, hydroponic gardeners, and even Space Shuttle astronauts performing scientific experiments in outer space.
Why do gardeners choose led grow lighting over other types of lighting systems?
LED grow light systems are routinely favored by gardeners who practice horticulture indoors for several reasons. LED lights use less electricity for operation than traditional grow lights used in indoor gardening. The lights have a longer life than other types of grow lamps. The light emitted from the diodes is a very bright light, much brighter than the light produced from standard grow lights, and it is in the proper spectrums for all phases of plant growth. LED grow lighting is encased in much smaller housing than ordinary grow light systems, and requires less equipment to run. Standard lighting systems require ballasts for the lights, as well as air-cooled reflectors and ducting, none of which is needed for LED lights.
What to Look for When You buy led grow lights
You will need to consider the area you need to cover in light, and see what the coverage is for the LED lights you are considering. You will also want to check that when you buy LED grow lights that they come with some kind of warranty, and that they come pre-wired so that all you need to do is plug them in.
For all these reasons, indoor gardeners buy led grow lights for the superior growth that they induce in their plants.
About the Author
From years of indoor and hydroponic gardening, Susan Slobac has developed an in-depth knowledge of led grow lights and writes frequently on the subject.