Grow Lights

All plants require adequate lighting. In order to achieve this when growing plants indoors, especially during the darker and shorter days of winter, purchasing grow lights may be your best option. Whether you are a professional gardener or just someone trying to grow healthy plants in your home, grow lights can help you achieve this.

Setting up an indoor garden can be fun and challenging. Choosing plants that will do well indoors is important. You can ask your local gardening center which plants are best to grow indoors in your specific climate. All indoor plants will produce healthier leaves and blooms with grow lights. Choosing the correct grow light will depend on the plant and type of area you wish to grow it in. If you place your plant in a sunny area, then your plant will only need artificial lighting on gloomy days.

Common, inexpensive, household light bulbs can give of light and some heat, but it is not enough to aid in a plants growth. Special grow lights can take care of both lighting and heating needs. Indoor growers can use high intensity grow lights when there is little to no natural light available. These high intensity discharge (HID) lights are also useful when germinating seed. Often these HID lights are used when plants are blooming and can resemble natural sunlight. The cost of an HID light can be quite expensive with the average cost of one bulb at $300.

If you are searching for a less expensive way, fluorescent lights may be the way to go. The cost averages $20 for these grow lights. It will take several types of bulb for different stages of your plants life if you are using fluorescent lighting. The use of several fluorescent bulbs may be another consideration. Take into consideration the type of plant you are growing, the amount, and the wattage of the fluorescent bulb. 20 to 40 watts per square foot is usually acceptable. You will want to consult with your local plant provider.