Did you know that you can easily start and grow all of your vegetable and flowers seeds indoors this year using basic, ordinary LED grow lights?

Not only are they easy to use and operate, but they also work incredibly well to grow strong healthy seedlings. And perhaps best of all, they are quiet, energy-efficient, and long-lasting. In fact, LED grow lights cost just mere pennies a day to operate, and can easily last for 10 or more growing seasons.
Many gardeners shy away from starting their own seeds indoors. Unfortunately, many think the process is too time-consuming and expensive to undertake. But contrary to popular belief, starting your own plants from seed doesn't require a lot of time. Nor will it require a large investment in fancy growing lights, heating pads or other special equipment.

Introduction To Indoor Grow Lighting System

A grow light is an artificial lighting system that supports plant development and growth.

A grow light will either provide light from a spectrum similar to the sun's rays or display a color spectrum better suited to a specific type of plant.

This form of artificial lighting may vary in terms of color, spectrum, energy, and temperature. All of these features can be adjusted to suit the needs of each plant family.

The grow light employed also depends upon which stage the plant is in.

For example, a plant that is currently in full bloom will require different lighting conditions from a set of freshly planted cannabis or seedlings.

There are many different types of grow lights on the market. Each version is unique and useful but differs in many ways from its competitors.

Some grow lights are more affordable than others, too, but may take significantly longer to deliver the maximum yield in your plants.

How A Light's Spectrum Affects Plant Growth

Light is obviously a critical component in growing plants, but it's about quality as much as it is quantity. Plants can only absorb and utilize certain spectrums of light. The spectrum of light that plants use is known as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and includes wavelengths from 400–700 nm. So, the light produced that doesn't fall within this range cannot be absorbed by the plants and utilized for growth.

Additionally, different wavelengths of light can trigger different responses in the plant. For example, red light is effective for increasing the total size of a plant, but when used alone can result in "stretched" plants that are tall with thin leaves. That is why have a "full-spectrum" light that includes many different wavelengths of light is important.

Depending on the stage of growth your plant is in, increasing the number of certain colors of light can help your plant grow how you desire. For example, during the vegetative state increasing the amount of blue light can result in more compact, stockier plants which creates a more even canopy height and ensure plants receive equal amounts of light. Then during the flowering stage, adding more red light increases the growth rate of the plant and "stretches" it resulting in larger yields. This is because in nature the spectrum of light a plant receives indicates certain environmental conditions, like what season it is, and trigger responses in the plant.

After seeing how different wavelengths are responsible for different plants reactions, it is easy to see why full-spectrum lights are the best for plant growth. Full-spectrum light most closely mimics the natural sunlight by using a combination of all colors at all stages of growth.

MARS HYDRO FC 8000 SAMSUNG LM301B OSRAM Commercial LED Grow Light

Features:
This MARS HYDRO LED grow light mounts 2968 pcs Samsung LM301B & Osram 660nm diodes. Make use of more than twice as many LEDs as comparable lights to drive the grow lights with a low current to stay away from overdrive. Quality guaranteed and high efficiency up to 2.8 μmol/j. Born for commercial cultivation with supplemental CO2 applications, the FC8000 LED grow light supplies uniform PPFD averaging 1500μmol/m²/s, sufficient to activate 100% photosynthesis and obtain maximum yield at different CO2 concentrations. It also has a professional Spectra For Plant Production: Enhanced blue and red light as a specific spectral combination, boosting plant growth while improving the year-round yield and product quality. The dimming function is available for 0–100% variable brightness, adapts to different plant growth stages. Max 30 lights can be daisy-chained together and be controlled by one master light.

TopoGrow Professional 800W LED Grow Light

Features:
This TopoGrow LED grow light uses durable IP65 waterproof aluminium material used, Branded led chips and drivers provided. high Efficiency is 2.6 umol/J, delivers a powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration to resulting maximum higher yields. PPF is 2080 umol/s, maximize yield with 50% higher Average PPFD, achieve 60% higher yield & quality compared with the traditional led lights. Consume power is 800W, making it a High-End&High-Performance commercial grow light. It utilizes the latest in high yielding LEDs technology today, max yield Spectrum with enhanced red 660nm led chips and warm 4000K led chips, it speeds up blooming & fruiting stages, perfect for Density Buds. This 800W led grow light is best for 6x6 ft growth. Low energy consumption 800W LED growing light with 8 passive-cooled bars, makes the light create less heat when working.

Things To Consider Before Purchasing A Grow Light

What Light Spectrum Do The Plants Use?

The spectrum of light is defined by the wavelength's temperature emitted from colors (both non-visible and visible) which are provided by sunlight. Moreover, plants prefer specific ranges of wavelengths in each stage of growth.

So, with the grow light, you can provide certain lighting needs for your plant. But you should be conscious of these needs as well as the capabilities of the bulbs.

Maturity and early growth prefer warmer and need short light wavelengths. These will be found in the blue end of the spectrum. Plant production and bloom need cooler which is suitable for long wavelengths. They are found in the redder end of the spectrum.

The difference in the preferences of light helps to define the sunlight which is most used by plants during the daylights. Briefly, with the grow light, you can control the light input for your plant through adequate grow light usage.

How Many Types Of Grow Lights Are There?

To best support the growth stages mentioned above, you should choose the types providing the spectral light that your plant needs. Before giving your choices, you should make sure to know clearly about the vegetative needs during their growth stages. And you also need to think about your own preferences.

High-Intensity Discharge (HID)
People light HID bulbs from the combustion of the gas found in the bulb. These types require a particular hood type established and a ballast to regulate the electricity supplied to the bulb. This can keep it out of the burning.

HID bulbs can produce the whole spectral range which depends on the light type you choose.

Fluorescent
People not only use fluorescent lighting for workspaces and garages but also for their plants. This type is popular because of their long lifespan. Besides, they can produce a bluer light range and great support for maturity and early growth.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)
LED is so prevalent these days. They have small sizes and cool usage. Also, users can customize the panels with LEDs to create a fuller spectrum for their plants to use. In general, LEDs are very affordable. You can find them easily in a lot of useful household stores.

Plasma
This name may sound strange to you. It is not different from the HID ceramic metal halide bulbs. It is made from a new technology that is highly efficient and effective with the production of the cash crop. Furthermore, the range of spectral light is wide, which can advocate any growth stage.

Features Making The Best Cheap Led Grow Light

The coverage area it can give: if the area of coverage of the LED grow light is large, it can support your plants effectively.

The angle of LED lens: if you want a large coverage, the angles need to be great. If they are lesser, it can lead to more direct light and less dispersion.

The support it can provide all the stages of plant growth: this is an important feature. When you have a full spectrum grow lights, they will support all growth stages of your plants.
There are also some minor qualities you need to look for when thinking about an ideal LED grow light:

Quality materials
Brand reputation
Electricity consumption
Low heat output
Quality semiconductor chip
Flexibility and easiness of use

Conclusion

LED grow light strips can be used as your sole growing lights or part of a more complex setup.

Their flexibility can be highly beneficial, allowing you more accurate control of your growth lighting position. With a full-color spectrum, you can be confident that plants will get everything they need.

What plants have you successfully grown under LED strip lights? Do you prefer to use a full-color spectrum or separate strips?
Comment below to share your indoor growing tips and gardening successes.