Plants may have difficulty growing in areas with long winters because they do not have enough sunlight to photosynthesize. If you live in such an area with insufficient sunlight but desire to create an indoor garden, LED grow lights are your best bet.
The primary purpose of these LED grow light strips is to provide enough light for indoor plants to grow. You can use them to grow a variety of decorative or edible plants. You can even use them to grow a small plant at your office desk.
So, what are the things you need to remember when buying these efficient lights?
First,
- Decide on plant varieties and surface area
Research shows that artificial lighting can help indoor plants grow. But before you decide on the type of LED grow light to buy, you must finalize the variety of plants you wish to grow. For instance, ask yourself questions like these –
- What variety of plants will you be growing?
- How tall will they eventually grow?
- Will you grow them all year round?
- Where will the garden be?
- Should you get a mobile garden setup?
- How vast will the garden area be?
The answers to these vital questions can help you understand the amount of light your plants will need.
- Check the PAR value of the bulb
An alternative to sunlight, PAR, or Photosynthetically Active Radiation is the kind of light that indoor plants need to grow. The PAR values can vary in different types of LED grow lights depending on the product manufacturer. However, one must not assume that an LED light with a higher PAR value is better than others.
The crucial thing is to ensure that the PAR value is distributed evenly among all the plants. To do this, consider buying LED grow light strips that can provide enough light to every plant in the surface area.
- Color and temperature
Incandescent grow bulbs are the most economical option, but they are also less energy-efficient and have massive heat output. This can cause plants to dry up quickly. In contrast, fluorescent bulbs have a decent spectrum of light and produce less heat. They usually come in tube light forms or as compact fluorescent reflectors (CFL).
Typically, blue and red LED grow lights are more effective for plants. They enable photosynthesis, encourage chlorophyll absorption, and boost plant growth. You can invest in a full-spectrum LED grow light that provides both these colors, allowing you to adjust as per requirement.
- Consider installation ease
While installing the lights themselves may not be difficult, the challenge lies in setting it up in a way that’s most helpful for the plants. Consider the positions if you wish to change the existing fixtures with grow bulbs. If you do this, you will need to place the plants below the fixtures to receive sufficient light.
Alternatively, you could buy LED grow light strips that can be hung over and around the garden. These may be more expensive than the first option, but they offer a more holistic functionality. You can place the lights at an appropriate distance from the plants, change positions, and take them off whenever you need.
- Look for programmable LED grow lights
Finding the right LED lights for your garden may be challenging as many manufacturers produce numerous variants. However, it is helpful to remember that LED lights with programmable features are the safest choice. For instance, you should be able to set schedules for the lights to turn on and off at appropriate times instead of having to do it manually. This helps you avoid accidentally leaving the lights on for too long, which can harm the plants.
Also, some lights allow users to change the intensity as well as the spectrum in them. This enables you to use them for a variety of plants.