Strong Bulbs Make Strong Plants
Monday, February 23rd, 2009Fluorescent lights offer affordable gardening opportunities, turning any inside room into a suitable environment for plants so that you can enjoy fresh vegetables all year round. As food prices continue to skyrocket, more and more consumers are growing their own food in simple inside operations, getting the most out of their space.
10 to 15 percent more efficient than a metal halide light, fluorescent grow light and HPS bulbs are best used as supplemental light, ideal for plants that flower. Fluorescent grow lights are ideal for growing seedlings, although several can be combined at once in order to grow larger plants.
Standard fluorescent and HPS bulbs emit a blue spectrum light, which can make a plant grow too leggy during its vegetative stage. This is similar to the sunlight at midday and is ideal for flower growth. Enhanced performance HPS lights, however, emit a wider blue spectrum, enhancing the plants’ growth significantly. It leads to a fuller, healthier plant.
Bulbs should be hung high enough in order to not negatively impact the growth of the plants. The higher the lamp wattage is, the hotter the lamp will be, so hanging the lights too close to the plants can burn the vegetation and dry out the soil. A light hanger makes it easy to adjust the length of the light, allowing you to vary it according to the growth and height of the plant.
Plants need different periods of light depending on the type of plant. Most require 12 hours of light, although some long day plants may require 16 hours. A timer is most effective at rationing the right amount of light. It saves you the trouble of having to remember to turn the lights on and off, and also allows you to take vacations or leave growing operations for several days while you are away.
Bulbs should be replaced before they burn out, generally every 1 to 2 ½ years, depending on how many hours per day you run the light. Older lamps may look fine, but their performance deteriorates considerably and the plants will suffer. Even after a year of use, an HPS bulb generally only produces light 85 to 90 percent as effectively, and continues to depreciate after that. Keeping bulbs fresh will have a dramatic affect on your plants’ growth.
Why limit your green thumb to nice weather and the traditional growing season? Indoor lights allow you to enjoy gardening throughout the year, continually reaping in a harvest of fresh vegetables.