In modern families, planting green plants has become a casual and fashionable lifestyle. However, many people will find that even if the appropriate temperature and humidity are provided at home, the growth of plants will still be restricted during the planting process. This is because indoor lighting often cannot meet the needs of plant growth, and the emergence of plant fill-in lights can solve this problem.

So how to choose a suitable plant fill-in light? We usually need to consider the following factors:

First, we need to understand the lighting needs of plants and understand what they are shining.

Because different plants have different needs for light, plants can be divided into sun-loving plants and shade-loving plants. Sun-loving plants need plenty of sunlight, while shade-loving plants only need a certain amount of scattered light to meet their growth. Therefore, when choosing a plant fill-in light, we must first understand the specific needs of the plants we grow for light, and distinguish whether our plants are sun-loving or shade-loving.

Second, we need to consider the spectrum of the fill-in light and know what the plants need.

The spectrum has an important influence on the growth of plants, and different wavelengths of light have different effects on the growth of plants. Blue light can promote photosynthesis of plants, and red light can help plants bloom and bear fruit. Therefore, it is very important to choose a plant fill light with a wide spectrum range and moderate proportion. Usually, you can choose a full-spectrum plant fill light, which fully simulates sunlight and has a good fill light effect, which is very suitable for home use.

Third, we need to understand the number of plants and know how large the irradiation area is.

You can see how many pots there are for plants, or measure the length and width of the plant area to calculate the area. Because this is directly related to the number of lights we will match later.

Fourth, we need to understand the light intensity required by the plants and know how many lights can be matched. 

Generally, there are two dimensions to measure the light intensity of plant supplementary lights, one is PPFD and the other is PPF. However, this method is more complicated to calculate. We can first understand the light intensity required by the plants. For example, succulents require a light intensity of 10000-20000Lux. We can directly use the tester to measure the area size and light intensity of a lamp at different distances, so as to determine how many watts of lamps are needed.

The demand for light intensity at different plant growth stages

Seedling stage: In the early stage after seed germination, the light intensity can be low, about 50-150 μmol/m2/s. At this stage, plants mainly need light for photosynthesis and promote leaf growth.

Growth period: During the growth period of plants, the light intensity needs to be gradually increased, generally 200-400 μmol/m2/s. At this time, plants need more light energy to promote leaf growth, root development and overall growth of the plant body.

Flowering and fruiting period: After the plant enters the flowering and fruiting period, the demand for light intensity will change. Most plants require higher light intensity at this stage, usually between 400-800 μmol/m2/s. Sufficient light can promote flower bud differentiation and flower pod attachment, which helps to increase the yield and quality of the fruit.

Fifth, we need to consider where the plant light is installed and know how to install it.

Look at what the use environment is like and what kind of installation method will be more suitable, ceiling type, hanging type, floor lamp (can be placed directly on the table or ground), free installation type (can be wall-mounted or with clips for flexible positioning), desktop type, etc., fully combine your own plants and space to choose the type of plant fill light installation.

Sixth, we also need to consider the service life and energy consumption of the fill light.

A durable and low-energy fill light can not only save our use costs, but also reduce the impact on the indoor environment. At present, we usually choose LED plant fill lights, which have a long service life, energy saving and electricity saving, and are durable and long-lasting.

To choose a suitable plant fill light, we need to consider factors such as the plant's lighting needs, spectrum, brightness, installation method, service life and energy consumption. Only in this way can we provide our plants with the most suitable lighting environment, let them grow healthily, and make our home environment greener!

Different types of plant growth lights to choose from

Plant growth lights with bulbs

Among the many plant growth lights, you can choose a standard plant growth light, such as our graceehomes plant growth light bulb. Plant growth light bulbs are friendly to both beginners and indoor gardeners. We have successfully grown our potted plants after several tests.

Take the 120v voltage plant growth light bulb as an example. This bulb is actually compatible with many lampshades, which means you don't need to buy other materials. If you have such a lampshade at home, you can directly install the plant growth light bulb into it. Not only does it make your entire lamp look good, but it also looks beautiful when you turn on the light to illuminate the room.

At first, we installed the plant growth light bulb in the table lamp and clamped it on the bookshelf with a clip. After many tests, we installed the plant growth light bulb on our existing plant growth light shelf. Of course, you can install it anywhere you think the location is good.

Plant growth light bulbs that release red spectrum are the best choice for growing tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, fruit trees, and flowers. When the bulb is assembled, you need to adjust the height of the plant growth light according to the prompts. It is recommended to irradiate for 18 hours a day. If the plant growth light bulb does not have a timing function, we need to arrange the time for irradiation ourselves.

Hanging plant growth lights

Hanging plant growth lights can provide sufficient sunlight for large areas of plants, but it takes a lot of time and effort to install and fix hanging plant growth lights. Generally speaking, they are suitable for greenhouse farm planting. If they are used for indoor planting at home, it is very difficult to match the indoor decoration, which may cause the color of the home decoration to be not good enough. We tested the hanging plant growth lights of graceehomes, which are very easy to install and can be well integrated with home decoration, farms or greenhouse scenes. At the same time, hanging plant growth lights are conducive to growing plants.

After a year of testing, hanging plant growth lights have made plants grow prosperously and made plants lush and full of flowers. Our plants grow better with the help of plant growth lights than under natural light. We really like this light that provides sufficient spectrum, which makes our lemon trees grown in winter bloom and bear fruit.

We initially tested the 5.8 x 3.8 inches with 2,000 lumens, 20 watts hanging plant growth light and were impressed by the natural light it released. We also tested the larger version, 7 x 4 inches with 4,000 lumens, 40 watts. Both sizes of plant growth lights provide very beneficial strong natural light.

Whether you choose the small or large version, each plant growth light includes a 15-foot long fabric cord, three ceiling hooks, two wall fairleads, and a hanging hook. The cable and fairleads allow you to move the light closer or farther depending on the type of plant and the growth stage.

In addition, it took us ten minutes to install the largest version of the hanging plant growth light. Although, depending on the hanging material and the installation location, it may take you longer to install. The hanging plant growth light comes with a clear instruction manual, and you can install it according to the instructions and usage scenario.

Standing Grow Lights

If you want flexible control of the grow lights, then gracehomes' standing grow lights are your best choice. You can adjust the grow lights according to the height of your plants. Our standing grow lights are 4.1 feet at the shortest and 5.4 feet at the highest. You can adjust them to any height you like.

You can also choose other standing tripod grow lights (with timers) and fixed height grow lights. You can set them to illuminate the plants for 4, 6, 8, or 12 hours. These standing grow lights have two heads, four heads, no heads, six heads, and eight heads. You can choose the right standing grow light according to the light requirements of the plants.

In addition, you can also control the brightness of the grow lights from 10% to 100%. Different standing grow lights have different characteristics. You need to read the product manual carefully and use them correctly.

Clip Grow Lights

If your plants are potted or placed on bookshelves or desks, then clip grow lights are a good choice. This requires little assembly, you just clip the Clip Grow Light onto a bookshelf or desk with the light spectrum facing the plants. The Clip Grow Light is also a good choice for seedlings.

While the design of this grow light is relatively simple—no smart features or touch controls—we found the remote control on the cord very easy to understand and use. It has a timer with three-, nine-, and 12-hour intervals, which we found to be very accurate. It also offers 10 different dimming settings, so you can control the brightness of the room.

Unlike many lights on this list, you can choose between warm light (white), red light, and blue light, or red light, blue light, and warm light (380nm-800nm), depending on the growth stage of the plant. A combination of all three gives the most positive growth results. 1

In six months of additional testing, including winter, all of our plants continued to thrive, looking stronger, taller, and growing new leaves compared to plants without the grow light. We rotated our houseplants under the light and continued to grow tomato seedlings. The clip and flexible arm made this easy, so we could easily move it to accommodate different plants.

We continue to use the 12 hour timer feature for consistent light and we love not having to remember to turn it on and off. The only thing we would change is the timer on this grow light, we wish it had the option to stay on longer.

Should I choose incandescent, fluorescent or LED grow lights?

Choosing the right grow light

First, it is very important to understand the different types of grow lights. Common ones on the market are fluorescent, LED, high pressure sodium and metal halide.

1. Fluorescent lamps: They are an entry-level choice and suitable for growing leafy vegetables such as lettuce or herbs. Fluorescent lamps provide soft light and will not cause plants to overheat, which is ideal for plants that need low to medium light.

2. LED lamps: LED grow lights are highly efficient, generate less heat, have a long life, and can emit full-spectrum light, including blue and red light that are essential for plant growth, suitable for plant growth needs at all stages.

3. High pressure sodium lamps: These lamps are mainly used in the fruit development stage because they produce a lot of red and orange light, which is particularly helpful for flowering and fruit growth.

Which light color is best for plant growth?

The light color that is best for plant growth depends on the type of plant and the growth stage. Choosing full-spectrum lighting, covering the entire PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) spectrum, 400 to 700 nanometers, and containing a lot of red and blue light, is the best choice for most purposes.

Where should plant growth lamps be placed?

After purchasing a suitable plant growth lamp, correct installation and location layout are equally important. Plant growth lamps should be installed directly above the plants at a certain height from the plants. This height depends on the type of lamp and the type of plant. For example, LED lamps are generally placed about 30-45 cm above the plants, while high-pressure sodium lamps may require a higher hanging height to avoid heat damage.

In addition, the coverage area of the lamp should be able to cover the range of all plants to ensure that each plant can receive light evenly. The position of the lamp can be adjusted according to the arrangement of the plants to ensure that the light is evenly distributed.

Usage tips and maintenance suggestions

The use of plant growth lights should not exceed a certain time. Too much light will cause excessive growth of plants and may even cause other physiological problems. Generally, 12 to 16 hours of lighting per day is more appropriate. Using a timer can help control the lighting time, regularize the light cycle, and be closer to the natural environment.

Maintenance of lamps is also critical. Clean the lamps regularly to avoid dust and stains that hinder light output. Check all wires and connectors to ensure safety.

Providing proper light for indoor plants is one of the important conditions to ensure their healthy growth. Choosing a plant growth light that is suitable for the stage of plant development, installing it correctly and reasonably formulating a lighting schedule can simulate a more natural environment and help your indoor plants thrive. By understanding these basic principles and tips, even gardening novices can successfully manage and enjoy the fun and achievements of indoor gardening.

FAQ

How long should the plant growth light be turned on?

‌It is usually recommended that the use time of plant growth lights is 8 to 12 hours a day‌. The specific time can be adjusted according to the needs of the plants and the growth environment. If the plants are mainly grown indoors, it is recommended to use 12 hours a day; if the plants are grown alternately indoors and outdoors, a cumulative light time of 12 hours a day is sufficient‌

Different plants have different needs for light time

Different types of plants have different needs for light. Light-loving plants may require longer light exposure, while shade-tolerant plants can reduce the light exposure time appropriately. For example, succulents usually require 4 to 6 hours of light a day, but the specific time can be adjusted according to actual conditions‌

Alternatives for insufficient light

In the case of insufficient natural light, plant fill lights can be used to supplement the light. The use time of the fill light can be adjusted according to the needs of the plants, and it is usually recommended to use 8 to 12 hours a day. If the ambient light is seriously insufficient, the use time of the fill light can be appropriately extended, but it is not recommended to exceed 16 to 18 hours to avoid excessive fatigue of the plants.‌