| The use of grow lights for indoor and hydroponic | | | | burn either a metal halide bulb or an equivalent |
| gardens will be of major importance for growing | | | | high-pressure sodium blue in the same fixture. |
| healthy plants. Plants require the energy from light in | | | | However, these bulbs must be switched out and |
| order to convert carbon dioxide into organic | | | | cannot be burned at the same time. First plants are |
| compounds via photosynthesis. Indoor soil gardening | | | | grown under the metal halide light for propagating |
| and hydroponic gardening need this light produced by | | | | and for vegetative growth. For the fruiting and |
| grow lights. Nowadays the most widely used grow | | | | flowering stages, the switch must be made to the |
| lights for indoor and hydroponic gardens are | | | | high-pressure sodium bulb. |
| high-pressure sodium (HPS/SON) and/or metal halide | | | | · LED grow lights are relatively cheap, bright and |
| (MH) lamps. The lights from these HPS/SON or MH | | | | long lasting. They are attractive to indoor gardeners |
| lamps are generally directed at your indoor or | | | | and hydroponic gardeners, as they do not consume |
| hydroponically grown plants by the use of reflectors. | | | | as much power. Today's technology makes LED |
| In this way, light is produced for your indoor garden | | | | grow lights an attractive option. |
| in the most efficient manner. | | | | In conjunction with and to increase light directed to |
| Many types of grow lights are available for indoor soil | | | | the plants, indoor gardeners and hydroponic |
| gardening and/or hydroponic gardening: | | | | gardeners sometimes cover the walls of their |
| · Incandescent lights are typically used to highlight | | | | growing enclosure with light reflective materials. |
| indoor plants and are not "true" grow lights. | | | | These can range from painting walls with |
| · Fluorescent grow lights are useful in growing | | | | light-reflective white paint to reflective panels of |
| vegetables such as leaf lettuce, spinach and herbs or | | | | insulation along with a myriad of other materials. This |
| for getting a jump on planting season by growing | | | | optimized lighting directed to the plants. The larger |
| seedlings using this lighting. High output fluorescent | | | | plants get the more light they need. |
| lights produce much more light than a standard | | | | Lighting for various types and sizes of plants should |
| fluorescent lamp. Compact fluorescent lamps are | | | | be monitored by the use of a timer. Seedlings need |
| available. These are smaller and are used both for | | | | fewer hours of plants than medium or fully-grown |
| propagation and for growing larger plants. | | | | plants. Hours of lighting should be started at four to |
| · High-pressure Sodium Lamps tend to produce | | | | six hours for seedlings and then increased as your |
| plants that are taller and have longer stem growth. | | | | plants grow. For medium or fully matured plants, eight |
| Generally, they are used as secondary lighting in | | | | hours or more per day is the rule of thumb. |
| greenhouses where plants get their main source of | | | | Indoor gardening and hydroponic gardening give |
| lighting from the sun rather than grow lights. Plants | | | | people who love working in their gardens twice the |
| grown with this type of lighting tend to look pale and | | | | amount of gardening time (or more) as seasonal |
| washed out but, even so, the plants are generally | | | | changes do not put limits on growing vegetables, |
| healthy. | | | | herbs, flowers, fruit, etc. Indoor and hydroponic |
| · Combination high-pressure sodium and metal halide | | | | gardening is a great way for senior citizens to |
| grow lights come in dual reflector systems. | | | | continue gardening as planting beds can be raised to |
| Manufacturers say these lights produce an ideal | | | | comfortable heights. No more backbreaking digging |
| spectral blend and high outputs. In reality, this type of | | | | holes, weeding, and all that bending and stooping. |
| lighting is a compromise. The lamps use two smaller | | | | Grow lights are essential to indoor gardening and |
| lights rather than one larger light, therefore, the | | | | indoor hydroponic gardening for production of |
| distance the light penetrates is shorter. | | | | photosynthesis and they generally accelerate growth |
| · Switchable, two-way and convertible lamps can | | | | of your plants. |