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  • What grow light is best for foliage plants?

    Created by Linda Magnus on

    I have just moved all of my plants indoors for winter, and they are already dropping leaves after only a week. We moved here over the summer and I did not realize how dark this house is. I have mostly foliage plants from 6 inches tall to 7 foot tall. I have these all in three rooms and I really need some advice and help to get some grow lights and to keep my babies green.
    thank you

  • Author
    Posts
  • #293214

    Eric Vinje
    Keymaster

    Hi Linda –

    One of the best grow lights for small indoor growing is a T5 fluorescent system. They’re wonderful for growing greens, aren’t as expensive as high intensity discharge lamps used by serious growers, and they use less electricity. They’re perfect for dark rooms and foliage plants. Key advantages of these high-end fluorescents include: more of their light is used by the plant, they produce less heat than incandescent and HID grow lights and consequently can be placed much closer to the plant.

    Hope it helps!

    #295731

    GeorgeVance
    Member

    LED grow lights have made it very easy to simulate daylight and they are now employed by growers around the world. LEDs have no doubt made a key resurgence in this digital age of farming. They are energy conservative compared to the outdated HID growing lights which mean they cost less to run. However, full spectrum LED grow lights contain diodes that emit light which is actively photosynthetic. This implies that, LEDs should not be used during the period plants are meant to believe it is night time, else you stand the chance of facing the hazards it brings on the health of your plants. Even traditional fluorescent bulbs are capable of producing light that will interfere with your plants’ natural day and night cycle.

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