When you’re indoor gardening, you need the right equipment to ensure the best results. Full spectrum LED lights are helpful, but are they the best option?
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If you’re intending to do a spot of indoor gardening in your new grow room, you can achieve the results you desire with some good quality full spectrum LED lights. That said, it’s not as simple as buying full spectrum hardware and expecting the absolutely best cultivation success with every plant genus.
Here we take a closer look at the use of grow lights and the considerations that need to be made. By reading on, you’ll gain a better understanding at what kind of setup you’ll need to be successful.
The Grow Light Spectrum
If you’ve done any type of research into grow lights, you’ll know firstly that full spectrum LED glasses are necessary to protect your eyes when using them, as well as the fact that the grow light spectrum relates to the range of light frequencies that help photosynthesis to occur.
What’s crucial to understand here is that the type of light that’s present in your grow room will affect how your plants grow, in addition to other factors like type of plant, moisture and soil chemistry. Chlorophyll – the molecule that works inside plants to turn light into chemical energy – will typically require and absorb both blue and red light frequencies.
This is because photosynthesis occurs most efficiently in this particular grow light spectrum range, especially when talking about flowering plants. Blue light in particular, plays an important role in establishing the initial foundational stages of growth.
So, Are Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights Best?
Well, that’s quite an interesting question, as ‘full spectrum’ typically means that what it produces is light that resembles the range that’s emitted by the sun. The thing is, these lights don’t actually offer the same light spectrum as the sun – although close to it. What’s more, many types of plant only thrive in certain light spectrums.
So, as great as they are, they’re not ideal in every kind of scenario. So, does that mean you have to buy more than one type of grow light? Actually, no…
Adjustable Spectrum LED Grow Lights
The perfect alternative to full spectrum lighting for this purpose are adjustable spectrum LED grow lights that allow for precise control over the light your plants are getting. These narrow band frequencies can even be adjusted wirelessly and this control can improve things like plant biochemistry and flowering times. That’s why they’re so popular with commercial growers.
Don’t be fooled by the name though, as they still require the user to wear full spectrum LED glasses for protection in order to avoid eye strain.
So, There You Have It!
Essentially, the lights you buy for your grow room will have a big impact on the success you have with your indoor gardening project. Full spectrum lighting hardware is great for general use, but its limitations come into play when growing plants that do better in narrower frequencies.
Adjustable spectrum lights might cost a little more, but they offer so much more versatility to growers, allowing them to fine-tune growing conditions at every point on the growing journey. So, if you’re intending to grow varied crops, they’re probably your best option.
Also, remember to always wear the right eye protection if using them for prolonged periods or you’re likely to suffer with eye discomfort.
