If you’re finding it difficult to get sunlight especially during winter or there’s not enough sunlight entering your home, then you can go for artificial light. But the question is does artificial light really help plants grow?
Light is essential for plants especially in the process of photosynthesis. Be it houseplants, indoor hydroponic garden, etc, various plants have various light intensity requirements as they all need light to grow.
So, let’s get to know if artificial light does help plants grow as lightening is an important criterion in the growth process of a plant.
Does Artificial Light Help Plants?
It is pretty possible to make use of artificial plants to help plants grow even throughout their growth stages. Even though sunlight is the best type of light because it supplies all the perfect balance of wavelength required for the development of your plants, artificial light can also be helpful.
Artificial lights are mainly helpful if most of the light directions in your home are low in natural lights. Except your plant is a low light requiring plants, you may need to make use of artificial light.
However, one needs to understand the concept behind color temperature. This is because plants will make use of various colors of light in various ways. Learn more on color temperature here.
Generally, plants will make use of blue light for the growth of leaves i.e. the vegetative phase. While for the flowering phase, plants will make use of a combination of blue and red light.
Advantages Of Using Artificial Light For Indoor Plants
The advantage your plants get to enjoy using artificial lights includes:
- All Year Round: light will be supplied to your plants all year round. You don’t have to worry about changes in the season because artificial light will always be available for your plants’ growing needs.
- Total Control: artificial lights offers you total control as to how much light you supply your plants. Depending on the type of plant and the amount of light intensity they require, you can modify or adjust the lighting to suit your plants’ needs. Thus, you have complete control over the growing process of your plants.
- Position Your Plant Anywhere: unlike when you’re searching for natural lights in your home to position your plants, with artificial lights, you can position them anywhere. So, there’s no limitation of where to put your plants.
Mosthink LED Plant Grow Light Strips Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants
Types Of Artificial Lighting For Plants
Now, let’s take a look at some artificial lights that can help in the growing process of your plants.
If you’re fully into indoor gardening such s hydroponics, you will need to obtain hanging tube fixtures that can be positioned on top of your plants. To make things much easier, simply go for grow light kits designed for this function that will include fixtures and reflectors.
However, if you’re growing regular houseplants, simply make use of any type of light fixtures or lamps. Just ensure you select good bulbs and position these lights in a way that will help your plant grow.
Artificial Lights
So, here are some artificial lights you can find:
- Incandescent Light: this type of artificial light is affordable and easily accessible. However, it usually generates lots of heat thus it’s should be positioned far from your plants.
- Fluorescent Light: fluorescent light is one great artificial light you can find. It is affordable and appropriate for supplying light to various plants. Fluorescent light is especially great for houseplants and other plants. They emit moderate heat unlike incandescent light, thus they can be placed close to your plants without worrying about too much heat affecting them. Go for the cool white type as white light consists of a full wavelength spectrum.
- LED Lights: LED lights are one of the best artificial lights you can find. The lights they produce are energy efficient that will enhance the growth of your plants. Simply ensure your LED lights supply the red and blue lights required for the growth of plants.
- Horticulture Grows Lights: These types of artificial light are packed with a full wavelength spectrum. They are especially great for enhancing plants that need to bloom. They usually come in tubes of fluorescent fixtures.
FAQ’s
Do artificial lights help plants grow?
Plants use light for photosynthesis. Plants also use light for circadian rhythms and photoperiodism, which control their growth. There are two ways that artificial lighting can impact the growth of your plants. First, the light produced by a plant-growth lamp will cause them to grow more rapidly than they would if exposed to natural sunlight.
Second, the light produced by a plant-growth lamp will cause them to flower and set seed earlier than if they were exposed to natural sunlight.
Do plants grow better with artificial light or sunlight?
Natural lighting is better for plants than artificial.
Plants grow best when they have direct sunlight and indirect sunlight. They can also use fluorescent light,
The light spectrum is important as well. Indirect sunlight is a mixture of all types of light. It's the only type of light that can be used for growing plants indoors. Sunlight is composed of two major parts: visible light and ultraviolet light.
It's not harmful for plants to use fluorescent light, because plants absorb only the ultraviolet light and visible light components of the light spectrum. The infrared component of fluorescent light doesn't affect plants.
What artificial lights are good for plants?
For indoor plants, artificial light is essential to a successful growing environment. Artificial lighting can provide the necessary light for photosynthesis, even when sunlight is too weak or absent to do so.
The types of artificial lights that you can use depend on the species of plant you’re growing. Artificial light is the type of lighting used in commercial greenhouses and indoor gardens, and in some cases in hydroponics. It differs from natural sunlight in many ways.
For example, it does not contain the ultraviolet radiation found in sunlight. This is important because plants require ultraviolet light in order to produce vitamin D, which helps them absorb calcium. It works by using an electric bulb to emit visible light that mimics the spectrum of sunlight. This light is then diffused by a white or yellow sheeting called a “grow dome.” This light is similar to the light that comes through your home windows. The grow dome also serves as a barrier to protect the plants from insects, birds, and other animals. The grow dome should be at least 3 feet tall and 6 feet across. The grow dome will also help you control the temperature. If you’re growing indoors, the temperature should be maintained between 65 degrees F and 75 degrees F.
Fluorescent lighting has become a popular option for growing indoor plants because it is low in cost, long lasting, and produces less heat than incandescent lighting. Incandescent bulbs emit a large amount of heat. This heat is detrimental to plants, especially if they are placed too close to the bulb. The heat causes the temperature of the bulb to rise, which can be harmful to the plant’s roots. In addition to the heat, incandescent bulbs do not produce any light that is beneficial to plants. In contrast to incandescent lighting, fluorescent bulbs emit light in a narrow range of the spectrum. Plants only need a narrow spectrum of light in order to grow normally. Fluorescent bulbs are also a good option for growing plants that require lower light intensity.
Plants And Artificial Light Conclusion
So we can see that artificial light does help plants with their growing needs. If you’re having issues with getting access o natural light in your home, artificial light can always save your plants.
Eunice is an enthusiastic gardener with a passion for growing beautiful flowers. She loves nothing more than spending time in her garden, tending to her plants and enjoying the outdoors. Eunice has been gardening for over 15 years and has developed a unique style of landscaping that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. She is especially fond of growing roses and enjoys experimenting with different varieties and colors. Eunice takes great pride in her garden and often shares the fruits of her labor with friends and family. In her spare time, she enjoys reading gardening magazines and attending local horticulture events. Eunice is passionate about her hobby and is always eager to share her knowledge and experience with others.
