Plant lightingis necessary mainly in winter, when almost all indoor plants lack sunlight due to shorter daylight hours. For this reason, many species grow less and lose their decorative value. This can be prevented by supplementing the sun's deficiencies with artificial light. See how to choose the right lamps for lighting plants andhow to illuminate plantsfor the benefit of their growth.
Adding light to potted plants
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Why is it worth lighting plants
Many indoor plants do well in winter indoors with natural light coming through the windows, but some of them can be helped by adding additional lighting.
Especiallylighting plants in winter is necessary if we cannot lower the temperature in the apartmentWith less sunlight coming, many tropical potted plants enter the dormant period. They require lowering the temperature of the cultivation, limiting watering and stopping fertilization. All this to maintain a balance between the amount of incoming light and other growing conditions. However, we want to have warmth in our apartments. Therefore, if we cannot lower the temperature, let's support the growth of plants by adding additional light to them.
The seedlings of vegetables grown at home also require additional lighting. The additionalartificial lighting supports the growth of young plantsand improves rooting of seedlings. By sowing seeds early, we extend the cultivation period and a shortage of sunlightwill complement the plant lamps Thanks to additional lighting, we will avoid stretching the seedlings, sagging their shoots and tilting towards the window.
Thanks to the lighting of plantsit is also possible to grow fresh herbs or crispy lettuce at home in the middle of winter . "
Lighting the seedlings of strawberries, parsley and peppermint
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Effect of additional illumination on plant growth
Sunlight is essential for the photosynthesisthat takes place in green parts of plants. As a result, plants create organic compounds necessary for growth and development. Potted plants that do not receive enough light grow less and their leaves lose their intense color. Young plants take root worse and their growth is slowed down. Only a small part of the radiation spectrum is involved in photosynthesis - wavelengths of 400-700 nanometers (nm).This wave range is calledphotosynthetically active radiation(PAR).
Radiation both below and above this range is also essential for plants. Although it is not involved in photosynthesis, it initiates plant morphogenetic processes such as seed germination, growth, flowering and fruiting.
Illuminating cucumber seedlings
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For the plant to develop properly, take care ofcorrect proportions of red light(600-700 nm)to blue light(wavelength 400 -500 nm). Blue-violet light supports the growth of green mass in the early stages of plant development, while red light accelerates seed germination and shoot growth.
Good to know!
Blue and red colors, which are beneficial for plants, are tiring for the human eye. Fortunately, thanks to modern LED lamps that simultaneously generate light of different wavelengths, it is possible to obtain a color of light that is beneficial for plants and at the same time suitable for the human eye.Such lamps can be successfully used to illuminate plants in living quarters.
Which houseplants require additional lighting?
The plants' need for lightdepends primarily on the conditions under which they grow in the natural environment. In this respect, potted plants can be divided into 3 groups:
- Shadow-loving plantsthat do best in dimly lit interiors are: ferns, anthuriums, ivy, aglaonema, calathea, arrowroot - these species only need light with an intensity of 700 to 1000 lumens.
- Plants requiring moderate lighting , preferring diffused light and tolerating light shading well are: monstera, dracaena, diphenbachia, anthurium, cheflera, philodendrons - they require additional light intensity from 1200 to 2500 lumens.
- Plants that need a lot of light : agave, aloe, bougainvillea, hibiscus, citrus, succulents - require 2,500-20,000 lumens, especially fruiting species.
How long and how to illuminate plants
Artificial lighting of potted plantsis best used as supplementary, in the evening or in the morning, extending the lighting time of the plants to 12 to 14 hours a day.
The seedlings can be illuminated 24 hours a dayLeaving the light on for 24 hours a day compensates for the lower power of artificial light compared to sunlight.
Artificial lighting must be close to the plants, but not on enough to cause burns.When producing seedlings, it is best to place the lighting about 15 cm above the plantsmoving them upwards as they grow. For this purpose, you can use a practical, fold-out lamp stand for lighting plants. The structure supporting the lighting attached to it is suspended by means of hooks and chains that facilitate adjustment of the lighting height.
The lower potted plants are illuminated from a distance of 30 cmand the tall ones from a distance of 100-200 cm. We place the lamps at such a height that they illuminate the plants diagonally, providing the most light. The metal suspension for LED lamps with a lifting mechanism is perfect for this task, which allows you to conveniently adjust them to the plant growth.
Lamps for lighting plants
When deciding to provide additional lighting for plants in houses , we can choose from fluorescent lamps and LED lamps.
LED lamps are the best choice , where you can combine the desired colors of the spectrum to achieve the desired effect. These lamps do not heat up, are economical, energy-saving and long-lasting, and available in many practical variants as single lamps, lighting strips or suspended panels. In stores, there is also an LED bulb for lighting plants with a popular E27 thread, which can be screwed into an ordinary house lamp, thus minimizing the cost of purchasing plant lighting.LED lamps can be used both as the main source of lighting for indoor plants and as supplementary lighting.
CFL lamps for illuminating plants , also known as fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps, are as popular as LED lamps and have many advantages. They are inexpensive, use little electricity, and are very durable. Unfortunately, they are quite low power, so they are only used as a supplement to sunlight. They are gradually being replaced by LED lamps more and more.
Please note thatordinary white LED bulbs should not be used to illuminate plantsas they do not produce blue light waves, so important for the development of plants.
SpecialistLED bulbs and lamps for illuminating plantsas well as accessories and stands for their assembly can be ordered in the shop of our guide. To view the offer, press the button below.
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MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
