Allotment Growing

Vegetable, Fruit & Herb Gardening

Fluorescent Lights for Growing - Grow Lights

The Power of Light for Growing

You may know that many professional growers and show growers utilise artificial lighting to increase day length and bring their plants to production earlier than natural light would normally allow

All plants need light to grow properly. They use light in a process called photosynthesis as a source of energy to help them in getting necessary nutrients.

During the process of photosynthesis, a plant uses an element known chlorophyll to gather the energy from the light. This well-known fact may remind you of fifth-grade science class, but the general concept is applicable to any adult plant-grower who wants to use florescent lights to help his plants flourish.

Light waves come in many colours and some of the waves of light are used and some are not. Plants readily absorb red and blue light but they do not utilize very much of the green. In fact, they actually reflect the green light waves back into the atmosphere. This is what gives plants their green colour.

Here is where the fluorescent lights come in. Different types of light produce different colours in their wavelength. Their colour is determined by the specific wavelengths. Fluorescent lights can be designed to economically emit specific types of light waves.

So a plant enthusiast can use the special lighting to give artificial daylight to his assortment of plants throughout the entire year, even when the actual day length is too short

This is exactly what the professionals and show growers who work with plants have done. They have developed fluorescent lights that are designed to achieve efficient use of the wavelengths set off by the rays.

Light Spectrum

This is accomplished by downplaying the green, yellow and orange rays found in the light source. By reducing these colours in the spectrum, the plants are exposed to mostly the red and blue waves emitted from the fluorescent lights.

The brightness or power of the light is another factor in the successful use of fluorescent lights to attain maximum plant growth. The more energy the plant gets, the more it can grow.

Using intense light helps the plants thrive and flourish. When using intense rays, the plant enthusiast should also consider how much distance should stand between the fluorescent lights and the plants.

Maximum Results from Grow Lights

In order to achieve maximum results, it is best to keep the grow lights a safe distance away from the plants. Another thing to consider is that just like people, plants need to rest. While fluorescent lights are effective in getting plants to grow quickly, too much light can actually harm the vegetation.

A good balance is ideal. People who want to maintain a garden plant beyond it's normal life or even throughout the winter months may want to consider using fluorescent lights to brighten the winter days and some of the winter night.

Many professional and show growers prefer to utilise sodium vapour lights rather than fluorescent grow lights as their light balance can be more suitable and cost less than fluorescent lights when many are required to generate the energy needed for the plants.

Related Pages:

Daylength and its effects on growing plants

Allotment Shop Information and Supplies of Grow Lights

Grow Lighting, Grow Lighting Controls, Supplementary Lighting and Garden Power