What To Look for in Lights For Your Greenhouse
If you’re just starting out with a greenhouse, it’s important that you make the right choices in lighting. Lighting is a critical factor in a plant’s development. Proper lighting will go a long way towards making sure that your plants thrive. Here are a few things you should be aware of in order to get the best greenhouse lighting system for your needs.
1. The first thing you need to do is figure out the amount of light you will require. The factors you need to consider are the type of plants you’re going to raise, and the size of your greenhouse. Some plants such as flowers and fruit, as well as those that are taller, require more light than others. An outdoor greenhouse will typically use 25 watts per square foot. However, indoor greenhouses require at least twice as much light.
2. The kind of light you use should be suitable for the plants you’re growing. The type of light waves produced has a significant effect on plant growth. For instance, if you want optimal growth for fruit or flowers, use high pressure sodium lights. These give off red light waves which are beneficial for encouraging growth hormones in plants. If you’re growing leafy plants, they’ll thrive under the blue spectrum, which metal halide lighting is best at providing.
3. Don’t let your lighting overheat your plants. They can die from becoming overheated. Some kinds of lighting give off a considerable amount of heat. Incandescent lights, for example, produce large quantities of heat. Since the light they provide isn’t considered to be sufficient for most plants, they’re really not a good choice. Fluorescent grow lights, on the other hand, produce much less heat. Before you buy, take some time to figure out the amount of heat that each style of lighting will give off.
4. Choose lighting products that will give you the results you need without using a lot of energy to power them. High intensity discharge lights are the most energy efficient type of indoor greenhouse lighting available. Unfortunately, they’re also the most expensive to purchase. Another option is LCD grow lamps, which are a popular choice due to their high energy efficiency. They also produce lower levels of heat.
No matter what kind of indoor greenhouse lighting you decide on, it’s essential that you turn it off from time to time. Use lighting wisely, only when and where it’s required. Plants need darkness, too, in order to grow properly. Leave the lights off for 6 to 12 hours each day in your garden greenhouse, depending on what kind of plants you have.
