Using LED Lights For Indoor Gardening

With recent advances in LED lighting, these highly efficient alternatives to incandescent bulbs are popping up everywhere–in flashlights, holiday decorations and home lighting. Now even gardeners are hopping on the trend by using LED lighting to grow and maintain indoor plants.

Advantages of LED Lights for Gardening

Not only are LED lights more environmentally friendly than incandescent bulbs, they offer several advantages over traditional plant lights:

—Heat generation. While traditional indoor gardening lamps burn hot and have the potential to damage the plant and its roots, an LED lamp never gets too hot and can be placed closer to plants without the worry of overheating the soil and stunting a plant’s growth.

—Energy efficiency. Traditional bulbs burn out periodically and are known for being highly inefficient, whereas LED light bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours and require far less energy. They’re also recyclable, much lighter in weight and less fragile than their traditional counterparts.

—Customizability. Traditional grow lamps require a lot of heavy equipment; the lights cannot be mounted in different ways, so it’s necessary to use inconvenient light reflectors. With LED lighting, the lamps can be placed above, to the side, or wherever best benefits the plant. The effects of natural sunlight can be mimicked by placing the small lights around the plant, which is good for long or cascading plants.

—Targeted light spectrum. Different plants respond better to certain colors of light. Because LED lights are available in a variety of colors, gardeners can target the type of light best suited to the plant. Not only can plants use this targeted light more efficiently than broad-spectrum, but gardeners won’t have to deal with the white glare of traditional lamps.

—Plant protection. Another payoff for using LED indoor gardening lights is seeing plants flower more vibrantly and for a longer period of time. Although natural light is generally considered best for plants, the sun’s heat can cause petals to fade, burn or form dark spots. LED lights will protect flowers from developing blemishes, which is especially beneficial for delicate plants such as roses.

Indoor LED Gardening Tips

Gardeners who are used to traditional grow lamps will find gardening with LED lights a bit different. Here are some things to keep in mind:

—Don’t overwater. The heat from traditional lamps causes water evaporation, requiring indoor gardeners to give their flora extra water. Because LED lights produce significantly less heat, plants require less water.

—Provide some heat. On the flip side, the lack of heat generation from LED lights can cause plants to grow more slowly. Plants should be kept in a room that’s 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, and a small 60-Watt light bulb may be needed for plants that benefit from higher temperatures, such as tomatoes.

—Allow for some down time. Just as plants require light, they also benefit from the dark. Consult with a gardening specialist to see how much light a plant should get on a daily basis.

When it comes to indoor gardening, LED lights offer endless benefits. It’s easier than ever for gardeners to create the indoor garden of their dreams. All it takes is a little creativity and a good LED lamp.

~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2010