Hi everyone! In previous posts, I have talked about low light plants. Sometimes however there just isn’t even enough light to support those low light plants. This is why a lot of people choose to incorporate grow lights into these spaces. Using grow lights allows you to keep plants in areas that you wouldn’t usually be able to. There are different types of grow lights. Keep reading if you’re interested to know about them!

First, you will have to pick if you would like LED or fluorescent bulbs. A pro to LED lights is that they are more energy-efficient. A pro to fluorescent bulbs is they are usually cheaper at the store. You can buy LEDs in more shapes and sizes than fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs can be placed closer to your plants than LED bulbs due to light strenght. 

Next, you will have to chose the color for your growlight. There are two common colors to pick from: red light and blue light. However, you can also chose to have green light or far red light. You should base the color of your grow light on the plant you want to keep under it. Red light is best for growth of stems and leaves. Blue light is best for regulating plant growth and promoting foliage. Green light is good for plants with thick canopies. Far red light makes plants flower sooner. 

Lastly, you will want to pick the light intensity. Light intensity can be measured in lux, a lumen per square meter. Full sun plants prefer 10,000-50,000 lux. Partial light plants prefer between 2,500- 10,000 lux. Low light plants prefer 500-2,500 lux. 

A good plant to try grow lights with is an African violet. They are known to tolerate grow lights well.

Remember, you do not need to keep your grow lights on all of the time! Have you ever tried using grow lights? How did it go?