A Useful Guide To Learn Everything On How To Use LED Grow Lights

By: John Garcia | Date Posted: December 15, 2021

It doesn’t matter whether you want to grow rare species of flowers, or you just want to have some greens and herbs for the table, everybody knows that plants cannot grow properly if they do not have enough light.

How To Use LED Grow Lights

That’s why many people nowadays turn to LED grow lights because they allow them to cultivate numerous indoor plants. Of course, you need to provide yourself with useful information regarding these lights before you start working on indoor gardening.

That’s why this article was written today. To offer you some amazing LED grow lights tips and tricks that are going to help you take your plants to the next level. Below you will get all the answers!

Great Ways You Can Use LED Grow Lights

Don’t Forget To Turn Off The Lights!

This advice is for sure the most important one when it comes to growing light tips. Now, what does it mean? It means that your plants shouldn’t be lit all the time. Just like every living being, it needs some rest as well.

So how many hours of rest do they need? Approximately around six hours, although some require even more. This way, you will mimic night cycles and natural days. Now, if you are concerned that you’re going to forget to turn the lights off, then you should consider obtaining a timer that will turn the lights on and off automatically.

You Can Even Install Multiple LEDs

A majority of LED grow lights have a certain beam angle which is great if you wish to target particular areas of the grow with focused light. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to consider having multiple LED grow lights to make sure the LED beams are producing an even distribution of light.

Now, the real question is, how many grow lights do you need in that case? If you want a precise answer, then it would be advisable to contact a lighting specialist because it requires some calculation. These days, many gardeners turn to real full-spectrum LED grow lights because they consider them much more efficient in comparison to regular ones. Just bear in mind that even if LED grow lights are labeled as full-spectrum, it doesn’t mean that it’s the case.

Adding More Useful Advice Below

Adding More Useful Advice Below

Positioning

The seedlings have to be up to one hundred and fifty micromoles/sec/m2 of PAR if you want them to perform photosynthesis. To help them accomplish this, you should place the LED bars up to thirty centimeters from them.

Furthermore, T5 fluorescent lights should be positioned up to sixteen centimeters from the seedlings. Since fluorescent lights are a lot weaker than LED lights, they should be placed much closer to your plants.

Wondering about the optimal distance between your lights? It depends on your available space. For LED lights, keep them up to 25 centimeters apart; for fluorescent lights, maintain a distance of around 12 centimeters.

Bear in mind that the higher the wattage of your lights, the bigger the distance between the lights and the seedlings. Namely, if your plants are too close to them, they will get ruined and potentially die.

Pay Attention To Watering

This is something a lot of cultivators overlook when they are transitioning from HID or HPS fixtures to LEDs. Keep in mind that when you are utilizing the HID lamp you are increasing water to make up for the high levels of infrared light and heat produced by these lights.

If you do not pay attention to this, you are going to dry out the soil and your plants. When it comes to LED grow lights, they generally do not produce as much heat as regular ones, which is why you should make sure you are not using the same amount of water as you would with HID lights.

What About Light Intensity?

Now, there’s a misconception among the gardeners that the more intense these are, the better. Well, that’s not entirely the case. The level of intensity is defined as PAR which represents Photosynthetic Active Radiation.

What does it represent? Namely, it demonstrated the amount of light these LED grow lights give off that the plants can employ. With the help of this, you will be able to easily determine which LED grow lights generate light in the proper wavelengths of the spectrum to achieve the best possible results.

You’ll be able to easily figure this out by utilizing a PAR meter. Furthermore, it would be recommended to check numerous parts of your garden setup just to make sure that the light is properly distributed.

Even though the intensity matters, what’s more, important is the quality of light. You can easily adjust the intensity by moving the lights further away or closer to your plants.

Don’t Forget To Take Care Of Your LED Grow Lights

While LED growth lights require minimal attention, neglecting them entirely is not advisable. Regularly check the manufacturer’s materials for maintenance guidelines and strictly adhere to them. Review operational recommendations, such as using a power stabilizer if suggested, to extend your LED grow lights’ lifespan. Follow manufacturer instructions, especially regarding daisy-chaining fixtures, as exceeding recommended limits can lead to power issues. If you’re new to cultivation, this guide is designed to help you care for your plants effectively.

Thank you for reading!

John
 

John is the founder and chief editor of Homienjoy. With over 15 years of experience in the home improvement industry, John is passionate about helping homeowners confidently tackle their projects. Holding a civil engineering degree and working as a contractor, project manager, and consultant, John brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Homienjoy community.

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