Light duration (photoperiod) is the number of hours of light a plant needs per 24-hour period. Plants are classified by photoperiod into three categories for flowering response: short day, long day, or day-neutral. The plant is sensitive to the salts in tap water, so use rainwater or distilled water to prevent leaf discolouration. Begonia These attractive foliage houseplants like to scramble and ramble, producing stems several feet in length. Also know an Devil’s Ivy, these plants produce glossy foliage which have the advantage of possessing air-purifying qualities. Credit: “Pothos Plant” by ProFlowers.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Now, how exactly does that work with plants? Of course plants need light to grow, but it's not as simple as that. Plants have a different use for each color of the spectrum. Out of the colors that we are able to interpret, the most important colors are blue and red. Blue lights are great for anything involving the structural parts of the plant, to continue to make it strong and healthy. Red lights are great for the initial phases of plant development, as well as for flowering. There's nothing wrong with using them individually, but usually they are mixed, which is when you'll see a purple mix light.

Plants will absorb both red and blue light throughout their lives, and a balance of both types produces healthy plants. That said, the light types can affect the plant’s processes. Philodendron: virtually all types of philodendrons can thrive under artificial light. They come in a variety of leaf shapes and sizes. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum): A trailing plant with heart-shaped leaves, pothos is adaptable to various lighting conditions. Or even What are the Top 10 affordable (best budget, best cheap, or even best expensive!!!) Indoor Plant Uplighters available? Etc. The Trio Grow Light from AeroGarden has a mix of both red and blue lights, with more red than blue, but the lights don't create a purplish hue, like you might think. There are multiple color variations, with the first being full spectrum, which encompasses all the other colors that are possible. To maximize the effect of the light, you can isolate the colors based on the growth stage of your plant. So you can have a warm red, a cool blue or even just a nice white light. These are all great for different stages of plant growth. It has an auto-timing function, allowing you to turn it on or off for a certain number of hours.

Adding artificial lighting

Watts are a measure of the amount of energy needed to produce light, rather than a measure of the actual intensity of the light. Light bulbs should report both watts and another measure of light intensity such as PPF, lumens or foot candles. A more efficient lightbulb will produce more light with fewer watts of energy. For added convenience, the light arrives fully assembled and is easy to install. The unit comes with two 6-inch hanging wire harnesses, a 5-foot plug-in cord, and all the necessary mounting hardware. The wavelength of light relates to the color that humans perceive. Plants absorb light between 400-700 nm for photosynthesis. Therefore, this range of light is known as photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). However, plants absorb blue light (400-500 nm) and red light (600-700 nm) the best. Keeping houseplants alive can be a strenuous task. You need to place them in the proper location to make sure they get the right amount of light, and you have to water them correctly — because there is such a thing as overwatering your plants. Although water is, thankfully, easy to find in most places, proper lighting may not be. You might live in a place that doesn't face the sun, your home may not have a lot of windows or perhaps putting your plants in a certain place in your house doesn't fit your aesthetic. That's where indoor grow lights come in: You can use them to properly care for your plants no matter your lighting situation.

Always Monitor and Adjust Temperature– some types of grow lights can get incredibly warm underneath, which can be an issue for some types of plants. LED lights tend to be cooler and are my preferred choice for indoor growing. While many plants can be grown with artificial light, some perform better than others. The following houseplants typically thrive when grown with artificial light: Uplighting simply refers to the directional focus of the light. Landscape uplights are typically mounted below or at ground level, shining the light upward. Before getting a plant or starting seeds, determine the quality and hours of natural light in your space. Then choose plants with light requirements that match your indoor environment.Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen): There are many varieties of Aglaonema with diverse leaf patterns and colors, all of which do well in artificial light. LEDs are most often recommended for grow lights, though some fluorescent and incandescent bulbs can work. The most important thing is that regardless of type, the bulbs should offer full-spectrum illumination and produce waves of red and blue light, which is often necessary for plants to thrive indoors. Light quality refers to the wavelength or color of light. The light spectrum is composed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet light. Sunlight provides all colors of light. Many types and sizes of plants can thrive with artificial lights. However, different plants will do best with different kinds of light, hours of light, and distances between the light and the plant. The unit is easy to assemble: The pieces snap together, and no extra tools are required. It’s also lightweight, which is a major plus. Each shelf weighs 7 pounds, and they come apart for easy storage when not in use.