Indoor grow lights enable gardeners to continue growing fruits, vegetables and herbs during all seasons because with a grow light you are essentially create an artificial sun and supply your plants with the light that they need to thrive indoors anytime of the year.
The Components
Ballast – The first component of a grow light system is the ballast. This unit supplies power and also houses the grow lights.
Bulbs – The most essential part of any grow light system are of course the bulbs. There are a wide variety of bulbs on the market today and many indoor gardeners typically choose either fluorescent or LED bulbs. Both bulb types have their advantages but the best bulb that you can get for your money is an LED bulb because these bulbs emit more light, consume less energy and have a longer lifespan than fluorescent bulbs.
Reflectors – These are used for reflecting the light and warmth that your lights create.
Lighting Tips
1. Always maintain a proper space between your plants and grow lights because it’s very easy to place lights too close and over expose your plants.
2. Remember to give your plants at least six hours of darkness during a 24 hour period because plants need a little bit of darkness every day to insure proper growth. If you’re going to be away from your indoor garden for any length of time it’s best to purchase a timer for your lights just so you can have confidence that they will turn on and off at the set time every day.
3. Check your bulbs at least every two weeks for age and wear. It’s very easy for any bulb to wear out over time and provide less light than it’s capable of. To avoid this happening to you make sure that you check your bulbs often and replace them when they start to wear out.