each type caters to a particular aspect of growing a healthy indoor garden. You will need to mix and match to ensure that your indoor garden gets what it needs best.
1. Incandescent Lights – this type of light is perfect for lighting a room where low-light plants are grown such as dracaenas, ferns and vines. These lights will give plenty of heat (10% light and 90% heat); hence, are not suitable for most plants unless they are cacti, tropical plants or succulents.
2. Fluorescent Light – this type of light is best for day-neutral plants that require low-medium light such as vegetables and African Violets. The lights come in the form of tube-like bulbs in various sizes (T12, T8 and T5). The thinner the bulb, the brighter the light it provides would be. They provide full spectrum light and use 75% less energy than the incandescent lights. They provide 6500 Kelvin light when most indoor plants require 4000-6000 Kelvin degrees.
With this type of light you could emulate the conditions required to grow all types of herbs, starter seedlings, greens, orchids, succulents, and so on. These plants perform well when exposed to the full spectrum lights fluorescent bulbs provide. The T5 and T8 bulbs placed at about 2-4 inches away emulates sunlight and are excellent for germinating seeds. For grown up plants the plants will benefit if they are kept 1-2 feet away from the light source.
3. Compact Fluorescent Lights
These are the lights you would like to use for your indoor garden not only because they are the best suited, but also because they cost a fraction of what the incandescent lights do. To ensure to get it right (and not waste your money with changing the lights often) ask a specialist to help.
P OINTS TO K EEP IN M IND ABOUT L IGHTING
Do not worry too much about finding the right lighting for your garden. It is easier than it looks. Consult a specialist in the beginning and afterwards you play it by the ear. You will find your plants have a way to tell you what they need. Every gardener will swear that they can tune in into what they plants need. What is left, you will learn with experience. Give yourself about 6-12 months and you will know that there is to know about the plants you are growing. In the meantime, you will need to keep in mind certain important things about lighting:
1. P LANTS N EED D ARKNESS, T OO
All plants – even the ones that love the highest intensity of light – need a period of darkness. They take rest during this time and respirate (take in oxygen and give out CO2), which is a very important part of their growth process. This will influence the rate of their growth, flower and fruit bearing abilities as well.
2. Keep Lighting Even
You will need to rotate the plants each week preferably, though you can do once or twice a month as well. The centre of the bulb will provide the highest intensity of light (and heat) and hence, rotating the plant will ensure that the whole plant is exposed to light equally.
3. Proper Maintenance of Fluorescent Lights
When the ends of the tube darken, the bulbs/ tubes need to be replaced. A spent up tube/ bulb will give much less light than it is designed to do. Unless it is replaced in time, the plants would suffer.
You will also need to clean the surface of the tube/ bulb regularly for dust would also diminish the intensity of light that it transmits.
4. Check the Heat Level
Do you know a great way to find out whether the light arrangement you are providing is okay with the plants or not? Just place your hand above the plants that are provided light; if you feel any heat, then the light is too close. Move it away until your hands do not feel any difference in terms of heat.
A IR C IRCULATION AND I NDOOR G ARDENING
Without proper air circulation you can never have a perfect garden. Stagnant air over-heat and creates conducive atmosphere for pests to grow. This is why you should never overcrowd the indoor garden area; nor should you allow foliage to
1. Incandescent Lights – this type of light is perfect for lighting a room where low-light plants are grown such as dracaenas, ferns and vines. These lights will give plenty of heat (10% light and 90% heat); hence, are not suitable for most plants unless they are cacti, tropical plants or succulents.
2. Fluorescent Light – this type of light is best for day-neutral plants that require low-medium light such as vegetables and African Violets. The lights come in the form of tube-like bulbs in various sizes (T12, T8 and T5). The thinner the bulb, the brighter the light it provides would be. They provide full spectrum light and use 75% less energy than the incandescent lights. They provide 6500 Kelvin light when most indoor plants require 4000-6000 Kelvin degrees.
With this type of light you could emulate the conditions required to grow all types of herbs, starter seedlings, greens, orchids, succulents, and so on. These plants perform well when exposed to the full spectrum lights fluorescent bulbs provide. The T5 and T8 bulbs placed at about 2-4 inches away emulates sunlight and are excellent for germinating seeds. For grown up plants the plants will benefit if they are kept 1-2 feet away from the light source.
3. Compact Fluorescent Lights
These are the lights you would like to use for your indoor garden not only because they are the best suited, but also because they cost a fraction of what the incandescent lights do. To ensure to get it right (and not waste your money with changing the lights often) ask a specialist to help.
P OINTS TO K EEP IN M IND ABOUT L IGHTING
Do not worry too much about finding the right lighting for your garden. It is easier than it looks. Consult a specialist in the beginning and afterwards you play it by the ear. You will find your plants have a way to tell you what they need. Every gardener will swear that they can tune in into what they plants need. What is left, you will learn with experience. Give yourself about 6-12 months and you will know that there is to know about the plants you are growing. In the meantime, you will need to keep in mind certain important things about lighting:
1. P LANTS N EED D ARKNESS, T OO
All plants – even the ones that love the highest intensity of light – need a period of darkness. They take rest during this time and respirate (take in oxygen and give out CO2), which is a very important part of their growth process. This will influence the rate of their growth, flower and fruit bearing abilities as well.
2. Keep Lighting Even
You will need to rotate the plants each week preferably, though you can do once or twice a month as well. The centre of the bulb will provide the highest intensity of light (and heat) and hence, rotating the plant will ensure that the whole plant is exposed to light equally.
3. Proper Maintenance of Fluorescent Lights
When the ends of the tube darken, the bulbs/ tubes need to be replaced. A spent up tube/ bulb will give much less light than it is designed to do. Unless it is replaced in time, the plants would suffer.
You will also need to clean the surface of the tube/ bulb regularly for dust would also diminish the intensity of light that it transmits.
4. Check the Heat Level
Do you know a great way to find out whether the light arrangement you are providing is okay with the plants or not? Just place your hand above the plants that are provided light; if you feel any heat, then the light is too close. Move it away until your hands do not feel any difference in terms of heat.
A IR C IRCULATION AND I NDOOR G ARDENING
Without proper air circulation you can never have a perfect garden. Stagnant air over-heat and creates conducive atmosphere for pests to grow. This is why you should never overcrowd the indoor garden area; nor should you allow foliage to
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