Additional artificial lighting of flowers and plants in the apartment. Lamps for illuminating seedlings - options, pros and cons
Lamps for growing seedlings. What are the best grow lights for seedlings? Testing LED and fluorescent lighting for seedlings. Illumination height for seedlings.
If you decide that you will grow seedlings yourself, then you cannot do without good lighting. Seedling lamps do not need to be bought every year, so it is advisable buy once, but good lamps. What is the best lighting for seedlings? More precisely, only the seedlings themselves can answer this question!
Previously, I always grew seedlings in Moscow under Flora lamps, and since April I have taken out seedlings on a glazed balcony. This year, for the first time, I stayed to spend the winter at the dacha, but there is no glazed balcony at the dacha. But, the house has a place for shelving, and I decided to buy more lamps for seedlings and compare its growth under different lamps.
Lamps for growing seedlings.
Without thinking twice, I acquired the most affordable phytolamps. I bought Sylvania lamps in a supermarket, and my good friend advised me to buy Phytochrome-1 lamps in an online store. So, what we have: a complete lack of natural light, a rack with two shelves measuring 30 cm by 60 cm and a rack with one shelf measuring 60 cm by 90 cm. As well as various phytolamps:
LED phytolamps for seedlings.
"Phytochrome-1" - 3 pcs. Each lamp with a power of 10 w, total 30 w - shelf number one, its size 60cm by 90cm.
Luminescent phytolamps for seedlings.
"Fluora" 2 pcs 30cm by 60cm.
Sylvania - 2 pcs. Each lamp with a power of 18w, total 36 w - shelf number two, its size 30cm by 60cm.
In the diagram, for ease of understanding, I made all the shelves of the same size (30cm by 60cm)
Seedlings were sown with dry seeds on February 26, 2 weeks have passed. What lamps are best for illuminating seedlings?
I forgot to take pictures, because I filmed a video, you can see it at the end of the article. Already in the first week of the experiment, the tomatoes showed which lamps they like best. The tomato, which stood under the Phytochrome-1 lamp, had the beginnings of stepchildren, the color of the leaves and the thickness of the trunk also differed from the other two.
Seedling of tomatoes. 3 weeks have passed since the sowing of tomatoes with dry seeds. Week, as the experiment goes.
During the first week of the experiment, peppers and eggplants, one might say, almost did not respond to different light bulbs.
Peppers and eggplant. 3 weeks have passed since sowing with dry seeds and a week since the beginning of the experiment.
In the second week of the experiment, tomatoes growing under the Phytochrome-1 lamp rushed into growth uncontrollably, a flower brush appeared. In tomatoes, not only stems grew, but the root system instantly filled the provided volume of the pot, and for some tomatoes it was 3 liters, all other tomatoes grew in liter pots. Eggplants and peppers also figured out and went up. Answer to the question:
What are the best grow lights for seedlings?
Was obtained at the end of the second week of the experiment.
Seedlings of peppers and eggplants. 28 days from the moment of sowing with dry seeds and 14 days the experiment is in progress.
After the third week of the experiment, it became clear that it was no longer possible to keep tomatoes on the racks, there was nowhere to raise the lamps! The seedlings were huge, the stepchildren were growing uncontrollably, and the flowers were about to open, and after all, only 35 days had passed since sowing with dry seeds!
35 days from the date of sowing with dry seeds. Seedlings under the Phytochrome-1 lamp
Seedlings of tomatoes 35 days from the date of sowing with dry seeds.
Plants under fluorescent lamps behaved differently. pale leaves, thin stems, lack of stepchildren, the root system was in no hurry to fill the provided volume.
Eggplants and peppers under the Phytochrome lamp also ran amok, especially the Valentina variety.
On the left is an eggplant that grew under the Phytochrome-1 lamp.
Despite the cold outside, I had to transfer all the seedlings to an unheated greenhouse, I hope that it does not freeze, and I will show you the harvest. And I sowed the second batch of seedlings.
Conditions for the growth of seedlings under phytolamps.
Here I want to make one point. When seedlings grow on racks, they can and should be covered on all sides with white, and even better with reflective material. The light in this case will not be scattered throughout the room.
In addition, a microclimate is created for seedlings, it is possible to constantly maintain one temperature, which is difficult to achieve when growing seedlings on a windowsill with additional lighting. After all, even if the temperature in the room is 22 degrees, then on the windowsill the temperature will be completely different, even if it does not blow from the frames, then the cold still comes from the glass.
I kept the temperature on the racks in the range of 20-22 degrees, humidity 45-50 percent. The light for seedlings was turned on for 17 hours a day.
You also need to think about the growth of the root system and remember that it is impossible to grow good seedlings in a small volume. Something, of course, will grow, but everything is known in comparison.
Illumination height for seedlings.
The backlight height also has great importance. On all shelves, the lamps were at a distance of 14 to 5 cm from the tops of the plants. You need to know in advance how you will regulate this process. After all, seedlings grow very quickly, and the lamps had to be lifted every other day.
In my opinion, growing seedlings on racks is much easier to get them strong and healthy, and most importantly, that this can be done in a very short time! I imagine what kind of seedling I would have if I grew it from the first day under the lamp "Phytochrome-1"!!! And what seedlings I had before can be seen in the article " early harvest tomatoes" -
Buy lamps for seedlings Phytochrome-1, delivery in Russia - see the comments.
Natalia Smorchkova (2017) -
I will answer your questions in the comments.
The LED lamps that are commercially available are all different !!! I give the following photo after the publication of the article for those who are able to understand such technical characteristics. Read the comments.
For growing seedlings, a sufficient amount of light is required; in conditions of a shortage of natural, artificial lighting should be used. To get healthy seedlings at any time of the year, study what equipment is better to choose, what time to turn on additional lighting and how to install lamps to illuminate seedlings with your own hands. Only competent illumination is safe and effective for seedlings, and errors in calculations often lead to the death of fragile crops.
Sprouts under artificial light
Why you need to highlight seedlings
The happy owner of southern windows and balconies has to worry less about artificial lighting for growing seedlings. The rest should think in advance how, where and with what devices it is better to illuminate developing plants.
It is quite clear what kind of light is needed for seedlings - the closest to natural. The sun's rays provide plants with the vital energy needed for photosynthesis. Leaves absorb light radiation and photochemical reactions occur in them, as a result of which organic substances are synthesized from mineral substances.
In the conditions of a short day of the cold period of the year, additional illumination of seedlings is simply necessary. Otherwise good planting material will not work. The lack of light is depressing, the sprouts become weak and frail, they can stretch out a lot in an attempt to get at least a little more sunlight.
If you use additional lighting, then the seedlings begin to noticeably grow stronger and form new leaves, its color becomes more saturated.
The sun sends light energy to the Earth, consisting of photons (segments electromagnetic waves different lengths). A visible white beam can be decomposed into photons of different colors (electromagnetic spectrum), which differ in wavelength (for red - the longest, for blue and violet - the shortest).
Effective range of photosynthesis
According to studies, the greatest influence on the development of plants is exerted by light waves of red and blue flowers. The rays of the blue part of the spectrum (400-500 nm long) regulate the growth rate and promote the formation of thick stems. Red light waves (600-700 nm) provide productive photosynthesis and intensive leaf growth.
Mini shelving with lighting
When to highlight seedlings
When seedlings are located on the windowsill, additional lighting is used in the morning and evening periods of the day (a couple of hours before dawn and 1-2 hours after sunset) to increase the total lighting time on short daylight hours of winter. If natural lighting is difficult due to cloudiness, the presence of trees and buildings outside the window, and an unfavorable location, then more artificial lighting is required.
If it is impossible to place containers under the sun, the entire responsibility for providing light energy lies with electrical devices, which should maintain as close to natural parameters as possible.
Do seedlings need light at night? Seedlings need a period of night rest due to physiological processes. Part of the photosynthesis reactions take place under conditions of light absorption (oxidative processes with the release of oxygen and hydrogen, energy storage), and in the dark, the formation of carbohydrate molecules occurs with energy consumption.
backlight in evening time
Therefore, highlighting seedlings around the clock is not recommended. It is even dangerous for the health of plants, their leaves can be covered brown spots.
Although some experimenters conduct experiments on round-the-clock coverage of their seedlings and claim that plants develop faster and become stronger.
How much light do seedlings need
developing plants need regular lighting. Seedlings should be given enough light for about 8-12 hours (more for some crops). The time during which the plants are illuminated depends on how much sunlight they receive.
For plants, not only the size of the period in which they receive light energy is important, but also its volume. The light output must be required power, and the illumination (the amount of light flux per unit area) is not less than 6000 lux (optimally 8000 lux).
The level of illumination that is comfortable for plants is regulated by approaching artificial sources or removing them, and some lamps also allow you to change the radiation power.
Nursery on the window
To calculate the level of illumination of seedlings and determine the right amount lamps pay attention to their power (watts) - for a lighting area of \u200b\u200b1 sq. m requires 100-150 watts (when using energy-saving lamps) for the room and 35-50 watts for the windowsill.
The light source should emit in the range of 300-800 nm, with red and blue rays predominating. In order for artificial illumination to most effectively affect the development of crops, it should be taken into account that in each period of development, seedlings need rays of a different spectrum.
For a seed that does not yet have chlorophyll, the presence of light radiation of the red spectrum is important, which stimulates germination, and already in green seedlings it affects the intensity of development.
Blue light does not allow plants to stretch excessively, promotes cell division and the formation of strong planting material with good immunity. At the very beginning, the rays of the blue spectrum should prevail, then the ratio of red and blue is 2 to 1 (3 to 1), and after picking, an equal number of them is required.
Combined backlight with red and blue beams
The choice of lamps for lighting seedlings at home
The product range of lamps and fixtures is quite diverse in terms of types, purpose and price. It is always possible to choose a device suitable for specific needs and financial capabilities or buy the necessary for self-production. Check out the features and benefits various lamps and do right choice.
LED lamps - economy and efficiency
LED lighting for seedlings is considered the best alternative to artificial lighting for plants. Modern LEDs cover the entire visible range of light. Therefore, by making combinations of different colors, you can get artificial lighting with any desired spectral composition.
Before choosing LED bulbs for seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with their main technical specifications. Compared to other sources, they combine a number of advantages:
- compact size;
- low level of electricity consumption (1W/hour per 1 diode);
- The efficiency of photosynthetically active (assimilated by plants) radiation is 99%;
- high light output (about 100 lm/h);
- long service life (100,000 hours);
- resistance to influence external factors(mechanical impact, temperature changes, humidity);
- safety in use.
Plants under LED lighting
Not all LED lights suitable for growing plants. As LED backlight suitable models marked led grow, emitting light in a plant-friendly spectrum.
Do-it-yourself LED strip lighting. First you need to calculate the required amount of luminous flux. To do this, you need to know the area of crops, the height of the suspension and the power of the tape. The LED strip has a sticky base, so it is easy to fix it at the required height.
Sodium lamps for seedlings
So-called agricultural sodium lamps high pressure(NLVD) are traditionally used in domestic practice as an affordable source of artificial lighting. Compared to LEDs, they are less efficient and economical, but are quite applicable at home to illuminate small areas of crops.
The performance parameters of sodium lamps are as follows:
- Efficiency of absorbed radiation - 26-30%;
- light output value - up to 150 lm / W;
- service life - up to 24,000 hours;
- electricity consumption - more than 70 W / h per 1 lamp.
NLVD are much cheaper than LED ones. The main disadvantage of sodium lamps for seedlings is a very small (~ 8%) radiation in the blue region of the spectrum, which is partially compensated by introducing into the lamp special additives.
Sodium lamps and the spectral composition of the light emitted by them
Fluorescent lamps for growing plants
Fluorescent lamps are also used to illuminate plants, but it is advisable to use them only in a small area. Conventional models of such lamps are ineffective in terms of growing plants. The fluorescent lamp for seedlings should have a two-component phosphor coating with a maximum emission in the blue and red regions.
Their technical parameters are as follows:
- Efficiency of absorbed radiation - 20-22%;
- light output value - up to 80 lm / W;
- service life - up to 15,000 hours;
- electricity consumption - about 20-60 W / h per 1 lamp.
Landings under fluorescent lighting
Fluorescent lamps are characterized by low power and insufficient radiation in the red region of the spectrum. Therefore, they are used only at the stage of growing seedlings.
Phytolamps are the perfect choice
Phytolamps are luminaires specially designed to illuminate plants with a given spectral composition of radiation. In small doses, they also emit ultraviolet light (for resistance to low temperatures) and infrared light (metabolic stimulant). LED - the best fitolamps for seedlings, thanks to their technical parameters. Luminescent ones are inferior to them in terms of efficiency and quality of the emitted light.
Backlighting with photo lamps
Phytolamps are very convenient to use at home. The design of phytolights for seedlings allows you to adjust the angle and brightness level of lighting at any time. They are attached to the ceiling or to other surfaces with the help of special clamps.
Phyto lamp for home
Do-it-yourself lighting installation
It is not difficult to fix the lamps on your own, especially if it is a special phytolamp. It is important to correctly calculate the distance from the illumination to the seedlings and take care of the brackets.
Homemade Adjustable Bracket for Lighting Seedlings
Important rules for installing lighting fixtures
If you are going to install a backlight for seedlings on the windowsill, you should be guided by the following considerations:
- first of all, ensure safe operation (exclude the possibility of moisture getting on the devices and tipping over);
- it is best to place the lamps on top, in this case, the lighting hits the plants as much as possible;
- use reflectors (made of white fabric or foil) to direct the light to the right place.
Homemade shelving made of PVC pipes with backlight
When highlighting seedlings in an apartment without a natural source good decision will build a special rack (it takes up little space and can be disassembled after use), and place lamps above the shelves. In this case, you need to illuminate the longest, so you should exclude the possibility of overheating of the devices.
At what distance from the seedlings to place lamps for supplementary lighting
It is important to choose the optimal location of the fixtures, if they are too close, the plants can get burned. Great distance significantly reduces illumination, energy is spent inefficiently.
Usually the height at which the lamps are located is within 10-40 cm from the seedlings. At the smallest distance, the backlight is placed when pecking the crops. It should be checked by turning on the lighting and substituting the palm, at what distance heat will not be felt. It is desirable that it be possible to adjust the height as the seedlings grow.
The distance depends on the type of lamp and the age of the seedlings.
Seedling lamps can be screwed into a regular table lamp or securely fasten together with the cartridge on a self-made stand (using bolts, self-tapping screws or special glue). This can be a rectangular hanging panel or other stable structure.
It is very convenient to use brackets for mounting the lighting for seedlings (special support parts for vertical fixing). They can be firmly screwed into right place where they will be a support for shelves or fixtures.
Homemade lamp from LED strip
How to make an LED lamp + video
Make your own the simplest lamp can be done as follows:
- Prepare materials and tools - a backlight with a cartridge and a power cord, a galvanized steel construction beacon (has a stiffener and perforation holes), bolts with nuts, pliers (pliers).
- To make a stable support, bend the beacon into a rectangular frame that matches the size of the window sill.
- In the middle, install a vertical rack in the form of a frame of two parts - the lower vertical racks and the upper curved U-shaped part. The rack supports allow you to adjust the height of the structure by extending to the desired length and fixing with bolts.
- Strengthen the rigidity of the fastening by screwing the jibs through the holes in the beacon on both sides.
- Attach the lamp holder to the top of the frame with bolts, if required, you can fix several lamps.
Video: DIY seedling lamp
Additional lighting for growing strong seedlings do-it-yourself is simply necessary and there are a lot of options for every taste and wealth, easily feasible at home. You can make the most of the materials at hand or purchase everything in the kit, the main thing is to correctly and effectively illuminate young plants, guided by the positive experience already gained.
It is very important to choose the right bulbs for growing indoor, greenhouse and aquarium plants. If you make a mistake in choosing, further consequences can be disappointing: seedlings (or algae) may simply not have enough light, which can stop their growth or more. serious problems- too bright lighting and heat release will burn the leaves, which will lead to the death of the plant world. In order to avoid various kinds of troubles, you need to know which lamps for plants are better to choose, buy and use in the future. Next, we will provide to your attention a comparison of all the most popular types: from incandescent bulbs to LEDs.
Overview of existing light bulbs
To make the information easier to perceive, we will simultaneously list all the existing types of lamps that are best suited for lighting and growing plants, and immediately talk about how rational it is to use each option.
So, today, to illuminate the plant world in the house, you can choose and use such light sources as:
- . The cheapest and not recommended option for many reasons: they have a short service life, poor light output (up to 17 lm / W) and significant heat generation. As a result, seedlings or indoor flowers in a pot will not receive the required amount of light, as a result of which this will negatively affect the growth rate and, accordingly, the correctness of cultivation. In addition, a light bulb that is too powerful can burn the leaves if placed next to the plant. Bottom line - this option should never be used at home, because. it is best to choose more modern and efficient types of lamps, which we will discuss below.
- Fluorescent (energy saving) lamps. This option is much more appropriate to choose and use to illuminate vegetation in the house, greenhouse and directly in the aquarium. Energy-saving light sources have many advantages, namely high luminous efficiency, low heat generation and economy, which makes them good option lighting for indoor and aquarium plants. In addition, there are special fluorescent fitolamps that are designed only for growing seedlings and flowers.
- LED light bulbs. LEDs are the youngest type of light bulbs, which in a short period of time managed to gain high interest in various fields applications. LED lamps are better for plants due to the fact that they consume a minimum amount of electricity, practically do not emit heat, and besides, they can be of a different spectrum of light radiation, which allows you to choose the right LED bulbs for your own type of plants in the house.
- Gas-charging (sodium, mercury, metal halide). On this version of lighting products, you need to dwell in more detail, because. Not all gas charging lamps are suitable for growing plants. Of all the options listed, mercury lamps are the worst for plant growth in the home, greenhouse and aquarium. This is due to the fact that they have a luminous flux almost 2 times less than sodium and metal halide light sources. In addition, the very light spectrum of mercury products is not quite suitable for the development and further growth seedlings, flowers, algae. As for sodium lamps - they shine brightly in yellow-orange, which is very much in line with natural sunlight. Review of experts - it is better to choose and use mercury bulbs for growing flower plants. Well, the last option - metal halide lamps are the most expensive, but at the same time the most suitable light sources for those representatives of the "green world" who prefer vegetative growth rather than flowering.
So we told you which lamps are suitable for lighting and growing indoor plants. We draw your attention to the fact that for the home the most best options in terms of price and efficiency, there will be CFL fluorescent lamps that have a light output of 80 to 100 lm/W. If you can afford to spend a little more, it is better to choose LED grow lights, which are still superior to the sodium bulbs previously used in greenhouses and greenhouses!
You can learn more about which light bulbs are best suited for growing seedlings (for example, tomatoes) or flowers in the video examples:
How to arrange lighting?
You have familiarized yourself with what lamps for growing plants are, and you probably already know which version of light sources to choose for your own conditions. Now we will briefly tell you about how best to organize the backlight so as not to harm flora in the house. 
The first thing to consider is the height from the fixtures to the leaves. The minimum distance should be 15 cm if the plant is light-loving and 55 cm if it is shade-tolerant. In addition, the light should fall on flower pots or seedlings (or aquarium flora) strictly at right angles. Otherwise, the plants will reach for the light and take on an ugly shape.
Secondly, each specific type of representative of the flora requires its own specific light spectrum. Some flowers need the blue spectrum, some the red spectrum. You should first ask florists or read on the Internet about the requirements for growing your favorite plant, and then choose the right lamps.
Thirdly, if for some reason you have not found a light bulb with suitable light output and spectrum characteristics, you can organize combined lighting, for example, with fluorescent lamps simultaneously with phytolamps, etc.
I do not like( 0 )Additional lighting of indoor plants is a guarantee of their full growth and development. Light is the energy vital for the natural process of photosynthesis. Consider the rules for choosing a lamp for a flower.
In summer, the green inhabitants of the apartments receive it unilaterally from the window through which the sun's rays break through. With the advent of cold weather, they are in constant semi-darkness, spend extra strength, do not bloom, grow poorly.
You can correct the situation by creating artificial lighting.
To choose a complete replacement sunbeams , you should know that light has two characteristics - the spectrum and light power. It is necessary to select these parameters correctly, taking into account the stages of development of a houseplant.
Seedlings are easier to grow with the right lighting.
especially needed additional light young seedlings. It affects the division, stretching and formation of cells.
For seed germination, seedling growth, more blue spectrum is needed. Only he can provide active photosynthesis and, accordingly, active growth. The power of the device at this stage can be small - up to 200 watts.
With the red spectrum shoots get stronger, flowering intensifies. But it is impossible to consider each spectrum separately. Chlorophyll under the influence different parts spectrum absorbs light, transforming energy.
Therefore, artificial lighting must match the spectrum of daylight.
Lamp and its color temperature
It's time to consider the types of lamps and their temperature. It is measured in kelvins (K). There are these:
incandescent lamp
Choose it to highlight green spaces - bad idea. It gives off a lot of heat. The plant is stretching. There is a danger of burning the leaves. The temperature of a 40 W bulb is 2200 K, a 60 W bulb is 2680 K.
There are more minuses than pluses: fragility, short service life, it quickly burns out with power surges.
classic incandescent lamp
Fluorescent
Represented by two types: general and special purpose. They differ only in the coating applied to the glass flask. It is believed that the coating on special-purpose lamps brings them closer to the desired spectrum.
Of the pros: it gives off light well, they have low heat transfer, efficiency.
By cons– ballast (special equipment) is required for operation. They are electromagnetic and electronic - EMPR and EPTRA (indicated on the package). They emit warm and cool colors and match the appropriate spectra.
Combine two types of lamps. The temperature of a 200 W lamp of warm color is 3000 K, cold is 3500 K.
gas-discharge
Used mainly by professionals in greenhouses, conservatories, winter gardens. At home, you can only use it in non-residential premises, since strong brightness hurts the eyes.
There are mercury lamps that emit 2 times less luminous flux than sodium lamps. Their spectrum not suitable for seedlings.
Sodium more in line with the sun. Metal halide is the most expensive among gas-discharge devices. Suitable for vegetative growth.
Finished luminaires
In specialized stores you can buy ready-made devices. Leading the way are LED lights. They emit a stream of the desired spectrum.
Of the pros– economical, ecological, energy-saving with a long service life. They consume 10 times less electricity than fluorescent ones. They can work up to 100,000 hours without interruption.
They heat up to a maximum of 35 degrees. 1 diode consumes 1 watt per hour. For comparison, fluorescent - 15 - 65 W per hour. The efficiency of LEDs is 95%. The light bulb is screwed into a regular socket.
Finished fixtures are connected to a regular network. Exist different sizes and capacities, which allows you to choose both for one flower and for shelf or rack(sell whole panels).
The diverse design of such devices allows you to choose them for the overall style of the room.
How to make a backlight on the windowsill
Modern appliances allow you to make the backlight even on a regular windowsill do it yourself. For this you need:
- Choose plants that are the same height.
- Buy cheap lamps.
- Arrange pots, boxes on the windowsill, behind them at the window place foil or a mirror to reflect the rays.
- Arrange lamps on both sides of the windowsill.
Can be connected to the mains.
By lighting with LED strips, you should know that cannot be connected directly to a power outlet.. They need a special block for voltage transformation.
Features of lighting in winter
In cold weather, the number of hours for backlighting is extended. In winter, the choice of appliance depends on temperature feature plants. Heat-loving ones can winter with a very small decrease in heat and daylight hours.
They must receive illumination throughout 12 hours. Spend it in the morning and evening.
In articles about caring for flowers, we often reveal the features of their wintering. So, we talked about the role of additional lighting when we talked,.
IN winter time plants require more light than in summer What is the feature of the correct illumination
Proper illumination depends on the greenest inhabitant. Need to find detailed information about it, only after choosing a suitable device.
The main feature of the additional backlight is make up for the lack of sun. Therefore, you need to know the seasonal norms. This determines the effectiveness of artificial light depends on the length of day and night in different times year, its intensity, the needs of the flower itself.
Proper lighting should be a good growth stimulator.
Not all plants adapt to the lack of light. By their appearance, they indicate a problem that has arisen.
Given the level of illumination, you can install the device correctly for support green dweller.
Signs of lack of light
By appearance plants can determine if it has enough light.
The shortage is displayed:
- Stretched shoots.
- small pale leaves.
- Rare flowers or their absence in flowering species.
- Long internodes.
- Yellowing, falling, drying of the lower leaves.
- motley leaves gradually darken turn green.
Having noticed such signs, you need to give your green friend additional light.
You can accurately measure the amount of light in a room using a light meter. The device will give accurate readings.
What level of light do flowers need?
Illumination is measured in suites. In nature, its level reaches 100,000 lux. This intensity is not required for colors.
In winter, enough for plants:
This is the minimum level to sustain life. Bloomers will need to increase the light level even up to 9000.
How to install a lighting fixture in an apartment
When installing lamps, you should be aware that with an increase in the distance from the flower to the lamp by 2 times, the light intensity decreases by 4 times.
Consider the distance to the lamp so that the plant does not burn or stretch When burns are visible on the leaves, then the device is too close. The elongated stems indicate that the lamp is far away.
To avoid distortion, the lamp should be placed on top. The minimum distance to the heat-loving one is 15 mm, the shade-tolerant one is 55 mm.
The rule of three "F" for plants
Proper flower development depends on three processes:
- Photosynthesis in which red light predominates. It speeds up the metabolism.
- Photomorphogenesis defining growth and development. When there is not enough blue spectrum, the leaves are underdeveloped, the stems are stretched.
- Photoperiodism, which takes into account the reaction of plants to the ratio of day and night (light and dark periods).
Every green tenant needs individual approach: different period lighting, number of light hours, specific time. Having studied everything in detail about each flower that lives in the house, you can choose the right lamp.
To make green friends feel good in an apartment at any time of the year, you need to:
- Make it possible to capture light longer with the help of additional devices. They need different colors spectrum for growth and development.
No need to constantly turn on the lamps in the dark. 12 - 14 hours is enough for a normal life. Important processes that are important for life take place at night.
- For diffusion, you can make a matte screen that will create a universal glow for any green inhabitant.
- With artificial lighting it is important make a schedule. He will not let you bring down the rhythm of life.
- Routine window cleaning and glass cleaning save energy by letting in more daylight.
Window cleaning will get you more sunlight which is also good for pets If you choose the right additional lighting, then indoor "pets" will delight in appearance.
Lamps for plants are an opportunity to compensate for the lack of light, which is especially important in the autumn-winter period. After all, even if you put the plants on south side at home (which is far from always possible), the duration of natural daylight hours, especially in the northern regions, will be completely insufficient for the normal development of flowers or seedlings. For the full development of some plants, the daylight hours must be at least 15 hours, otherwise the flowers begin to hurt - flowering stops, growth slows down, the leaves wither and turn yellow, which can lead to their complete death. Phytolamps, an artificial substitute for the sun, prolong daylight hours and create optimal conditions for growing pets.
Artificial lighting will help compensate for the lack of natural light
IN industrial environment phytolamps often completely replace natural light– by adjusting the lighting mode (as well as by adjusting climatic conditions), it is possible to control the process of development and maturation of plants as accurately as possible.
Light: how important it is for plants
Light is an important component of plant life, because a plant (more precisely, its dry weight) consists of 45% carbon obtained from air. At the same time, the process of carbon assimilation - photosynthesis, occurs only with the participation of light, the intensity of photosynthesis is influenced by many external factors, but the main one is still the intensity of light.
First of all, young plants and shoots suffer from a lack of illumination - their leaf plates become pale, unsaturated, and their size becomes smaller. Their stem and internodes stretch, and the plant itself leans / stretches towards the light source. In addition, there are other signs (Fig. 1):
- plant growth slows down
- the formation of new buds stops, old flowers gradually die off, with a large deficit of light, flowering may stop completely
- in variegated species, decorative coloring is lost, they become monotonous green
- the lower leaves dry up and fall off
Rice. 1.
The main signs of insufficient lighting.
However, to say “light” is not entirely correct - the flora perceives the spectral components in different ways:
- red (wavelength from 600 to 720 nm) and orange (from 595 to 620 nm) are the most important and necessary radiation ranges for a plant, they supply the energy that is necessary for photosynthesis. In addition, they affect the rate of plant development, for example, an overabundance of orange and red rays makes it possible to delay the transition to flowering, which is important if, for example, bulbs are forced out by a certain date.
- violet and blue (range 380-490 nm) - also take a direct part in photosynthesis. They are needed, first of all, for the formation of protein, and also affect the growth of the plant. Plants that are in natural conditions grow under short day conditions home cultivation bloom faster under the influence of the violet-blue part of the spectrum
- ultraviolet rays (range 315-380 nm) do not allow plants to "stretch", and are necessary for the synthesis of certain vitamins. Other beams in this range (wavelength 280-315 nm) help to increase the cold tolerance of plants
- waves of green (490-565 nm) and yellow (565-595 nm) are not as important for plant development
That is why, when organizing additional lighting or artificial lighting of plants, it is necessary to take into account their needs only in a certain part of the spectrum.
Advice! In order not to disturb The biological clock»plants, it is better to turn on artificial lighting at 7-8 o'clock in the morning, and turn it off, having endured the required duration of daylight hours, at 20-22 o'clock.
Connecting a timer to an electrical circuit will help you adjust to the "biological clock" of plants
Lamps for plants: which ones to choose
The modern market is filled with a wide variety of phytolamp models, we will evaluate how suitable they are for organizing and correcting plant lighting at home so that your flora receives the most favorable conditions at minimal cost.
Incandescent lamps
To date, it is an absolutely unacceptable option for illuminating plants. Firstly, their spectrum completely lacks blue spectrum waves, which are very important for the photosynthesis process. Secondly, these lamps get very hot, so when placed close to plants, they can cause thermal burns on leaf plates. Thirdly, lamps of this type have a very low (only about 5%) efficiency. And although the lamp itself is quite cheap, with prolonged use it will cause high electricity costs.
Advice! An option for using an incandescent lamp is in small greenhouses, along with a fluorescent lamp, which has little red light in the spectrum, plus it will provide additional air heating.
Fluorescent
Unlike incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps practically do not heat up, therefore they do not affect the temperature in the room, therefore they are more suitable for illuminating plants. They have a high light output (although it tends to decrease over time), they are relatively inexpensive and use little energy. Fluorescent phytolamps are especially effective for illuminating large plantings; for installation, for example, on a windowsill, they are poorly suited, primarily because of their size.
Fluorescent lighting for gorgeous orchids
Ordinary fluorescent (so-called "daylight") lamps, in which the red waves are very weak, are poorly suited for highlighting plants. It is better to purchase specialized lamps, thanks to the coating on the glass bulb, they give a spectrum that is closest to that which the plant needs.
Advice! The use of lamps with directional reflectors can increase efficiency by 25-30%.
Fluorescent lamps also include mercury lamps, which are similar in principle of operation, but have a significantly larger red component in the spectrum. True, with more power, they also differ in greater power consumption.
energy saving
In essence, these are the same fluorescent phytolamps, but more compact - they do not require a special choke to be connected, because their design provides for their own, built-in choke. Therefore, all that is needed to connect such a light bulb is to screw it into a standard socket. Another undoubted advantage- energy-saving lamps consume much less (if we take fluorescent or incandescent lamps for comparison) electricity and have a much longer (up to 15 thousand hours) service life.
Energy-saving phytolamps are of three types:
- "cold"- cold spectrum accelerates the germination and development of seedlings during active vegetative growth
- "warm"- best suited for highlighting plants during flowering
- "daytime"- they can be used at any time, using as an independent (additional) source of illumination for the duration of the entire plant cycle.
sodium
The sodium lamp is one of the most efficient light sources in terms of light output. It is economical, highly efficient (one medium-power phytolamp is enough to illuminate plants on a 1.5 m long window sill), durable (up to 20 thousand hours of operation) and easy to operate, while its main radiation falls on the orange and red parts of the spectrum. In combination with a sufficient amount of blue waves, a sodium lamp can significantly improve the growth and accelerate the flowering of the plant. The disadvantages include high cost and large dimensions, so sodium lamps are often used to create a comfortable light regime in winter gardens - only one ceiling lamp power of 220W can illuminate enough large area. In addition, sodium lamps require special disposal, because they contain mercury vapor, xenon and sodium.
LED bulbs
LED or LED lamps are the most acceptable option in all respects for creating a light regime for plants:
- they have the lowest power consumption and high efficiency
- long resource - the operation of one LED lamp can last up to 50 thousand hours
LED lamps in "smart lighting"
- compact dimensions, special LED phyto tapes can be used to illuminate plants on shelves or niches, as well as those grown on
- high safety and complete environmental cleanliness
- LED lamps can only produce useful spectrum waves (red, blue, orange), which allows, on the one hand, to reduce energy consumption due to the absence of the generation of "extra" waves, on the other hand, to really regulate the development of the plant, slowing down or accelerating it, which is especially important in the industrial cycle
In addition to choosing the type of phytolamp, it is very important to choose its power correctly - at least 70 watts should fall on 1 m 2 of the illuminated area. In addition, it should be taken into account that the closer the lamp is brought closer to the plant, the greater and more complete the illumination effect will be. But it should be taken into account negative impact thermal radiation, so optimal distance- about 20-25 cm.
Advice! Since LED luminaires generate practically no heat, they can be installed even lower.
