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How to choose a lamp for indoor flowers. How to make artificial lighting for flowers

Plant lamps 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 the south side of the house (which is far from always possible), the duration of the 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 natural light

IN industrial environment phytolamps often completely replace natural light - by adjusting the lighting mode (as well as regulating climatic conditions), you can 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 the plant (more precisely, its dry weight) consists of 45% carbon obtained from the 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

• lost in variegated species decorative painting, they become monotone 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.

Every experienced florist knows what a huge role the right lighting plays. indoor plants. Along with watering and soil, light is an indispensable component on which successful growth. It's no secret that in natural environment Some plants thrive in shady places, while others cannot develop without direct exposure to sunlight. At home, the situation is similar. We will talk in detail about how to competently make artificial lighting for indoor plants.

Decorative lighting and lighting for plant growth

A houseplant growing lamp is a great way to extend daylight hours. After all, many indoor flowers are of tropical origin, which means that they experience a shortage of solar energy every day, especially in winter. For effective plant growth, daylight hours should be about 15 hours. Otherwise, they weaken, stop blooming and are exposed to various diseases.

When planning the future illumination of indoor flowers, it is important not to miss the aesthetic component. The phytolamp should become part of the interior, a kind of decor element. There are a huge number of lamps on sale with wall mount different shapes, under any energy-saving lamp: CFL or LED. Depending on the size of the home flower garden, the backlight can be made from several spotlights aimed directly at each green pet, or from tubular fluorescent lamps with a reflector. By connecting your own imagination, you can make an original LED phytolamp yourself.

The most important component of growth is the spectrum of light

In order to understand how heterogeneous the light from different electrical sources and the sun is, it is necessary to look at their spectral composition. The spectral characteristic is the dependence of the radiation intensity on the wavelength. The solar radiation curve is continuous in the entire visible range with a decrease in the UV and IR regions. The spectrum of artificial light sources in most cases is represented by individual pulses of different amplitudes, which, as a result, gives the light a certain shade.

During the experiments, it was found that for successful development, plants do not use the full spectrum, but only its individual parts. The following wavelengths are considered the most vital:

• 640–660 nm - velvet red, necessary for all adult plants for reproductive development, as well as for strengthening the root system;
• 595–610 nm – orange color for flowering and fruit ripening;
• 440-445 nm - purple for vegetative development;
• 380-400 nm - near UV range to regulate the growth rate and protein formation;
• 280-315 nm - medium UV range to increase frost resistance.

Lighting only with the listed rays is not suitable for all plants. Each representative of the flora is unique in its "wave" preferences. This means that it is impossible to fully replace the energy of the sun with the help of lamps. But artificial lighting of plants in the morning and evening hours can significantly improve their life.

Signs of lack of light

There are a number of signs by which it is easy to identify a lack of light. You just need to carefully look at your flower and compare it with the standard. For example, find a similar view on the Internet. A clear lack of illumination is manifested as follows. The plant slows down its growth. The new leaves are smaller and the stem becomes thinner. lower leaves turn yellow. The flower either completely stops blooming, or the number of buds formed is less than the average. At the same time, it is considered that watering, humidity and air temperature are normal.

How much light do you need?

It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question. How can a person live in different parts the globe, and indoor flower can grow on a windowsill facing north, south, west or east. The plant throughout its life will strive to adapt to current conditions: to stretch upward from a lack of light or, conversely, to expose another blossoming bud to the sun's rays.

Observing the appearance of the stems and leaves, the size and number of flowers, you can determine the sufficiency of the level of illumination. At the same time, one should not forget at what stage of development the indoor flower is: vegetation, flowering, seed ripening. At each stage, he takes from the sun the light of the wavelength that he needs at the moment. Therefore, when organizing additional illumination, it is important to take into account the qualitative component of the luminous flux.

Prolonged exposure to the bright light of the sun and lamps with an illumination level of more than 15 thousand lux is loved by those indoor flowers that grow in the open air in their natural habitat. This is a favorite of many Crassula, geranium, Kalanchoe, begonia. Artificial lighting for plants of this type in the evening will benefit them.

Representatives of the flora that feel comfortable with an illumination of 10-15 thousand lux include Spathiphyllum, Clivia, Saintpaulia, Tradescantia and Dracaena. The leaves of these types of indoor flowers do not like hot sunlight, but they also do not tolerate early twilight. Therefore, the ideal place for them would be a window sill with access to the west, where in the evening their leaves will receive the necessary energy from the setting sun.

The so-called shade-loving plants can bloom and develop far from the window opening, being content with illumination up to 10 thousand lux. However, this does not mean that they will die if they are placed in a brighter place. They just need less direct sunshine. These include some types of ficus and dracaena, philodendron, and tropical vines.

Illumination of plants and artificial light sources

In most cases, indoor plants need additional lighting. Flowers, which at first glance have bright green succulent leaves and bloom regularly, will look even better if they begin to be affected by a phytolamp. If someone thinks otherwise, then he has a great chance to be convinced of the fallacy of his thinking and collect. Various sources of artificial light are used to extend daylight hours. Consider each of them and figure out which light is best for plants.

Incandescent lamps

Illumination of plants using incandescent lamps is the least effective for several reasons. The emission spectrum of ordinary light bulbs with a spiral is strongly shifted to the red region, which does not contribute to photosynthesis in any way. Low efficiency and, as a result, a huge heat release direct their energy and light efficiency to zero. In addition, incandescent lamps are characterized by the shortest service life in comparison with other sources of artificial light.

Fluorescent lamps

Tubular fluorescent or, as they are most often called, energy-saving daylight lamps of the T8 type of full spectrum (T=5300–6500°K) are considered the best option for illuminating indoor plants for many years. They deserve a lot positive feedback, due to the presence of a selective spectrum, efficiency and low heat transfer, combined with an acceptable cost.

Companies specializing in the production of fluorescent lamps offer growers an improved option - a phytolamp with a selective emission spectrum. They work mainly in the blue and red range, as can be seen from the characteristic glow. But the cost of such lamps for illuminating plants is an order of magnitude higher than conventional analogues.

The sodium lamp is the most efficient light source. In terms of luminous efficiency and working life, these lamps are comparable to LEDs for plants. That's just for home conditions, they are not suitable because of the excessively high brightness (more than 15 thousand lux). But in many greenhouses and greenhouses, growing plants under artificial lighting is based on gas discharge lamps. Due to the fact that they emit more red light, they are installed in combination with 6500K fluorescent lamps.

LED light sources

All phytolamps on LEDs are divided into three groups:

• bicolor;
• with multispectrum;
• with full spectrum.

Bicolor or two-color fixtures are based on blue (440–450 nm) and red (640–660 nm) LEDs. Their light is considered to be the most optimal for organizing the illumination of any plants during the growing season. The specified working spectrum favors the process of photosynthesis, which leads to accelerated growth green mass. That is why summer residents prefer blue-red LED lamps when growing seedlings. vegetable crops on the windowsill.

LED lamps with multispectrum have a wider application due to the expansion of the red range into the infrared and yellow light. They are in demand for highlighting adult plants, stimulating flowering and fruit ripening. In apartment conditions, it is better to use the LED multispectrum for flowers with a dense crown.

On a phytolamp with a full spectrum of radiation, you can make a backlight for flowers in an apartment, regardless of the type and location. This is a kind of universal source of artificial light that emits in a wide range with maxima in the red and blue zones. The full spectrum LED luminaire is a tandem of energy efficiency and light energy reminiscent of the action of sunlight.

Today, the creation of favorable conditions for an extensive transition to phyto-LEDs does not occur for two reasons:

• the high cost of high-quality lamps for plants;
• a large number of fakes collected on conventional LEDs.

What light is best for growth?

Of course, the ideal light source is solar energy. In apartments with windows to the southeast and southwest, you can grow any flowers by placing them at different points in the room. But do not be upset for those who have a view from the window only on north side. Fluorescent and LED lamps for lighting plants compensate for the lack of sunlight.

Daylight plant lamps are a budget option, time-tested. They are suitable for those who are trying to create normal conditions for a flower with a small investment. LED phytolamps for those who seek to force things and achieve the best results in short time, despite the price of several thousand rubles.

1. Before buying another “leafy pet”, you should find out how light-loving it is. Perhaps the allotted space in the room will not be able to provide him with full development.
2. An inexpensive option for lighting light-loving plants can be made from an 18 W fluorescent lamp and a 25 W incandescent lamp.
3. The prevailing radiation in the yellow region of the visible spectrum inhibits the growth of stems. Illumination of dracaena (and other tree-like) warm light give it a compact shape.
4. If a plant with variegated foliage loses its original color and becomes monochromatic, then it clearly lacks light. To return the flower to its former attractiveness, an LED phytolamp will help.
5. Light from red and blue LEDs accelerates eye fatigue. In this regard, visual work in the area of ​​their action should be excluded.

Summing up

We hope that the material read has helped the reader to master the basic knowledge of organizing lighting for flowers in the house and on the balcony. Once again, I would like to emphasize the cost-effectiveness and high efficiency of LED lamps for growing plants, the mass transition to which is just around the corner. Let every grower who has the opportunity to purchase a LED phytolamp today, evaluate its power and leave your feedback for other readers in the comments below.

Read also

Light is one of the most important factors for the growth and development of plants. Of course, natural lighting is available to everyone and you do not need to spend money on it, but, alas, it is not always enough. If the plants do not have enough light (especially often this phenomenon is observed in winter), then you have to resort to additional sources of lighting. Special electrical sources are designed in such a way that the emitted waves stimulate growth and create favorable conditions for photosynthesis.

What kind of lighting is needed for growing plants

artificial light for effective cultivation plants should emit a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation similar to that which plants receive in their natural environment. If a complete analogy is difficult to achieve, then the lighting should satisfy at least the minimum requirements. To ensure the most comfortable conditions for development, special lamps with different effects are selected. The specific choice should depend on the type of plant being grown and at what stage of development it is.

When using artificial light sources, it is very important that they provide exactly the assimilation lighting that is needed. If the lamps are inefficient for such a purpose, then for the most part they will only produce heat.

To date, several schemes for the use of artificial lighting can be used:

• to increase the intensity of photosynthesis, artificial light is used as a supplement to natural light;
• periodic scheme - additional lighting connect only in order to be able to control the duration of the light period during the day;
• complete replacement natural light, which allows you to control the growth process of plants as much as possible.

It is worth noting that the full replacement of daylight is used exclusively in climate-controlled rooms. Only if the balance is observed, it is possible to ensure the optimal rate of growth and development of plants.

When deciding to use phytolight for growing certain plants at home, you must follow the following recommendations:

• usually, the closer the lamp is to the sprout itself, the greater the effect of it, but here you should behave as carefully as possible in order to prevent excessive heat generation;
• if the source is located about 20 centimeters from the flowers, then the effect is usually achieved by distributing about 70 watts to each square meter soil;
• when natural daylight hours shorten winter time), it must be artificially lengthened by at least 4 hours;
• the light should be directed directly at the plant itself.

Which lamps are better to choose for lighting

Most main question- what kind of phytolamps is best to choose? To date, there are many varieties of devices for creating artificial light, but not all of them are suitable for growing plants. Consider the most common types of lamps that allow for the active development of flora at home.

LED phytolamps

Thanks to modern developments LED light sources have become affordable and able to serve their owner for a long time. The choice of many falls on this type of lamp due to a number of their advantages:

• low power;
• low level of heat generation;
• their use allows to reduce the intensity of evaporation of moisture, which means that the periods between waterings are lengthened;
• several colors can be combined in one lamp, which means that it can cover several phytoactive areas at once.

It is not difficult to make such a lamp with your own hands, but it is still impossible to purchase a powerful device, since there are difficulties in mass production.

Energy saving (ESL)

The structure of such a light bulb is very convenient - it has a built-in choke, which means that all you need is just to screw it into the cartridge. ESL is distinguished by the type of glow:

• cold spectrum (intended to accelerate the growth of seedlings);
• warm spectrum (favorable at the flowering stage);
• day spectrum.

It is the latter type that is recommended to be used as an independent source of artificial light for plants. The huge advantages of such lamps are low energy consumption and a very long service life (up to 15 thousand hours on average). Such advantages also have a material expression - one lamp will last a very long time, which significantly reduces the cost of buying new lamps.

Fluorescent

The main advantage of this type of lamps is that they do not heat up, which means that they do not affect the air temperature, which is very important when growing plants. When choosing, you need to give preference to those varieties of fluorescent lamps in which blue rays are present - they are necessary for the effective flow of photosynthesis.

Standard fluora units produce twice as much light energy per unit of electrical power as compared to conventional incandescent bulbs. They can work continuously up to 20 thousand hours.

It is also worth noting the long service life and efficiency in terms of energy consumption. Cheaper cold spectrum lamps are less efficient for growing plants.

Aquarium

In order to grow plants in an aquarium, special lamps for artificial lighting are also needed. There are two main types of such devices.

Lamps in the blue part of the spectrum Actinic are capable of producing radiation that penetrates well through the water column. That is why actinic lights are recommended for large aquariums.

Full spectrum lamps have a full spectrum of radiation. The light emitted by them is as similar as possible to daylight. It is for this reason that they are recommended to be placed in those aquariums for which there is no way to provide daylight from a window.

sodium

Such lamps, as a rule, are used already in the later periods of growth (at the reproductive stage). NLVD affect the process of flower and fruit formation, accelerating it. If applied to young, developing plants, they will grow somewhat faster, but at the same time they will turn out to be more sprawling.

In some cases, due to the characteristics of the radiation, the plant may visually appear pale and unhealthy.

This type of lamp has a high light output and a long service life. They are often used as fragmentary light in greenhouses when the bulk of the light comes from natural sources.

Metal halide

This light source is highly efficient and approximately 80% close to natural light. Hid-luminaires are universal, as engineers are able to change the main characteristics of the luminous flux, thereby making them as suitable as possible for a specific purpose. This technology has the most important attribute - white light, which provides such an accurate proximity to sunlight.

If such lamps are used to illuminate plants, they will grow lower and more compact. Appearance will be no different from those specimens that were grown on the street. Useful service life - up to 20 thousand hours.

ultraviolet

Most of the ultraviolet radiation has a detrimental effect on plant growth. Only red (helps seeds to germinate), blue (stimulates cell division) and purple colors(It is advisable to have only in small quantities).

The most common far ultraviolet germicidal lamps are unsuitable for growing plants, as are tanning lamps and blacklights (sometimes the latter are used to irradiate dill and parsley to improve their palatability).

Video: an overview of lamps that replace sunlight for plants

For effective growth and development of plants in conditions of lack of natural light, it is simply necessary to use additional light sources. The video discusses all existing types of lamps that can be used for this purpose, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Plants need light to grow and thrive. In the absence or lack of natural light, a person uses artificial electric lighting for plants.

The quality is directly reflected in the growth rate of plants, their height, leafiness of shoots, color intensity of flowers and leaves, and yield.

The need for artificial lighting for plants and types of lamps

Artificial lighting for plants use:

• in greenhouses for growing plants for food;
• in greenhouses for forcing cut flowers or potted varieties;
• in gardening;
• for decorating rooms with greenery;
• to illuminate private collections ornamental plants in domestic (not industrial) conditions;
• as .

plant requirements for light

The quality and performance of the backlight depends on several parameters.:

• daylight hours;
• Colorful temperature;
• emission spectrum;
• lighting intensity.

According to the requirements for the duration of daylight hours, plants are divided into long-day, neutral and short-day. For the first daylight hours should last more than 12-14 hours and additional lighting with artificial light is for them vital necessity, without which the stages of flowering and fruiting are impossible.

Too long daylight hours also have a negative effect on plants, knocking down biorhythms. For automatic control turning the backlight on and off, the use of a timer is recommended.

A color temperature of 2700 K gives a warm red light, 5000 K - daylight, 6500 K - cold.

Correspondence of color temperature to lighting elements of different types

Plants require different spectrums of light at different stages of development. During seed germination, a red spectrum is required, when growing seedlings and growing green mass, there should be a predominantly blue spectrum, and during flowering and fruiting, a red-orange spectrum.

The intensity of lighting is selected according to the type of plants. For example, let's take the intensity of lighting on a cloudy winter day. It is approximately equal to 1000 Lx on the street and 100 Lx on the southern windowsill.

But what are the requirements of plants for light intensity:

Types of phytolamps, their advantages and disadvantages

There are several most common types of lamps:

• with an incandescent element;
• luminescent;
• halogen;
• ultraviolet;
• sodium high pressure;
• LED lighting.

Incandescent lamps are used in the old fashioned way, have a short service life, consume electricity inefficiently, give a low light temperature and a red-yellow spectrum. True, there are incandescent lamps marked "grow lights", which only indicates the presence of a blue light filter.

Not recommended for general plant lighting. They are often used to highlight plants in the interior. Sometimes lamps with an incandescent element are used as a heater in mini greenhouses, since a large amount of electricity is spent not on light, but on heat transfer.

They are mainly used for growing seedlings, as they give more light in the blue spectrum, which is necessary to increase the green mass of the plant.

Currently, they are practically not used in plant growing, as they consume a lot of electricity and require special care during operation, as they can easily cause damage to the foliage.

sodium- have a larger red spectrum and are better suited for the flowering and fruiting period.
- a relatively recent technology that has great potential in crop production. Thanks to the use of LEDs of different spectra in one lamp, lamps are created that best meet the needs of plants. The only and decisive disadvantage of LEDs is their price, which hinders the widespread introduction of this type of plant lighting.

Luminescent light sources are most widely used both in industrial-scale crop production and in domestic conditions. Therefore, we will dwell on this type of lamps for artificial lighting of plants in more detail.

Fluorescent lamps for artificial plant lighting

Fluorescent lamps can be linear, compact, energy-saving.

Linear lamps are long tubes that are conveniently placed above the rack in a row.

Energy saving ones give much more light per unit. For example, a 54 W energy-saving lamp gives as much as 5000 Lx.
Compact fluorescent lamps are distinguished by their size and shape. Their convenience is that many lamps of this type have a standard screw-in base and are already equipped with a built-in starter. Everything is produced in the same three color temperature ranges: red - up to 2700 K, daytime - up to 5000 K and cold - up to 6500 K.

Compact lamps appeared relatively recently. Most linear models are obsolete. Therefore, it is better to give preference to the first.

Fluorescent lamps differ in their radiation temperature on the Kelvin scale, which can vary from 2700 to 7800 K, and the light intensity in lumens.

Specifications

For luminescent elements, special luminaires are required, equipped with a ballast (ballast) and a reflector (reflector), which allows you not to scatter light, but to concentrate it on the surface for illumination.

The simplest electromagnetic control gear (PRA) is with a starter. But it is better to use an electronic ballast that gives an even glow without blinking when turned on and flickering when the lamp is on. Some electronic ballasts have a lamp brightness control function. In particular, such regulation can be carried out from a light sensor.

The cost of PRA varies greatly:

• throttle - 200 rubles;
• electronic ballasts - from 900 rubles;
• electronic ballasts with the ability to control, but without a control device in the kit - from 2000 rubles.

Regulating devices are not included in the kit, as they vary greatly in type and price., and can also be used simultaneously on multiple fixtures.

Also pay attention to the following specifications bulbs:

1. Plinth. Most often, linear phytolamps are produced with a G13 base. Compact fluorescent lamps are available with base types E27 and E40.
2. . Elements for plant lighting are available in several standard capacities- 15 W, 18 W, 30 W, 36 W, 58 W. The relationship between the power of the lamp and the amount of light it gives is not direct. The longer and more powerful the lamp, the more light it gives. Two 15 W lamps will give a total of less light than one 30 W fluorescent lamp.
3. Supply voltage. Most manufacturers comply with the 220 W, 50 Hz mains standard.
4. Dimensions. Matter when installing fluorescent lamps in the lid of an aquarium or when planning illuminated shelving.
5. Lifetime. Most often, manufacturers talk about the life of fluorescent lamps at 10,000 hours. According to the technical documentation, Osram Flora lamps should shine for 13,000 hours. But practice shows that most lamps fail after 7500 hours of operation. The reason for such a rapid development of the resource is a banal overheating.

Reflectors for fluorescent lamps must have holes for ventilation. If many high-power lamps are installed, an additional fan is installed to cool them. You can use small PC fans.

Demanded manufacturers and prices

Osram Fluora lamps in various wattages

Professionals often put combined lighting from two types of lamps - red warm and cold blue spectrum. This approach allows you to optimally meet the needs of cultivated plants in lighting.

Features of arranging shelving with lighting

As the inverse square law says, the intensity of light falls in proportion to the square of the distance from the luminaire. The loss of light at a distance from the top of the plant to the lamp of 30 cm is 30%, at 60 cm - 50%. These figures are correct if a luminaire with a reflector is used. If there is no reflector, boldly increase the loss of light by 2 times.

Photo of a rack for indoor plants with lighting

The artificial lighting lamp should be located 15 centimeters from light-loving plants and 50 centimeters from shade-loving ones. Thus, it is better to place plants of the same size on the shelves and highlight them along their entire length.

When choosing a lamp, keep in mind that the manufacturer indicates the maximum illumination value on the package. This maximum is reached only in the center under the lamp at a distance of 40-50 centimeters, decreasing towards the edges.

Video

This video will tell you more about artificial lighting for plants.

The use of fluorescent lamps in crop production gives the best price-quality ratio. When choosing lighting, you need to take into account the needs of a particular type of plant, its life span, the distance from the lighting to the top of the plant, and the actual parameters of the fluorescent lamp.

Winter is a period unfavorable for indoor plants. Daylight hours are reduced to a minimum, and the weather does not please with sunny days.

Under these conditions, photosynthesis, the basis of green cell life, slows down and our “pets in pots” hardly make it to summer.

About cultivation strong seedlings during this period, you can not dream if you do not take care of the artificial lighting of the beds.

We will talk about how to help plants avoid sun starvation, and what innovations modern lighting technology offers in this area, we will talk in this article.

What is the best artificial light?

It is possible to provide plants with the photon flux necessary for normal development using artificial light sources. At the end of the last century, the answer to the question of which lamp for plants was best solved simply. There were only two types of lighting devices: incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps. The former are not suitable for indoor greenhouses and growing seedlings. Their radiation spectrum is far from solar, and most of the energy (95%) is spent on generating heat.

Fluorescent lamps in this regard are more profitable. They are several times more economical and create a more powerful luminous flux per kilowatt of energy consumed. The spectral composition of their radiation is close to that of the sun. For this reason they are called "fluorescent lamps".

Today, it is not easy to choose a lamp for illuminating seedlings, as the market has replenished with new types of lamps. Despite the significant difference in design, all these devices are called phytolamps.

What is the fundamental difference between a phytolamp and traditional sources of artificial light? The fact that it generates photons not in a wide, but in a narrow color range, the most favorable for photosynthesis.

It has been experimentally established that the blue spectrum of study stimulates the growth of plants, and the red one brings the beginning of their flowering closer and accelerates the ripening of fruits (graph No. 1).

Schedule. #1 Two peaks of activity (blue and red) on the spectral characteristics of phytolamps - zones of maximum absorption of light energy by chlorophyll

Phytolamps for seedlings are designed in such a way that they do not create radiation harmful to green cells (ultraviolet and infrared), but at the same time they actively generate photons in the red and blue spectral regions.

Red phytolamps (their glow is visually perceived as pink) are designed to illuminate plants in the flowering and fruiting phase. Blue stimulate the growth of seedlings and the development of its root system. In the design of most phytolamps, the blue and red glow is combined, which makes them universal sources of artificial light.

To obtain strong seedlings and successful wintering of indoor plants, you need to know the rules for using these devices:

• The light should be directed similarly to the sun (from top to bottom).
• The optimal distance from the phytolamp to the plants is 25-40 cm.
• To illuminate 1m2, the power of the device must be at least 70 watts.
• In winter, the natural duration of daylight hours must be increased by 4-5 hours due to artificial lighting.
• Seedlings the first 3-4 days after germination needs round-the-clock lighting. After that, the backlight duration for it is reduced (first to 16, and then to 14 hours a day).

Types of phytolamps

As we have already said, fluorescent lamps were used earlier than others to illuminate indoor plants and seedlings. Today, manufacturers have learned to change their luminescence spectrum in the range that is optimal for photosynthesis.

The positive qualities of these devices are not high price, high light output and energy efficiency. TO weaknesses can be attributed to a low resource (no more than 10,000 hours) and rapid decline the strength of the glow as the "aging" of the lamp. Considering this, this species lighting fixtures are best placed in greenhouses for short-term (3-4 weeks) illumination of seedlings located over a large area.

Luminescent phytolamps generate lilac-pink light. It is harmful to the eyes and can cause headache. Therefore, in residential areas they should be used with a mirror reflective screen.

Energy-saving phytolamps (housekeepers)

Modern type of fluorescent lamps. They differ from their predecessors in their compact size, long service life (15,000 hours), built-in choke, and convenient e27-type “bulb” base.

However, experienced growers not happy with them. They prefer linear fluorescent phytolamps.

They explain their choice by the fact that the “housekeepers” have lower light output due to the tightly twisted glass tube (self-dimming effect).

Sodium phytolamps

Economical, durable, characterized by high power and stable luminous flux. The orange-yellow glow they generate is good for plants and does not irritate the eyes. Therefore, this type of lamps can be used not only in greenhouses, but also in apartments. For home use(additional illumination of seedlings and flowers on the windowsill) one lamp with a power of not more than 100 watts is enough.

In rooms where there is no sunlight, sodium lamps are used together with fluorescent lamps (LB or LBT brands).

The disadvantages of this type of fixtures include the high cost of ballasts. When using sodium lamps, you need to be careful, because their flasks get very hot (up to + 300C) and, if water drops hit the surface, they can explode.

induction lamps

According to the principle of operation, they are similar to luminescent ones (an electric discharge in a glass tube initiates the glow of a phosphor). By design, they differ significantly. The induction lamp does not have internal electrodes, which significantly increases its service life (at least 60,000 hours). In terms of a 12-hour operating mode, this is about 20 years.

The brightness of the lamp with induction coil decreases minimally over time (about 5%). She is not afraid of power surges and does not flicker during operation. The absence of strong heating of the flask allows you to place induction lamps in close proximity to plants, increasing the intensity of illumination.

Their color reproduction is as close as possible to the spectrum of sunlight. Therefore, induction lamps can be used without combining with other sources of phytolight. The main disadvantage of these lamps is their high cost.

LED phytolamps

When creating phytolamps, designers did not disregard LEDs. They have many important benefits. Consuming a minimum of energy, LEDs generate powerful radiation. Its spectral composition is selected quite simply (by installing a certain number of blue and red diodes).

LED lamps for plants differ from other sources of phytolight by a long service life (about 50,000 hours) and stable radiation characteristics, little dependent on the period and operating conditions. The heating of the LED module is low, which eliminates the risk of plant burns. Compact placement in one unit with a ballast lamp, the use of a standard "bulb" base simplifies and reduces the cost of their use as a backlight.

The main characteristics of lamps for plants

On the packaging of phytolamps, manufacturers indicate characteristics, many of which do not contain useful information for the user.

For example, consider the marking of an induction phytolamp:

• Power 60 W.
• Luminous flux 4800 lm (lumen).
• Energy efficiency 30-40 lm/w.
• Color temperature 2000/7000K.
• Color rendering 80 Ra.
• Luminous flux stability 90%.
• Service life of 100,000 hours.

Of the seven given characteristics, only one is needed to calculate the illumination: luminous flux in lumens. Economic evaluation The quality of the device can be made in terms of power, energy efficiency and service life. Color temperature and color rendering are values ​​that do not apply to plants, but characterize the features of the visual perception of the human eye.

For those who want to “break” their heads, understanding the spectral characteristics of phytolight, manufacturers offer to evaluate one more parameter - PAR (PAR). This is an indicator of the photosynthetically active radiation of the lamp. It denotes the proportion of radiation optimally absorbed by plants (in the blue and red spectra). We advise you not to complicate your life, but to trust trusted brands and buy their products.

Now let's answer the most important question: how many phytolamps will be required to create sufficient illumination for the normal development of garden seedlings and house plants. Most of our green friends require 8,000 lux (lx). The lamps indicate another value - the luminous flux in lumens (lm). The relationship between them is simple: illumination is equal to the luminous flux divided by the surface area.

For example, let's take the same induction phytolamp with a power of 60 watts. It creates a luminous flux with a power of 4,800 lumens (lm). Let's say that we installed phytolamps with a reflector at a height of 30 cm from the seedlings, as home plant growing experts recommend. 30 centimeters of distance will reduce the power of the luminous flux by 1.3 times and it will be 4800/1.3 = 3692 lm.

Now suppose that the area of ​​the seedling box is 1 m2. To illuminate such a plantation, 8,000 lux x 1.0 m2 = 8,000 lumens are needed.

One induction lamp (60 W) with a reflector at a distance of 30 cm from the plants creates a light output of 3,692 lumens. It is not difficult to calculate the required number of lighting fixtures: 8,000 / 3,692 = 2.16. Round up to a whole number and get 2 lamps.

Manufacturers of phytolamps and fixtures are trying to simplify the choice problem for customers. In the characteristics of their products, they indicate the recommended area of ​​lighting in m2.

Approximate prices for phytolamps and fixtures

The average cost (for 2016) of the Osram Fluora luminescent phytolamp, popular with flower growers, with a power of 36 W, is 700-900 rubles. A lamp equipped with such a lamp can be bought for 4,000-4,500 rubles.

An LED lamp of the same power, designed to illuminate 1m2, can be purchased for 2000-3300 rubles. Higher price of LED lamp in this case is not an argument against its purchase, since for equivalent illumination of the same surface (1m2) you will have to buy 4 fluorescent lamps.

Because the LED lamp more suitable for spot lighting, then for growing seedlings it is more profitable to buy a linear lighting fixture. An example is a sealed LED lamp Solntsedar-P Fito with a power of 40 watts. Its estimated price is 6400 rubles. With a length of 1.25 meters, it gives the necessary amount of light for seedlings on an area of ​​​​1 m2 (in total darkness).

The average cost of a Reflux sodium phytolamp (Reflax) with a power of 70 W (5,700 lumens) is 1,000-1,200 rubles. For high-quality illumination of 1 m2 of seedlings, two such lamps are required. Complete with a lamp, you can buy it for 5,000 rubles.

The estimated price of an 80 W (6,500 lumens) induction lamp equipped with a standard base (e27) is 5,300-6,200 rubles. Complete with a lamp, such a lamp can be purchased for 9,000 rubles.

Making a phytolamp with your own hands

A home master is able to make a phytolamp for plants with his own hands. The easiest way to work with LEDs is to select them according to two parameters: color and power.

For Assembly the simplest model homemade design will need elements with a power of 3 watts in the following proportion:

• blue - 4 pieces (light wavelength 445 nm);
• red - 10 pieces (660 nm);
• white - 1 pc;
• green - 1 pc.

The LEDs are mounted by gluing thermal paste on an aluminum radiator plate. After installation, they are connected in series with wires by soldering and connected to a ballast (driver) of suitable current strength.

On reverse side radiator fix the fan from system block computer.