Lamps for lighting and growing plants: which is better? How to choose the right lighting for apartment flowers What lamps are needed to illuminate indoor plants.

Light has a great influence on the growth of any plant. It is thanks to him that photosynthesis occurs. As a rule, natural light from the sun is enough for home flowers, but this is not always the case. If the flower is not feeling well, you can choose a plant lamp that will stimulate growth and maintain a favorable atmosphere.

The best lighting for plants

Of course, any flower is best suited for sunlight in its homeland. However, indoor plants are often grown in conditions far from their native ones. Therefore, they are not adapted to the local light day, temperature, change of seasons. Especially a lot of trouble occurs in winter, because many of the flowers come from tropical countries.

With a lack of light, all metabolic processes in plants slow down, photosynthesis proceeds slowly. This leads to "hibernation" and even death of the flower.

A couple of decades ago, there were only two options for solving this problem:

fluorescent lamps;
incandescent lamps.

There was simply no other way of lighting. At the same time, ordinary incandescent lamps are not very suitable for growing plants, since their light differs significantly from sunlight. In addition, they emit much more heat than light: up to 95% of the energy is spent on heating.

Much better cope with this task fluorescent lamps, the spectrum of illumination of which is close to the sun. For this reason, they are called fluorescent lamps. In addition, they allow you to save electricity, since the power of their lighting is much higher, and the cost of heat is less. Thanks to this, the plant will receive more light from each kilowatt consumed.

Modern technology can make life easier for home flora and even affect some of the features of growth and flowering. The plant will bloom earlier and in greater volume, if you choose the right lighting. But the choice is much wider than at the beginning of the century, so this is not easy to do.

A feature present in all plant growth lamps (phytolamps) - specially selected emission spectrum which has a beneficial effect on the flower. Science has proven that the rays of the red spectrum bring the beginning of flowering closer and allow you to collect fruits earlier, and blue - accelerate growth. At the same time, such lamps do not emit infrared or ultraviolet rays that are harmful to plants.

Most often, these two types of radiation can be found in one device, but they can also be found separately. Red phytolamps can be perceived as pink by the human eye and are best used during flowering and fruit formation. Blue can be used at any stage of development.

Types of additional illumination

On sale you can find light bulbs for plants for every taste. The main thing is not to get confused in the variety of their models. To do this, you need to know the main features of each variety. Based on them, it will be easier to choose the appropriate option.

Incandescent lamps

Until relatively recently, they were the only available way of lighting, but today this option is far from the best. The lamps are attractive in price, but they have no other advantages. They will not last long, and as a result, the savings will be illusory. And due to the fact that they emit much more light than heat, they will bring special benefits, and may even be harmful - if placed too close to the foliage, this can cause a burn. In addition, they do not have the blue spectrum of light waves, which is important for plants.

Nevertheless, they have their own, very narrow scope. If desired, they can be used in the cold season in winter gardens and greenhouses for additional illumination in the evenings. This method is suitable only for southern latitudes, where the daylight hours in winter are already quite long (up to 12 hours), but in the evening it starts to get dark.

Among the plants that are suitable for this type of lighting are creepers with long stems or plants with a short stem and long leaves.

Incandescent lamps are best combined with cold glow lamps. This will dilute their red spectrum and provide the required radiation range for seedlings.

Luminescent and energy saving

Fluorescent lamps differ from their predecessors in an excellent balance of energy consumption and light output. They hardly heat up, and most of the electricity consumed is used to generate light. Because of this, they are much more economical than incandescent lamps.

They are best suited for illuminating large spaces occupied by plants, as they are large. They cannot be installed on the windowsill - they will take up too much space, but in the home greenhouse it is quite possible. There are also special designs with already allotted places for installing pots and a lamp on top.

However, conventional fluorescent bulbs are not suitable for growing flowers. They are not designed to produce certain wave spectra and therefore almost do not broadcast red radiation. Therefore, it is better to choose special lamps for growing plants. at home. They are coated with a special compound that holds back harmful rays and lets through those that the seedlings need in the required proportions.

Energy-saving light bulbs are a type of fluorescent, but much more compact. They look like ordinary incandescent bulbs, so they can be screwed into a regular socket, unlike fluorescent ones, which require a special choke. In addition, their energy consumption is much lower than that of incandescent and fluorescent lamps, and they last much longer - up to fifteen thousand hours.

This type of lamp is suitable for local lighting anywhere: they are compact and can be placed directly above the pot even in narrow spaces. They are best suited for plants that do not bloom, because they have a lot of blue in their spectrum and much less red. But this applies only to ordinary "household" energy-saving light bulbs. Phytolamps of this type are of various types:

"Cold" - emit mainly rays of the blue part of the spectrum and are suitable for lighting during a period of active growth. Accelerate seed germination and further development of plants.
"Warm" - lean towards the red part of the spectrum and are suitable for illumination during flowering and fruit formation.
"Day" - combine both types of rays and can be used at any stage of plant development. Suitable as a primary or secondary source of illumination.

Gas-discharge (mercury, sodium, metal halide)

As in previous cases, not all of them are suitable for lighting plants. So, it is better not to use mercury ones at all, since their light contains a significant part of the rays of the red spectrum and almost does not emit blue radiation. In addition, they consume more energy than fluorescent ones.

Sodium lamps are used to illuminate home plantings much more often. This is one of the best options out there. They will last a long time (they have up to twenty thousand hours of operation), efficient (one lamp can illuminate a space one and a half meters long), economical in terms of energy consumption. They emit mainly red and orange light, but if you choose a model with enough blue waves, it will be an ideal option for backlighting.

Most often they are used in winter gardens as the main source of lighting. Even one sodium lamp on the ceiling is able to cover a considerable area. Under the light of these bulbs, the seedlings may appear somewhat pale and sickly, so it is worth remembering that this is just a visual effect.

Lamps are best suited for illuminating plants at the reproductive stage of development. Of course, you can apply them at earlier stages, but this will have a certain effect on the flowers: they will grow quickly, but their foliage will be much more spreading.

Sodium light bulbs also have their drawbacks. They take up a lot of space, their cost is quite high, and they also require special disposal, as they contain sodium, xenon and mercury vapors.

Metal halide lamps are the most efficient and closest to natural light. This feature is provided by the white light they emit. The spectrum of rays can be changed, so you can choose the device that is most suitable for a particular plant. Such light bulbs cost a lot, but are very durable and allow you to create conditions close to natural.

Not every flower needs additional lighting, and if it is required, then each has its own. Before purchasing equipment, you should find information about specific plants: is natural lighting suitable for them in this region or is it impossible to do without phytolamps. In addition, you should pay attention to what kind of light spectrum this flower needs. However, there are still some general recommendations:

After installing the devices, you need to monitor the reaction of colors to additional lighting. An overabundance of lighting is just as destructive for them as a lack. It is easy to understand that the lamp needs to be moved away or its intensity reduced if the leaves look drooping and faded, curl, wither and die. In addition, burn spots of gray or brown color may appear on them.

Application schemes

There are several basic schemes for using additional lighting for plants. You will have to follow the lamps after purchase - turn them on and off at the right time:

The latter option is not so common - for this, not only lighting, but also other climate parameters must be controlled in the room.

If you follow all the recommendations and select the right lamps for a particular plant, you don’t have to worry that the daylight hours in the region do not correspond to the natural growing conditions. Thanks to additional lighting systems, even the most exotic flower can be cultivated at home.

All plants, like any living organisms, have their own individuality and cannot exist in the same conditions. Some people need a lot of moisture, while others prefer drought. Some love the heat, while others need the cool. The same goes for lighting - all houseplants are different, so the requirements for light for all indoor flowers are different.

Sun or shadow? Only the cultures themselves can give a correct answer to this question with their development and healthy appearance.

Before you figure out what kind of lighting plants need, you need to understand why flowers need light at all.

The fact is that the leaf of a plant is a small factory in which constant diligent work is going on. On the underside of the leaf there are numerous stomata - gaps through which plants receive carbon dioxide from the air. At the same time, the roots extract certain minerals from the soil and transport them along the conducting system of the plant to the leaves. In all green parts of plants, i.e. leaves and green stems contain chlorophyll, a green pigment. It captures the energy of sunlight.

As soon as the sun's rays "hit" a green plant, the chemical process begins to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates - nutrients needed for growth and healthy development. This whole process is called photosynthesis, which is powered by sunlight.

If the lighting conditions of plants are violated, the "machine" stops, the process does not go on, although both "workers" (chlorophyll grains) and materials (water, nutrients, carbon dioxide) are ready to work. This means that without light, indoor flowers, in the end, "die of hunger", although they are watered and fed abundantly. With poor lighting conditions, houseplants wither.

So what kind of lighting is needed for flowers, which indoor plants do not need light, and which, on the contrary, need its abundance?

Insufficient or excessive lighting of indoor flowers

Fortunately, every plant, including indoor plants, promptly signals insufficient lighting at home. If you see one of these signals, be sure to change your pet's location.

Insufficient lighting for flowers in the apartment is evidenced by:

Poor plant growth
small leaves,
Changing the color of variegated leaves - they turn green,
Long, thin and soft stems ("etiolation" occurs),
Poor formation of flower buds,
An increase in the distance between leaf nodes on new stems compared to old stems.

Excessive lighting for plants at home is just as harmful as insufficient.

If you put a shade-loving plant on the south window, then in the hottest hours the leaves will wither and hang helplessly. After a while, first yellow ones appear on the leaves, then brown spots: this is sunburn. Move such a plant away from the window into the depths of the room: the action of the sun's rays weakens with every centimeter. You can also in the hottest time of the day, from about 11 am to 2 pm, shade the plant a little: close the curtain or simply place a newspaper sheet between the window glass and the plant.

With proper plant lighting, when the "pet" gets the right amount of light, it grows healthy, with strong shoots, short internodes, intensely colored leaves and flowers.

The amount of light can be measured. To measure the intensity of light, there is a special unit - lux, which allows you to accurately determine where in the room and at what time of the day the light intensity is maximum and minimum.

A special light meter, a light meter, can be bought at a specialized store. Such a device is similar to a light meter and is very convenient for amateurs. indoor plants.

It should be remembered that the strength of light depends on the time of year and on the environment. On a sunny summer day, around noon, the illumination is 100,000 lux (lx). But if at the same time you are standing under a tree with a light meter, it will show only 10,000 lux. The amount of light at the same time in the room, at the very window glass, is 2500 lux, and in the middle of the room - only 500 lux. The situation is quite different on a normal, bright winter day. On the windowsill where your plants are located, the device registers only 500-1000 lux. The middle of the room is almost dark.

The best lighting conditions for active plant growth at home

The mode of lighting plants at home is very important. In order to properly use the above data, you must know what kind of lighting your plants require. They can be approximately divided into groups, and to determine the light regime in each group, home flower growers usually do not use lux, but generally accepted terms: “sun”, “partial shade” and “shade”, and in accordance with this recommend the correct placement of plants in the apartment.

Plants that require bright light for active growth (1500-2000 lux or more) should be located in a sunny window facing south.

To achieve better lighting for plants that require ambient light of about 1000 lux, they are placed in a semi-shady place on an east-facing or west-facing window. Indoor flowers that do not like light, i.e., requiring low light (500-700 lux), can be placed in a shady place, on a north-facing window.

In botany, to determine the light regime of plants, in addition to indicators in lux, three other concepts have been established. According to these terms, light-loving plants love a sunny place; always referring to a south-facing window. Less demanding plants prefer partial shade, which for many is associated with windows facing west and east. Finally, plants that are shade tolerant do well in a north-facing window.

You should be aware that these concepts are not entirely accurate. The phrase "partially shady place" is already misleading. It would be more correct to replace it with the phrase "bright place", because. plants suitable for it require bright diffused light, but cannot stand the hot midday sun on the southern windows. The division by cardinal points is also not always fair: you need to take into account the environment.

If there is a tree in front of a window facing south, such a window can no longer be called “sunny”, but only “bright”. A window facing west, onto a covered balcony or loggia, is sometimes darker than a north-facing window.

Illumination is affected by both the landscape and the area of residence. The south window on a closely built-up street, and even on the first floor of the house, is always less "sunny" than in a detached house.

Houseplants that require a lot of light

In many apartments, the windows of the living rooms face the south side of the house. As a rule, these are large windows, and many plants can be placed on the windowsills, which are brightly lit by the sun on sunny days from noon to evening.

Plants that are familiar to you from your travels to the south feel great here: bougainvillea with luxurious flowers, hibiscus, beaucarnea recurvata, yucca (Yucca). Also indoor flower Sunlight-loving pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira). A south window can become a green and blooming link between home and garden.

Unfortunately, most of these exotic plants that require a lot of light are not easy to grow. First of all, problems arise in winter. Of course, there are more hardy species for southern windows.

For example, such plants that feel good anywhere:

Sansevieria ( Sansevieria)

Chlorophytum ( Chlorophytum)

Unpretentious indoor nettle

Coleus Bloom ( coleus bluemei, hybrids)

Euphorbia ( Euphorbia milii)

And if you like cacti, then on the south window you can arrange a multi-tiered cactus garden.

When creating optimal lighting conditions for indoor plants, keep the following in mind:

On sunny days, the temperature at the southern windows rises greatly, and the plants located here need to be sprayed often, but not at noon!
In black plastic pots, the earth quickly overheats, so use ceramic pots for south windows. You can put dark pots in light containers.
If you have a bottom hung window or a window, keep them open in the summer. Otherwise, stagnation of hot air will occur.

When taking care of lighting the flowers at home, do not forget about shading the plants on the south window. You can accommodate more variety of crops here if you turn the stinging direct sunlight into nice diffused light.

This can be done by shading in various ways:

The easiest way is to use loose shutters, outdoor blinds, awnings.
Even faster and easier: curtains made of fabric or paper, blinds (be careful: metal blinds should not touch plants, because they get very hot), you can frames covered with canvas.
Temporarily: newspaper or cardboard.

Yucca ( Yucca)

It is a light-loving houseplant and is considered one of the most popular ornamental houseplants. Feels good in the open air in summer. In winter, put in a cool room. Good drainage in the pot is very important. Should not be over-fertilized.

leaf begonia ( Begonia)

Many species and hybrids with attractively colored leaves. Requires high humidity, but not spraying. Does not tolerate drafts.

Spathiphyllum ( Spathiphyllum)

In winter, you need to put in a brighter place than in summer. This is a houseplant that does not need much light, in addition, it is tolerant of a warm room. Be careful when spraying - the wrapper and cob-shaped inflorescence do not tolerate moisture. Don't over water.

An ideal plant for beginner gardeners: it feels great everywhere, it is easily propagated by cuttings, it can be put outdoors in summer. This is a house plant that does not like light, you need to water sparingly.

Tolmia Menzies ( Tolmiea menziesii)

An easy plant to grow. It develops well in any place, but not in a bright sunny place. Dry air tolerant. In summer, you can put it outdoors. Excellent ampelous plant.

Aglaonema ( Aglaonema)

Species with green leaves are shade tolerant. He loves high temperature and humidity, warm soil. Don't forget good drainage! The plant is suitable for growing hydroponically.

, or sago palm ( Cycas revoluta)

This is another home flower that does not need bright light, but it loves fresh air very much and is very sensitive to dampness. Cycas does not tolerate frequent. Old plants need a lot of space. Grows very slowly.

Indoor flowers that do not require a lot of light: house plants for the bedroom, bathroom and corridor

The apartment should have as many indoor plants as possible. This applies not only to the living room, there are other rooms where flowers grow just as well, and sometimes even much better.

Plants in the bedrooms. As a rule, the windows of the bedrooms face east and are illuminated by the soft morning sun. This is an ideal place for many plants that cannot stand the stinging midday sun.

Sometimes there is enough space in the bedroom for a small tree: room linden ( Sparmannia africana) or ficus benjamin ( ficus benjamina).

In the "winter apartments" in the bedroom, you can place indoor plants that do not require a lot of light and need a moderate temperature of about 15 ° C in winter.

It is often asked if the plants in the bedroom really rob the sleepers of oxygen at night. This is partly true, plants absorb oxygen at night, but in such quantity that it is completely imperceptible. You sleep as if in a hermetically sealed "forest" of indoor crops. However, some people cannot stand the aroma of strongly smelling plants and complain of headaches.

In such cases, do not put fragrant pelargoniums, flowering orange trees, primroses, etc. in the bedroom, but do not completely abandon plants.

Plants in the bathroom. If your bathroom seems uncomfortable, cold, too sterile, enliven it with indoor plants that are unpretentious to light! For example, it will surprisingly transform the bathroom. Of course, the condition for this must be the presence of a window. In a completely dark bathroom, you will have to do with artificial plastic flowers. However, not every home flower that does not require a lot of light can be placed in the bathroom. Species that like heat and high humidity grow well here.

In the "greenhouse" climate, the bathroom feels great coconut palm trees ( Cocos nucifera) and Variegated dracaena ( Dracaena) , a also monstera ( monstera deticiosa) , (Philodendron) and (Cyperus) .

If the bathroom is small, it is easy to place small indoor plants in it that do not require bright light: reeds ( Scirpus cervius) and saline ( Soleirolia soleiroiii) .

You can even put blooming uzambara violets ( Saintpaulia, hybrids) who love a humid atmosphere. And if you are in awe of catchy decorations, place a pot of atmospheric tillandsia.

Various aerosols, such as hair spray, as well as deodorants for body care, are very harmful to plants in the bathroom. Therefore, try to place indoor flowers that do not require a lot of light in such a way that splashes of these various cosmetics do not fall on the leaves. ivy (
Sansevieria ( Sanseviena)

Chlorophytum ( Chlorophytum comosum)

If your hall is spacious enough, but dark, provide the plants with artificial lighting.

It is important to remember that there should be no drafts in the hall that cause leaves to fall. Therefore, do not put plants in such a hallway.

Additional artificial lighting for plants at home: lamps for indoor flowers

With the onset of winter, any home grower faces such a problem as lowering the level of illumination during the cold period. Therefore, in the fall, you should be especially careful about the placement of plants. The days are getting shorter, the sun rarely appears, the illumination of indoor pets is reduced.

But there are also plants that do not need rest. Problems arise with tropical exotic crops, which in their homeland are accustomed to bright sunlight throughout the year.

How can you help them in winter? Try to provide them with the meager winter light as best you can. For this, such actions are important.

Wash your windows again before the start of winter.

Place the plants close to each other on the windowsill (never leave them in the back of the room).

There should be no curtains, drapes or blinds between window glass and plants.

If after all this there is not enough light, there is another way: artificial lighting for indoor plants.

If normal daylight for plants is not enough in winter at the window of the room, or in any season in a dark corner, you can compensate for it with artificial lighting.

Ordinary incandescent lamps for additional lighting of plants are not suitable: they get very hot and can burn home flowers.

The industry produces special lamps for artificial lighting of plants at home: pendant, wall-mounted and in the form of tubes. At first glance, they do not differ from ordinary lamps and fixtures, but in fact their rays have a different composition.

They have more ultraviolet and blue light and less infrared rays. Their light is more like daylight, it is cooler than the warm yellowish light of incandescent lamps. You can buy separate special lamps that connect to any light source (with the appropriate power), or the whole system as a kit (by the way, very inexpensive). Lamps of different designs for additional illumination of flowers almost do not differ in light intensity. In most cases, artificial light is mixed, pleasing to the eye.

There are also mercury lamps with bright white light and low power consumption. These lamps are often used in offices and horticultural businesses. They are economical, but their purchase is expensive.

Be sure to use additional lamps to illuminate indoor plants! When growing flowers under artificial light, follow the rules listed below. Hanging lamps should hang in the center of the plants so that they do not warp. Wall lamps are less practical in this respect. So, when using additional lighting for indoor plants, consider the following:

The higher the lamp is located, the larger the area of irradiation and the more plants receive additional lighting. True, the intensity of irradiation decreases with increasing distance from the light source to the object.

The distance from the plant to the lamp is about 80 cm.

If there are many plants, use several lamps.

If plants are grown exclusively under artificial lighting, the lamps should burn from 12 (for shade-loving species) to 16 (for light-loving plants) hours per day.

If the lamps are used in winter as an additional source of light, it is enough to turn them on for 4-6 hours.

Houseplants of short and long daylight hours

Some ornamental flowering species have special lighting requirements. Their formation of buds depends not only on the intensity of light, but also on the length of the day. Therefore, indoor cultures of a short day and a long day are distinguished.

In short-day plants, such as poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), brightly colored bracts and flowers develop only during a "short day", i.e. when they are illuminated no more than 12 hours a day. Even a street lamp outside the window or a small floor lamp in the room can become too light for these plants.

Cover such species with a cardboard box or bucket for 12 hours (from evening to morning) for 6 weeks every day. Those who like to experiment can make plants that bloom in winter bloom in autumn in this way. This "light control" allows gardeners to grow and sell flowering chrysanthemums (also short-day crops) all year round.

Long day plants include a number of annuals cultivated in our gardens, as well as uzambar violets (Saintpauiia ionantha, hybrids). They bloom when the lighting continues for at least 14 hours a day, and the plants do not care if it is natural light or artificial.

The "neutral" houseplants, whose flowering does not directly depend on the length of the day, include most of the known indoor species.

All plants, like any living organisms, have their own individuality and cannot exist in the same conditions. Some people need a lot of moisture, while others prefer drought. Some love the heat, while others need the cool. The same goes for lighting - all houseplants are different, so the requirements for light for all indoor flowers are different.

Sun or shadow? Only the cultures themselves can give a correct answer to this question with their development and healthy appearance.

Before you figure out what kind of lighting plants need, you need to understand why flowers need light at all.

The fact is that the leaf of a plant is a small factory in which constant diligent work is going on. On the underside of the leaf there are numerous stomata - gaps through which plants receive carbon dioxide from the air. At the same time, the roots extract certain minerals from the soil and transport them along the conducting system of the plant to the leaves. In all green parts of plants, i.e. leaves and green stems contain chlorophyll, a green pigment. It captures the energy of sunlight.

As soon as the sun's rays "hit" a green plant, the chemical process begins to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates - nutrients needed for growth and healthy development. This whole process is called photosynthesis, which is powered by sunlight.

If the lighting conditions of plants are violated, the "machine" stops, the process does not go on, although both "workers" (chlorophyll grains) and materials (water, nutrients, carbon dioxide) are ready to work. This means that without light, indoor flowers, in the end, "die of hunger", although they are watered and fed abundantly. With poor lighting conditions, houseplants wither.

So what kind of lighting is needed for flowers, which indoor plants do not need light, and which, on the contrary, need its abundance?

Insufficient or excessive lighting of indoor flowers

Fortunately, every plant, including indoor plants, promptly signals insufficient lighting at home. If you see one of these signals, be sure to change your pet's location.

Insufficient lighting for flowers in the apartment is evidenced by:

Poor plant growth

small leaves,

Changing the color of variegated leaves - they turn green,

Long, thin and soft stems ("etiolation" occurs),

Poor formation of flower buds,

An increase in the distance between leaf nodes on new stems compared to old stems.

Excessive lighting for plants at home is just as harmful as insufficient.

If you put a shade-loving plant on the south window, then in the hottest hours the leaves will wither and hang helplessly. After a while, first yellow, then brown spots appear on the leaves: this is a sunburn. Move such a plant away from the window into the depths of the room: the action of the sun's rays weakens with every centimeter. You can also in the hottest time of the day, from about 11 am to 2 pm, shade the plant a little: close the curtain or simply place a newspaper sheet between the window glass and the plant.

With proper plant lighting, when the "pet" gets the right amount of light, it grows healthy, with strong shoots, short internodes, intensely colored leaves and flowers.

The amount of light can be measured. To measure the intensity of light, there is a special unit - lux, which allows you to accurately determine where in the room and at what time of the day the light intensity is maximum and minimum.

A special light meter, a light meter, can be bought at a specialized store. Such a device is similar to a light meter and is very convenient for lovers of indoor plants.

It should be remembered that the strength of light depends on the time of year and on the environment. On a sunny summer day, around noon, the illumination is 100,000 lux (lx). But if at the same time you are standing under a tree with a light meter, it will show only 10,000 lux. The amount of light at the same time in the room, at the very window glass, is 2500 lux, and in the middle of the room - only 500 lux. The situation is quite different on a normal, bright winter day. On the windowsill where your plants are located, the device registers only 500-1000 lux. The middle of the room is almost dark.

The best lighting conditions for active plant growth at home

The mode of lighting plants at home is very important. In order to properly use the above data, you must know what kind of lighting your plants require. They can be approximately divided into groups, and to determine the light regime in each group, home flower growers usually do not use lux, but generally accepted terms: “sun”, “partial shade” and “shade”, and in accordance with this recommend the correct placement of plants in the apartment.

Plants that require bright light for active growth (1500-2000 lux or more) should be located in a sunny window facing south.

To achieve better lighting for plants that require ambient light of about 1000 lux, they are placed in a semi-shady place on an east-facing or west-facing window. Indoor flowers that do not like light, i.e., requiring low light (500-700 lux), can be placed in a shady place, on a north-facing window.

In botany, to determine the light regime of plants, in addition to indicators in lux, three other concepts have been established. According to these terms, light-loving plants love a sunny place; always referring to a south-facing window. Less demanding plants prefer partial shade, which for many is associated with windows facing west and east. Finally, plants that are shade tolerant do well in a north-facing window.

You should be aware that these concepts are not entirely accurate. The phrase "partially shady place" is already misleading. It would be more correct to replace it with the phrase "bright place", because. plants suitable for it require bright diffused light, but cannot stand the hot midday sun on the southern windows. The division by cardinal points is also not always fair: you need to take into account the environment.

If there is a tree in front of a window facing south, such a window can no longer be called “sunny”, but only “bright”. A window facing west, onto a covered balcony or loggia, is sometimes darker than a north-facing window.

Illumination is affected by both the landscape and the area of residence. The south window on a closely built-up street, and even on the first floor of the house, is always less "sunny" than in a detached house.

Houseplants that require a lot of light

In many apartments, the windows of the living rooms face the south side of the house. As a rule, these are large windows, and many plants can be placed on the windowsills, which are brightly lit by the sun on sunny days from noon to evening.

Plants that are familiar to you from your travels to the south feel great here: bougainvillea with luxurious flowers, hibiscus, beaucarnea recurvata, yucca (Yucca). Also indoor flower, loving sunlight, is pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira). A south window can become a green and blooming link between home and garden.

Unfortunately, most of these exotic plants that require a lot of light are not easy to grow. First of all, problems arise in winter. Of course, there are more hardy species for southern windows.

For example, such plants that feel good anywhere:

Sansevieria ( Sansevieria)

Chlorophytum ( Chlorophytum)

Unpretentious indoor nettle

Coleus Bloom ( coleus bluemei, hybrids)

Euphorbia ( Euphorbia milii)

And if you like cacti, then on the south window you can arrange a multi-tiered cactus garden.

When creating optimal lighting conditions for indoor plants, keep the following in mind:

On sunny days, the temperature at the southern windows rises greatly, and the plants located here need to be sprayed often, but not at noon!

In black plastic pots, the earth quickly overheats, so use ceramic pots for south windows. You can put dark pots in light containers.

If you have a bottom hung window or a window, keep them open in the summer. Otherwise, stagnation of hot air will occur.

When taking care of lighting the flowers at home, do not forget about shading the plants on the south window. You can accommodate more variety of crops here if you turn the stinging direct sunlight into nice diffused light.

This can be done by shading in various ways:

The easiest way is to use loose shutters, outdoor blinds, awnings.

Even faster and easier: curtains made of fabric or paper, blinds (be careful: metal blinds should not touch plants, because they get very hot), you can frames covered with canvas.

Temporarily: newspaper or cardboard.

Yucca ( Yucca)

It is a light-loving houseplant and is considered one of the most popular ornamental houseplants. Feels good in the open air in summer. In winter, put in a cool room. Good drainage in the pot is very important. Should not be over-fertilized.

leaf begonia ( Begonia)

Many species and hybrids with attractively colored leaves. Requires high humidity, but not spraying. Does not tolerate drafts.

Spathiphyllum ( Spathiphyllum)

In winter, you need to put in a brighter place than in summer. This is a houseplant that does not need much light, in addition, it is tolerant of a warm room. Be careful when spraying - the wrapper and cob-shaped inflorescence do not tolerate moisture. Don't over water.

An ideal plant for beginner gardeners: it feels great everywhere, it is easily propagated by cuttings, it can be put outdoors in summer. This is a house plant that does not like light, you need to water sparingly.

Tolmia Menzies ( Tolmiea menziesii)

An easy plant to grow. It develops well in any place, but not in a bright sunny place. Dry air tolerant. In summer, you can put it outdoors. Excellent ampelous plant.

Aglaonema ( Aglaonema)

Species with green leaves are shade tolerant. He loves high temperature and humidity, warm soil. Don't forget good drainage! The plant is suitable for growing hydroponically.

, or sago palm ( Cycas revoluta)

This is another home flower that does not need bright light, but it loves fresh air very much and is very sensitive to dampness. Cycas does not tolerate frequent. Old plants need a lot of space. Grows very slowly.

Indoor flowers that do not require a lot of light: house plants for the bedroom, bathroom and corridor

The apartment should have as many indoor plants as possible. This applies not only to the living room, there are other rooms where flowers grow just as well, and sometimes even much better.

Plants in the bedrooms. As a rule, the windows of the bedrooms face east and are illuminated by the soft morning sun. This is an ideal place for many plants that cannot stand the stinging midday sun.

Sometimes there is enough space in the bedroom for a small tree: room linden ( Sparmannia africana) or ficus benjamin ( ficus benjamina).

In the "winter apartments" in the bedroom, you can place indoor plants that do not require a lot of light and need a moderate temperature of about 15 ° C in winter.

It is often asked if the plants in the bedroom really rob the sleepers of oxygen at night. This is partly true, plants absorb oxygen at night, but in such quantity that it is completely imperceptible. You sleep as if in a hermetically sealed "forest" of indoor crops. However, some people cannot stand the aroma of strongly smelling plants and complain of headaches.

In such cases, do not put fragrant pelargoniums, flowering orange trees, primroses, etc. in the bedroom, but do not completely abandon plants.

Plants in the bathroom. If your bathroom seems uncomfortable, cold, too sterile, enliven it with indoor plants that are unpretentious to light! For example, it will surprisingly transform the bathroom. Of course, the condition for this must be the presence of a window. In a completely dark bathroom, you will have to do with artificial plastic flowers. However, not every home flower that does not require a lot of light can be placed in the bathroom. Species that like heat and high humidity grow well here.

In the "greenhouse" climate, the bathroom feels great coconut palm trees ( Cocos nucifera) and Variegated dracaena ( Dracaena) , a also monstera ( monstera deticiosa) , (Philodendron) and (Cyperus) .

If the bathroom is small, it is easy to place small indoor plants in it that do not require bright light: reeds ( Scirpus cervius) and saline ( Soleirolia soleiroiii) .

You can even put blooming uzambara violets ( Saintpaulia, hybrids) who love a humid atmosphere. And if you are in awe of catchy decorations, place a pot of atmospheric tillandsia.

Various aerosols, such as hair spray, as well as deodorants for body care, are very harmful to plants in the bathroom. Therefore, try to place indoor flowers that do not require a lot of light in such a way that splashes of these various cosmetics do not fall on the leaves. ivy (
Sansevieria ( Sanseviena)

Chlorophytum ( Chlorophytum comosum)

If your hall is spacious enough, but dark, provide the plants with artificial lighting.

It is important to remember that there should be no drafts in the hall that cause leaves to fall. Therefore, do not put plants in such a hallway.

Additional artificial lighting for plants at home: lamps for indoor flowers

With the onset of winter, any home grower faces such a problem as lowering the level of illumination during the cold period. Therefore, in the fall, you should be especially careful about the placement of plants. The days are getting shorter, the sun rarely appears, the illumination of indoor pets is reduced.

But there are also plants that do not need rest. Problems arise with tropical exotic crops, which in their homeland are accustomed to bright sunlight throughout the year.

How can you help them in winter? Try to provide them with the meager winter light as best you can. For this, such actions are important.

Wash your windows again before the start of winter.

Place the plants close to each other on the windowsill (never leave them in the back of the room).

There should be no curtains, drapes or blinds between window glass and plants.

If after all this there is not enough light, there is another way: artificial lighting for indoor plants.

If normal daylight for plants is not enough in winter at the window of the room, or in any season in a dark corner, you can compensate for it with artificial lighting.

Ordinary incandescent lamps for additional lighting of plants are not suitable: they get very hot and can burn home flowers.

The industry produces special lamps for artificial lighting of plants at home: pendant, wall-mounted and in the form of tubes. At first glance, they do not differ from ordinary lamps and fixtures, but in fact their rays have a different composition.

They have more ultraviolet and blue light and less infrared rays. Their light is more like daylight, it is cooler than the warm yellowish light of incandescent lamps. You can buy separate special lamps that connect to any light source (with the appropriate power), or the whole system as a kit (by the way, very inexpensive). Lamps of different designs for additional illumination of flowers almost do not differ in light intensity. In most cases, artificial light is mixed, pleasing to the eye.

There are also mercury lamps with bright white light and low power consumption. These lamps are often used in offices and horticultural businesses. They are economical, but their purchase is expensive.

Be sure to use additional lamps to illuminate indoor plants! When growing flowers under artificial light, follow the rules listed below. Hanging lamps should hang in the center of the plants so that they do not warp. Wall lamps are less practical in this respect. So, when using additional lighting for indoor plants, consider the following:

The higher the lamp is located, the larger the area of irradiation and the more plants receive additional lighting. True, the intensity of irradiation decreases with increasing distance from the light source to the object.

The distance from the plant to the lamp is about 80 cm.

If there are many plants, use several lamps.

If plants are grown exclusively under artificial lighting, the lamps should burn from 12 (for shade-loving species) to 16 (for light-loving plants) hours per day.

If the lamps are used in winter as an additional source of light, it is enough to turn them on for 4-6 hours.

Houseplants of short and long daylight hours

Some ornamental flowering species have special lighting requirements. Their formation of buds depends not only on the intensity of light, but also on the length of the day. Therefore, indoor cultures of a short day and a long day are distinguished.

In short-day plants, such as poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe), brightly colored bracts and flowers develop only during a "short day", i.e. when they are illuminated no more than 12 hours a day. Even a street lamp outside the window or a small floor lamp in the room can become too light for these plants.

Cover such species with a cardboard box or bucket for 12 hours (from evening to morning) for 6 weeks every day. Those who like to experiment can make plants that bloom in winter bloom in autumn in this way. This "light control" allows gardeners to grow and sell flowering chrysanthemums (also short-day crops) all year round.

Long day plants include a number of annuals cultivated in our gardens, as well as uzambar violets (Saintpauiia ionantha, hybrids). They bloom when the lighting continues for at least 14 hours a day, and the plants do not care if it is natural light or artificial.

The "neutral" houseplants, whose flowering does not directly depend on the length of the day, include most of the known indoor species.

Before you decide on the brand of a lamp for indoor plants, you need to find out what properties determine the quality and suitability of its use. Not in all cases, a promoted company is a guarantee that the device will last a long time. In order not to be mistaken, you should know all the available methods of determination and selection criteria. Each option has its pros and cons, so a person independently determines a particular device.

Why is additional lighting needed?
Getting enough solar energy is very important for indoor plants, because it starts photosynthesis processes that become impossible in complete darkness. Some specimens need a bright dawn, others need a muted, diffused one, and others prefer shady growing conditions.
Light hunger is fraught for indoor plantings with weakening, excessive susceptibility to various pests and diseases.
Radiation spectrum
Red, with an exposure length of 600 to 720 N. m., and orange, reaching from 595 to 620 n. m., are the most important ranges for living creatures. They act as suppliers, conductors of energy, contributing to the uninterrupted process of photosynthesis. They also affect the rate of growth. And not always positive. With an excess of this radiation, flowering slows down or stops.
Blue, violet scales, having a range from 380 to 490 N. m., have an impact on the degree of growth. Involved in protein production. Under the influence of these rays, flowering begins much earlier than under the condition of a normal daylight hours.
Ultraviolet, located within the spectrum from 315 to 380 n. m., have a negative effect on increasing the length of the stem. They also regulate the synthesis and transport of vitamins and minerals. This light spectrum has another subtype of rays - in the range from 280 to 315 nm. m. They play an important role in the formation of frost resistance of greenery.
Green waves (from 490 to 565 nm) and orange (from 565 to 595 nm) do not have a significant effect on plants.
It is recommended to understand the terminology. The power of electrical units is measured in watts, and the flow is measured in lumens. The higher the value of the last indicator, the more light the device releases. The percentage is displayed in lux. This parameter indicates options for the elapsed time required to provide insight to the desired area. It depends on the angle at which the lamp is placed. Here you can draw a parallel with the sun - when it is near the zenith, the level of energy released by it is maximum.
Lamp action
Under the influence of ultraviolet inside the foliage, carbon dioxide, water absorbed from the atmosphere is processed into glucose, oxygen, required for full growth, health, and timely development of flowers. With insufficient nutrition, they begin to fade, fade, turn yellow. The stems bend in the direction of the sun's rays, the leaf plates twist, fall off. Flowering at home will gradually slow down or not at all.
Before placing additional devices, you need to understand whether there really is such a need. The main criteria for which backlighting is needed are the following:
Plantings are kept at a temperature of +22 degrees Celsius and above in the conditions of a short day, characteristic of the winter period.
In case of sun exposure less than 3.5 hours.
Under cloudy conditions.

In all other cases, the use of an additional source is not recommended, because excessive illumination can harm the culture, knocking down its natural rhythm, biological clock.
If artificial lighting is necessary, it is important to consider the following features:
Seedlings require constant light. After the seeds germinate, their day is up to 24 hours. Then, as you grow up, it gradually decreases to 15, and then to 11-12.
For fully grown individuals, this parameter should not exceed 15 hours. If this rule is not observed, the processes of formation of buds and inflorescences are violated, because the period of sleep and night is extremely important for plants.
For full flowering, plantings require a rest of at least 9 hours. It is desirable that at the same time the ambient temperature be reduced, and the level of illumination be muffled, because all the chemical processes responsible for the formation of kidneys occur in pitch darkness.
The choice of light level for winter directly depends on the temperature at which the flowers are kept. If it is 10 degrees or lower, the use of artificial sources is not required.
Considering that direct sunlight naturally falls from above, additional devices inside greenhouses, rooms, greenhouses should be placed according to the same principle. Otherwise, individuals will be forced to expend excess energy on turning stems and foliage.

Which device do you prefer?
To ensure the desired level of illumination, it is necessary to correctly select a special source that will help prevent all of the above consequences. The range of lighting fixtures on the market is very wide, which allows you to find the perfect option in all respects:

They need to be attached to an aluminum radiator plate using thermal paste. By soldering, the diodes are connected in turn, then mounted to the driver. It is recommended to install a small fan on the back side.
Lighting devices that have red, blue tones within the spectral range are divided into several types.
Incandescent lamps powered by tungsten filament are not the best option, as they produce too little light energy, they heat up excessively, which leads to negative consequences, for example, thermal burns. Another disadvantage is the overestimated percentage of red rays and the lack of blue, which is necessary for photosynthesis inside the foliage. Despite the low cost, this type consumes a lot of electricity, which contributes to unnecessary costs later.
Fluorescent lamps
Widespread, popular among the field of artificial lighting for plants. There are several varieties: general purpose, delivering power up to 70 watts. This skin is perfect for short-term use. The main characteristic is the low emission spectrum. Devices for special purposes are slightly weaker - from 35 to 50 watts.
They are considered the most acceptable option for lighting both on an ongoing basis and on a periodic basis. The color spectrum of these lamps is found in accordance with the permissible limits. The compact look gives up to 20 watts.

Suitable for occasional lighting. Fluorescent fixtures, unlike the previous type, practically do not heat up, so they are much safer to place above plants. Another indisputable advantage is their low level of energy consumption.

When thinking between a daylight device and a specialized phytolamp, preference should be given to the second option. This view is covered with glass, providing the desired radiation spectrum, closest to natural sunlight. It is worth noting that directed flows increase efficiency by 15-25%.
Energy-saving lamps
The principle of operation is similar to fluorescent, but they are more compact, convenient to use. The amount of energy expended is much lower than that of the previous options. Their service life is much higher - up to 15 thousand hours.
The blue spectral emitted by this type of lamp will be the best option for non-flowering plants. There are several types: cold - increases the speed of germination of greenery, accelerates production during the vegetative period, warm is suitable for the active phase of inflorescence formation, daytime is used at any time.
Sodium lamps
They are the most efficient and economical. The average service life varies within 20 thousand hours of continuous use. One lamp will be enough to illuminate an area up to 1.5 m in size. The main colors in the spectral range are orange, red, blue. This combination allows you to significantly speed up the process of growth and the appearance of inflorescences.
Despite these advantages, sodium lighting devices have several drawbacks, including high cost and large dimensions. Most often used in winter and botanical gardens, greenhouses. An important point is their disposal, since the device contains mercury, sodium, which require compliance with safety rules.
LED lamp
It is the most modern type of artificial lighting. A more common name is LED. This type has a number of advantages, of which the most important are low power consumption, long service life, providing up to 50,000 hours of uninterrupted operation. A variety of shapes, including adhesive tapes, and sizes will allow you to choose the best option for your needs.
They are environmentally friendly, safe for both plants and the human body. The radiation spectrum includes exclusively red, blue, orange waves, which have a beneficial effect on the development and growth of flowers. It is necessary to calculate the lighting power according to the following principle - for 1 sq. m area will require a minimum of 400 watts.
Another advantage of led-lamps is that they practically do not emit heat, and this allows them to be placed at a distance of close proximity to the illuminated object. The view provides the plantations with the maximum level of comfort, the correct range of rays. The color of the lighting directly depends on the crystal installed inside, which is a conductor of electric current. It is possible to adjust the power and intensity.
This is done by reducing or increasing the current. Several crystals are included inside the design, reproducing certain gamuts of radiation, which makes it possible to influence flowers in different ways at different periods of their life.
Metal-halogen lamps
The most approximate emission spectrum to natural. Red rays have a fruitful effect on buds, inflorescences. The downside is their high cost. Induction devices approach the principle of exposure to luminescent ones, but the design is different. These lamps do not contain electrodes inside. This nuance allows you to significantly extend their service life up to 60 thousand hours or 20 years.
The brightness emitted by this species decreases slightly over time - up to a maximum of 5%. A significant advantage is that they are not afraid of sudden voltage drops, do not blink during operation, without causing discomfort to the eyes.
During operation, they do not heat up, which allows you to place the element close enough to the illuminated colors. Induction luminaires can be used as a single source, due to the extremely close to the natural spectrum of radiation.
Relocatable, convertible and versatile products are distinguished by the fact that both a metal halide lamp and a similar high pressure sodium lamp can be placed inside. This species is widely distributed among flower growers.
It allows you to adjust the way the impact on plants at different cycles of their maturation. During the vegetative period, a halogen lamp is installed, then, when the fruits begin to form, you need to exchange it for sodium or mercury. To switch, you only need to change the flask, set the appropriate mode.
Light fixture installation
Having decided on the type, you should understand the options for its placement to get the maximum benefit. It is important to remember: increasing the distance from the light source to the plant, the intensity of its impact is significantly reduced.
In case of manifestation of non-specific external defects on the foliage or stems, the appearance yellow spots, dryness, immediately move the lamp away from the culture, otherwise it may die. If the foliage fades, thins, and the stems are excessively stretched upwards, it means that not enough rays reach them.
In this case, it is recommended to hang the lamps closer. Placing lighting units on the side will not bring good results, as the plant will be significantly curved. The best option is hanging, ceiling light devices.
Experienced gardeners have in their arsenal several tricks and tricks that can significantly extend daylight hours in a natural way. To do this, they place small mirrors on the windows that reflect the sun's rays in the right direction.
To achieve correct results, it is imperative to take into account the biological times of the plants. Artificial light sources are allowed to be turned on for no more than 20-22 hours. It is important to maintain a balance and alternation of day and night. Round-the-clock illumination will not benefit green spaces, knocking down their natural rhythm. Chaotic connection-disconnection adversely affects the health of flowers. To ensure the correct development of seedlings in an apartment, a minimum of 8 thousand lux is required.
The lumen parameter is indicated on the packaging of the lamps. To calculate, you should arm yourself with the formula: illumination is equal to the luminous flux divided by the surface area. Or remember the average value: for a territory measuring 1 sq. m, for a full life you need about 400 W or 5500 lumens. They also take into account the fact that by installing the lighting unit at a level of 30 cm above the object, the force of the rays is reduced by 30%.
Features and the right amount of lighting
It is important to take into account the variety, because there are both light-loving plants and those that choose shady living conditions. The difference in the need for solar energy between the first and second is 30-40%. The most optimal option for home use, flower growers call a fluorescent lamp for indoor crops, which has a glow temperature of 6400 - 6500 K. Lighting devices of 18 and 36 W are considered the most versatile and common. They are affordable and easy to find.
The best way would be to install the light bulb on the windowsill, for example, attached to height-adjustable tripods. So, in case of overheating or insufficient lighting, you can quickly adjust this parameter. A special timer-relay will allow you to create the optimal order of day and night for green pets thanks to its automatic operation. It will light up, turn off at the same frequency, allowing the plants to be in a habitat close to natural.

Growing plants indoors requires compliance with certain requirements for the microclimate and lighting. The best option would be the possibility of installing green pets on glazed terraces, balconies or loggias in an apartment where the natural light regime is provided by sunlight. However, even if it is impossible to do this, it is allowed to grow plants under artificial lighting, replacing the sun. To do this, select the right light sources in accordance with the requirements of each type of green space.

Determining the needs of plants in light

For the normal existence of any indoor and greenhouse plant, a certain amount of light is required daily. In case of insufficient lighting and non-observance of the correct ratio of dark and light periods, flowers and other plantings will not grow, bloom and bear fruit correctly. And the result will be underdeveloped leaves, unhealthy color and few fruits. To avoid this situation, bringing artificial light in line with the needs of plants will help.

According to the need for lighting, indoor flora is divided into several groups:

The given figures of illumination are approximate, however, they can serve as the basis for calculating the lighting system. In winter, you can get by with smaller values. And measurements of illumination can be carried out using special devices - photometers and luxmeters. Or download the appropriate application from the Play Market that allows you to use your smartphone's camera for measuring.

The ability of different species to adapt to changing lighting

When calculating the system, one should also take into account such a factor as the ability of plants to adapt to changing lighting conditions, that is, the ability to respond to a lack and excess of light during the day. So, older specimens are able to withstand significant fluctuations in light, using nutrients pre-accumulated in the root system in case of its deficiency. In order to cause them serious harm, several months of lack or excess of light are required.

Young plants tend to react quickly and can be affected by constantly changing and inappropriate light conditions in just a few days. Such flora must be grown either on the street, or, if the microclimate and other conditions do not allow, in a properly lit room, given that light-loving specimens need more light, shade-loving ones need less.

Mid-latitude plants require at least 12 hours of daylight. Shade-growing poinsettia, on the other hand, needs a short period of relatively bright light and only blooms after 7-8 weeks under long night conditions. And in winter, even plants standing on a windowsill or in a glazed greenhouse require additional lighting that meets the same rules as conventional artificial lighting.

Choosing a good system

Lighting systems are characterized by three main parameters:

Types of lighting fixtures

On sale you can find three main types of devices that provide artificial lighting for indoor plants - LEDs, incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps. Each of them has its own requirements, but the main thing is sufficient intensity and prevention of burning flowers and leaves.

Due to the low light output, the use of incandescent lamps as phytolamps is not recommended. In addition to the fact that such equipment is not able to effectively replace sunlight, it also gets very hot and cannot be placed near illuminated plants. And at a great distance, the conditions they create are insufficient for most specimens. In floriculture, an incandescent lamp can be used either to heat the air in a greenhouse, or complete with a fluorescent source, adding red light to the spectrum.

A more suitable device for use as a phytolamp is the OSRAM Concentra Spot Natura. It has a built-in reflector and creates better conditions than the conventional version.

Fluorescent lamps

If the illumination of plants is carried out using fluorescent (they are also fluorescent) lamps, it is desirable to bring the spectrum closer to natural, combining them with other light sources. The use of only a gas-discharge lamp is allowed for flora with a height of not more than 1 meter. Other plants require the combination of two lamps - fluorescent and incandescent. At the same time, to maintain a constant light intensity, gas-discharge sources should be changed at least once a year. The OSRAM FLUORA lamp is very popular, and many people liked it because of its affordability.

In addition to conventional fluorescent lamps, the following options are used to create acceptable lighting conditions:

LEDs

Modern LED lamps for lighting plants are also considered a good way to get enough light intensity. A fixture using LED sources will cost more when purchased, but it will save electricity during use due to its high efficiency of 95% and a service life of at least 50 thousand hours (from 8 to 10 years even when lighting light-loving plants). And the LED lamp does not require, unlike gas-discharge sources, additional cooling systems and ballasts, and even when located close to plants, it does not heat their leaves and stems.

Another advantage of such lamps is the ability to use an LED consisting of several crystals, each of which emits light in its own range. Due to this, by controlling the current strength of each crystal, it is possible to change the spectrum in accordance with the needs of the plant:

the best option for LED lamps for the normal development of flora is a source that emits waves in the 430 nm range;

for the stage of vegetation or growth, an LED with a spectrum of about 455 nm (blue light) is suitable;

when the plant is flowering, the LED lamp should emit waves of 600-700 nm (red light, zone of maximum peak of photosynthesis).

Most other spectral bands are unsuitable for growing plants, and wavelengths below 315 nm are considered detrimental to their development. Therefore, it is required to choose an LED source only in the spectrum from 400 to 700 nm and taking into account certain nuances:

to replace a hundred-watt light bulb or a 25-watt fluorescent source, an LED or a group of such light-emitting diodes with a power of about 15 W is required;

it is more profitable to purchase expensive European products than more profitable Chinese products, the service life of which does not always correspond to the characteristics indicated in the documentation;

special LED phytolamps can immediately have settings for different phases of plant growth.

UV lamps

The use of an ultraviolet lamp for plants is a controversial issue, since, according to some growers, this part of the spectrum is not only not useful, but also unsafe for the flora. And waves with a length of less than 315 nm are considered fatal for most plants. However, part of the ultraviolet spectrum can still be of some benefit - long rays (from 315 to 380 nm) provide plants with the conditions necessary for metabolism and growth. With prolonged illumination with such light, green plantings become shorter, and the leaves thicken.

It is noted that UV rays operate with maximum efficiency with a sufficient level of ordinary lighting and maintaining the air temperature suitable for plants. Since the less light hits the leaves and trunk under normal conditions, the more they are damaged by ultraviolet rays. The allowable time of exposure to UV rays on the plant should not exceed 15–20 minutes per day. At the same time, it is desirable that the same light does not fall on people and pets.

Lighting system device

When choosing which system will provide artificial lighting for plants, the placement of lamps, one should also focus on the size of the flora:

LED sources are suitable for any option. Moreover, given their safety for plants, the distance to the flora from them can be any and is selected using light measurements - as well as for other options.

When choosing the location of the sources, it is worth considering that the lighting will be uneven. Therefore, if, for example, to obtain a value of 3000 lux, you need to hang a 200-watt incandescent lamp (50-watt fluorescent or 30 W LED block) at a distance of 1 m from the plant, then at a distance of half a meter from the center of the light spot, the illumination will already be insufficient . This means that the sources need to be distributed evenly, and sometimes provide a larger value of illumination in order to obtain a normal amount of light at any point in the illuminated area.

Purchase of equipment

The main advice that helps answer the question: which lamps are better is to choose the system that will allow you to get a compromise on the issue of price and financial capabilities of the grower. The same factor should be taken into account when arranging a greenhouse or a small green corner indoors. If you cannot provide normal lighting for indoor plants, then you should not undertake to grow them in such quantities. Another way to save money is to select less light-loving flora with approximately the same light requirement.

If the possibilities allow, it is worth making the appropriate measurements and calculations, choosing and buying suitable lamps, choosing the most expensive but effective options, installing them in the right place and growing under artificial lighting conditions. And then the results obtained in the form of healthy, flowering and fruiting plants will pay off your efforts.

Conclusion

This article talks about the different options for lamps for plant lighting. For certain groups of green spaces, the necessary brightness and lighting period is required. According to the different stages of plant growth and development, a certain spectrum of radiation can be applied, which is provided by LED lighting. By choosing the right lighting, you can achieve high results that will delight you. And the cost of artificial lighting will pay off.

Video part 1

Video part 2