Do LED Strip Lights Help Plants Grow?

Blog Article

LED strip lights have become a popular choice for indoor gardeners looking to provide light for their plants. With their flexibility, energy efficiency, and affordability, many wonder if these lights can effectively support plant growth.

Understanding the Role of Light in Plant Growth

We all know that plants undergo photosynthesis to produce energy for themselves. Light is a vital component of this chemical reaction. It is why plants do not grow well when there is not adequate sunlight. You must have noticed that some indoor plants grow better than others. And the reason for that is their placement within the house or office. Plants near a source of light grow better because it facilitates the process of synthesis. Any sane mind would wonder whether a substitute for sunlight, such as LED strips, can be used to grow plants.

Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in the sustenance and growth of a plant. It is a complex biochemical process that allows plants to transform light energy into synthesized chemical compounds. Generally, it transforms energy into glucose from water and carbon dioxide. This process, however, not only gives plants essential energy for their metabolic tasks but also emits oxygen in the surroundings, a critical byproduct for several lives on Earth.

Can LED Strip Lights Be Used as Grow Lights?

Yes, you can use LED lights grow strips for plants, but depending on the type of plants you grow, and the space available, these lights are best for small plants and seedlings. They will help with growing the little plant and will be able to provide proper light. You can grow small plants and seedlings using LED strips, and that is due to the fact that these lights are also ideal if used as supplemental with the normal LED grow lights because you can hang them as close to the plants as possible. Unfortunately, these are not the best lights to use if you have a bigger farm or grow bigger plants. They have a low light intensity that does not significantly cover foliage for large plants.

LED strip lights can be used as grow lights if they produce sufficient brightness and a color spectrum to meet the needs of your plants. Generally speaking, these types of LEDs don't produce an intense white light like other forms of LED growth lights. Instead, they emit softer colors such as blue, green, pink, yellow light, etc. That said, some of the more powerful models may offer sufficient lumens output to facilitate healthy plant growth without the need for additional supplementation from another form of light bulb.

Benefits of Using LED Strip Lights for Plants

LED strip lights have essentially replaced all other solutions for indoor plant growth, and this is because of the excellent range of advantages they provide.

Energy efficiency: LED grow light strips use substantially less energy compared to traditional lighting systems such as HPS and MH lights. This means that LED grow light strips are not only cost-effective but also lower your energy bills.

Spectrum control: LED lights allow growers to customize the light spectrum according to the needs of their plants. This is because LED strip lights can produce a wide range of wavelengths of light that are optimal for plant growth and development. This includes blue light (400-500 nm), which is important for vegetative growth, and red light (600-700 nm), which is important for flowering and fruiting. Some LED full spectrum lighting also includes UV and IR lights, which have benefits for certain plant species.

Long lifespan: LEDs have a longer lifespan compared to traditional lighting systems | such as HPS or MH lights. This means that they require less frequent replacement and maintenance. LED strip lights can last up to 50,000 hours, making them an excellent option for those who want a no-fuss indoor garden.

Heat reduction: LEDs produce less heat compared to traditional lighting systems. This means that they can be placed closer to plants without risking heat damage. It also reduces the need for additional cooling equipment, which was previously necessary for temp-sensitive plants.

Environmentally friendly: Grow light strips are free of toxic substances like mercury, which can harm the environment when disposed of improperly. They are also recyclable, which further reduces their environmental impact.

Limitations of LED Strip Lights

While LED strips offer significant advantages, they have drawbacks. LED strip lights do have a lot of uses, even if their use for growing plants is limited to supplemental lighting. If you have a grow room setup, LED strip lights can be used in some key areas to help minimize the cost of illumination and keep you and your plants safe. You could definitely use them in the germination area, either on their own, or alongside some CFL or T5 fluorescent lamps, to help give a wider spectrum of light.

Unfortunately, these small, cheap LED strip lights are only good as a supplemental light source in a grow room or a task light in the office or kitchen. They are an excellent supplement, but as I said earlier, they just do not have the output to support a grow setup on their own. This kind of LED light can’t grow plants on its own.

RGB LED strips are usually not used to assist plant growth, despite their vibrant red, green, and blue colors. Although they look nice, they don’t give plants all the light they need to grow well. On the other hand, full-spectrum LED strips are engineered to produce a balanced range of light wavelengths. Plants thrive when they get sunlight-like wavelengths. This helps their roots, flowers, and fruits.

Choosing the Right LED Strip Lights

For example, a white LED is a perfect choice because it has the suitable wavelengths plants require developing, which means that investing in this light will be helpful for this specific need. When buying, purchase the full spectrum strips containing blue, red, and green lights; these support the growth of most plants. You should also check the color temperature of the bulbs if you also use them to illuminate light in your space. On another note, the light intensity is also an important consideration to make when buying the strips. In short, a higher light intensity quickens photosynthesis and the growth of plants. However, don’t expose your plants to too much light intensity because it causes damage.

The 5050 LED strips have 5.0mm x 5.0mm dimensions with three LED chips in one, so they’re much brighter than standard LED strips and are better suited to plant growth. Many mature plants can cope with a little less light, as they don’t need that strong initial sunlight that would trigger a seedling to start growing. Most plants, if already mature, can comfortably survive with dimmer lighting.

Best Practices for Using LED Strip Lights

Determining the optimal light exposure time is challenging but essential for plant growth. 14-18 hours of light exposure is generally recommended for vegetative growth stages. However, during the flowering stage, 10-12 hours should suffice. LED systems have timers that control the lighting schedule automatically, so you don’t have to adjust them yourself.

The distance between your LED lights and your indoor plants varies depending on the strength of the lights, but as a rough guide, place the LED lights around 12 inches from seedlings and move the lights further from plants once they start to flower – anything from 18 to 36 inches should suffice. It’s important to manage the intensity of the lights. Even with LED lights that don’t emit much heat, you don’t want anything too intensive on the leaves.

To install grow light strips you must clean the surface first, and then use the light strips and stick them in the surface where the plant will be growing. After doing so, you must turn it on, and make the right adjustments for the benefit of your plant. You must mount the strips on a clean surface to keep them in place for longer.

FAQs About Using LED Strip Lights for Plant Growth

Q: Can any LED strip light be used to grow plants?
A: No, your average LED strip won’t suffice for optimal plant growth. You’ll want to go for LED strips that are either full-spectrum or dominant in blue and red wavelengths. These specific types of light imitate the sun and are made for plants at different growth stages.

Q: Are RGB LED strip lights effective for growing plants?
A: RGB LED strips are usually not used to assist plant growth, despite their vibrant red, green, and blue colors. Although they look nice, they don’t give plants all the light they need to grow well.

Q: How far should LED strip lights be from plants?
A: As a rough guide, place the LED lights around 12 inches from seedlings and move the lights further from plants once they start to flower – anything from 18 to 36 inches should suffice.

Q: How many hours of light do plants need from LED strips?
A: 14-18 hours of light exposure is generally recommended for vegetative growth stages. However, during the flowering stage, 10-12 hours should suffice.

Q: Can LED strip lights replace natural sunlight?
A: While grow lights tend to be more expensive than normal LED lights, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to spend a fortune on them. Neither replace the benefits offered to plants by natural sunlight, but LED grow lights come pretty close to that standard.

Conclusion

LED strip lights can assist in the successful growth of indoor plants and are good for controlling the color of lights for your plant, but alone they won’t usually be bright enough to encourage most seedlings to develop. In most cases, LED strips should be used alongside other brighter and larger bulbs. Their flexibility, energy efficiency, and ability to provide specific wavelengths make them a valuable tool for small-scale gardening or as supplemental lighting. By choosing the right spectrum, ensuring proper light intensity, and following best practices, indoor gardeners can use LED strip lights to help their plants thrive.

see more from: