How to choose fluorescent lamps for indoor plants. Phytolamps (phytolamps) - lamps for plants and seedling illumination

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.

You can not dream of growing strong seedlings during this period 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 that of the sun, and most of energy (95%) is spent on heat generation.

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 "lamps". daylight».

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).
Optimal distance from phytolamps to plants 25-40 cm.
To illuminate 1m2, the power of the device must be at least 70 watts.
V winter period the natural length of daylight hours must be increased by artificial illumination for 4-5 hours.
Seedlings the first 3-4 days after germination needs round the clock coverage. After that, the duration of the backlight 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 a rapid decrease in the strength of the glow as the "aging" of the lamp. Given this, this type of lighting fixtures is 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 eyesight and can cause headaches. 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, great resource(15,000 hours), the presence of a built-in choke and a convenient "bulb" base type e27.

But, 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, 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 an 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 phyto-lamps 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. count up required amount lighting fixtures is easy: 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. The higher price of an 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.

Since the LED lamp is more suitable for spot lighting, then for growing seedlings it is more profitable to buy a linear lighting device. As an example, the hermetic LED lamp Solntsedar-P Fito with a power of 40 W can be mentioned. His estimated price- 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 (Reflux) 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 induction lamp with a power of 80 W (6,500 lumens), 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 you 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 the reverse side of the radiator, a fan from the computer system unit is fixed.

Many summer residents grow flower and vegetable seedlings on their own. Good lighting seedlings is a very important condition successful cultivation any plants. If natural insolation is not enough, it is worth providing for an additional artificial lighting device. The main thing in this process is to choose the right lighting device, which is quite realistic given enough wide range of of this product on the shelves of most stores. In this article, we will tell you what types of seedling lamps exist, how they differ, and what their advantages and disadvantages are.

What are seedling grow lights?

So, we found out - in order to effectively grow seedlings, you need special devices, which will fully compensate for the lack of insolation and allow plants to gain green mass without delay.

Grow lights come in a variety of varieties. We immediately exclude incandescent lamps from the list, because they are unsuitable for use due to excessive heat generation and lack of the necessary rays. The main types of devices that are most often used to illuminate plants include: phytolamps and energy-saving lamps.

Using phytolamps to illuminate seedlings

As soon as you “take a look” at the current market of phytolamps, you will see that there are just a huge number of them. The question arises, which lamps for seedlings to prefer? Mainly used fluorescent, LED, halogen and sodium. What is their difference? This will be discussed further.

When choosing phytolamps, we recommend that you pay attention to Special attention to those that are most suitable for you personally in terms of ease of installation (wall, ceiling, etc.), power and price. We recommend choosing compact phytolamps that give directional light for supplementary illumination of plants that stand apart from each other.

Using energy-saving lamps to illuminate seedlings

The main advantage of these lighting fixtures is the choice of lamps with a "daylight" spectrum, with "warm" or "cold" (bispectral and induction lamps). The last spectrum is necessary for additional illumination of plants during the period of vegetative growth and germination. A warm spectrum is needed for the flowering phase. As for the daylight, it is usually used to illuminate seedlings at any time, or as an independent light source for the entire plant cycle. Energy-saving lamps for seedlings have a fairly long service life (9-14 thousand hours) and low power consumption.

We recommend installing these types of energy-saving devices perpendicular to cassettes or boxes, which is very important for maximum illumination.

Placement of illumination lamps

When placing a lamp to illuminate seedlings, you need to know a few important nuances:

If burn marks appear on the leaves of plants, this indicates that the lighting device is suspended too low. It must be raised otherwise your seedlings will die very quickly.
Pale leaves and stretched stems are usually a sign that the light source is too far away. Lower the seedling lamp to let the plants get the amount of light they need and gain strength.
With artificial side lighting, seedlings can bend the stems to the side, towards the light. In this case, we recommend that you change the position of the device and illuminate the plants from above.

In conclusion, we want to say that each plant requires an exclusively individual approach - here it is necessary to take into account shade tolerance. Basically, seedlings of vegetables, flowers and other crops need sunlight for at least 12-13 hours a day, and some species need lighting for 20 hours. Consider this aspect when choosing a seedling lamp.

So, we examined which lamps for seedlings are most effective. Remember that using lamps, you will significantly reduce the period of formation of plants for the final planting in the ground. At the same time, the quality of seedlings will be incomparably higher, and the overall percentage of weak, underdeveloped plants will noticeably decrease.

♦ Category:

Ecology of consumption. Manor: We will talk about how to help plants avoid sun starvation, and what innovations in this area offer modern lighting technology, we will talk in this article.

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.

You can not dream of growing strong seedlings during this period 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.

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

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 duration of the backlight for it is reduced (first to 16, and then to 14 hours a day).

Types of phytolamps

The positive qualities of these devices are low price, high light output and energy efficiency. The weaknesses include a low resource (no more than 10,000 hours) and a rapid decrease in the strength of the glow as the lamp "ages". Given this, this type of lighting fixtures is 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 eyesight and can cause headaches. 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 flower growers are 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).

induction lamps

LED phytolamps

The main characteristics of lamps for plants

On the packaging of fitolamps, 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. An economic assessment of 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 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.

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.

To assemble the simplest model of a home-made design, you 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.

On the reverse side of the radiator, a fan from the computer system unit is fixed.

Additional lighting of indoor plants is a guarantee of their full growth and development. Light is the energy vital for the natural process of photosynthesis. Consider the rules for choosing a lamp for a flower.

In the summer, green apartment dwellers get it in unilaterally from a window through which the sun's rays break through. With the advent of cold weather, they are in constant semi-darkness, spend extra strength, do not bloom, grow poorly.

The situation can be corrected by creating artificial lighting.

To choose a complete replacement for sunlight, you should know that light has two characteristics - the spectrum and light power. It is necessary to select these parameters correctly, taking into account the stages of development of a houseplant.

Seedlings are easier to grow with the right lighting.

Young seedlings especially need additional light. It affects the division, stretching and formation of cells.

For seed germination, seedling growth, more blue spectrum is needed. Only he can provide active photosynthesis and, accordingly, active growth. The power of the device at this stage can be small - up to 200 watts.

With the red spectrum shoots get stronger, flowering intensifies. But it is impossible to consider each spectrum separately. Chlorophyll under the influence different parts spectrum absorbs light, transforming energy.

Therefore, artificial lighting must match the spectrum of daylight.

Lamp and its color temperature

It's time to consider the types of lamps and their temperature. It is measured in kelvins (K). There are these:

incandescent lamp

Choose it to highlight green spaces - bad idea. It gives off a lot of heat. The plant is stretching. There is a danger of burning the leaves. The temperature of a 40 W bulb is 2200 K, a 60 W bulb is 2680 K.

There are more minuses than pluses: fragility, short service life, it quickly burns out with power surges.

classic incandescent lamp

Fluorescent

Represented by two types: general and special purpose. They differ only in the coating applied to the glass flask. It is believed that the coating on the lamps special purpose brings them closer to the desired spectrum.

Of the pros: it gives off light well, they have low heat transfer, efficiency.

By cons– ballast (special equipment) is required for operation. They are electromagnetic and electronic - EMPR and EPTRA (indicated on the package). emit warm and cold colors and correspond to suitable spectra.

Combine two types of lamps. 200W lamp temperature warm color- 3000 K, cold - 3500 K.

gas-discharge

Used mainly by professionals in greenhouses, conservatories, winter gardens. At home, you can only use it in non-residential premises, since strong brightness hurts the eyes.

There are mercury lamps that emit 2 times less luminous flux than sodium lamps. Their spectrum not suitable for seedlings.

Sodium more in line with the sun. Metal halide is the most expensive among gas-discharge devices. Suitable for vegetative growth.

Finished luminaires

In specialized stores you can buy ready-made devices. Leading - LED lights. They emit a stream of the desired spectrum.

Of the pros– economical, ecological, energy-saving with a long service life. They consume 10 times less electricity than fluorescent ones. They can work up to 100,000 hours without interruption.

They heat up to a maximum of 35 degrees. 1 diode consumes 1 watt per hour. For comparison, fluorescent - 15 - 65 W per hour. The efficiency of LEDs is 95%. The light bulb is screwed into a regular socket.

Finished fixtures are connected to a regular network. Exists different sizes and capacities, which allows you to choose both for one flower and for shelf or rack(sell whole panels).

The diverse design of such devices allows you to choose them for the overall style of the room.

How to make a backlight on the windowsill

Modern appliances allow you to make the backlight even on a regular windowsill do it yourself. For this you need:

Choose plants that are the same height.
Buy cheap lamps.
Arrange pots, boxes on the windowsill, behind them at the window place foil or a mirror to reflect the rays.
Arrange lamps on both sides of the windowsill.

Can be connected to the mains.

By lighting with LED strips, you should know that cannot be connected directly to a power outlet.. They need special block for voltage transformation.

Features of lighting in winter

In cold weather, the number of hours for backlighting is extended. In winter, the choice of device depends on the temperature characteristics of the plant. Heat-loving ones can winter with a very small decrease in heat and daylight hours.

They must receive illumination throughout 12 hours. Spend it in the morning and evening.

In articles about caring for flowers, we often reveal the features of their wintering. So, we talked about the role additional lighting when told.

V winter time plants require more light than in summer

What is the feature of the correct illumination

Proper illumination depends on the greenest inhabitant. Need to find detailed information about it, only after choosing a suitable device.

The main feature of the additional backlight is make up for the lack of sun. Therefore, you need to know the seasonal norms. This determines the effectiveness of artificial light depends on the length of day and night in different times year, its intensity, the needs of the flower itself.

Proper lighting should be a good growth stimulator.

Not all plants adapt to the lack of light. By their appearance, they indicate a problem that has arisen.

Given the level of illumination, you can install the device correctly for support green dweller.

Signs of lack of light

By appearance plants can determine if it has enough light.

The shortage is displayed:

Stretched shoots.
small pale leaves.
Rare flowers or their absence in flowering species.
Long internodes.
Yellowing, falling, drying of the lower leaves.
motley leaves gradually darken turn green.

Having noticed such signs, you need to give your green friend additional light.

You can accurately measure the amount of light in a room using a light meter. The device will give accurate readings.

What level of light do flowers need?

Illumination is measured in suites. In nature, its level reaches 100,000 lux. This intensity is not required for colors.

In winter, enough for plants:

This is the minimum level to sustain life. Bloomers will need to increase the light level even up to 9000.

How to install a lighting fixture in an apartment

When installing lamps, you should be aware that with an increase in the distance from the flower to the lamp by 2 times, the light intensity decreases by 4 times.

Consider the distance to the lamp so that the plant does not burn or stretch

When burns are visible on the leaves, then the device is too close. The elongated stems indicate that the lamp is far away.

To avoid distortion, the lamp should be placed on top. Minimum distance to heat-loving - 15 mm, shade-tolerant - 55 mm.

The rule of three "F" for plants

Proper flower development depends on three processes:

Photosynthesis in which red light predominates. It speeds up the metabolism.
Photomorphogenesis defining growth and development. When there is not enough blue spectrum, the leaves are underdeveloped, the stems are stretched.
Photoperiodism, which takes into account the reaction of plants to the ratio of day and night (light and dark periods).

Every green tenant needs individual approach: different period lighting, number of light hours, specific time. Having studied everything in detail about each flower that lives in the house, you can choose the right lamp.

To make green friends feel good in an apartment at any time of the year, you need to:

Make it possible to capture light longer with the help of additional devices. They need different colours spectrum for growth and development.

No need to constantly turn on the lamps in the dark. 12 - 14 hours is enough for a normal life. Important processes that are important for life take place at night.

For diffusion, you can make a matte screen that will create a universal glow for any green inhabitant.
With artificial lighting it is important make a schedule. He will not let you bring down the rhythm of life.
Routine window cleaning and glass cleaning save energy by letting in more daylight.

Cleaning windows will allow you to get more sunlight, which is also good for pets.

If you choose the right additional lighting, then indoor "pets" will delight in appearance.

Growing seedlings at home is not an easy task. Often, natural daylight and sunlight are not enough for plants to grow fully and normally, especially in winter. The first task that needs to be solved is to take care of additional effective lighting.

What lamps are needed for seedlings

You can illuminate the areas, racks or window sills on which plants are grown using different types lamps. Great solution is considered a phytolamp or phytolamp. Widely used infrared, fluorescent, sodium or LED lamp for seedlings. These devices, unlike conventional incandescent lamps, do not emit excessive amounts of heat and do not damage the stem of plants. They save energy by minimizing costs.

Phytolamps

Such devices have important advantage- create radiation, as close as possible to sunlight. However, they provide a certain duration of daylight hours. This guarantees the maintenance of normal life of seedlings in the autumn-winter period. Phytolight emitted by phytolamps restores the natural process of photosynthesis, increases the amount of carbohydrates, oxygen and energy produced. This accelerates nutrition, growth, and supports the development and health of plants.

LED lamp

Unlike other phyto-lights, LED or LED-lamps for plants have minimal power consumption, providing a high intensity of artificial light. They can shine in the red and blue radiation spectra, which guarantees the rapid development of plants, do not produce a spectrum that is not used by seedlings, significantly activating the process of photosynthesis.

LED phytolamps for plants have the following advantages:

Profitability. The devices consume at least 8 times less electrical energy than standard seedling lamps.
Durability, high efficiency work. In the presence of heat dissipation, the lamps can function properly for 50 thousand hours.
Possibility of installing LEDs of different spectrum and power. This ensures that you receive lighting that ensures the full and rapid development of seedlings at any time of the year.
Ability to change the spectrum. To get blue, green, red or yellow light, activating growth, nutrition and improving plant synthesis, you just need to replace the diode in the device with a suitable one.
Minimum heating. This allows you to install seedling lamps above plants, eliminating the risk of burning their leaves.

LED lighting have one drawback - high cost. But if you wish, you can make them yourself, significantly reducing the cost of buying a finished device. Provided self-creation seedling lamps need to take into account the level of natural light in the room, the expected intensity of use, the type of plants grown and a number of other factors.

Fluorescent

Lighting devices of this type for growing seedlings are preferred by 70% of gardeners. The lamps have a tubular shape, they create both basic lighting and are used for supplementary lighting, they give diffused uniform light over the entire surface of the seedling box or cassettes. The ultraviolet emitted by the devices is absolutely safe for plants, it does not cause burns of leaves and stems. Fluorescent lamps must be installed at a distance of 15 cm above the seedlings. In this case, their lighting will be absolutely safe.

Fluorescent lamps for plants have the following advantages:

the whole spectrum of flowers necessary for the full growth and normal development of plants;
generation of a small amount of heat by radiation;
cost-effective device, designed for different financial possibilities.

Sodium lamps for greenhouses

Lighting for seedlings at home using lamps of this type is no less high quality than lighting with similar devices. Lamps with sodium lamps can be installed on windows, placed above and below seedlings without the threat of leaf burns. The advantages of such devices:

minimum power consumption;
production of a spectrum of rays necessary for the full development of seedlings;
high radiation power;
creating a warm climate in large and small rooms;
availability of maintenance and repair;
relatively low price;
high power;
ergonomic and practical design.

When buying sodium lamps for seedlings, study them in detail specifications. Pay special attention to the power of the device, it should not exceed 100W, otherwise the seedlings may burn. If the window sills in the house are up to 1.5 meters wide, then only one lamp is enough to create a normal level of artificial lighting.

Illumination of seedlings with energy-saving lamps

The advantage of led-lamps is that the user has the opportunity to choose the required spectrum. There are lamps with a "warm", "daylight" and "cold" spectrum. The latter is used for additional illumination of plants during germination and vegetative growth. The warm spectrum is indispensable for the flowering phase. The daily spectrum is applied throughout the plant cycle.

LED lamps as lighting for seedlings are placed taking into account the following criteria:

in case of burn marks on the leaves, the lighting equipment must be raised, otherwise the seedlings will die;
elongated stems and the pale color of the leaves indicates that the lighting device is too far away, in which case it must be lowered;
if the lamp is placed on the side, seedlings can grow with a twisted stem, so it is best to place lighting equipment above the plants from above.

DIY lighting for seedlings

If the budget for organizing lighting for seedlings is limited, it is quite possible to make the necessary lighting fixtures on your own, there are many affordable and inexpensive ways. The main thing is to follow all the instructions from the instructions and take into account the characteristics of the plants. The best option for home use - phytolamps. The materials required for their manufacture are inexpensive, and the maintenance of the equipment does not require excessive time.

How to make a phytolamp

Step-by-step instruction:

drawing up a diagram (a drawing is being developed taking into account all technical parameters, each diode must overlap each other, in this case the entire area under the lamp will be illuminated evenly);
preparation the right materials(you will need the body of an old lamp, diodes - 20 white, 30 red, 10 simulating midday lighting, 20 blue, led drive);
equipment assembly (using hot glue, the diodes are attached to an aluminum plate, installed circuit breaker, the device connects to the network).

DIY LED lamp

This type equipment that organizes effective lighting for seedlings at home is made in this way:

The necessary consumables are pre-prepared:

old energy-saving light bulb;
a piece of one-sided fiberglass;
a set of radio components;
LEDs - red, white and blue;
capacitor, resistance.

The scheme is made:

from textolite or foil, you need to cut a circle with a diameter of 30 mm;
draw paths on it with nail polish;
make a solvent for copper and place a board there to clean the tracks;
drill small holes in the board and solder all the parts.

The lamp is assembled:

need to disassemble old lamp and remove all the insides, with the exception of the wires that come from the base;
solder the circuit to the wires coming from the base.

Video: what light is better for seedlings

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