Additional lighting indoor plants - a guarantee of their full growth and development. Light is vital energy to support the natural process of photosynthesis. Consider the rules for choosing a lamp for a flower.
In the summer, the green inhabitants of the apartments receive it unilaterally from the window through which the sun's rays break through. With the arrival of cold weather, they are in constant semi-darkness, spend extra energy, do not bloom, grow poorly.
The situation can be remedied by creating artificial lighting.
To choose a full replacement of the sun's rays, you should know that light has two characteristics - spectrum and light power. It is necessary to correctly select these parameters, taking into account the stage of development of the indoor plant.
Seedlings are easier to grow with the right lighting
Young seedlings especially need additional light. It affects cell division, elongation and formation.
For germination of seeds, growth of seedlings, 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 low - up to 200 watts.
With the red spectrum shoots are getting stronger, flowering intensifies. But each spectrum cannot be considered 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 temperatures. It is measured in kelvin (K). There are such:
Incandescent lamp
Choose it to illuminate green spaces - bad idea... It gives off heat a lot. The plant is stretched. There is a danger of burning the leaves. The temperature of a 40 W bulb is 2200 K, 60 W is 2680 K.
There are more disadvantages than advantages: fragility, small life time, with power drops it quickly burns out.
Classic incandescent lamp
Luminescent
Presented in two types: general and special purpose. They differ only in the coating applied to the glass bulb. It is believed that the coating on lamps special purpose brings them closer to the desired spectrum.
Of the pluses: gives off light well, they have low heat transfer, efficiency.
By cons- ballast is required for operation (special equipment). They are electromagnetic and electronic - EMPRA and EPTRA (indicated on the package). Radiate warm and cold colors and correspond to suitable spectra.
Combine two types of lamps. 200 W lamp temperature warm color- 3000 K, cold - 3500 K.
Gas discharge
Used mainly by professionals in greenhouses, greenhouses, winter gardens... At home, you can only use in a non-residential area, since the strong brightness hurts the eyes.
There are mercury ones that emit 2 times less luminous flux than sodium lamps. Their spectrum not suitable for seedlings.
Sodium is more consistent with the sun. Metal halide is the most expensive among gas-discharge devices. More suitable for vegetative growth.
Ready-made lamps
Ready-made appliances can be purchased in specialized stores. LED lamps are in the lead. They emit a flux of the desired spectrum.
Of the pluses- 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 W per hour. For comparison, luminescent - 15 - 65 W per hour. The efficiency of LEDs is 95%. A light bulb is screwed into a regular cartridge.
The finished luminaires are connected to a regular network. Exists different sizes and capacities, which allows you to select both for one flower and for shelf or rack(sell whole panels).
The diverse design of such devices allows them to be matched to the overall style of the room.
How to make lights on a windowsill
Modern devices allow you to make the backlight even on a regular window sill do it yourself... This requires:
- Pick up plants of the same height.
- Buy inexpensive lamps.
- Arrange the pots, boxes on the windowsill, behind them at the window, place foil or a mirror to reflect the rays.
- Place the lamps on both sides of the window sill.
Can be connected to the mains.
When making backlighting using LED strips, you should know that cannot be plugged directly into an outlet... They need special unit for voltage transformation.
Features of lighting in winter
In cold weather, the number of hours for backlighting is extended. In winter, the choice of the device depends on the temperature characteristics of the plant. Heat-loving can hibernate with very little decrease in heat and daylight hours.
They should be illuminated for a period of 12 hours... They spend it in the morning and in the evening.
In articles about caring for flowers, we often reveal the features of their wintering. So, we talked about the role of additional lighting when we talked about.
V winter time Plants require more light over the year than in the summer What is the peculiarity of the correct backlight
The correct backlighting depends on the greenest inhabitant. Need to find detailed information about him, only after selecting a suitable device.
The main feature of the additional illumination is compensate for the lack of sun... Therefore, you need to know the seasonal rates. This determines the effectiveness of artificial light depends on the length of the day and night in different times year, its intensity, the needs of the flower itself.
The right backlight should be a good growth stimulant.
Not all plants adapt to lack of light. By their appearance, they indicate the problem that has arisen.
Given the level of illumination, you can install the device correctly for support green dweller.
Signs of a lack of light
By outward appearance plants can determine whether it has enough light.
The shortage is displayed:
- Elongated shoots.
- Small pale leaves.
- Rare flowers or lack thereof in flowering species.
- Long internodes.
- Yellowing, dropping, drying of the lower leaves.
- Variegated the leaves gradually darken, turn green.
Having noticed such signs, you need to give the green friend an extra light.
You can accurately measure the amount of light in a room using a luxmeter. The meter will give an accurate reading.
What level of illumination do colors need?
Illumination is measured in suites... In nature, its level reaches 100,000 lux. This intensity is not required for flowers.
In winter, it is enough for plants:
This is the minimum level for maintaining life. Blooming flowers 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 know that when the distance from the flower to the lamp increases by 2 times, the light intensity decreases by 4 times.
Consider the distance to the lamp so that the plant neither burns nor stretches When burns are visible on the leaves, it means that the device is too close... Elongated stems indicate that the lamp is far away.
Place the lamp on top to avoid bending. Minimum distance to thermophilic - 15 mm, shade-tolerant - 55 mm.
The Rule of Three Fs for Plants
The correct development of flowers depends on three processes:
- Photosynthesis which is dominated by red light. It speeds up the metabolism.
- Photomorphogenesis determining growth and development. When the blue spectrum is not enough, the leaves are underdeveloped, the stems are elongated.
- Photoperiodism, taking 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:
- Make it possible to catch light longer with the help of additional devices. They need different colors of the spectrum for growth and development.
You do not need to constantly turn on the lamps in the dark. 12 - 14 hours is enough for a normal life. At night, important processes important for life take place.
- For diffusion, you can make a matte screen that will create a universal glow for any green inhabitant.
- Under artificial lighting, it is important make a schedule... He will not let the rhythm of life be disrupted.
- Routine window cleaning and glass cleaning save energy by letting in more daylight.
Washing windows will allow you to get more sunlight, which is also beneficial for pets If you choose the right additional lighting, then indoor "pets" will delight in appearance.
To grow seedlings, a sufficient amount of light is required; in conditions of natural deficiency, artificial lighting should be used. To get healthy seedlings at any time of the year, study what equipment is better to choose, at what time to turn on supplementary lighting and how to install lamps to illuminate seedlings with your own hands. Only competent illumination is safe and effective for seedlings, and errors in calculations often lead to the death of immature crops.
Sprouts under artificial light
Why do you need to highlight seedlings
The happy owner of southern windows and balconies has to worry less about artificial lighting for growing seedlings. The rest should think in advance how, where and with what devices it is better to supplement developing plants.
It is quite understandable what kind of light is needed for seedlings - the closest to natural. The sun's rays provide the plants vital energy required for photosynthesis. Leaves absorb light radiation and photochemical reactions occur in them, as a result of which organic substances are synthesized from minerals.
Homemade device
In the conditions of a short day of the cold period of the year, additional illumination of seedlings is simply necessary. Otherwise good planting material will not work. The lack of light acts depressingly, the sprouts become weak and frail, they can stretch strongly in an attempt to get at least a little more sunlight.
If you use additional lighting, then the seedlings begin to noticeably grow stronger and form new leaves, its color becomes more saturated.
The sun sends light energy to the earth, consisting of photons (sections of electromagnetic waves of different lengths). The visible white beam can be decomposed into photons different color(electromagnetic spectrum), differing in wavelength (for red - the largest, for blue and violet - the shortest).
Effective range of photosynthesis
According to research, light waves of red and blue flowers... The rays of the blue part of the spectrum (400-500 nm long) regulate the growth rate and promote the formation of thick stems. Red light waves (600-700 nm) ensure productive photosynthesis and intense leaf growth.
Backlit mini shelving unit
When to highlight seedlings
When the seedlings are located on the windowsill, supplementary lighting is used in the morning and evening periods of the day (a couple of hours before dawn and 1-2 hours after sunset) in order to increase the total illumination time on short light days of winter. If natural lighting is difficult due to cloudiness, the presence of trees and buildings outside the window and an unfavorable location, then more artificial lighting is required.
If it is impossible to place containers under the sun, all responsibility for providing light energy falls on electrical devices, which should maintain as close to natural parameters.
Do seedlings need light at night? Seedlings need a period of night rest, due to physiological processes. Some of the reactions of photosynthesis occur under conditions of light absorption (oxidative processes with the release of oxygen and hydrogen, energy storage), and in the dark, carbohydrate molecules are formed with energy consumption.
Backlight in the evening
Therefore, it is not recommended to highlight seedlings around the clock. It is even dangerous for the health of plants, their leaves can become covered brown spots.
Although some experimenters conduct experiments on round-the-clock lighting of their seedlings and argue that plants develop faster and become stronger.
How much light is needed for seedlings
Developing plants need regular lighting. Provide the seedlings with sufficient light for about 8-12 hours (more for some crops). The length of time the plants are illuminated depends on how much sunlight they receive.
For plants, not only the size of the period in which they receive light energy is important, but also its volume. The luminous flux should be required power, and the illumination (the amount of luminous flux per unit area) is not less than 6000 lux (optimally 8000 lux).
The level of illumination that is comfortable for plants is regulated by approaching artificial sources or moving away, and some lamps also allow you to change the radiation power.
Nursery on the window
To calculate the level of illumination of seedlings and determine the right amount lamps pay attention to their power (watts) - for a lighting area of 1 sq. m requires 100-150 watts (when using energy-saving lamps) for the room and 35-50 watts for the windowsill.
The light source should emit in the range of 300-800 nm, while red and blue rays should prevail. In order for artificial illumination to most effectively affect the development of crops, it should be borne in mind that in each period of development for seedlings, rays of a different spectrum are needed.
For a seed that does not yet contain chlorophyll, the presence of light radiation of the red spectrum, which stimulates germination, is important, and already in green seedlings it affects the intensity of development.
Blue light prevents plants from stretching too much, promotes cell division and the formation of strong planting material with good immunity. At the very beginning, the rays of the blue spectrum should prevail, then the ratio of red and blue should be 2 to 1 (3 to 1), and after a pick, an equal number of them is required.
Combined illumination with rays from the red and blue range
The choice of lamps for illuminating seedlings at home
The product range of lamps and luminaires is quite varied in type, purpose and price. There is always an opportunity to choose a device suitable for specific needs and financial capabilities or buy the necessary one for self-made... You should familiarize yourself with the parameters and advantages of various lamps and do right choice.
LED bulbs - economy and efficiency
Seedling LED illumination count better alternative artificial lighting for plants. Modern LEDs cover the entire visible light range. Therefore, composing combinations of different colors, it is possible to obtain artificial lighting with any required spectral composition.
Before choosing LED lamp for seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with their main technical characteristics... Compared to other sources, they combine a number of advantages:
- compact size;
- low level of electricity consumption (1 W / h per 1 diode);
- The efficiency of photosynthetically active (assimilated by plants) radiation is 99%;
- high luminous efficiency (about 100 lm / hour);
- long term of work (100,000 hours);
- resistance to the influence of external factors (mechanical stress, temperature drops, humidity);
- safety in use.
Plants under LED lighting
Not all LED lights are suitable for growing plants. As LED backlight models with a led grow mark, emitting light in a plant-friendly spectrum, are suitable.
Backlight from led strip you can do it yourself. First you need to calculate the required luminous flux. To do this, you need to know the crop area, suspension height and belt power. The LED strip has a sticky base so it can be easily fixed at the desired height.
Sodium lamps for seedlings
The so-called agrarian sodium lamps high pressure(НЛВД) are traditionally used in domestic practice as an affordable source of artificial lighting. Compared to LED, they are less efficient and economical, but they are quite applicable at home to illuminate small areas of crops.
The performance parameters of sodium lamps are as follows:
- The efficiency of assimilated radiation is 26-30%;
- luminous efficiency - up to 150 lm / W;
- term of work - up to 24,000 hours;
- electricity consumption - more than 70 W / h per 1 lamp.
NLVDs cost an order of magnitude cheaper than LED ones. The main disadvantage of sodium lamps for seedlings is a very small (~ 8%) radiation in the blue region of the spectrum, which is partially compensated by the introduction of special additives into the lamp.
Sodium lamps and the spectral composition of the light emitted by them
Fluorescent lamps for growing plants
Fluorescent lamps are also used for supplementary lighting of plants, but it is advisable to use them only on a small area. Conventional models of such lamps are ineffective in terms of growing plants. The seedling fluorescent lamp should have a two-component phosphor coating with a maximum emission in the blue and red areas.
Their technical parameters are as follows:
- The efficiency of assimilated radiation is 20-22%;
- luminous efficiency - up to 80 lm / W;
- term of work - up to 15,000 hours;
- electricity consumption is about 20-60 W / hour per 1 lamp.
Landings under fluorescent lighting
Fluorescent lamps are characterized by low power and insufficient emission in the red region of the spectrum. Therefore, they are used only at the stage of growing seedlings.
Phytolamps are the perfect choice
Phytolamps are lamps specially designed for illumination of plants with a given spectral composition of radiation. In small doses, they also emit ultraviolet light (to impart resistance to low temperatures) and infrared light (metabolic stimulant). LED - the best phytolamps for seedlings, due to their technical parameters. Luminescent ones are inferior to them in terms of efficiency and quality of the emitted light.
Backlight by photolamps
Phytolamps are very convenient to use at home. The design of phyto-luminaires for seedlings allows you to adjust the angle and brightness level of lighting at any time. They are attached to the ceiling or to other surfaces using special clamps.
Phyto-lamp for home
DIY lighting installation
It is not difficult to fix the lamps on your own, especially if it is a special phytolamp. It is important to correctly calculate the distance from the supplementary lighting to the seedlings and take care of the brackets.
Homemade Adjustable Seedling Lighting Bracket
Important rules for installing lighting fixtures
When planning to install lighting for seedlings on the windowsill, you should be guided by the following considerations:
- primarily to provide safe operation(exclude the possibility of moisture ingress on the devices and overturning);
- it is best to place lamps on top, in this case, the lighting hits the plants as much as possible;
- use reflectors (made of white cloth or foil) to direct the light to the desired location.
Homemade PVC pipe rack with lighting
When illuminating seedlings in an apartment without a natural source, it would be a good solution to build a special rack (it takes up little space and can be disassembled after use), and place lamps above the shelves. In this case, it is necessary to supplement the lighting for the longest time, therefore, the possibility of overheating of the devices should be excluded.
At what distance from the seedlings to place lamps for supplementary lighting
It is important to choose optimal location light fixtures, if they are too close, plants can get burned. Long distance significantly reduces illumination, energy is wasted inefficiently.
Usually the height at which the lamps are located is within 10-40 cm from the seedlings. At the smallest distance, the backlight is placed when pecking crops. You should check by turning on the lighting and holding your palm, at what distance you will not feel the warmth. It is desirable to be able to adjust the height as the seedlings grow.
The distance depends on the type of lamp and the age of the seedlings.
Seedling lamps can be screwed into a regular table lamp or securely fasten together with the chuck on a self-made stand (using bolts, self-tapping screws or special glue). This can be a rectangular suspended panel or other stable structure.
It is very convenient to use brackets for mounting the lighting for seedlings (special supporting parts for vertical fixing). They can be screwed on firmly in the desired location, where they will support shelves or lamps.
Homemade LED strip lamp
How to make LED lamp + video
You can make the simplest lamp yourself as follows:
- Prepare materials and tools - a backlight lamp with socket and power cord, construction lighthouse made of galvanized steel (has a stiffener and perforation holes), bolts with nuts, pliers (pliers).
- To make a stable support, bend the lighthouse into a rectangular frame that matches the size of the window sill.
- In the middle, place a vertical stand in the form of a two-piece frame - the bottom vertical posts and the upper U-shaped part. The legs of the rack allow you to adjust the height of the structure by extending to the desired length and fixing with bolts.
- Reinforce the rigidity of the fastening by screwing the jibs on both sides through the holes in the beacon.
- Attach the lamp holder to the upper part of the frame using bolts, if necessary, you can fix several lamps.
Video: DIY lamp for seedlings
Additional lighting for growing strong seedlings with your own hands is simply necessary and there are many options for every taste and prosperity, easily implemented at home. You can make the most of the materials at hand or purchase everything in the kit, the main thing is to correctly and effectively highlight young plants, guided by the already accumulated positive experience.
Many houseplants can be called martyrs, because they have to exist not only in a limited space, but also with a constant lack of light. This is especially true of seedlings, the growth of which occurs at that time of the year when the length of daylight hours is practically minimal and is just beginning to increase.
Plants need sunlight for the vital process of photosynthesis, which results in the production of starch, sugars and other substances necessary for development. If there is little light, then the plant develops sluggishly, becoming, moreover, perceptibly susceptible to diseases and pests. This cannot suit the gardener, whose goal is to obtain strong and viable seedlings that can give a good harvest.
In order not to end up at the planting pore with elongated pale sprouts, it is important to think about the organization of the illumination system even before sowing the seeds. Fortunately, today's technologies and a variety of lamps for illuminating seedlings allow this idea to be implemented in several ways.
Features of lighting seedlings
Natural sunlight, the most familiar to all life on the planet, combines light waves of different lengths. Part of the spectrum is visible to the human eye, part is not, but all this diversity is important for plants, and waves of different lengths play different roles in different segments of the life of seedlings.
- The blue and red part of the spectrum helps the active production of chlorophyll, and the plant, receiving such light, develops faster, which is important for seedlings.
- The orange portion of the spectrum is also required for growth in room conditions and also promotes fruiting.
- Green, like yellow light, reflects off foliage and may not greatly affect its growth, but as part of natural light, it is necessary.
- Ultraviolet radiation, which is part of the invisible part of the spectrum, helps to fight pathogenic bacteria, fungi and other plant diseases, but in a large number UV light can do more harm than good.
- Infrared radiation is well received by seedlings, helps them to grow and form lush greenery, but it does not give more light, but heat, therefore, it is not always beneficial.
What are the best seedling lamps?
Artificial lighting given by lamps, cannot exactly copy sunlight, but it is quite capable of providing the proper conditions for the rapid growth of any type of seedling.
Moreover, thanks to the lamps for illuminating seedlings, it became possible to make the growing season of many plants year-round, to get several harvests and grow plants where it was simply impossible before, for example, in the polar night conditions or in rooms without windows.
However, not all artificial light sources can give such an effect.
For example, the most common incandescent lamps so far are unsuitable for the reason that only 5% of the consumed energy becomes light in such lamps, the rest is converted into heat. Plants under such a lamp are not illuminated, but heated, which leads to thinned elongated sprouts, which risk getting burns.
Specialized lamps for illuminating seedlings must provide their wards with a certain spectrum of radiation, allowing plants to quickly get under way and, in not the most comfortable conditions, reach sizes sufficient for planting in the ground. In addition, these light sources are more economical and generate less heat.
Sodium lamps for illumination of seedlings
There are several varieties of such lamps. The most popular are those produced at the Russian enterprise Reflax.
These gas-discharge lamps provide warm orange light that does not irritate the human eyes, so they can be used not only in greenhouses, but also in living quarters. In addition to Reflax, there are other reliable manufacturers, for example, General Electric, no less famous OSRAM or Philips. The main consumer of these seedling agrolamps is large and small greenhouse farms. But even for home conditions, there are samples with a power of up to 100 watts.
Reflax lamps DNaZ are equipped with a factory mirror reflector and can be considered the best option among analogues. The reflector amplifies the light output and directs all the light onto the plants. And for high-quality lighting for one and a half meters of the window sill, one 70 W gas-discharge light source is enough.
Sodium agrolamps for HPS seedlings do not have a mirror reflector, therefore, 70 W lamps will have to be placed one for each meter.
But the sources of the DRiZ brand are best combined with DNaZ and DNaT lamps. This will make it possible to obtain the most natural light spectrum.
Advantages of domestic Reflax sodium lamps:
- Highest efficiency of the backlight system;
- Long service life;
- Profitability.
Disadvantages:
- High price of light sources;
- The large sizes of the lamps themselves;
- Lack of waves in the blue part of the spectrum;
- The need to equip the system with a regulating device.
Today you can find quite a few varieties of special fluorescent lamps for illuminating seedlings:
- The most famous are “Fluora” phytolamps manufactured by Osram. One or two 18 W lamps are sufficient to illuminate a shelf with seedlings per meter.
- Russian phytolamps marked LFU-30 have a power of 30 W and can be used one per meter.
- Enrich phytolamps with a specular reflector and a power of 60 W are almost non-irritating to the eyes, but they generate a lot of heat and are short-lived.
- Phytolamps for additional illumination of seedlings from Paulmann of various, from 40 to 100 W, powers almost do not heat up and have a long service life.
The advantages of phytolamps:
- Profitability;
- Small size;
- Durability;
- Security.
The disadvantage of the Flora lamp for seedlings from Osram and other representatives of similar light sources is that they all have a lilac-pink radiation that is unnatural for the human eye. Therefore, it is better to use them only if there is a screen or reflector that separates the room from the location of the seedlings.
Household white fluorescent lamps can also be used for backlighting, however:
- They are not overly powerful;
- In lighting, there are not enough waves in the red part of the spectrum.
To obtain a sufficient flow of light, the distance from the lamp to the seedling tray should be from 15 to 35 cm, and two lamps with a power of at least 40 W will have to be placed on the meter of the windowsill.
Seedling LED Grow Light
For plants, this option is probably one of the best. By combining LEDs with white, red or blue light, the backlight can be optimized for maximum efficiency.
At the same time, LED lamps for growing seedlings have a high efficiency, are durable, and the spectrum of the entire system can be quite simply adjusted, given that the needs of seedlings change significantly as they grow.
- Before picking the seedlings, the light emitted by the blue and red LEDs, set in a ratio of two to one, is better perceived. The abundant blue here activates the growth of the root system, but slightly inhibits the extension of the ground part. The stem is strong with frequent internodes.
- After the pick, it is better to reduce the light intensity for a few days in order to ensure a resting regime after a stressful transplant. Next, you need to illuminate the seedlings with blue and red LED lamps already in a 1 to 1 ratio.
The only disadvantage of LED lamps is the high cost of ready-made systems, which, when growing seedlings for personal needs, will pay off not earlier than in a couple of seasons.
Induction technology
When wondering which lamps are better for seedlings, you can consider an option that has appeared quite recently - these are induction lamps.
Features of lamps:
- High efficiency and cost-effectiveness;
- Versatile spectrum;
- The lamp temperature does not exceed 75 degrees.
Unfortunately, none of the artificial lighting sources can completely replace the sun, however phytolamps for supplementary lighting of seedlings really shorten the growth period of plants for planting in the ground. Their quality improves, and the share of culled sprouts is sharply reduced.
Placing plant lamps
To increase the efficiency of the lighting, it is important to take into account the peculiarities of the placement of the lamps:
- The higher the temperature of the operating lamp, the higher it should be placed above the trays.
- Plants require different illumination at different stages of growth. For example, after sowing, the trays should be illuminated around the clock; in some cases, the color of the LEDs also changes.
- For the greatest effect, lamps with different characteristics should be combined.
Reflectors, reflectors and light screens, which you can make yourself, will help save energy.
How to choose the right lamp for seedlings - video tutorial
Video: how to choose a lamp for plants - part 2
What kind of lamps cannot be used when growing seedlings?
- they strongly heat the air around, which can damage the sprouts,
- dry the air
- low luminous efficiency - about 10-15 lm / W,
- no incandescent lamps in the spectrum of blue color required for seedlings.
There are mirror incandescent bulbs for plants such as OSRAM Concentra Spot Natura. Their glass is made with an admixture of neodymium, which absorbs a certain part light spectrum (yellow-green), thereby promoting photosynthesis of illuminated plants. But still, the efficiency of such lamps is less than that of fluorescent and LED lamps. They are more suitable for spot lighting of 2-3 plants, for example, orchids.
It is categorically impossible to turn on quartz lamps next to plants, including medical devices for household use "Sun" or lamps that are used in a solarium. One minute is enough for the plants to receive severe burns, and not only the seedlings, which were purposefully illuminated, will die, but also all the house plants in the same room.
What is the difference between "illuminate" and "supplement"?
If you grow seedlings not on a windowsill, but on special shelves or in greenhouses, then the plants should be “illuminated”, not “supplemented”. This means that the lighting must be on from morning to evening, hours from 7 to 22.
Rice. 1 Mini greenhouse. Photo Mama Lanya.
Rice. 2 Photos petunja: “I use a fluorescent lamp L-36 / b77 OSRAM FLUORA. I turn it on for about 16 hours a day, the distance to the seedlings is about 15 cm. Here you can see the lamps and holes on the side, as the petunias grow, I pick them up. "
For seedlings grown on a windowsill, additional lighting is needed during hours when there is no sun.
Rice. 3 Photos cvetiksemicvetik: “In my opinion, the distance from the lamp to the plants turned out to be too large. I read somewhere that it should be 25-30 cm.But how to tie the rope again, simpler boxes substitute some under the seedlings. "
What is the difference between ordinary lamps and special phytolamps?
Plants need wide range lighting that contains both red and blue areas. Therefore, lamps for growing plants are produced with a special coating of the bulb. The luminous efficiency of phytolamps is higher than that of conventional lamps, however, the price is also higher. On the Leroy Merlin website you can see the current prices, for example, for the most popular phytolamps - fluorescent Osram fluora 60 cm long and 120 cm long (shine with pink light).
The red spectrum is necessary for plants to build a powerful root system, for more lush bloom and good fruit formation. Blue - to build up green mass. Therefore, if your lamp does not have a blue spectrum (for example, an incandescent lamp is used), then the seedlings will drag on.
Can household lamps be used instead of biolamps?
Yes, you can. The main thing is that they are not quartz or incandescent lamps, and do not shine with an excessive thermal effect.
Sibmama's experience confirms this:
MIhalich:“I have Flora on two shelves, and ordinary hatches on two. Seedlings with "Flora" are slightly larger than with conventional fluorescent lamps. But everything is growing normally everywhere. "
MNBer: “I didn’t notice a significant difference in illumination by“ Flora ”and by an ordinary lamp. Perhaps this difference is noticeable when the seedlings are professionally grown and illuminated for a certain period of time. For ordinary gardeners (for me), ordinary lamps are quite suitable. I have two sets of lights. Now (at the beginning of January) one is already working to illuminate the cuttings of chrysanthemums in the morning and in the evening for 1-2 hours. When tomatoes and other annuals are used, more light will be needed and longer. "
Rice. 4 Photos MNBer with two types of lamps.
Mama lanya: “Two lamps together, in parallel - they are hanging on my window. One lamp is "Flora", the second is Osram 36W / 765 (cold white light) ... I don't use "Flora" separately, only paired with a white glow trap. I don’t see a big effect from her alone ”.
Fluorescent lamps
This is what fluorescent lamps are called. They are suitable for growing seedlings by non-professional growers.
Advantages:
- luminous efficiency - 40-50 Lm / W, that is, the efficiency is quite high,
- does not heat up and does not dry the air near plants,
- long service life,
- cold light, which is necessary especially at an early stage of growth, so that the seedlings do not stretch out.
Disadvantages:
- Lamps with a choke with an unreliable starter flicker and make some noise, and also give several flashes before starting, which reduces the service life of the device, but an electronic ballast can be used instead - an electronic ballast.
- Cannot be used at temperatures below +15 +20 degrees. Therefore, when tempering seedlings on loggias, you need to carefully monitor the air temperature.
- There is no red spectrum. It is possible, as a last resort, to be used together with an incandescent lamp, but it is better with a "Flora" lamp or (which is the most economical and good for plants) with warm glow fluorescent lamps.
It is better to use more powerful lamps - from 18 to 36 watts. The longer the length, the more powerful the lamp. As for the kind of light - cold or warm, Mama lanya writes: “I have Osram 18W / 765 and 18W / 840. These are 60 cm lamps. If we take the long one (1.2 m), then it will be 36W / 765 or 36W / 840. 765th - with cold white light, 840th - with warm yellowish. I read that at the first stage, the seedlings need white light (for growing the root), and at the second stage, you need a warm yellow light for the green mass. But I do not follow so clearly where I put it, and it grows there. I personally (and my seedlings, of course) like the 765s more, perhaps because their light seems brighter. "
Rice. 5 Photos Mama lanya, Osram 18W / 865 60 cm (daylight white light).
Mama lanya shares his experience of growing seedlings in the first stage in the bathroom: “I really like the following: there are no drafts in the bathroom. It is always humid and warm there. There are no scorching rays of the sun, no batteries. The light of the lamp does not bother anyone. That is, there are some pluses, and almost no minuses (the minuses are electricity and tightness). The lamp turns on and off by itself, according to the timer - from 6:30 to 00:00. It hangs about 5-8 cm from the seedlings. If you need to raise some plants (they can be different heights) - I put all sorts of boxes and bowls. In general, the lamp hangs on a cord, and the height is easy to adjust. Well, now it has been 2 days since all the seedlings have moved to a new house (a greenhouse with shelves, standing in a room). "
Rice. 6 Photos Mama lanya.
It is more profitable to use long lamps, 120 cm each, than 60 cm, since they have more power and total light output. Instead of 4 lamps 60 cm long by 18 W, it is better to hang 2 long 120 cm lamps with a power of 36 W. Height varies from 15 cm to 50 cm above the tops of plants, depending on their photophilousness. And, of course, it is necessary to mount the lamps for the entire length of the window sill, and not just in the middle.
Rice. 7 Photos Flowerfly: “And to them the electronic ballast electronic ballast - 18-40. I set the time for switching on and off, and sleep well. "
Rice. 8 You can use a household time relay, I bought (for a long time already) in Ikea. Photo Nadia.
Calculation of the number of lamps
Plants are believed to need about 8,000 lux of illumination. We consider the area of our windowsill (or shelves of the rack). For example, it is equal to 30 cm x 150 cm = 4500 sq. cm = 0.45 sq.m.
Now we multiply 8000 lux by the area of the window sill, we get that we need 3600 lumens. We take into account about 30% of the losses from hanging the lamp at a certain height above the plants, we get that we need to provide about 4600 lm. When buying, we look at the luminous flux that the lamp gives, this indicator is indicated on the label in lumens. It turns out that with a luminous flux of a lamp of 2350 lm, we need to buy two lamps 1200 mm long. This is if the lamp is an ordinary fluorescent lamp with a power of 36 watts.
Phytolamps have a lower luminous flux, about 1400 lm, so at least three of them are required. Considering the price of phytolamps, it is unprofitable to install them. Calculation of the number of phyto lamps from dosya: “I have a fluorescent lamp L-36/77 OSRAM FLUORA. One lamp contains two such bulbs. And above each shelf there are two lamps. That is, four lamps L-36/77 OSRAM FLUORA are shining on a shelf measuring 1 meter by 0.8 meters ”.
LED lamp
Among the LEDs there are also specially adapted for plants, for example, Uniel (18 W) IP40. True, the price for them is higher than for luminescent phytolamps, about one and a half times.
Conventional LED lamps can also be used for supplementary lighting. Their luminous flux is decent, reaching 2000-3400 lm. The size of our windowsill is 0.45 sq. m you will need two lamps LWL-3017 2x14 W, each of them has two LEDs. True, they will cost a lot.
Summer residents from the Sibmama forums do not actively use LED supplementary lighting. Helen73 writes: “I saw that LED lamps are used as phyto. But recently I watched the program in the "Udachny" program, there is a section, a woman is leading - I do not remember the name, but she is very competent, she said that the LEDs have a very narrow spectrum, which each plant has its own, and get into the right range for everyone plants are very tricky. But in general people use. An acquaintance of mine grew strawberries from seeds under LED lamps last year.
Rice. 9 Photos of eustoma from ceilingman: “For supplementary lighting, I adapted an LED module - a semi-finished product for LED panels, with a power of 25 watts. We turn it on at dusk and before “lights out”, and in the morning (who got up earlier) until daylight. "
Antalvi used LED spotlights for a small number of seedlings.
Rice. 10 You can assemble the lighting fixture yourself. Photo Antalvi.
Rice. 11 Photos Antalvi.
Instructions for the collection of fluorescent lamps
Valuable information about self-assembly fluorescent lamps shared MNBer: “Girls, I have two lights working: one on the floor, the second on the window. One of 4 lamps is "Flora". The cost of a conventional backlight is about 450 rubles. Reflectors - mirrors from a shovel sideboard (you can use any foil material). These are two ordinary lamps of a warm spectrum (there are also blue cold ones, they are not suitable) 36 W 120 cm long + a choke (Feron EB53 electronic ballast 2x36). This is such a thing with long wires 1.2 m. There is "Epra", it is cheaper. At the ends of the wires are of the socket type, which are very easily connected to the lamps (the pins on the lamps are inserted into the holes on the sockets) + a wire with a plug + electrical tape. A wire with a plug is twisted to the chokes, insulated with electrical tape and inserted into a regular outlet.
All this structure was assembled by myself (and I am a granny, I am 60 years old), without the help of men, I do not involve my son-in-law in gardening. If there is a man in the house, it will take him a couple of minutes to build it. The "Flora" lamp seems to be better (but, to be honest, I did not notice that under the "Flora" plants are better), but the price of one lamp is more than 300 rubles. "
Rice. 12 Photos MNBer:"That's all it takes for a backlight device."
Rice. 13 Photos MNBe r: "You can see the difference in glow here, pink is Flora."
Rice. 14 Photos MNBer:"The lamps are attached to the tangerine boxes with brackets that come with the choke."
Rice. 15 Photos MNBer:“I put blocks on the boxes, and on them fiberboard for the construction of the second floor without supplementary lighting.”
Competently organized lighting observing the required intensity indicators is one of the most important keys to obtaining healthy and strong seedlings. In some cases, simple daylighting is sufficient, but in most situations it is necessary to organize additional artificial lighting with the help of lamps. Today manufacturers offer enough wide range of similar devices.
Mostly floral and vegetable crops are thermophilic plants, the growth efficiency and development features of which are largely determined by the duration of daylight hours. A lack of light leads to a slowdown in the course of photosynthesis processes and the emergence of various diseases in seedlings. To avoid the listed and related problems, additional lighting is organized.
Sunlight is composed of several waves of different lengths and colors. In order for the photosynthesis of plants to take place in accordance with the established norms, it is necessary to organize their illumination with full-spectrum light. Along with this, each spectrum performs its own important functions.
About them in the table.
Table. The role of light spectra in the development of seedlings
| List of spectra | Role and tasks |
|---|---|
| Red | Contributes to the normalization of the processes of seed development and vegetation. Under its influence, the quality of flowering increases. |
| Blue | Takes an important part in the processes of regulation of plant cell growth. Provides the development of strong shoots. |
| Purple | Similar to blue. |
| Green | Plants hardly absorb this spectrum of light, reflecting it by the surface of the leaves. |
| Yellow | Similar to green. |
Basic lighting requirements
The key characteristics of lighting are duration and intensity level. The intensity is determined by the wattage of the lighting fixture used and the distance between it and the plants. Optimal distance is defined as: you turn on the lamp and put your hand under the light. If warmth is felt, the light should be moved away a little.
The normal illumination level for plants is considered to be 8000 lux. The lamps for home seedlings presented in today's publication will do an excellent job of providing it, but additional illumination will have to be turned on not only in the mornings and in the evening, but also during the day, especially if the weather is cloudy outside.
To check if the lamp needs to be used, just turn it on. Notice a significant change in light levels? There is a need to use additional lighting. Don't see much of a difference? The backlight can be omitted.
Highlighting seedlings - photo
Range of seedling lamps and their main features
There are many types of lighting available commercially that can be used when growing home seedlings. Let's consider the most popular ones.
Sodium lamps
Reflax lamps are the most popular among domestic gardeners.
The key positive qualities of sodium lamps include the following:
- high rates of lighting efficiency;
- ensuring a stable flow of light;
- impressive service life;
- creation as a whole favorable conditions for the normal course of photosynthesis processes.
The main disadvantage is the relatively high cost.
The table contains information about the main representatives of the assortment.
Table. Popular models of sodium lamps
| List of models | Basic information |
|---|---|
| Equipped with a built-in mirror reflector. Outperforms competitors in all main characteristics. By means of the above-mentioned mirror reflector, an increase in the intensity of the light flux and its directivity to the grown plants is ensured. To illuminate the seedlings on a 1.5-meter windowsill, a 70-watt lamp in the amount of one piece is enough. Select the required number of lighting fixtures, guided by this pattern. |
| They do not have a pre-installed reflector. A 70 W lamp is enough for supplementary lighting of plants on no more than a 1-meter windowsill, i.e. these devices are less powerful than the representatives of the above group. If necessary, sodium lamps can be used in residential premises - the light emitted by these devices does not irritate the eyes. |
Fluorescent lamps
Emit cool light similar to natural daylight. They are characterized by weak power, which forces them to be installed in an increased number. In addition, the disadvantages of fluorescent lamps include the low content of red light in the spectrum.
Calculating the required number of lamps, we use the following relationship: every 1 m of the length of the window sill with seedlings is served by a lamp with an 80-watt or two 40-65-watt lamps.
Important! Do not use LDC and LD fluorescent lamps to illuminate seedlings - plants react poorly to the light emitted by such devices.
Phytolamps
The most popular among gardeners are phytolamps of several brands.
- Fluora from Osram. Luminaires with a power of 18 W are suitable. To illuminate 1 m of a window sill, one or two such lamps are enough.
- LFU-30. They are characterized by a power of 30 watts. One lamp is enough to service a 40x70 cm platform.
- Enrich. Relatively weakly irritating to the eyes, but characterized by a short (on average up to 6 months) service life. In addition, such lamps very much heat up the leaves of the seedlings, which does not reflect in the best way on its condition.
- Paulmann. They can have different capacities. They differ from the closest analogs by practically zero heating, which eliminates the risk of overheating of the seedlings, as well as an impressive service life.
- Fitosvet-D. Category of LED devices. Suitable for both home and greenhouse use.
The key advantages of all phytolamps are as follows:
- high efficiency;
- compactness;
- impressive indicators of environmental friendliness, efficiency, durability and safety in general.
The disadvantage is reduced to the lilac-pink color of the glow, which is not the best way reflected in the state of the eyes of a person and his well-being. In residential premises, such lamps are allowed to be used exclusively in combination with an external mirror reflector.
Can ordinary bulbs be used?
As it becomes clear from the above information, many different types of lamps can be used for seedlings, however, each of the options has its own weaknesses.
The question arises: is it necessary to buy additional lighting fixtures? Isn't it possible to do with ordinary household incandescent bulbs?
It is forbidden. Such lighting will be ineffective and simply useless. According to the average data, incandescent lamps with a traditional tungsten filament transform into light no more than 5 percent of the energy. Everything else is just warm. In addition, the light spectrum of such lamps is not suitable for plants: they will dry out, burn, stretch and, in general, not form as they should.
Now you know which lamps can be used for self-cultivation seedlings. I wish you a rich harvest!
Video - What lamps are needed for seedlings