The best light for the job
With so many different types of grow
lights on the market, choosing a
system for your garden can be confusing. If you have high performance in
mind, there is no cheating the system.
You will need professional grow lights
to get professional results from your
garden. So, which grow light is the
best light for the job?
Getting Started
Seedlings and cuttings don’t require
as much light as mature plants. In
fact, too much light can overwork
them and dry out the growing
medium. Fluorescent lights are
perfect for tiny young plants. I don’t
recommend T12 lights, but they will
get the job done. T8 fluorescent
tubes are better, but T5 fluorescent
lights are the clear winner in their
category. T5s deliver more light,
and they are available in the ideal
daylight spectrums for your plants.
A 4-ft. T5 fixture with four tubes can
cover up to five propagation trays.
Standard propagation trays are 20-in.
by 10-in., so a couple of 2-ft. T5 tubes
will cover a single tray.
You could also use a couple of 26-W
compact fluorescent lights over a prop
tray, but they tend to produce concentrated light footprints. Basically, you
get bigger plants directly under each
bulb and small plants on the perimeter. Fluorescent tubes spread light
over the surface of the growing area,
and therefore promote even growth.
Seedlings and cuttings don’t require
as much light as mature plants.
In fact, too much light can overwork
"
them and dry out the growing medium.
52
Maximum Yield USA | February 2014