Lighting
The lights you choose for your lighting setup are very important to your plants growth; learn about how lighting works for your growing setup. If you’re having trouble wit your setup, or just want to learn more, check out more articles in GrowTheHigh’s Setup Articles.
If you are farming outside then your light source is already chosen for you. It’s the sun which produces approximately 98,000 lux, which is the measurement for the intensity of the light. However, for those growing indoors one can accomplish this and more.
To begin there is an exponential decrease in lights intensity the further the light is from the plant. This is because the light has to spread itself thinner.
For those who would like to calculate their intensity the formula is Intensity= lumens/ distance^2. This is more technical but essentially based on the strength of your bulb one may need to change the distance from the plant.
A good way to judge this without the math is to place your hand above the plant. With the backside of your hand facing the light if you can feel the heat from the bulb and it’s uncomfortable then it will be uncomfortable for your plants.
Based on the stage of the plant’s life one must use different lights to ensure maximum growth.
For example, during the seedling stage of its life the seed doesn’t need that much light so even window light would suffice. Though using window light could cause stretching if they are so far from their light source.
Using low wattage LEDs or low wattage fluorescents is your best choice when it comes to lighting for your seeds. Even a low wattage HID is too strong for your little seedlings.I will go in more detail on lights in another article but, understand when choosing a light to use weaker lights for the early stages of the plants life and make sure there is not a large amount of space between your light source and the plants. Following these basic instructions will promote healthy plant growth.