How to Choose the Best Indoor Lights For Succulents

You have seen a beautiful little succulent somewhere, and now you want to bring it home. Indeed, placing a grow plant indoors enhances your home decor, but this won't go long if the plant lacks light. Different species require different soil types, light, and temperature, but one thing remains common among them- sufficient light.

These succulents are well known for survival, so they don't die without light. In low lighting conditions, they stretch out and become wider. If you see your plant getting lighter in color, it's a sign of low light.

The problem worsens in winter, as plants absorb minimum light during this time. Despite this fact, people from low light zones still grow succulents. They rely on 'grow lights'.

Irrespective of who you are and where you live, you can buy any kind of succulent and grow them in any season. All thanks to grow lights. 

What Is A Grow Light?

If you are reading this term for the first time, let's dig deeper to find out about grow lights. A grow light is an artificial light that mimics natural light to create a proper environment for a succulent to grow. If you are a fan of succulents, you already know that they require direct and bright light for a few hours. You cannot fulfill this condition if you are placing the plant indoors. This is where a grow light comes into play! 

The market for grow lights is vast, and picking the most suitable ones can be difficult. We have deeply resourced through different sources to look into this and found out what works best! 

Wondering which grow light will suit your plant the most?

Read this blog till the end, and you will get the answer!

Factors To Look For

Check these factors in your growth light to separate the best item from the crowd.

Types

Different types of grow lights are available in the market, including metal halide bulbs, high-pressure sodium fluorescent, LEDs, and whatnot. We will discuss only fluorescent and LEDs, assuming you want succulent lights for small indoor spaces.

LEDs

LEDs demand high investment initially, but they're worth the price. They are energy efficient means they won't put a hole in your pocket while paying bills. Also, they are low on temperature, which means zero risk of plants getting burned. They are more durable.

Fluorescent lights

They are again of two types, including CFL bulbs and fluorescent tubes. Additionally, they are much cheaper and more versatile than their counterparts. However, you need to be careful as these lights get hotter soon.

Spectrum

All grow lights are not the same but differ in terms of the spectrum. They can be visible and invisible depending on the spectrum. The visible light ranges between 400 to 700 nanometers. This is again subdivided into blue light and red light. Blue light is between 400 to 490 NM, while red light ranges between 580 to 700 NM. The former supports vegetative growth while the latter helps in flowering and fruiting. If you want to serve a specific purpose, then you can choose one light among the two. In case you want to cover a full spectrum, then you can go for full spectrum lights, which cover both blue and red light ranges and a little more.

Output

It lets you know how strong and intense light is by its lumens. The higher the lumen rating of the grow light, the more intense light it spreads. You can choose a light having 2300 to 9300 lumen per square foot. This gives light equal to a full day of sunlight.

Efficiency

Getting a highly efficient light will save you a big chunk of money on electricity bills. Ensure the light you purchase is higher in lumens per watt. The more this number is, the more efficient it is the grow light.

Price

Decide your budget before buying a grow light. Surely, you will get one in your budget because there is a wide range of products. If your plant is getting some sunlight through the windows, then a small grow light can support it well. However, plants that are completely detached from natural light need large light of high efficiency. The latter one will cost you higher.

Space

The space where your plants thrive decides the type of light you need to buy. For instance, you can place this succulent on a window or table, in the basement, near the staircase, or wherever you like. You can purchase one or two bulbs or tabletop lamps if the area receives indirect sunlight. However, you need big overhead tube lights for an extremely dark area like the basement.

Some Important Questions

The above factors have already simplified your job in finding the best grow light, but some questions may still appear in your mind. Let's answer them!

Q: Where to shop from?

First, decide where you like to shop from. It can be offline or online stores. If you prefer offline stores where you get to touch and feel the product, then you can go for them. It also works well when you need a grow light urgently for your succulent because online shopping and shipping take time. The better option is to go for online stores because you get a variety of options to choose from. You can also compare and avail of the best deals. Make sure you don't skip reading reviews for the light you buy. In both online and offline purchases, find out if there is any warranty on the product and know about the return policy.

Q: How far should the light be?

While fixing your light, you may get confused about where to fix it so it doesn't harm succulents. The safest option is to keep 12 inches distance between the light and the plant. If you have kept it too close to the plant, the leaves may get burnt. You don't have to worry about this while using a cool light.

Q: Is one light sufficient for your plant?

There's no proven answer for this. It depends on the number of plants you have kept at your home and their type. You may need several grow lights to take care of them. Another thing to note is whether the light is reaching the plants uniformly or not. You can go for the trial and error method to know what suits it best.

Q: Do you need to keep the lights on?

Fixing the right grow lights near your succulents is not all. You also have to take care of when to switch on and off those lights. Keeping them on for too long is really harmful to the plants. These plants demand nature-like light so that they can have proper growth and dormant periods. They require a regular cycle of brightness and darkness each day to maintain a healthy cycle. You can keep the lights on for 12 hours and then switch them off, mimicking them exactly like sunlight.