How Many Watts Per Square Foot for Led Grow Lights You Need?

As you can comprehend from the title itself, this post is going to give you an almost clear answer to the very common question about the requirement of watts per square foot for LED grow lights. Although, it is considered that there is no to the point answer to this question. But, there are a large number of factors on which this requirement can be determined. So, if you too are a homeowner which has a marvelous garden, taking care of the garden is your responsibility. You can start this process by installing Led Grow lights in your garden for the plants. To know more in this context, read ahead. 

What are Led Grow Lights? 

Led Grow Lights are such lights that are developed by artificial means and they contribute to the growth of plants. Grow lights can either try providing a light array like the one provided by the sun or providing a series that can be adjusted according to the plants that have been cultivated on that land. It was used by Andrei Famintsyn, a very famous botanist based in Russia. The particular range of light series that you need is completely dependent on factors like the type of plant that is cultivated and the phase of cultivation.

What are Grow Lights used for? 

The main use of grow lights is in the field of food production, horticulture, propagating plays, and indoor gardens. Generally, these lights are used to serve industrial purposes, but nowadays they are used by many homeowners too. 

As stated by different laws, the potency of light being radiates from any specific source that can reach up to the surface is in inverse proportion to the square of the distance of the surface from its source. This can sometimes trouble the users who have indoor gardens. However, several techniques are being applied to ensure the efficient usage of light. Supposedly, the reflectors are used for using light very efficiently. 

What should you know before choosing the Watts of Led Grow Light? 

There are certain things that you must know when you are choosing the watts of LED grow light. Some factors that must be taken into consideration are as follows: 

1. Size of grow space 

The most important factor to consider here is the size or the area of your grow space because the number of plants that can be accommodated depends on the size of the grow space. And, the number of plants you grow will determine the requirement of grow light. A larger tent will certainly need a higher intensity of LED Light whereas a smaller area will need a lower intensity of LED Light. Mostly, a very normal watt is required by the basic crops when they are at their stage of vegetation. Thus, you must know that various sizes of grow areas will have different light requirements. 

2. Type of grow light 

The next important factor to consider is the type of grow light that can meet your requirements for sure. You should know that you can find numerous kinds of LED lights in the market. However, you should be able to make a wise choice. Various plants have their light requirement. If all the plants are provided an equal Watt, they will yield differently once you start using the different kinds of LED lights. If you are not able to choose the type of grow lights that you need, you should be aware of some crucial points such as the colour, height, and heat output of LED Lights, it has been proved by studies and researches that, if you grow a plant you feel a red coloured LED light, the leaves of this plant will get deformed. If you want to reduce the harm caused by the red LED light, you can amalgamate it with blue to bring a pinkish hue. Similarly, a white coloured LED will never give you the same results as that of the blue or red LED. 

Hence, when you are buying grow lights, you must make sure to choose the colour of the light wisely. 

3. Type of crops 

Last but not the least, the factor that you must consider when you are choosing the watts for LED grow light is the type of crops or grow in the area where the light will be installed. There are some grow lights that are created only for some specific plants. Once you are put in the market, you will find that there are different LED grow lights with different watts that are developed for the growth of different plants. The types of plant, as well as the stage of growth, are two very crucial factors to consider while choosing the watt of grow light that is needed. 

You can find different plants which might need a very minimal intensity of grow light whereas plants are needing higher intensity of LED grow light. There are several plants which just need an average intensity of the light to grow. These need neither too high nor too low intensity of watts of grow light. 

Where can you buy Led Grow Lights? 

The LED grow lights can generally be availed at any shop dealing with electrical components in the market. You can also find the LED grow lights on different online websites and you can buy them online as well. However, it is recommended that you go to the nearest market and buy your LED grow light by keeping all the important factors in your mind. Because it is a technical product, chances are high that you might receive a damaged product if you order it from an online shopping site. Thus, you should try your best to buy it from the nearest shop, provided it is a licensed shop and can offer you a warranty on the grow lights. 

It is important to be very careful while buying them because they do cost you a hefty amount and if they get damaged for once, you cannot get them repaired. Replacement is the only option left out which is also a matter of a large sum of money. Hence, it is better to make a wise choice and buy the right product. 

What are the ways to determine watts per square foot for LED grow lights? 

After knowing the basics about LED grow lights and the factors that must be considered while you are choosing the watt of LED grow lights. Here are some common techniques that can be used for determining the watts per square foot for the LED grow lights: 

Measuring the dimensions of the grow area in square 

As mentioned before, the size of grow area is a major factor that must be considered while choosing the watts per square foot for LED grow lights. You can start by taking the measurements of the area width and get it multiplied with the length. When you get the total size, you must buy such lights which have a similar intensity that can match that area. In general, when you are considering the size of grow area because you must make use of the equal dimensions as mentioned before. There are different light intensities for different sizes of grow areas. 

• Know what your plant needs 

Plants need various Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) which can be determined by the intensity of light. It is that light series that your plant will be needing for the process of photosynthesis. In general terms, it is that measure of energy that gets produced by the LED light and is then utilized by the plants for their growth. If you want good lighting, you must buy a complete sequence of LED lights. 

• Choose the proper height for grow light installation 

The gap in between the canopy of the plant and the lighting sequence has a straight impact on the intensity of light. So, if you have the proper LED lights, you need to keep them at a proper height if you want the plant to yield its best. You must prevent the LED lights from getting too near to your plants. This will reduce the chances of sunburn, nutrient scarcity, bleaching, and colour changing of the leaves. There is no such basic height for the installation of grow lights for a plant. But, at different stages of the plant, you must keep changing the heights too. 

So, this was all that, you must about the LED grow lights. You can determine the appropriate wattage of grow lights that you need from the above-mentioned techniques. However, you need to choose the most suitable grow light for your plants. Making an improper choice can certainly cause harm to your plants. There are different kinds of grow lights available in the market and you can make them choose the one that completely suits your grow area along with all other factors too. 

FAQs

Why do you need LED grow lights?

LED grow lights are used for indoor plants, horticulture, and indoor gardens. These lights provide a light source for your plants to grow and produce yields.

What are the factors that matter when buying LED grow lights?

When buying LED grow lights, you must consider the following factors:

• Size of the grow room
• Type of plants/crops
• Type of LED lights

Do all indoor plants need LED grow lights?

Most indoor plants need light waves of blue and red. You can get a good source of light from LED grow lights. It can help you get healthier plants and bigger yields.

Can you use any LED light as grow lights?

You can use any LED light to grow plants as long as they are emitting enough light. Plants need warmth that they get from a light source.

How close LED grow lights should be to plants?

There’s no universal rule for determining the distance between the LED grow lights and plants, but it is usually recommended that you install the lights at least 12 to 18 inches away from the plants. Placing them too close to the plants can harm the leaves. Remember, light is one of the most crucial things needed by plants for their growth.

Can a LED grow light burn your plants?

Even intense light won’t burn your plants. However, if your plants are receiving too much, it can challenge your crops to be counterproductive. However, it won’t burn them. The heat from the LED grow lights can cook your crops. This happens when you install the lights too close to the plants. You must make sure that the grow lights are at least 12 to 18 inches away from your crops. 

What colour LED grow lights are good for plants?

Plants grow healthy and do best when they get light that has a lot of blue and red and smaller amounts of yellow and green. If you are using white light, you are doing it wrong as it is not important for plants. It is also important to have the right amount of wavelength for each colour.