The Basics of Hydroponic Lighting How To Use Artificial Lighting in a Hydroponics System. Hobbyists often take up hydroponics because they want to grow their own food but don’t have access to outdoor space. Although the sun is the most ideal lighting source for growing plants, artificial lighting in indoor systems can provide a good substitute within the appropriate color spectrum. Choosing the best lights for your hydro system can be daunting for a beginner. There are tons of options out there and depending on your system size and type of plants you are growing, some types may be better or more efficient than others. Outside, a vegetable garden requires between 4 and 6 hours of direct sun per day, plus at least 10 hours of “bright light” or indirect sun light. With artificial lighting in your hydroponic garden, the main goal is to imitate this. You should plan your system on having at least 14 to 16 hours of bright artificial light, followed by 10 to 12 hours of darkness every day. The darkness is just as important as the light -- just like animals, plants need time to rest and metabolize. If your plants are perennials, you will have to have a more strict and calculated lighting schedule to bring the plants through their vegetative (growth) and flowering (production) stages. The easiest way to maintain a lighting schedule is with an automatic electric timer. They are worth the investment because one small mistake or simply forgetting to turn the lights on or off has the potential to affect your plants growth and production rates dramatically. Different Plants, Different Needs An electronic timer is especially necessary if you are growing a variety of different plants. Although you can follow the general guidelines above and have success, some plants do much better with longer or shorter periods of “day light.” If you have a mix of these in your garden, you will need to figure out a custom schedule. An electric timer allows you do take care of this hassle-free and change it according to your needs as your garden evolves. Short Day Plants: These require a long period of darkness to photosynthesize and produce flowers. If they are exposed to over 12 hours of light per day they will not flower. Poinsettias, strawberries, cauliflower and chrysanthemums are short day plants. The short-day cycle mimics the environment in nature for plants the flower in the spring. Long Day Plants: These require up to 18 hours of sunlight per day. They include wheat, lettuce, potatoes, spinach, and turnips. The long-day cycle mimics the natural environment of summer-flowering plants. Day Neutral Plants: These are the most flexible. They produce fruit no matter how much light they are exposed to. Some examples include rice, eggplant, roses, and corn. If you must mix sort and long day plants, it is best to compromise their needs and pick a lighting schedule that is right in the middle, around fourteen hours of light per day.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:03:31 +0000
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