Types of Artificial Light

Fluorescent

Fluorescent  tubes provide good light for low to medium light plants. In areas where there is no natural light, we recommend the combination of warm white tubes for their red spectrum rays and cool white tubes for their blue spectrum waves. Cool-white fluorescent tubes give off little heat, therefore will not bake the moisture out of plants, even when the plant is placed quite close to the light source. 

Incandescent

Incandescent light bulbs can be used in combination with natural light or other forms of lighting, however, incandescent bulbs should not be used as the only light source. To help support plant growth with incandescent light, the bulb should be at least 100 watts.  Since the bulb produces a lot of heat, the light bulb must be kept at least 2 feet above the plant tops to keep from burning the foliage and baking the growing media.

Metal Halide

Metal halide produces abundant light in the blue spectrum. Depending on their brightness, metal halide lamps support all common plants used for indoor applications.

Halogen

Halogen light bulbs provide a light source that is similar to the sun, thereby making halogen bulbs ideal for plants. Halogen bulbs produce a great deal of heat which can dry and burn foliage when plants are placed too near the light source. Depending on the brightness, halogen can support all common plants used indoors.

High Pressure Sodium

High pressure sodium lights are most commonly used in commercial greenhouses for supplemental lighting to promote blooms. It produces light in the red-orange spectrum and lacks light in the blue spectrum. These lights are not recommended for building interiors.