Indoor grow light spectrum, and color temperature can be used to improve the growth of plants. By understanding how different colors of light correspond with plant growth, you can adjust the color temperature, and spectrum of your indoor grow lights to create an ideal environment for your plants.
This will help them to grow taller and stronger, with lush leaves and bountiful fruit or flowers.
Indoor grow lights are specially designed to mimic the light given off by the sun. The sun emits different colors and frequencies of light depending on the time of day and location, which is what gives it its distinctive daily cycle.
When it comes to light spectrum and color temperature, there are many different factors you need to consider in order to make the best decision for your plants. This article will discuss the importance of both spectrum and temperature and provide tips on how to choose the right light for your plants.
Color Spectrum
Different colors of light have different effects on plants. Plants need light for photosynthesis, but not all light is the same. You need to know about the color spectrum and color temperature in order to provide your plants with the best lighting possible.
The color spectrum of light is basically what we see as different colors. Red, orange and yellow is on the red end, while blue and purple are on the other end (violet and indigo aren’t really seen due to their short wavelengths).
The shorter the wavelength, the more energy it has and the more dangerous it can be for living things.
Grow Light Color Temperature
The color temperature of a grow light can impact the growth of plants. You should be aware of the different temperatures and how to use them to your advantage when growing plants indoors. This means knowing what color temperature to use for different plants, ranging from weed to herbs.
There are two types of light bulbs that fly under the general category of grow lights. The main difference between them is what spectrum they put out and how it affects plant growth.
For example, if you’re growing leafy plants indoors, your best choice for a light bulb is one that emits red and blue spectrum light to encourage plant growth. If you’re growing fruits or flowers indoors, your best choice is a light bulb that emits more of the ‘white’ spectrum because this will help with budding or blooming.
The color temperature of a grow light refers to how hot the light is. A light bulb that emits what seems like a pink or red glow has a low color temperature, while one that emits what seems like blue or green has a high color temperature.
Low Color Temp
A grow light with a low color temperature will have more of the orange and yellow range in its spectrum, so it’s best for plants that require productive wavelengths for vegetative growth.
Plants that grow tall rapidly benefit from a low color temperature because it encourages the production of green, leafy vegetables.
Examples of plants that will thrive with a low color temperature include:
- Weeds such as wheatgrass or hops
- Tomatoes and other fruits
- Herbs such as basil, thyme or parsley
High Color Temp
A grow light with a high color temperature will have more of the blue and purple range in its spectrum, so it’s best for plants that require productive wavelengths for budding or blooming.
Plants that require high bud production benefit from a high color temperature because it encourages flowering.
Examples include:
- Weeds such as lavender
- Vegetables such as celery
- Flowers such as roses
Medium Color Temp
A grow light with a medium color temperature will have more of the red and green range in its spectrum, so it’s best for plants that require effective wavelengths for growth and budding.
Plants that require some bud production benefit from a medium color temperature because it encourages both flowering and vegetation.
Examples include:
- Weeds such as wheatgrass
- Vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes
- Flowers such as geraniums
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when you’re choosing a light bulb for your indoor garden. One is that the plant itself needs to be able to thrive under the color temperature of the light.
Another is that no matter what color temperature your grow light puts out, the plant will only receive the visible spectrum of this color. This means that on some level, no matter what type or color of grow light you use, it’s always going to be putting off infrared and ultraviolet light.
Kelvin’s Scale of Temperatures
Kelvin’s scale of temperatures is significant when it comes to indoor gardening and plants, as you need to make sure you are providing the correct spectrum and color temperature of light in order for them to grow properly.
The Kelvin Scale, which is a temperature scale just like Celsius and Fahrenheit, is used to measure the color temperature of light. The Kelvin Scale starts at absolute zero (0 K) and cannot be used to measure the color temperature of light below this point.
The Kelvin Scale uses the same size degrees as Celsius; however, it starts at 0 K, which is also known as absolute zero, or -459.67 F. There are different scales that can be used to measure color temperature; however, the most commonly used one in the lighting industry is Kelvin.
HID & Fluorescence Grow Light Grow Light Color Temperature
Grow lights can be used to help grow plants and vegetables indoors. A Grow Light is a light fixture that provides the specific wavelengths of light necessary for plant growth.
In addition to that, some grow lights may also provide supplemental heat to increase the speed of germination and growth. With these two different types of grow lights available, it is essential to consider what you need before purchasing your next light fixture.
Let’s explore the differences between HID and Fluorescence Grow Lights.
HID Grow Lights
HID Grow Lights are typically more powerful, but they also require a ballast which is an electrical component that determines the amount of electricity going to the bulb. Because HID lights need extra components, this often makes them slightly less cost-effective in comparison to fluorescent lighting fixtures.
However, the fact that these type of grow lights are very common and provide a better spectrum in comparison to fluorescent lamps make them the most popular choice for home growers.
Plants that are grown indoors under HID lighting will generally grow bushier and more compact when compared with plants that are grown under Fluorescence Grow Lights.
Fluorescence Grow Lights
Fluorescence Grow Lights (or CFLs) can be bought at almost any hardware store and don’t require a ballast in order to operate. These lights are great for the home hobbyist and can easily be set up in any room or building that contains an outlet.
Fluorescence Grow Lights come in all shapes and sizes and provide a full spectrum of light; however, because they emit less radiation than HID’s, these lights will typically have a shorter lifespan of around 20,000 hours.
If the price is a significant factor for you when choosing your grow lighting fixture, Fluorescence Grow Lights are a great budget-friendly option that can be used to help any indoor gardener.
LED Grow Light Color Temperature
There are many different factors to consider when it comes to growing plants indoors. The light spectrum and color temperature are two of the most important. LED lights come in a variety of different colors, so it’s essential to know which one will provide the best results for your plants.
In order to successfully grow plants indoors, you need to be able to provide them with the right type of lighting. There are many different types of lighting available on the market, and some perform better than others when it comes to growing plants successfully.
In particular, LED lights have been gaining attention from indoor growers because they are relatively low-heat while still producing a high intensity of light.
It is important to understand that while LED lights can be very beneficial for your plants, different colors of light will produce different results. The color spectrum and color temperature work together in order to provide the perfect type of lighting needed for healthy plant growth.
When it comes to plant life, there are some specific colors that you should be using for the right measure. These include red LEDs at 600-700 nm, blue lights at 400-500 nm, far-red guaranteeing 700-800 nanometer visibility, and some white lights.
Light Color Spectrum Pigment Used by Plants
The color of light is an important aspect for plants. The spectrum of light plays a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. All plants use three types of pigments to create their colors.
These are chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. And while all these pigments can be found in any color of light, they also have preferred colors of the spectrum-carotene in red, orange, yellow or green lights.
Chlorophyll is in blue or violet lights; anthocyanins in reds, purples or magentas. As you can see from this brief on plant pigment colors for light spectrum, it’s really not that difficult to choose the correct type of grow lamp for your plants.
Although there are many different types of grow lamps available, you only need to choose between fluorescent or incandescent, which is quite simple.
Chlorophyll:
The color of light in which plants reflect the most is blue-violet, with a wavelength around 450nm. This spectrum stimulates the formation of Chlorophyll in leaves, allowing for healthy plant growth and chlorophyll production.
This is why you should use a bulb with more of a blue spectrum if your plant has lower than average chlorophyll levels.
Carotenoids:
Carotene, or carotenoids, is another pigment that absorbs light. It is found in both yellow-orange and red-purple lights. Red-purple contains lower energy than orange-yellow light. This means that it is more efficient at causing carotenoids to fluoresce.
Red-purple light like Violet or Magenta is ideal for full-color spectrum grow lights as the range of the reds and purples provide healthy plant growth.
Anthocyanins:
The color that stimulates the production of these pigments is red-purple with a wavelength around 660nm. Red light at 630nm, found in incandescent lights, gets perfect for stimulating anthocyanin pigment production.
You can also use specific grow lamps at their peak wavelength of 664nm to stimulate anthocyanin pigment production.
Manufacturers of these plant grow lamps and plant grow lights know what they are doing when it comes to the color spectrum and how it affects plants, so you can trust them to pick out a specific light for your needs.
You just need to know which one is most suitable for the setup of your indoor garden or hydroponics system.
What Exactly Makes One Type of Light More Suitable for Plant Growth?
Since they require the three colored pigments, chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins, to live, it makes sense that plants grow best in a light source that emits all these colors of the spectrum.
The color temperature describes how much blue is present in the light. It ranges from warm yellow lights at 2700K to cool white lights at 6500K and also includes green and purple in between. This can be seen on a blackbody graph for color temperature.
The color temperature of any light source can be measured with a chromometer. Incandescent grow lamps have a CRI of around 95 and emit reds and oranges in addition to yellow.
However, it’s not nearly enough for plants to flourish when compared to fluorescent grow lamps that have CRIs from 70-90 and emit blue, green and purple as well as yellow.
Chlorophyll absorbs light from the blue part of the spectrum. So, it’s highly recommended to have a color temperature slightly higher than 2700K for your grow lamps to provide optimal growth.
This is much higher than CRI 95, even though that number seems relatively high. It has been shown that lights with a color temperature of 5000K and CRI 80 produce the highest growth rate in young Caesalpinia ferrea plants.
Do not be fooled by the high lumen rating on incandescent grow lamps since this is only useful for measuring white light sources. The much lower efficiency of red and yellow emitters results in a much lower lumen rating per watt of power used.
This means it is much more efficient to choose a fluorescent grow lamp with the correct color temperature than an incandescent one. That is even though the latter may be appealing because of its high lumen rating.
In Conclusion
Indoor growers use lights to simulate sunlight, but there are various types of grow lights with different waves and temperatures. Knowing the differences between red, blue, white, infrared and ultraviolet lights can help you decide which light is best for your plants.
Plants use different pigments for photosynthesis, so it’s important to choose a grow light that emits all colors of the spectrum. When you know which type of grow light is suitable for your indoor garden, providing the perfect atmosphere becomes easy.
Also, understanding color temperature can help you pick out the best lights suitable for your garden. And with the proper knowledge, it becomes easy to provide the perfect atmosphere for your plants.
