Which lamps are suitable for growing seedlings? What kind of lighting is needed to grow plants? How to Determine Sufficient Lighting Level

Winter is an unfavorable period for indoor plants. Daylight hours are reduced to a minimum, and the weather is not encouraging with sunny days.

Under these conditions, photosynthesis, the basis of the life of a green cell, slows down and our “darlings in pots” barely survive until summer.

About cultivation strong seedlings During this period, you can not dream if you do not take care of artificial lighting of the beds.

We will talk about how to help plants avoid sun starvation, and what innovations in this area modern lighting technology offers in this article.

Which artificial light is better?

It is possible to provide plants with the photon flux necessary for normal development using artificial light sources. At the end of the last century, the answer to the question of which lamp for plants was better was answered simply. There were only two types of lighting devices: incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps. First for indoor greenhouses and growing seedlings are not suitable. Their radiation spectrum is far from solar, and most of the energy (95%) is spent on generating heat.

Fluorescent lamps are more profitable in this regard. They are several times more economical and create a more powerful luminous flux per kilowatt of energy consumed. The spectral composition of their radiation is close to that of the sun. For this reason they are called "lamps" daylight».

Today, choosing a lamp for illuminating seedlings is not easy, since the market has been replenished with new types of lamps. Despite the significant difference in design, all these devices are called phytolamps.

What is the fundamental difference between a phytolamp and traditional sources artificial light? The fact that it generates photons not in a wide, but in a narrow color range, most favorable for photosynthesis.

It has been experimentally established that the blue spectrum of study stimulates the growth of plants, and the red one brings the beginning of their flowering closer and accelerates the ripening of fruits (graph No. 1).

Schedule. No. 1 Two peaks of activity (blue and red) on the spectral characteristics of phytolamps - zones of maximum absorption of light energy by chlorophyll

Phytolamps for seedlings are designed in such a way that they do not create radiation (ultraviolet and infrared) harmful to green cells, but at the same time actively generate photons in the red and blue spectral regions.

Red phytolamps (their glow is visually perceived as pink) are designed to illuminate plants in the flowering and fruiting phase. Blue stimulates the growth of seedlings and the development of their root system. In the design of most phytolamps, blue and red glow are combined, which makes them universal sources of artificial light.

To obtain strong seedlings and successful wintering indoor plants you need to know the rules for using these devices:

• The light should be directed similarly to the sun (from top to bottom).
• The optimal distance from the phytolamp to the plants is 25-40 cm.
• To illuminate 1 m2, the power of the device must be at least 70 W.
• IN winter period The natural length of daylight must be increased by artificial lighting by 4-5 hours.
• For the first 3-4 days after germination, seedlings need round-the-clock lighting. After this, the duration of the backlight for it is reduced (first to 16, and then to 14 hours a day).

Types of phytolamps

As we already said, fluorescent lamps earlier than others, they began to use it for illuminating indoor plants and seedlings. Today, manufacturers have learned to change their luminescence spectrum in the range optimal for photosynthesis.

The positive qualities of these devices are not high price, high light output and energy efficiency. TO weaknesses This may include a low resource (no more than 10,000 hours) and a rapid decrease in luminous intensity as the lamp ages. Considering this, this type lighting fixtures It is most profitable to place it in greenhouses for short-term (3-4 weeks) additional illumination of seedlings located over a large area.

Fluorescent phytolamps generate lilac-pink light. It is harmful to vision and may cause headache. Therefore, in residential areas they should be used with a mirror reflective screen.

Energy-saving phytolamps (housekeepers)

A modern type of fluorescent lamps. They differ from their predecessors in their compact size, long service life (15,000 hours), the presence of a built-in choke and a convenient e27 “bulb” socket.

However, experienced gardeners are not happy with them. They prefer linear fluorescent phytolamps.

They explain their choice by the fact that housekeepers have lower light output due to the tightly twisted glass tube (self-darkening effect).

Sodium phytolamps

Economical, durable, high power and stable luminous flux. The orange-yellow glow they generate is beneficial to plants and does not irritate the eyes. Therefore, this type of lamps can be used not only in greenhouses, but also in apartments. For home use(for additional illumination of seedlings and flowers on the windowsill), one lamp with a power of no more than 100 W is sufficient.

In rooms where there is no sunlight, sodium lamps are used together with fluorescent lamps (LB or LBT brands).

The disadvantages of this type of lamps include the high cost of ballasts. When using sodium lamps, you need to be careful, since their bulbs get very hot (up to +300C) and can explode if water drops hit the surface.

Induction lamps

The principle of operation is similar to luminescent (an electric discharge in a glass tube initiates the glow of the phosphor). They differ significantly in design. The induction lamp has no internal electrodes, which significantly increases its service life (at least 60,000 hours). In terms of a 12-hour operating mode, this is about 20 years.

The brightness of a lamp with an induction coil decreases minimally over time (about 5%). It is not afraid of power surges and does not flicker during operation. The absence of strong heating of the bulb allows you to place induction lamps in close proximity to the plants, increasing the lighting intensity.

Their color rendition is as close as possible to the spectrum of sunlight. Therefore, induction lamps can be used without combining with other sources of phytolight. The main disadvantage of these lamps is high price.

LED phytolamps

When creating phytolights, designers did not ignore LEDs. They have many important advantages. Consuming a minimum of energy, LEDs generate powerful radiation. Its spectral composition is selected quite simply (by installing a certain number of blue and red diodes).

LED lamps for plants differ from other phytolight sources in their long service life (about 50,000 hours) and stable radiation characteristics, which are little dependent on the period and operating conditions. The heating of the LED module is low, which eliminates the risk of burning plants. Compact placement in the same block with the ballast lamp, the use of a standard “bulb” base simplifies and reduces the cost of their use as lighting.

Main characteristics of lamps for plants

On the packaging of phytolamps, manufacturers indicate characteristics, many of which do not contain useful information for the user.

For example, consider the labeling of an induction phytolamp:

• Power 60 W.
• Luminous flux 4800 lm (lumens).
• Energy efficiency 30-40 lm/W.
• Colorful temperature 2000/7000K.
• Color rendering 80 Ra.
• Luminous flux stability 90%.
• Service life 100,000 hours.

Of the seven given characteristics, only one is needed to calculate illumination: luminous flux in lumens. Economic assessment The quality of the device can be determined by power, energy efficiency and service life. Color temperature and color rendering are quantities that do not apply to plants, but characterize the features of visual perception of the human eye.

For those who want to rack their brains by understanding the spectral characteristics of phytolight, manufacturers offer to evaluate another parameter - PAR. This is an indicator of the photosynthetically active radiation of the lamp. It indicates the proportion of radiation optimally absorbed by plants (in the blue and red spectra). We advise you not to complicate your life, but to trust trusted brands and buy their products.

Now let's answer the most important question: how many phytolamps will be required to create illumination sufficient for the normal development of garden seedlings and house plants. Most of our "green friends" require illumination levels of 8,000 lux (lx). Lamps indicate another value - luminous flux in lumens (lm). The relationship between them is simple: illumination is equal to the luminous flux divided by the surface area.

For example, let’s take the same induction phytolamp with a power of 60 Watts. It produces a light output of 4,800 lumens (lm). Let's say that we installed phytolights with a reflector at a height of 30 cm from the seedlings, as recommended by experts in home gardening. 30 centimeters of distance will reduce the power of the luminous flux by 1.3 times and it will be 4800/1.3 = 3,692 lm.

Now let's assume that the area of ​​the box with seedlings is 1 m2. To illuminate such a plantation you need 8,000 lux x 1.0 m2 = 8,000 lumens.

One induction lamp (60 W) with a reflector at a distance of 30 cm from the plants creates a light output of 3,692 lumens. Calculate required amount lighting fixtures are easy: 8,000 / 3,692 = 2.16. Round to the nearest whole number and get 2 lamps.

Manufacturers of phytolamps and lamps are trying to simplify the choice problem for customers. In the characteristics of their products they indicate the recommended lighting area in m2.

Approximate prices for phytolamps and lamps

Average cost (as of 2016) popular among gardeners fluorescent phytolamp Osram Fluora with a power of 36 W is 700-900 rubles. A lamp equipped with such a lamp can be purchased for 4,000-4,500 rubles.

A light-emitting diode lamp (LED) of the same power, designed to illuminate 1 m2, can be purchased for 2000-3300 rubles. Higher price of LED lamp in in this case is not an argument against its purchase, since for equivalent illumination of the same surface (1m2) you will have to buy 4 fluorescent lamps.

Since an LED lamp is more suitable for spot lighting, it is more profitable to buy a linear lighting device for growing seedlings. An example would be a sealed LED lamp Solntsedar-P Fito with a power of 40 W. His approximate price— 6400 rubles. With a length of 1.25 meters, it provides the necessary amount of light for seedlings on an area of ​​1 m2 (in complete darkness).

The average cost of a Reflux sodium phytolamp with a power of 70 W (5,700 lumens) is 1,000-1,200 rubles. For high-quality illumination of 1 m2 of seedlings, you will need two such lamps. Complete with a lamp, you can buy it for 5,000 rubles.

The approximate price of an 80 W induction lamp (6,500 lumens), equipped with a standard base (e27), is 5,300-6,200 rubles. Complete with a lamp, such a lamp can be purchased for 9,000 rubles.

Making a phyto-lamp with your own hands

A home craftsman can make a phytolamp for plants with his own hands. The easiest way to work with LEDs is to select them according to two parameters: color and power.

For assembly the simplest model homemade design You will need elements with a power of 3 Watts in the following proportion:

• blue – 4 pcs (light wavelength 445 nm);
• red – 10 pcs (660 nm);
• white – 1 piece;
• green – 1 pc.

The LEDs are mounted by gluing thermal paste onto an aluminum radiator plate. After installation, they are connected in series with wires using soldering and connected to a ballast (driver) suitable for the current strength.

On back side The radiator is secured with a fan from the computer system unit.

If you supply the plant with everything it needs in a timely manner, it will definitely thank you. The main need of seedlings is optimal lighting, which can be provided using a number of lamps for additional illumination:

• incandescent lamps;
• fluorescent lamps (fluorescent);
• sodium lamps;
• induction technology;
• LED strips and lamps.

Before considering the advantages and disadvantages of each type, it is necessary to understand what kind of light a young seedling needs.

Features of additional lighting for seedlings

Natural sunlight combines waves of different lengths. They are only partially visible to the human eye, but are fully perceived by plants. Spectral colors play their own special role at each stage of the growing season:

1. The red and blue parts of the spectrum promote the production of chlorophyll. This means that seedlings, receiving these waves in the required quantity, develop much faster.
2. The orange part of the spectrum is necessary for development in a closed space and for fruiting.
3. Green and yellow light reflects off leaves but is still needed as part of natural lighting.

The most useful lamps for young seedlings are those that can provide seedlings with red and blue colors of the spectrum. The optimal ratio of red and blue spectra is 3:1 or 2:1.

Are incandescent lamps suitable for seedlings?

It seems that it is enough to hang several incandescent lamps over the boxes with seedlings, and the plants will be happy. However, the lamps we are used to are far from the best option. Consuming electrical energy, such a lamp converts only 5% into light, and the rest turns into heat. Plants do not receive lighting, but heat baths, which best case scenario– dries out the ground part, in the worst case – leaves burns on the leaves.

Advice. Whatever type of lighting you choose, light screens will help you save energy. You can make them yourself by gluing foil or white cardboard to the sides of the seedling container.

Another disadvantage of incandescent lamps is the consumption of a large amount of electricity. And, of course, such lighting is not capable of providing seedlings with the blue and red spectrum.

Features of lighting with fluorescent lamps

Fluorescent lamps are actively used by many plant growers. They are accessible and easy to install. Hanging 2-3 such lamps over the seedlings is not difficult, and they will last a long time. The main advantages of lighting using fluorescent lamps:

• full range of colors;
• low power consumption;
• produces a small amount of heat;
• uniform, diffused light.

Disadvantages of this type of lighting:

• low power. At large quantities seedlings of 1-2 lamps will not be enough;
• insufficient amount of blue and red spectrum;
• When using fluorescent devices with mercury, you need to use them very carefully and dispose of them correctly.

Fluorescent lamps are placed at a height of 15-20 cm from the seedlings.

Advantages of sodium lamps

Sodium lamps are mainly used in farm and industrial greenhouses. Light sources with power from 70 to 100 W. They are also used at home, and one lamp is enough for a window sill up to 1.5 m wide.

Attention! Lamps with sodium lamps cannot be plugged into regular sockets without using special equipment, choke and pulse ignition device.

The advantages of using such lighting are:

• energy saving;
• Possibility of use in residential premises, because the lamp produces a soft, orange light that does not irritate the human eye;
• optimal number of red spectrum waves;
• durability.

Disadvantages of gas discharge lamps:

• the flasks are quite bulky and will not fit everywhere;
• lamps are quite expensive and do not pay for themselves when growing a small number of seedlings;
• do not emit blue spectrum waves;
• the need to use power regulators.

Induction lamps

Induction lamps are a new generation of lamps for greenhouses and for home use. Main advantages:

• high level of light output comparable to LEDs;
• red and blue spectrum of lighting;
• service life – 100,000 hours;
• minimum amount of energy consumed.

The only disadvantage of the application is the high cost of the lamps themselves - from 5-6 to 11-12 thousand rubles.

Leader in popularity – LED strips and lamps

Recently, vegetable growers are increasingly resorting to the use of LED lamps. This technology for illuminating delicate seedlings has the largest number advantages compared to all the above options:

• the ability to vary the required number of red and blue LEDs at different stages of seedling development;
• the low price of LEDs more than pays for itself after the first harvest;
• lamps consume a minimum and release maximum energy. They are very economical;
• small dimensions. Unlike long fluorescent and bulky sodium lamps, LED lamps take up minimal space.
• you can buy a ready-made LED lamp (costs more), or quickly make it yourself using LED strip.

Attention! After the first greenery appears, it is optimal to use more blue. Then turn on the red LEDs (2 red to 1 blue). After the 1st pick, you need to reduce the lighting intensity. Then apply red and blue colors in a 1:1 ratio.

Such lamps are considered innovative, at the same time, they have been repeatedly tested by practitioners and are among the most effective.

Having analyzed all the available information, we can conclude that LED lamps are the leaders in three positions. Firstly, they have the optimal amount of red and blue flowers, which can be changed depending on the growing season. Secondly, LEDs are most convenient to use in houses and apartments where there may be little space. Thirdly, LED lamps are the most economical option.

How to choose a lamp for seedlings - video

To grow seedlings, a sufficient amount of light is required; in conditions of natural deficiency, it should be used artificial lighting. To receive healthy seedlings at any time of the year, learn what equipment is best to choose, what time to turn on additional lighting and how to install lamps for lighting seedlings with your own hands. Only proper lighting is safe and effective for seedlings, and errors in calculations often lead to the death of fragile crops.

Sprouts under artificial light

Why do you need to highlight seedlings?

The happy owner of southern windows and balconies has to worry less about artificial lighting for growing seedlings. The rest should think in advance about how, where and with what devices it is best to illuminate developing plants.

It is quite clear what kind of light seedlings need - the closest to natural light. The sun's rays provide plants with the vital energy they need for photosynthesis. Leaves absorb light radiation and photochemical reactions occur in them, as a result of which minerals organics are synthesized.

Homemade device

In the short-day conditions of the cold period of the year, additional illumination of seedlings is simply necessary. Otherwise good planting material will not work. Lack of light has a depressing effect, the sprouts become weak and frail, and can stretch out greatly in an attempt to get at least a little more sun rays.

If you use additional lighting, the seedlings begin to noticeably grow stronger and form new leaves, their color becomes more saturated.

The Sun sends light energy to Earth, consisting of photons (segments electromagnetic waves different lengths). Visible white light can be broken down into photons different color(electromagnetic spectrum), differing in wavelength (red has the longest, blue and violet have the shortest).

Effective range of photosynthesis

According to research, light waves of red and red have the greatest influence on plant development. blue colors. Rays of the blue part of the spectrum (400-500 nm long) regulate the growth rate and contribute to the formation of thick stems. Red light waves (600-700 nm) ensure productive photosynthesis and intensive leaf growth.

Mini shelving with lighting

When to light seedlings

When placing seedlings on a windowsill, additional lighting is used in the morning and evening periods of the day (a couple of hours before dawn and 1-2 hours after sunset) to increase total time lighting during the short daylight hours of winter. If natural lighting is difficult due to cloudiness, the presence of trees and buildings outside the window, and an unfavorable location, then more artificial lighting is required.

If it is impossible to place containers under the sun, all responsibility for providing light energy falls on electrical devices, which should maintain parameters as close as possible to natural ones.

Do seedlings need light at night? Seedlings need a period of night rest due to physiological processes. Some of the reactions of photosynthesis occur under conditions of light absorption (oxidative processes with the release of oxygen and hydrogen, energy storage), and in the dark, carbohydrate molecules are formed with energy consumption.

Illumination in the evening

Therefore, it is not recommended to illuminate seedlings around the clock. It is even dangerous for the health of plants; their leaves may become covered brown spots.

Although some experimenters conduct experiments on round-the-clock illumination of their seedlings and claim that the plants develop faster and become stronger.

How much light do seedlings need?

Developing plants need regular lighting. Seedlings should be provided with sufficient light for about 8-12 hours (more for some crops). The length of time the plants are illuminated depends on how much sunlight they receive.

For plants, not only the length of the period during which they receive light energy is important, but also its volume. The luminous flux should be required power, and illumination (the amount of luminous flux per unit area) is not less than 6000 lux (optimally 8000 lux).

The level of illumination that is comfortable for plants is regulated by bringing artificial sources closer or moving away; some lamps also allow you to change the emission power.

Nursery on the window

To calculate the illumination level of seedlings and determine the required number of lamps, pay attention to their power (watts) - for a lighting area of ​​1 square. m requires 100-150 watts (when using energy saving lamps) for a room and 35-50 watts for a windowsill.

The light source should emit in the range of 300-800 nm, with red and blue rays predominant. In order for artificial lighting to have the most effective effect on the development of crops, it should be taken into account that in each period of development, seedlings need rays different spectrum.

For a seed that does not yet have chlorophyll, the presence of light radiation in the red spectrum is important, which stimulates germination, and in green seedlings it affects the intensity of development.

Blue light prevents plants from stretching excessively, promotes cell division and the formation of strong planting material with good immunity. At the very beginning, the rays of the blue spectrum should predominate, then the ratio of red and blue is 2 to 1 (3 to 1), and after picking, an equal number of them is required.

Combined backlight with rays from the red and blue ranges

Choosing lamps for illuminating seedlings at home

The product range of lamps and fixtures is quite diverse in type, purpose and price. There is always the opportunity to choose a device that is suitable for specific needs and financial capabilities or to buy what is needed for self-production. You should familiarize yourself with the parameters and advantages of various lamps and make right choice.

LED lamps - cost-effectiveness and efficiency

LED illumination of seedlings is considered the best alternative to artificial lighting for plants. Modern LEDs cover the entire visible range of light. Therefore, making combinations of different colors, available artificial lighting with any necessary spectral composition.

Before choosing LED lamps for seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with their main technical characteristics. Compared to other sources, they combine a number of advantages:

• compact size;
• low level electricity consumption (1 W/hour per 1 diode);
• The efficiency of photosynthetically active (assimilated by plants) radiation is 99%;
• high light output (about 100 lm/hour);
• long service life (100,000 hours);
• resistance to external factors (mechanical stress, temperature changes, humidity);
• safety to use.

Plants under LED lighting

Not all LED lights are suitable for growing plants. As LED backlight models marked led grow are suitable, emitting light in a spectrum favorable for plants.

You can make LED strip lighting yourself. First you need to calculate the required luminous flux. To do this, you will need to know the area of ​​crops, the height of the suspension and the power of the belt. The LED strip has an adhesive base, so it is easy to fix it at the required height.

Sodium lamps for seedlings

So-called agricultural sodium lamps high pressure(NLVD) are traditionally used in domestic practice as available source artificial lighting. Compared to LED lights, they are less efficient and economical, but are quite suitable at home for lighting small areas of crops.

The performance parameters of sodium lamps are as follows:

• The efficiency of assimilated radiation is 26-30%;
• light output – up to 150 lm/W;
• operating life – up to 24,000 hours;
• electricity consumption – more than 70 W/hour per 1 lamp.

NLVDs are an order of magnitude cheaper than LED ones. The main disadvantage of sodium lamps for seedlings is the very small (~8%) radiation in the blue region of the spectrum, which is partially compensated by introducing special additives into the lamp.

Sodium lamps and the spectral composition of the light they emit

Fluorescent lamps for growing plants

Fluorescent lamps are also used to illuminate plants, but it is advisable to use them only on small area. Regular models Such lamps are ineffective from the point of view of growing plants. A fluorescent lamp for seedlings must have a two-component phosphor coating with maximum radiation in the blue and red regions.

Their technical parameters are as follows:

• The efficiency of assimilated radiation is 20-22%;
• light output – up to 80 lm/W;
• operating life – up to 15,000 hours;
• electricity consumption is about 20-60 W/hour per 1 lamp.

Planting under fluorescent lighting

Fluorescent lamps are characterized by low power and insufficient radiation in the red region of the spectrum. Therefore, they are used only at the stage of growing seedlings.

Phytolamps are the ideal choice

Phytolamps are lamps specially designed for illuminating plants with a specified spectral composition of radiation. In small doses they also emit ultraviolet light (to provide resistance to low temperatures) and infrared light (metabolism stimulant). LED lamps are the best phytolamps for seedlings, due to their technical parameters. Luminescent ones are inferior to them in terms of efficiency and quality of emitted light.

Illumination with photo lamps

Phytolamps are very convenient to use at home. The design of phytolights for seedlings allows you to adjust the angle and brightness level of the lighting at any time. They are attached to the ceiling or other surfaces using special clamps.

Phytolight for home

DIY lighting installation

It is not difficult to fix the lamps yourself, especially if it is a special phytolamp. It is important to correctly calculate the distance from additional lighting to the seedlings and take care of the brackets.

Homemade adjustable bracket for illuminating seedlings

Important rules for installing lighting fixtures

When planning to install lighting for seedlings on the windowsill, you should be guided by the following considerations:

• first of all, ensure safe operation (prevent the possibility of moisture getting on the devices and tipping over);
• It is best to place the lamps from above, in this case the lighting reaches the plants as much as possible;
• use reflectors (made of white fabric or foil) to direct the light flux to the desired location.

Homemade rack from PVC pipes with backlight

When illuminating seedlings in an apartment without a natural source, a good solution would be to build a special rack (it takes up little space and can be disassembled after use), and place lamps above the shelves. In this case, additional illumination needs to take the longest time, so the possibility of overheating of the devices should be excluded.

At what distance from the seedlings should lighting lamps be placed?

It is important to choose the optimal location of the lamps; if they are too close, the plants may get burned. Greater distances significantly reduce illumination and energy is wasted inefficiently.

Typically, the height at which the lamps are located is within 10-40 cm from the seedlings. At the shortest distance, the illumination is placed when the crops are pecking. You should check by turning on the light and placing your palm at what distance the heat will not be felt. It is desirable to be able to adjust the height as the seedlings grow.

The distance depends on the type of lamp and the age of the seedlings

Seedling lamps can be screwed into a regular table lamp or securely fasten it together with the cartridge on a self-made stand (using bolts, self-tapping screws or special glue). It could be rectangular suspended panel or other stable structure.

To install lighting for seedlings, it is very convenient to use brackets (special support parts for vertical fastening). They can be firmly screwed into in the right place where they will support shelves or lamps.

Homemade lamp from LED strip

How to make an LED lamp + video

You can make a simple lamp yourself as follows:

1. Prepare materials and tools - a backlight lamp with a socket and power cord, a construction beacon made of galvanized steel (has a stiffening rib and perforation holes), bolts and nuts, pliers.
2. To make a stable support, bend the lighthouse into a rectangular frame that matches the size of the window sill.
3. In the middle, install a vertical stand in the form of a frame of two parts - lower vertical stands and an upper U-shaped curved part. The rack supports allow you to adjust the height of the structure by extending it desired length and fixation with bolts.
4. Strengthen the rigidity of the fastening by screwing the jibs through the holes in the beacon on both sides.
5. Attach the lamp socket to the top of the frame using bolts; if required, you can attach several lamps.

Video: DIY lamp for seedlings

Additional lighting To grow strong seedlings with your own hands, it is simply necessary and there are many options for every taste and income that can easily be done at home. You can make the most of available materials or purchase everything in a set; the main thing is to correctly and effectively illuminate young plants, guided by the positive experience already gained.

Many indoor plants can be called martyrs, because they have to exist not only in a limited space, but also with a constant lack of light. This is especially true for seedlings, the growth of which occurs at that time of year when the length of daylight hours is practically minimal and is just beginning to increase.

Plants need sunlight for the vital process of photosynthesis, which results in the production of starch, sugars and other substances necessary for development. If there is little light, then the plant develops sluggishly, and also becomes noticeably susceptible to diseases and pest damage. This cannot suit the gardener, whose goal is to obtain strong and viable seedlings capable of producing a good harvest.

In order not to end up with elongated pale sprouts at planting time, it is important to think about organizing a lighting system even before sowing the seeds. Fortunately, today's technologies and a variety of lamps for illuminating seedlings make it possible to implement this idea in several ways.

Features of seedling lighting

Solar natural light, the most familiar to all life on the planet, combines light waves of different lengths. Some of the spectrum is visible to the human eye, some is not, but all this diversity is important for plants, and waves of different lengths play different roles in different periods of the life of seedlings.

• The blue and red parts of the spectrum help the active production of chlorophyll, and the plant, receiving such light, develops faster, which is important for seedlings.
• The orange part of the spectrum is also necessary for growth in room conditions, and also promotes fruiting.
• Green, like yellow light, is reflected from foliage and may not greatly affect its growth, but as part of natural light it is necessary.
• Ultraviolet radiation, which is part of the invisible part of the spectrum, helps fight pathogenic bacteria, fungi and other plant diseases, but in large quantities, ultraviolet radiation can do more harm than good.
• Infrared radiation is well received by seedlings, helps their growth and the formation of lush greenery, but it gives more heat rather than light, so it is not always beneficial.

Which lamps are best for seedlings?

Artificial lighting provided by lamps cannot exactly copy sunlight, but it is quite capable of providing the proper conditions for the rapid growth of any type of seedling.

Moreover, thanks to lamps for illuminating seedlings, it became possible to make the growing season of many plants year-round, obtain multiple harvests and grow plants where previously this was simply impossible, for example, in polar night conditions or in rooms without windows.

However, not all artificial light sources can provide such an effect.

For example, the most common incandescent lamps so far are unsuitable for the reason that only 5% of the energy consumed becomes light in such lamps, while the rest is converted into heat. Plants under such a lamp are not illuminated, but are heated, which leads to thin, elongated sprouts that run the risk of getting burned.

Specialized lamps for illuminating seedlings must provide their wards with a certain spectrum of radiation, allowing the plants to quickly begin to grow and not in the most comfortable conditions reach a size sufficient for planting in the ground. In addition, these light sources are more economical and produce less heat.

Sodium lamps for illuminating seedlings

There are several varieties of such lamps. The most popular ones are those produced by the Russian company Reflax.

These gas-discharge lamps produce warm orange light that is not irritating to the human eye, so they can be used not only in greenhouses, but also in residential premises. In addition to Reflux, there are other reliable manufacturers, for example, General Electric, the equally famous OSRAM or Philips. The main consumer of these agricultural lamps for seedlings is large and small greenhouse farms. But for home use there are samples with a power of up to 100 W.

Reflax lamps of the DNaZ brand are equipped with a factory mirror reflector and can be considered the best option among analogues. The reflector enhances the light output and directs all the light to the plants. And for high-quality illumination of one and a half meters of window sill, one gas-discharge light source with a power of 70 W is enough.

Sodium agrolamps for seedlings DNaT do not have a mirror reflector, so 70 W lamps will have to be placed one per meter.

But it is better to combine DRiZ brand sources with DnaZ and DnaT lamps. This will make it possible to obtain the most natural spectrum of lighting.

Advantages of domestic sodium lamps Reflux:

• Highest efficiency lighting system;
• Long service life;
• Economical.

Flaws:

• High price of light sources;
• Large sizes of the lamps themselves;
• Lack of waves in the blue part of the spectrum;
• The need to equip the system with a control device.

Today you can find quite a few varieties of special fluorescent lamps for illuminating seedlings:

• The most famous are the “Fluora” phytolamps produced by Osram. To illuminate a shelf with seedlings per meter, one or two lamps with a power of 18 W are enough.
• Russian phytolamps labeled LFU-30 have a power of 30 W and can be used one per meter.
• Enrich phytolamps with a mirror reflector and a power of 60 W almost do not irritate the eyes, but they emit a lot of heat and are short-lived.
• Phytolamps for supplementary illumination of seedlings from Paulmann of various powers, from 40 to 100 W, almost do not heat up and have a long service life.

Advantages of phytolamps:

• Economical;
• Small sizes;
• Durability;
• Safety.

The disadvantage of the Flora lamp for seedlings from Osram and other representatives of similar light sources is that they all have lilac-pink radiation that is unnatural for the human eye. Therefore, it is better to use them only if there is a screen or reflector separating the room from the location of the seedlings.

Household white fluorescent lamps can also be used for illumination, however:

• They are not overly powerful;
• In lighting there are not enough waves of the red part of the spectrum.

To get a sufficient flow of light, the distance from the lamp to the tray with seedlings should be from 15 to 35 cm, and two lamps with a power of at least 40 W will have to be placed per meter of the window sill.

LED lamps for growing seedlings

For plants, this option is probably one of the best. Using a combination of LEDs that produce white, red or blue light, you can achieve maximum efficiency backlighting.

At the same time, LED lamps for growing seedlings have high efficiency, are durable, and the spectrum of the entire system can be quite easily adjusted, taking into account that the needs of seedlings change significantly as they grow.

• Before picking seedlings, the light emitted by blue and red LEDs installed in a ratio of two to one is better perceived. Abundant blue here activates the growth of the root system, but slightly slows down the elongation of the above-ground part. The stem is strong with frequent internodes.
• After picking, it is better to reduce the light intensity for several days to ensure a rest period after a stressful transplant. Next, the seedlings need to be illuminated with blue and red LED lamps in a ratio of 1 to 1.

The only disadvantage of LED lamps is the high cost of ready-made systems, which, when growing seedlings for personal needs, will pay for themselves no sooner than in a couple of seasons.

Induction technology

When wondering which lamps are best for seedlings, you can consider an option that has appeared quite recently - induction lamps.

Lamp Features:

• High efficiency and cost-effectiveness;
• Universal spectrum;
• The lamp temperature does not exceed 75 degrees.

Unfortunately, none of the sources of artificial lighting can completely replace the sun, however, phytolamps for supplementary illumination of seedlings actually shorten the growth period of plants for planting in the ground. Their quality improves, and the proportion of rejected sprouts decreases sharply.

Placing lamps for plants

To increase the efficiency of lighting, it is important to take into account the placement of lamps:

• The higher the temperature of the operating lamp, the higher it should be placed above the trays.
• At different stages of growth, plants require different light levels. For example, after sowing, trays should be illuminated around the clock; in some cases, the color of the LEDs also changes.
• For greatest effect Lamps with different characteristics should be combined.

Reflectors, reflectors and light screens, which you can make yourself, will allow you to save energy.

How to choose the right lamp for seedlings - video tutorial

Video: how to choose a lamp for plants - part 2

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