To create conditions for plants that allow them to develop properly, it is necessary to install proper lighting. LED lighting lamps are the most effective option, providing flowers or vegetables with the required spectrum and being an excellent alternative to natural light.

All plants, including indoor plants, vary in their shade tolerance. Many are able to adapt to conditions, for example, to an excess of light or a lack of it. But for some species, ensuring optimal lighting conditions is a vital necessity.

Lack of light

For light-loving species, the optimal length of daylight hours is from 13 to 15 hours. If there is not enough light for plants, their natural development slows down.

What this can lead to:

• thinning of the trunk;
• increasing the distance between leaves;
• deterioration of color brightness, loss of variegated texture;

• tilting the plant towards the light source;

• insufficient foliage size;
• lethargy, yellowing and falling leaves, especially the lower ones;
• lack of flowering or wilting of buds;

• cessation of growth;
• damage to a weakened flower by pests;
• in the most severe cases - to the death of the plant.

Excess lighting

An excess of light also leads to disturbances in the development of flowers. They experience severe stress despite adequate watering.

Plants become lethargic, they can get light burn, yellowness appears on the edges of the foliage, affecting individual areas or the entire leaf. Blackening of the leaves is often observed.

The plant begins to deviate from the light source. The lifespan of a flower is significantly reduced. If excessive light is not adjusted, the crop may dry out.

Rules for lighting devices for plants

Plants need to be provided with:

• correct thermal conditions;
• sufficient daylight hours;
• required spectrum of light.

Flowers can be compensated for the lack of sunlight they receive by using artificial lighting.

Different types of plants require different levels of light. For most flowers, 2000...5000 lux is enough for normal development. But exotic representatives of the flora need to be provided with from 10 to 50 thousand lux.

Approximate standards of required illumination for various types of indoor flowers are presented in the photo.

Particular attention must be paid to creating the right conditions for the development of light-loving flowers:

• lighting intensity within 140...220 W/m2;
• spectral saturation consisting of red and blue colors.

The most important for the life of plants are red rays with a wavelength of 600...720 nm and orange (595...620 nm). They are necessary for the flower to receive energy for photosynthesis.

Blue, having a wavelength of 380...490 nm, is involved in protein formation and regulation of development speed. Ultraviolet rays help synthesize vitamins and prevent stems from stretching. Yellow and green do not play a special role.

Light sources should be placed above the plants. This way you can avoid their bending. It is also important to maintain a distance from the lamp to the flower so as not to cause burns or excessive stretching of the stems.

Types of light sources for growing plants

To create artificial lighting with your own hands, you can use several types of sources. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Incandescent lamps

One of the advantages of this type of lamps is their availability. But there are much more minuses than pluses. The sources generate heat, which leads to the danger of burning the plant.

Lamps are fragile, not very durable and quickly fail due to surges in electrical energy. But the most important thing is that their emission spectrum is too red-shifted.

Gas discharge sources

To illuminate plants, as a rule, the following are used:

1. Luminescent sources

They are characterized by a color temperature in the range of 3000...6500 K, efficiency - from 35 to 80 lm/W. Lamps for plants are produced with more powerful radiation in the spectrum of blue and red light, which has a good effect on the photobiological process.

The sources are characterized by low heat transfer and efficiency. But they are chemically dangerous due to mercury vapor.

1. Sodium and mercury lamps

Sodium sources are actively used to illuminate plants in greenhouses. At home, excessive brightness has a bad effect on the human vision. In addition, they get very hot during operation. The light output of the lamps varies from 150 to 200 lm/W.

The range of mercury models is not very suitable for seedlings. And, again, their harmfulness to health makes us think about the advisability of using them. From 2020, lamps containing mercury will be phased out.

LEDs

Recently, this type of light source has been gaining popularity. And this is no coincidence.

The diodes are different:

• Economical. Their electrical energy consumption is several times less than that of the “Ilyich lamp”.
• Durability. The service life of diodes exceeds that of a conventional lamp by 15...50 times.
• Low heat level, preventing you from getting burned when touched.
• Environmentally friendly. LEDs do not contain harmful substances.
• Spectrum, as close to natural as possible.
• Instantly set to full brightness.
• Light output at 100 lm/W.
• Easy to use. Diodes do not require additional devices: reflectors, protective glasses, etc.

One of the disadvantages is the presence of low quality lamps on the market.

Important! You should purchase products from trusted manufacturers. These include: Russian Optogan, Optron, Artleds, as well as well-known factories Philips Lumileds, Edison, Toshiba, Agilent Technologies and some others.

Also, many are put off by the high price of light sources. But such products, due to their characteristics, pay for themselves quite quickly. To get a better idea, consider the emission spectra of different types of lamps.

The spectrum of incandescent lamps is continuous, like the sun, but there is little blue component in it. Fluorescent sources have a poor spectrum consisting of several peaks. In this regard, diode lighting is much closer to natural lighting obtained from an incandescent lamp.

After the advent of LEDs, white crystals began to be used to illuminate plants. But this type of backlighting is not entirely effective, since a fairly large share of the electricity is spent in the green and yellow range, which is a waste of resources.

The spectrum of LED sources becomes ideal for indoor plants after combining blue and red colors. To create optimal conditions, it is recommended to use red and blue diodes in a 2:1 ratio.

Recently, light sources began to be coated with a layer of phosphor, transmitting only blue and red rays. To the eye, such radiation appears purple.

PhytoLEDs

Developments in this direction continue. One of the latest inventions was the appearance of phyto-LEDs.

Bridgelux diodes are characterized by:

• resource: 50 thousand hours;
• rated power: 1 W;
• voltage: 3…3.4 V;
• Beam dispersion direction: 120 degrees.

Their difference from ordinary crystals is that they do not use several chips with different emission spectra - blue or red. In this case, a wide spectrum is collected in one chip, where red and blue rays predominate.

What is noteworthy about phytoLEDs:

• Covering the wavelength range from 400 to 840 nm.
• Maximum approximation of radiation intensity to the characteristics of sunlight.
• There is no need to use different LEDs for the lighting device. The phytochip is assembled on the basis of a single crystal.
• The use of phyto-LEDs allows for the full development of plants during all periods: growth, flowering and fruiting.
• Phytodiodes work more efficiently than systems assembled from different chips.

Calculation of the required level of illumination

Properly selected LED lighting for plants will allow pets to develop normally and delight their owners with their beautiful appearance.

When making calculations it is necessary to take into account:

• type of indoor flower;
• distance from the lamp to it;
• the area to be illuminated.

Important! When placing the light source above the plants, there is no loss of light flux. So, when the lamps are at a height of 0.3 m, approximately 30% of the flux will be lost.

Illumination refers to the amount of luminous flux (in lumens) falling per square meter of base.

For example, you need to calculate the required number of lamps to illuminate a shelf with flowers 1 m long and 30 cm wide. The structure area will be 0.3 m2. To create an illumination of 5 thousand lux, you will need light sources with a luminous flux of 1500 lm. Considering the 30 percent loss, it is necessary to create a flow reserve. Thus, the required amount of luminous flux will increase to 1950 lm.

The luminous efficiency of various light sources is known. Knowing them, it is not too difficult to calculate the lamp power required to organize the lighting.

• Standard incandescent lamps. They have a light output of about 12 - 13 lm/W. The power that the light sources should have is determined: 1950 divided by 12, it turns out 162.5 W. To provide the required illumination, you will need 3 lamps of 60 W each.
• Luminescent sources. The lamps have a light output of 65…70 lm/W. Accordingly, the power of the lamps should be 30 W. To illuminate plants, you can limit yourself to two 15 W lamps.
• LEDs. Their light output is approximately 100 lm/W. Such light sources should provide a power of 19.5 W. You can take 3 lamps of 7 W each.

But it should be taken into account that the calculations were made when installing lighting at a height of 30 cm above the flowers. If the distance is greater, losses will increase significantly.

Lighting device

More information can be obtained from the video in this article.

The simplest option for making backlighting is installing LED strips. Their markings usually indicate the luminous flux of a meter of the light source. It depends on the number of LEDs per meter of length and their type.

The easiest way is to buy ready-made phytotape, consisting of red and blue chips. Depending on your purposes, you can purchase a light source with a ratio of red and blue crystals of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1.

A good option would be to use only one tape, such as RGB.

True, to control its operation you will need not only a power supply, but also a controller. This will increase the overall cost of the fixture.

You can also assemble a light source for flowers from two ribbons, with blue and red crystals. This will help save money, but you will have to tinker with a soldering iron, creating a design with the required crystal multiplicity. There is no reason to purchase tapes with a protective silicone coating for use at home. In addition, it reduces the luminous flux.

Brief instructions for assembling lighting from red and blue LED strips (to illuminate the shelf option discussed above with an area of ​​30 x 100 cm):

• To ensure the required 2:1 ratio, you need to take, for example, two 5050 meter tapes with 60 red chips and one model 3528 blue. You will get 120 red crystals and 60 blue ones.

Important! The markings 3528 and 5050 indicate the size of the LED in mm, therefore they have dimensions of 3.5 x 2.8 mm and 5 x 5 mm respectively.

• LED strips must be cut according to the appropriate marks.

• After this, you need to connect the structure to the power supply.

Connection to the power supply is made in accordance with the diagram:

Work should be carried out carefully and in compliance with polarity.

• If the tape has an adhesive backing, this simplifies the process. All you need to do is degrease the base on which it will be mounted, remove the protective film and glue the structure. If there is no adhesive layer, you will have to use glue, for example, “Moment”.

For the base of the lamp, you can use, for example, a sheet of plastic. All that remains is to plug the resulting device into an outlet.

It must be taken into account that the backlight made from red and blue crystals leads to visual fatigue, so you should limit the presence of people in the lighting area.

LED lighting for plants allows you to create optimal conditions for the growth and development of indoor flowers and allow you to enjoy their healthy and attractive appearance all year round.

Houseplants do not always have enough light at home. Without this, their development will be slow or incorrect. To avoid this, you can install LEDs for plants. It is this lamp that can provide the required spectrum of color. widely used for lighting greenhouses, conservatories, indoor gardens and aquariums. They replace sunlight well, do not require large expenditures and have a long service life.

Plant photosynthesis is a process that occurs with sufficient light. The following factors also contribute to the correctness: ambient temperature, humidity, light spectrum, length of day and night, carbon sufficiency.

Determining the sufficiency of light

If you decide to install lamps for plants, then you need to do it as correctly as possible. To do this, you need to decide which plants lack the ray, and which will be superfluous. If you are designing lighting in a greenhouse, then you need to provide zones with different spectrums. Next you need to determine the number of LEDs themselves. Professionals do this with a special device - a lux meter. You can also make the calculation yourself. But you will have to dig a little and design the desired model.

If the project is being done for a greenhouse, there is one universal rule for all types of light sources. When the height of the suspension increases, the illumination decreases.

LEDs

The spectrum of color radiation is of great importance. The optimal solution would be red and blue LEDs for plants in a two to one ratio. How many watts the device will have doesn't really matter.

But more often they use one-watt ones. If you need to install diodes yourself, it is better to purchase ready-made tapes. You can secure them with glue, buttons or screws. It all depends on the holes provided. There are a lot of manufacturers of such products; it is better to choose a well-known, rather than a faceless seller who cannot give a guarantee for his product.

Light wavelength

The spectrum of natural sunlight contains both blue and red colors. They allow plants to develop mass, grow and bear fruit. When irradiated only with a blue spectrum with a wavelength of 450 nm, the representative of the flora will be stunted. Such a plant cannot boast of a large green mass. It will also bear fruit poorly. When absorbing the red range with a wavelength of 620 nm, it will develop roots, bloom well and bear fruit.

Pros of LEDs

When a plant is illuminated, it goes all the way: from sprout to fruit. At the same time, during this time, only flowering will occur when the luminescent device is operating. LEDs for plants do not heat up, so there is no need to frequently ventilate the room. In addition, there is no possibility of thermal overheating of flora representatives.

Such lamps are irreplaceable for growing seedlings. The directionality of the radiation spectrum helps the shoots to grow stronger in a short time. Low energy consumption is also a plus. LEDs are second only to But they are ten times more economical LEDs for plants last up to 10 years. - from 3 to 5 years. Having installed such lamps, you will not have to worry about replacing them for a long time. Such lamps do not contain harmful substances. Despite this, their use in greenhouses is very preferable. The market today presents a large number of different designs of such lamps: they can be hung, mounted on a wall or ceiling.

Minuses

To increase the radiation intensity, LEDs are assembled into a large structure. This is a disadvantage only for small rooms. In large greenhouses this is not significant. The disadvantage can be considered the high cost compared to analogues - fluorescent lamps. The difference can reach eightfold. But diodes will pay for themselves after several years of service. They can significantly save energy. A decrease in glow is observed after the warranty period expires. With a large greenhouse area, more lighting points are needed compared to other types of lamps.

Radiator for lamp

It is necessary that heat is removed from the device. This would be better done by a radiator made of aluminum profile or steel sheet. The use of a U-shaped finished profile will require less labor. Calculating the radiator area is easy. It must be at least 20 cm 2 per 1 Watt. After all the materials have been selected, you can assemble everything into one chain. It is better to alternate LEDs for plant growth by color. This will ensure uniform lighting.

PhytoLED

The latest development, such as phyto-LED, can replace conventional analogues that glow in only one color. The new device combines the necessary spectrum of LEDs for plants in one chip. It is needed for all stages of growth. The simplest phytolamp usually consists of a block with LEDs and a fan. The latter, in turn, can be adjusted in height.

Fluorescent lamps

Fluorescent lamps have long remained at the peak of popularity in household gardens and vegetable gardens. But such lamps for plants do not fit the color spectrum. They are increasingly being replaced by phyto-LED or special-purpose fluorescent lamps.

Sodium

A light as strong in saturation as that of a sodium apparatus is not suitable for placement in an apartment. Its use is advisable in large greenhouses, gardens and greenhouses where plants are illuminated. The disadvantage of such lamps is their low performance. They convert two-thirds of the energy into heat and only a small part is used for light radiation. In addition, the red spectrum of such a lamp is more intense than the blue one.

We make the device ourselves

The easiest way to make a lamp for plants is to use a strip with LEDs on it. We need it in the red and blue spectra. They will connect to the power supply. The latter can be purchased in the same place as tapes - at a hardware store. You also need a fastening - a panel the size of the lighting area.

Manufacturing should begin by cleaning the panel. Next, you can glue the diode tape. To do this, remove the protective film and stick the sticky side to the panel. If you have to cut the tape, then its pieces can be joined using a soldering iron.

LEDs for plants do not require additional ventilation. But if the room itself is poorly ventilated, then it is advisable to install the tape on a metal profile (for example, made of aluminum). Lighting modes for flowers in a room can be as follows:

• for those growing far from the window, in a shaded place, 1000-3000 lux will be enough;
• for plants that need diffused light, the value will be up to 4000 lux;
• representatives of the flora that need direct lighting - up to 6000 lux;
• for tropical and those that bear fruit - up to 12,000 lux.

If you want to see indoor plants in a healthy and beautiful form, you must carefully satisfy their need for lighting. So, we have found out the advantages and disadvantages for plants, as well as the spectrum of their rays.

In addition to water and fertilizers, plants need light to develop. But when growing indoors, especially in winter, the lighting is insufficient. Therefore, they need additional light. Phytolamps are used for this.

Plants require light of a certain spectrum to grow and function. Depending on which parts need to be developed, the spectral composition may change.

Signs of lack of light in a plant

Effect of radiation on growth

Incandescent lamps are least suitable for plants. The spectrum of these lamps contains a lot of yellow light, which, like green, is poorly absorbed by plants. In addition, these lamps produce a lot of heat, which can burn the tops of flowers or seedlings.

Red light has a positive effect on the development of sprouts, flowering and ovary formation. Purple and blue - promotes the development of the root system.

Variations in the light spectrum depending on the type of glow

Phytolamps use both colors. Depending on the tasks that the owner faces during different periods of plant growth, the required color ratio may vary.

Spectra of light and its characteristics

Ordinary sunlight has a continuous spectrum. In contrast, white emitted by fluorescent and LED lamps consists of a mixture of different colors. They affect the plant in different ways:

• red – accelerates the development of sprouts from seeds, the formation of flowers and ovaries;
• orange – promotes fruit development;
• yellow and green - almost affect growth;
• purple and blue – stimulate the development of the root system and accelerate the onset of flowering;
• Ultraviolet light in small quantities prevents excessive growth, but in large doses causes burns.

Features of lamps for illuminating seedlings

At certain periods of development, seedlings require illumination of different spectral compositions. Phytolamps are made from LEDs of various colors, usually red and blue or special, two-color or multi-color, with white and ultraviolet LEDs are used.

Such lamps require a driver that allows you to adjust the color ratio and overall brightness of the light.

DIY LED phytolamp

Ready-made lamps and phytolamps are quite expensive. Their use is economically justified for commercial use. It is more profitable for your home to make a phyto-lamp with your own hands.

Made from the following elements:

• LEDs;
• base or radiator for their installation;
• driver for phytolamp or power supplies with dimmers;
• flexible copper connecting wires.

LED selection

LEDs in phytolamp

For a phytolamp, you can use four types of light sources:

• LEDs specially designed for the production of phytolamps. They are easy to install and have the ability to adjust the spectrum and radiation strength.
• Bright LEDs of the required colors, designed for installation on a radiator. You can use low-power diodes, but you will need a lot of them, which will increase the complexity of installation and the complexity of the design.
• LED strips of red, with a wavelength of 630 nM, and blue, with a wavelength of 465 nM. This is close to the required 660 and 445.
• with RGB controller. If you do not connect green LEDs, then this is the easiest option to manufacture. The disadvantage is the loss of power and increase in length - in an RGB strip the ratio of red and blue LEDs is 1:1, and in phytolights it is 5:2, 7:3 or, more simply, 2:1.

Calculation of light consumption

When lit with bulbs, plants need different amounts of light. This depends on the species, time of year, location of the window or greenhouse and other factors.

The average power of phytolamps is 40 W/m2 on window sills, 80 W/m2 with completely artificial lighting and 150 W/m2 in growboxes (closed boxes illuminated only by phytolamps). A more precise calculation can be made by consulting with a specialist or finding detailed instructions on specialized websites.

In any case, diode lamps should be located evenly over the entire surface of the beds or window sill. Distance to plants – 25 – 40 cm.

Driver calculation for LEDs

The brightness and ratio of colors in the lighting must be changed at different periods of plant development. Of course, you can choose some average value and use a regular power supply, the voltage and power of which depend on the type of LEDs used.

Driver for LEDs

However, the ability to adjust each color individually has a beneficial effect on plants. To do this, you need a driver with the appropriate capabilities. Instead of a special device, you can use adjustable power supplies, one for each color. The output voltage must correspond to that required to power the LEDs, and the power must be selected 20% more.

Since the ratio of red and blue colors is usually 2:1, the power of the power supplies should differ from each other in the same proportion.

Driver to LED connection diagram

The driver power is selected based on the total power of the LEDs.

The driver or dimmer can be replaced with a power supply. Each group of lamps separately has its own switch.

Frame base for phytolamp

base for phytolamp

An old fluorescent lamp, a plastic box or other available materials can be used as a housing for the phytolamp.

Frame for a phytolamp from an old lamp

Much depends on the installation location of the device - on the windowsill, it is desirable so that the light does not enter the eyes of people in the room and on the street.

When using the radiator, you must avoid touching it.

This is especially important when connecting LEDs to a 220 V network.

The size of the LED lamp should correspond to the size of the bed. For more efficient use of light, it is advisable to provide the ability to adjust the phytolamp in height. You can install it on a bracket, stand, other holder, or hang it on a stand.

Plants under the philolamp

Before installation, the LEDs are checked for functionality. This must be done so that after installation you do not have to look for the reason for the lack of light.

The LED is checked in the same way as a regular diode - with a tester:

• when connecting the tester in one direction, it should show zero resistance, and in the opposite direction - infinite;
• if the diode is multicolor, then this procedure is repeated for each color separately.

Checking LEDs with a tester

You can also test the LEDs for functionality using a constant voltage source, connecting it through an additional resistor. Its value is calculated using Ohm's law or one of the online calculators.

The serviceability of the LED strip is checked by connecting the supply voltage to it.

We attach LEDs to the profile

Bright, high-power LEDs are installed on the radiator. An aluminum plate or corner can be used as it. The mounting method depends on the type:

• with holes for mounting - on the radiator using self-tapping screws or screws with Grover washers and thermal paste;
• without holes - with heat-conducting glue;
• LED strips are glued with an adhesive layer on the back side or with double-sided tape.

Connection diagrams

The installed LEDs are connected in series. Their number depends on the voltage of the power source and the diodes themselves. A current-limiting resistance is installed in parallel with the LEDs. Its value can be calculated using an online calculator.

Groups of several LEDs and a resistor, as well as sections of LED strip, are connected in a parallel circuit.

Soldering

LEDs are connected using soldering. It is produced with a soldering iron with a power of up to 25 W, so as not to overheat the diode.

For soldering, tin-lead solder and rosin or other neutral flux are used.

Important! Acid should not be used. This may cause a short circuit or destroy the wires.

You can use connectors to connect the LED strip.

Proper use of LED lamp

LED lights do not heat up plants, so they can be placed directly above them. The duration of illumination is determined by the time of year and the crop being illuminated. For example, lemons, other citrus fruits and orchids are illuminated from October to March.

The seedlings are illuminated depending on the stage of development - before picking, the ratio of blue to red is 2:1, after picking - 1:1, and the brightness of the light is reduced within 2 - 3 days.

Buy or make it yourself

The need to install a phytolight for people who care for plants indoors is beyond doubt. The only question is whether to buy it or make it yourself.

A homemade lamp has both advantages and disadvantages.

homemade phytolamp

The main advantage is that it is much cheaper than store-bought. You can purchase LEDs and power supplies relatively inexpensively, especially if you order on Taobao or Aliexpress, use improvised materials for the housing and radiators, and the plant owner will assemble the lamp with his own hands.

But in addition to its advantages, such a homemade product has disadvantages, the main one of which is that its spectrum differs from the ideal, especially if assembled from cheap components. In many commercial devices it is much broader and consists not only of visible light, but also includes a small amount of ultraviolet.

Therefore, it is advisable to make a homemade phytolamp at home. With this approach, crop losses will be insignificant.

A purchased lamp will pay for itself only for commercial use and large volumes of production.

LED Grow Light technology is far from new. It is actively used in many countries around the world as the most functional alternative to other sources of light radiation. For example, in Holland, using LED plant lighting lamps, they provide optimal illumination for growing cherry tomatoes, beloved by many of our compatriots, which are in great demand all over the world. The choice of Dutch specialists is not at all surprising.

Buy LED Grow Lights

Firstly, LED lighting for plants is quite cheap, because LED lamps are characterized by minimal energy consumption. This means you can significantly reduce the cost of operating the equipment. Secondly, Led Grow Light and Led Grow Ufo plant lighting lamps are easy to install and have a wide range of settings, which allows them to be used in any conditions. Thirdly, LED-based devices are much safer for human health and the environment compared to outdated HPS lamps, which contain toxic mercury vapor and heat up to several hundred degrees during operation, which can lead to fire.

Plant lamps

LED lamps for growing plants are completely devoid of the above disadvantages. In addition, the service life of LEDs significantly exceeds the service life of electric lamps. Unfortunately, you will not be able to buy LEDs for plants by paying the same amount for them as for equipment of an outdated design, but the fact that the efficiency of LED lamps is 96%, and the same figure for HPS equipment is only 30%, indicates that purchasing phytolamps is much more profitable due to the constant savings in electricity.

LED plant light

First of all, LED plant lamps Led Grow Light are designed to solve the problem of lack of natural solar radiation in greenhouses, conservatories, flower beds, winter gardens, etc. The range of lamp models is unusually extensive. You can buy EasyGrow plant lamps produced by our company. They are characterized by high power and are designed for use in industrial environments. These devices are capable of providing light to large areas, which allows for higher growth rates and crop yields. At the same time, the presented line of products also includes LED lamps for plants, which can be used at home by installing the structure above a windowsill or shelving. Such devices are specially designed for semi-professional or home use, but this does not mean that the products have limited functionality.

Lamp for indoor plants

These plant lamps have a wide power range, so you can choose the optimal lighting mode for any variety of vegetable crops and indoor plants. The technical characteristics of the devices are created taking into account factors associated with the increased absorption by plants of light waves of certain parts of the spectrum (blue and red), stimulating their growth and development. However, it is possible to achieve the greatest results from the influence of a phytolamp on plants only under the conditions of using a multispectrum, due to which maximum absorption of light occurs. Each model of plant lamp that you can buy from us has passed numerous tests. The efficiency and safety of our equipment are confirmed by relevant certificates.

LED grow lights

In addition, LED lamps for plants and lamps for flowers provide a decorative effect, which is important when it comes to decorating a winter garden or greenhouse. Thanks to spectacular lighting, even a modest flower garden placed on a windowsill or terrace will look incredibly stylish and become a real decoration of your home.

You can obtain any information you are interested in about lamps for illuminating plants and flowers, selection, installation and operation of devices from the specialists of the LED Center company (Moscow). You can contact us by phone or e-mail. You can place an order for the purchase of our products via the Internet, delivery of goods is carried out throughout Russia! We recommend that you pay attention to our special offers and promotions, thanks to which you can buy high-quality EasyGrow phytolamps at the lowest possible price.

To ensure that your greenhouse ensures high plant yields and maximizes their fruiting period, install the correct lighting. By purchasing LED lamps for greenhouses, conservatories, grow boxes and winter gardens from LED Center LLC (EasyGrow series), you receive an optimal light source close to natural. After all, such lighting equipment enriches plants thanks to the full spectrum of rays, including red and blue light fluxes, which have a positive effect on the photosynthesis of emerging seedlings.

Thus, by activating the red spectrum, plant lamps EasyGrow 120W, EasyGrow 175W, EasyGrow 220W, Led Grow Ufo and other models in this series contribute to the strengthening and development of the root system, as well as faster flowering and fruiting. The blue spectrum supported by these devices increases plant biomass. This means that there will be practically no ungerminated seeds left in your garden bed!

Lamps for flowers

The presence of light in a greenhouse does not guarantee good seedlings, because plants primarily react to the spectral composition of the light flux. Xlum EasyGrow LED flower lights are designed specifically for greenhouses and grow boxes and provide the same length of blue and red light that seedlings respond to. An important advantage of such lamps is their energy efficiency, because they consume 2-2.5 times less energy than sodium lamps, and produce 2 times more power!

In addition, you will not have to spend money on maintaining such lamps and connecting auxiliary climate control equipment that will “extinguish” excessive heating of the room. After all, LED lamps EasyGrow 120W, EasyGrow 175W, EasyGrow 220W and more powerful devices do not heat the air in the greenhouse. A lamp for plants and flowers produced by LED Center LLC of the Xlum brand, EasyGrow series for plant growing, is more durable than any other known lighting devices, because its service life reaches 50,000 hours, while sodium lamps work about 20 thousand hours, and conventional incandescent lamps - no more than 1000 hours.

LED devices in this series are suitable for lighting large and small greenhouses. However, when installing them, it is worth remembering: the lower the lamp is fixed, the smaller the area it illuminates. The versatility of these devices is explained by the fact that they can be used under any conditions for growing plants and flowers, be it soil, hydroponics or aeroponics. You can buy an LED lamp for plants from LED Center LLC, Xlum brand, EasyGrow series for plant growing, without leaving your home, in our online store. The prices for branded products will pleasantly surprise you.

Summer residents know well how important proper lighting is for their favorite indoor flowers or seedlings, as well as for adult plants in the greenhouse. Lack of light is often detrimental to many crops, although some, of course, can get by with a little sunlight. Most often, crops need additional lighting in winter, when daylight hours are very short. And to improve the conditions of indoor flowers, as well as crops living in year-round greenhouses, you should use phytolamps - LED lamps for plants.

Phytolamps - LED lamps for plants

Before we study the main characteristics of LED phytolamps and learn how to make them, let’s remember our school biology course and talk about why plants need light. Let's conduct a simple experiment - move any flower with green leaves deeper into the apartment (to a place where there is little sunlight) and observe it. After some time, it will be possible to notice that the foliage of the plant began to gradually fall off. Moreover, if our experiment is continued, the representative of the flora will simply die. It is logical to assume that the reason for the deterioration in the appearance of the plant was the lack of light.

The fact is that thanks to light, a certain biochemical process takes place inside plant cells, which also occurs with the participation of carbon dioxide and water - this is photosynthesis, which gives plants the opportunity to form organic substances from inorganic substances. The cells in which it occurs are called chloroplasts, they contain the pigment chlorophyll, which is green - which is why most plants have green leaves.

Thus, sunlight is the energy source that triggers this complex nutritional pattern for green plants.

Note! The process of photosynthesis occurs only during the day; at night, plants do not photosynthesize due to lack of light. By the way, it is during the day that representatives of the flora absorb carbon dioxide and purify the air.

Interestingly, different types of plants have different requirements for the intensity and quality of lighting. And artificial light sources must necessarily imitate real lighting, suitable for specific crops. Usually, with a lack of light, plants wither and stop growing, but there are also those crops that, on the contrary, do not like excess sunlight - give them diffused, unobtrusive light.

All types of crops can be divided into three main groups:

• photophilous;
• shade-tolerant;
• shade-loving.

Most garden and indoor crops are plants that love sufficient light. It is also worth taking into account the fact that any plant organism can partially adapt to changing conditions. However, this ability differs among different species: some get used to a lack or excess of light quickly, others slowly. Due to this, completely different species can often exist in the same conditions. Also in this case, some crops stop blooming or change their appearance somewhat - for example, leaves become thicker or thinner, growth slows down.

Phytolamps for plants “FITOCHROME”

Note! With excessive light, chlorophyll begins to partially collapse, and therefore the leaves of some plant species begin to turn yellow. If the crop is not moved to a place with diffused and less intense light, then its green part will easily get burned.

But it is worth remembering that there are also those species that categorically do not accept changes in environmental parameters. To grow them at home or in the garden, you will have to try and provide them with the right conditions.

Prices for phytolamps

phytolamps

Light spectra and light characteristics

Sunlight is electromagnetic radiation. The main characteristics of this radiation are the dynamics during the day and season, intensity, and spectra included in it. It turns out that there are different spectra of light, and an ordinary light beam consists of several of them at once. Moreover, they (spectra) differ in wavelengths.

Table. The significance of different spectra in the life of plant organisms.

Colors	Wavelength, nm	Importance for plants
Red and orange	720-600 and respectively 620-595	These are the main sources of energy for the process of photosynthesis; due to the intensity of their influence, the growth rate of the crop also changes. Also, an excess of rays of this spectrum will slow down the speed of plant transition to the flowering period. Red rays accelerate the process of sprouting from seeds. The orange part of the spectrum has a beneficial effect on the fruiting process.
Purple and blue	490-380	Such parts of the spectrum take an active part in the process of photosynthesis and affect the rate of growth and development of the crop. Stimulate reactions that lead to the formation of proteins. Due to the rays of this part of the spectrum, the flowering period of wild plants begins earlier in conditions of short daylight hours. Also, blue rays have a positive effect on the formation and growth of the root system, helping to grow a proper crown.
Ultra-violet rays	380-280	Thanks to these parts of the spectrum, plants do not stretch, begin to produce certain types of vitamins, and also become more resistant to temperature changes. But in excess, ultraviolet radiation is very dangerous for plant organisms.
yellow rays	595-565	Almost do not participate in the life of plant organisms.
Green rays	565-490	Similar to yellow rays.

Note! The most important parts of the spectrum for plants are PAR, photosynthetically active radiation, which has wavelengths in the range from 400 to 700 nm.

By the way, the length of daylight hours is also not constant. For example, the longest daylight hours in temperate latitudes lasts 16 hours, and the shortest one lasts only about 8. And that is why it is sometimes necessary to resort to artificial lighting to provide plants with the amount of light they need.

Artificial plant lighting

Plants need artificial lighting so that during short daylight hours their development and growth does not stop, but grows better and is mature enough by the time it is planted in open ground or a greenhouse. Artificial lighting must provide the spectrum and intensity of radiation that crops need in accordance with their natural requirements.

Artificial lighting of plants can be organized using various lighting devices. It was first used in 1868 by botanist Andrei Famintsyn - he illuminated crops using lit kerosene lamps. Nowadays, metal halide, fluorescent, incandescent, and LED lamps are used to illuminate plants. It is the latter that are the optimal solution when choosing options for organizing artificial lighting.

Features of LED phytolamps

A phytolamp made on the basis of LEDs is considered one of the best options for organizing lighting for plants. It is used for productive lighting of seedlings and flowers on window sills, and they can also use a whole system of phytolamps to illuminate huge ones. It is possible to make the backlight as effective as possible using three types of light bulbs: white, red and blue.

LED phytolamps differ from conventional incandescent lamps, first of all, in the quality of the light emitted - it is balanced and selected in such a way that the plants are as comfortable as possible. That is, the radiation of the lamps is exclusively phytoactive.

Note! LED phytolamps shine not with white, but with a violet-pink light that is unpleasant for the human eye. But plants grow much better from this type of lighting and bloom/fruit well. This light provides all their needs.

The main advantages of LED lamps:

• low energy consumption compared to other lighting options;
• long service life;
• ability to work in high humidity conditions;
• illuminating plants only with the rays they need;
• lack of heating of the air and objects around (therefore LED phytolamps can be installed right next to the plants);
• due to the previous point, the soil in which the plants live does not dry out quickly, which means the frequency of watering is reduced;
• safety during operation (impossibility of explosions, absence of ultraviolet radiation, environmental friendliness);
• no flicker;
• the ability to correct the spectrum and adjust the light intensity depending on the life period of the plants.

The only drawback of LED phytolamps is their high price. But if you calculate the costs over a certain period of time, then LED lamps will still turn out to be more profitable than other lighting devices. In addition, you can make a phytolamp yourself.

Making a phytolamp with your own hands

To make a phytolamp yourself, you don’t need much: an aluminum profile, 3 red LEDs. and blue in the amount of 10 pcs. (red 3GR-R (1.9-2.6 V) blue 3GR-B (2.9-3.6 V), threshold for linoleum (for the frame), soldering iron and soldering skills, electric current stabilizer - driver, glue and regular wires.

Step 1. We go to the store and buy everything we need. When purchasing a driver, you should correctly calculate its performance. To do this, we sum up the voltage indicators of all 20 LEDs: 10 blue * 3.6 V and 3 red * 2.2 V. We get the figure 42.6 V. Now we carry out further calculations, taking into account the current strength (for 13 diodes - 350 mA) . Then we multiply 0.35 A by 42.6 V and get 14.91 W. That is, we purchase a driver for 15W/350mA.

Step 2. Using a tester, we check the performance of the diodes. We substitute the red probe to the “plus”, and the black one to the “minus”. The working diode will light up during the test.

Attention! During the test, we also determine the polarity of the diodes - this will be needed to assemble the circuit. We make small notes on the “pros” or “cons”.

Step 3. We mark the threshold: with a pencil we mark the places where the diodes will be located. The approximate pitch is 75 mm, it can be larger or smaller. We attach the diodes to their places using superglue or hot melt glue, taking into account the polarity. In this case, we apply glue only to the edging of the small light bulb. The sequence of attaching the diodes is: S-S-K-S-S-S-K-S-S-S-K-S-S (with K being red and C being blue lamps).

On a note! To better dissipate the heat generated by the diodes, we can drop a little computer thermal paste under each of them (in the center).

Step 4. We connect the diodes with ordinary insulated wires to each other. We glue a piece of tape under the legs of the diodes - this is necessary for insulation from the aluminum threshold. Soldering is done with a 40 W soldering iron. The threshold itself can be mounted on an aluminum profile.

Step 5. We solder the driver to the terminals from the LED system, and attach a regular wire with a plug for the socket to it.

This is the lamp that is obtained as a result of all these manipulations. It shines no worse than from a store, and is much cheaper. You can secure it in any way above the plants.

Video - Homemade phytolamp

Phytolamps from the store

If you have the opportunity to buy a phytolamp in a store and don’t want to tinker with homemade products, then it’s time to go to the gardening supermarket. Nowadays you can find LED lamps of various sizes, wattages and from different manufacturers on sale. These are Philips, Sylvania, Grow Spot, Optima and many others, including the Russian Ecolight, Fitosvet, Optonika. Of course, domestic lamps will cost less than imported ones.

Phytolamp PHILIPS SON-T Green Power 600W 230V E40 – Growpro

When choosing an LED phytolamp, consider the following:

• the lamp should not have radiation in the ultraviolet spectrum;
• the dimensions and power of the lamp must be correlated with the dimensions of the plantings;
• pay attention to the number of LEDs in the lamp.

Large areas are best illuminated with phyto-spotlights, while small phyto-lights will suffice in rooms or on shelves. It is best to mount linear lighting fixtures on window sills.

It is important to know that a 5-15 W lamp will be enough to illuminate just a couple of plants, a 21-27 W lamp is suitable for illuminating an area of ​​up to 0.6 m2, and a 36-45 W lamp is suitable for illuminating an area of ​​up to 0.7 m2. Moreover, if the window where the seedlings are located faces north, then the number of lamps increases by 1.5 times. If there is no daylight at all, the number of lamps is multiplied by 2.