best grow light for succulents – Know how to use Grow LED
If you are desirous of keeping the air around you clean by doing away with the environmental toxins, turn your attention to succulents. A succulent is essentially a plant that boasts of thick fleshy tissues and is capable of storing water.
Succulents without leaves store water in the stem, while the ones with small leaves store water in the leaves. These plants thrive in dry conditions, which makes them an excellent indoor plant alternative.
To help your succulents grow well it would be useful to turn to artificial lights. Let us now look at some of the best grow light options for your succulent.
Types of Grow Light for Succulents:
Fluorescent grow lights for succulents
Fluorescent grow lights have been around for many years, which is why they have been used extensively around succulents. The blue-white light emitted by the fluorescent bulbs works perfectly well towards helping succulents grow better.
There was a time when plant lovers were skeptical about using these lights because they were not very energy efficient. However, over time, these lights have started going easy on electricity.
Similarly, there was a time when these lights used to get easily heated up. This would, in turn, lead to the plant burning, which is no longer the case. Thus, people have started using fluorescent grow lights for succulents without any worry.
LED grow lights for Succulents
If you are interested in getting yourself a succulent, then you can consider using LED grow lights to help it grow. The best part about these lights is that they emit light, which is narrowly focused. This, in turn, aids the growth of the succulent.
Moreover, LED grow lights produce a mix of blue and red light, which succulents are very friendly with. However, the purplish glow added by these lights is likely to make people staying in the house a little less comfortable. Hence, it would be advisable to confine the succulents to a restricted area, wherein the LED lights can be exclusively focused on the plants without causing any disturbances to others.
Yet another advantage associated with LED grow lights is that they are highly energy-efficient and thus are sure to go easy on your pockets.
However, after comparing between the above alternatives it can be comfortably concluded that LED grow lights are hands down the winner as far as assisting with the growth of succulents is concerned.
Why should you use LED grow light for Succulents?
- To grow comfortably, succulents require a certain wavelength of light. The exact wavelength is what LED grow lights bring to the table. This is one of the primary reasons why succulents thrive when exposed to LED grow lights.
- By using LED grow lights for your succulents, you can free yourself from the worry of burning down your plant. This is because LED grow lights remain cool despite prolonged running.
- LED grow lights are not very expensive. Thus, irrespective of your budget, you can easily afford to buy these lights for your succulent.
- Yet another advantage of LED grow lights is that you do not have to keep replacing them. These lights are capable of running for a longer duration. Moreover, the light output remains consistent irrespective of the newness of the light.
- Above all, succulents feel like they are under their natural habitat when exposed to LED grow lights. This is a result of the blue and red light emitted by the LED grow lights.
LED Grow Lights – Blue & Red Emissions:
By now, it is clear that LED grow lights emit blue and red light, which succulents love taking in.
- Blue: The blue light emitted by LED grow lights assists with chlorophyll formation in succulents. Chlorophyll is of primary importance to aid with the strength and health of the succulent’s roots, stem, and leaves. Similarly, this light helps to keep your succulent compact.
- Red: The red emissions from LED grow lights assist with the blooming and fruit production needs of the succulent. Having said that, do not worry about your succulent blooming at an odd time. This light helps the succulent to bloom when the time is right, say during the spring or summer season.
What happens if you do not use LED grow lights for succulents?
You will not be able to maintain your succulent in its best condition if you decide to avoid using LED grow lights.
In absence of light, your succulents will stretch and grow. However, at times they might stretch beyond the required point. This would, in turn, lead to them finding it difficult to survive.
Likewise, there may be instances in which you might lose some size of your succulent. If this happens, you will again have to put the time into cutting and re-rooting your plants.
Thus, there is no compromising on using LED grow lights.
How to use LED succulent grow light?
Simply investing in LED succulent grow light is not enough. What is equally or more important is to make sure that the lights are placed in such a manner that the very purpose of fixing them is not defeated.
Ideally, LED succulent grow light can be placed at about 14 to 30 inches above the plant. Since LED grow lights put out very little heat, there is no harm in placing the succulents close to the light.
People, who have newly introduced succulents into their lives assume that the longer the succulents are exposed to artificial lights, the faster and better is their chance of growing. However, this is far from true. It is not ideal to keep succulents exposed to LED grow lights 24 hours a day. These plants require at least 6 hours of being in the dark to grow well.
Thus, succulents need to be kept in contact with LED lights for about 14 to 18 hours each day.
To a great extent, the effectiveness of LED grow lights for succulents lies in the fact that these lights are capable of imitating the sun. This is one of the central reasons why succulents are comfortable when in contact with LED grow lights.
Quick tips when buying LED succulent grow light for your plans:
Once you have made up your mind to invest in grow light for succulents to help succulents grow better, there are a few quick tips, which if followed will help make the most of your purchase.
Understand your succulents
Firstly, it is vital to note that every succulent is unique. This is exactly why the light requirements tend to differ from one succulent to another. Thus, you need to study the succulents that you have bought. Every succulent reacts differently to light conditions. It is up to you to make sure that no undue reaction is caused by the succulent.
Know the purpose
Likewise, the surface area where you will be placing the succulents will have an equal say in determining the quantity and coverage area of the LED lights you buy. For instance, if you have plans to plant succulent inside your home, then you will not need multiple LED grow lights. On the other hand, if you plan to plant multiple succulents’ at large greenhouses, you need to make sure that you have sufficiently covered all plants with LED lighting.
In case, you use fewer LEDs, then succulents, which come in direct contact with the light, are definite to grow and thrive. However, those, which are placed far away may not benefit from the LED succulent grow light, and thus fail to grow healthy.
Long Lasting
Yet another crucial parameter that needs consideration while buying LED grow lights is the element of durability. You will be spending your hard-earned money on the purchase of these LED grow lights. Thus, you need to oversee the features of the LED grow light that you will be buying.
Place Emphasis on Quality
If you end up purchasing poor-quality LED grow lights, you may face two issues. Firstly, the light may keep flickering. Secondly, the light might produce a lot of heat. Both situations are likely to act against the interest of your succulents.
Lights, which keep going on and off, will not be able to provide sufficient light to your succulents. Likewise, LED grow lights that tend to get heated up easily will not just get spoilt as a unit, but will also damage your succulent.
On point cooling
To avoid the LED grow light from getting heated beyond control, make sure to invest in one such model, which comes backed with a full-proof cooling system. LED lights usually get heated up on the back. Hence, it is ideal to choose a piece, which comes equipped with a heat sink. The heat sink helps the hot air from moving away, thus preventing damage to both the LED light and the succulent.
Price is Secondary
Avoid basing your decisions solely on the price factor. Do not purchase grow lights purely because they are available at lower prices. Base your purchase on all the above factors, and lastly, look for a competitive price. This would be in the interest of your succulent.
Get ready to grow beautiful succulents with grow light for succulents
If all this while you have been considering getting yourself succulents, purely to add some greenery around your space, then now is the right time to proceed with your decision. You no more have to worry about providing proper succulent grow light.
A glance through the above write-up is enough to guide you with the dos and don’ts that may be relevant for buying a succulent and eventually helping it grow and thrive.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and invite a dash of greenery into your homes and offices with some gorgeous succulent purchases.
