The short answer is: any type of fluorescent light will help any type of plant grow, whether it is cannabis or lettuce or orchids. But it's not quite so simple. While you can use any type of tube or bulb and see results, you want to provide the kind of light your plants want most. That's how you get the best results.

Do fluorescent lights act as grow lights?

About Fluorescent Light and Plants

Whether you use them vs. LEDs depends upon the light requirements indoors that your particular crop or plant needs. Fluorescent lights were once the “go to” source of plant lamps.

What is the difference between a grow light and a fluorescent light?

CFL grow lights differ from regular CFLs in that they come in larger sizes, provide higher wattages, and put out a broad spectrum of light. ... Fluorescent grow light fixtures typically have built-in reflectors and ballast, which give them a thin profile.

Do fluorescent lights hurt plants?

Plants and Fluorescent Light

Plants growing under fluorescent lights can thrive and exhibit good foliage, but blooms may be delayed or never appear at all. Too much fluorescent light will also harm plants -- artificial light should mimic the day and night cycles found in nature.

Can fluorescent lights replace sunlight for plants?

Generally, sunlight is best for plant growth, since artificial lights cannot replicate the specific colors of light (wavelengths) that are optimal for plants. However, artificial lights can work well to supplement sunlight, especially during winter or where sufficient sunlight is unavailable.

How to Grow Plants using CFL and Florescent Lights - Growing Indoors Cheap, Easy and Effective

25 related questions found

How close should fluorescent lights be to plants?

Fluorescent tubes give off little heat, so can be placed as close as four to six inches above seedlings and plants. Incandescent and similar bulbs give off more heat, so need to be kept a foot or more above plants.

Are LED or fluorescent lights better for plants?

The bottom line is that LEDs are better options in the long term than other lighting systems, based on their efficiency and quality. That said, different types of plants, such as small plants, can do very well under a fluorescent light.

Is too much fluorescent light bad for plants?

To put it bluntly, yes, too much light can eventually kill your plant. The light intensity can produces increasingly severe damage to your plant to the point where it dies. It can also dry out the plant to the point where it no longer has the water it needs for growth and photosynthesis.

Will tomatoes grow under fluorescent lights?

Fluorescent lighting allows you to grow tomato plants indoors even when sufficient natural light is unavailable. Although the foliage can touch fluorescent bulbs without scorching, damage can still occur because of coverage and light intensity issues.

Do plants need darkness?

Plants do need that period of darkness for their metabolism to work properly. They are not designed to create food non-stop, and it will do them harm in the long term to put them in this sort of situation. So, yes, plants need their darkness just as much as they need their light.

Will any light work as a grow light?

Although virtually any light will stimulate the growing process, not all artificial lights will provide the best conditions for growth. Some may run too hot, while others lack the spectrum of light for optimal growth. Blue light is likelier to promote plant growth while red light will encourage flowering.

Is fluorescent light enough for succulents?

Both fluorescent and LED grow lights will keep your succulents healthy and happy all winter long. You can also use them to do some propagation over the winter, so you can have more succulents come spring!

Can herbs grow under fluorescent light?

Kitchen gardeners have long grown herbs on window sills, under kitchen fluorescent bulbs and next to indoor orchid lights (see How to grow herbs indoors during winter). ... Standard fluorescent lamps could help plants over winter and even produce some harvests depending on how close and intense the lights were.

Is fluorescent light good for indoor plants?

Fluorescent lights are ideal for plants with low to medium light requirements, like African violets. They are also good for starting vegetables indoors. ... In addition to this, fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lights.

Can you use fluorescent lights to start seeds?

A: Stick with ordinary fluorescent lights. They are readily available, reasonably priced, and work well for seedlings. ... Keep the lights just 2 or 3 inches above the tops of the seedlings, and leave them on for 16 hours each day.

How close should grow lights be to tomato seedlings?

Tomato seedlings need high intensity light. Fluorescent bulbs should be placed very close to the plants, no more than three inches away from the soil surface (before seedlings emerge) or foliage (once seedlings sprout.) Q.

What type of light is best for tomato plants?

For plants that produce fruit, like tomatoes it is best to invest in a Full Spectrum LED panel. Smaller plants such as Lettuce, Basil, and Dill for example are happy to grow under a White LED light that is just one colour temperature. This is normally somewhere between 6000K to 6500K, or a White light.

Should I turn off the grow light at night?

A: In general, you should not leave grow lights on 24/7. Plants need a light-dark cycle to develop properly. It's believed that they truly do “rest” during periods of darkness, and probably use this time to move nutrients into their extremities while taking a break from growing.

Do house lights affect plants?

Yes, bulbs that you have in your house can be used to grow plants. However, regular incandescent bulbs do not provide the range of color spectrum light that plants thrive on. ... LED lights made for indoor plant growing are designed to give off a full range of color in the light which your plant will need in order to grow.

Should I leave my lights on for my plants?

While leaving growing lights on for a single night is unlikely to have long-term effects on your plants, constantly leaving the lights on can stunt their growth, prevent flowering, cause wilting and burn damage, and may kill the plants.

Can you grow lettuce under fluorescent lights?

Caring for Indoor Lettuce

Water lettuce plants at least twice a week. Check the soil daily, it shouldn't dry out completely. ... If you don't have a sunny place to put the lettuce, you can use a few different types of lights, including compact fluorescent lights (15 watts) located above your lettuce.

What type of light is best for growing plants indoors?

Like plants growing outdoors in the sunlight, indoor plants grow best under full-spectrum bulbs, which produce a balance of cool and warm light that replicates the natural solar spectrum. They're excellent for seedlings as well as houseplants, culinary herbs and other plants.

Do grow lights help germination?

If you want to ensure rapid growth of your vegetable seeds indoors, then using grow lights can make all the difference. ... If you have ever grown seeds on a not-so-sunny windowsill or too early in the season, then you have seen how seedlings get tall and spindly and sometimes flop over.

How do you grow basil under a grow light?

Whether being grown indoors or outdoors, basil plants need ample light—at least 6 hours of full sun daily. If you're using fluorescent bulbs, keep your basil under them for 12 hours a day, with the lights about 2 to 4 inches away from the top of the plants.