What lamp should I use to illuminate the seedlings, what is phytolight and how to use diodes? Phytolamps (phytolights) - lamps for plants and illumination of seedlings.

Seedlings of any plants require additional lighting. Lamps that emit ultraviolet light help out. They come in induction, halogen, sodium, and LED. In shape they are pipes, ribbons, spotlights. Read how to choose the right backlight.

Rules for choosing a lamp with ultraviolet radiation

Natural sunlight is important for plant growth and development. Without it, future seedlings become pale, lethargic, susceptible to illnesses and pests. To get strong, healthy seedlings, you need to make up for the lighting deficiency in time by choosing the appropriate lamp. Their range is large, and before buying a suitable device, it is worth considering:

needs of young shoots;
ergonomics of the lamp at home;
savings opportunity and energy efficiency.

Supplemental lighting is very important for seedlings and young plants

It is impossible to completely replace the sun with artificial lighting. The gardener’s task in this case is to select a color spectrum as close as possible to natural radiation. In nature, the following sequence of colors is distinguished:

infrared, invisible to humans - has bactericidal properties, promotes the development of lush green mass;
red – optimizes chlorophyll production, stimulates germination, flowering, foliage development;
orange – accelerates the process of fruit ripening;
yellow and green - important as components of lighting, reflected from foliage;
blue and dark blue - affect photosynthesis, root development, thanks to them the shoots do not stretch;
ultraviolet, invisible to the human eye, helps fight diseases and promotes the development of the above-ground part of seedlings.

Each of visible to humans flowers correspond to their own temperature, which increases in ascending order. Minimum – for red, 1500 K, maximum – for violet, 8000 K. For good development seedlings need light with a temperature of 1500 and 6000-7000 K. Red and blue-blue correspond to these indicators. In the first few weeks, more blue is needed for reliable rooting of sprouts; after transplanting, an equal amount of both colors is required.

Attention! It is definitely not recommended to use traditional incandescent lamps for seedlings - those that are most often used for home lighting. 95% of the energy in them is transformed into heat, which can lead to overheating of the sprouts, their clarification, and also the occurrence of burns.

Characteristics of halogen, fluorescent and induction lamps

It is believed that halogen lamps are not the best option for illuminating seedlings. They are brighter than incandescent lamps, but they heat up less. Over time, their level of dedication decreases. At the same time, the use of halogen lamps is justified in cases where it is necessary to add red color - its temperature here is 3000 K, i.e. twice as much as usual.

Fluorescent lamps are more suitable for lighting seedlings. They are economical because they consume little electricity, do not heat the air and provide a lot of light. However, their spectrum contains virtually no red light. Therefore, their use is especially undesirable when germinating tomatoes, cucumbers and citrus fruits.

Fluorescent lamps

At the same time, fluorescent light sources contain a lot of blue and violet rays, which are useful for the development of roots. Another advantage is that you can choose a light bulb with any spectrum: warm, cold or daylight. Each of them has its own characteristics:

Warm – good during the flowering period.
Cold – necessary during the vegetative growth phase.
Daytime - used at any time, sometimes throughout the entire seedling growing cycle.

Advice. To illuminate seedlings, there are special phytoluminescent lamps, which differ long term service and efficiency. However, they emit an unnatural lilac pink color, therefore, using them in a living room - for example, on a windowsill - is undesirable.

Induction lamps also consume little energy, allowing you to save on electricity. At the same time, they have a fairly high light output. The most advanced are bispectral lamps that emit both red and blue colors. These lamps do not flicker and distribute light evenly.

Pros and cons of sodium lamps for seedlings

Very often, such lighting devices are used in greenhouses. They emit red-orange light, which has a beneficial effect on mature plants in the flowering and fruiting stages. Sodium lamps do not irritate the eyes, so they can be used at home. But for this you should choose a lamp with a power of up to 100 W.

Sodium lamp

Additional benefits of sodium lamps:

economical energy consumption;
efficiency of use both in greenhouses and on small areas with seedlings;
long life time.

Disadvantages include:

relative bulkiness;
absence of blue color in the spectrum;
complex connection;
necessity additional use regulating device.

Advice. You can increase the energy efficiency of a sodium lamp by using a capacitor when connecting.

Description of LED lamps for plants

Today this type of lighting is perhaps the most common. To the human eye, such radiation appears gloomy, but for plants its red-blue spectrum is optimal. LED LED lamps They are more expensive than others, but they have a number of advantages:

Economical.
Durability. Service life – up to 50 thousand hours.
Easy to repair - an LED that has become unusable can be replaced.
Quick turn on and flicker-free light.
Low heat – plants do not get burned.
Possibility of installing LEDs of different spectrum and power. This allows you to select the radiation required by seedlings in a specific period as correctly as possible. For example, if you need to add blue or red.
Small dimensions.

LED lamp

It is worth giving preference to a specific model, taking into account where the lighting will be located, for which crop seedlings and at what distance from the tops of the sprouts. Depending on the type of racks and the number of seedlings, you can choose a lamp of any shape. In stores you will find the following varieties:

Pipe. Often used on a windowsill or in long narrow rows.
Tablet (another name is phytopanel). Looks like a big square. Used by professional agronomists to illuminate seedlings on wide shelves.
Single lamp. Most suitable option for additional lighting of a small number of sprouts at home.
Spotlight. Cover a wider area compared to single lamps. At the same time, they work effectively at a great distance from the seedlings.
Ribbon. It can be assembled in any order. Typically used for self-made DIY lighting.

Phytopanel

The hotter the lamp gets, the higher it should be placed above the containers with seedlings. You can find out the temperature of the operating device from the description of its technical characteristics.
At different stages of development, plants need different lighting. For example, immediately after sowing, future seedlings need to be illuminated all day long. During this period, the blue-blue spectrum is useful. Next you need to add red.
Don't forget about individual approach for each crop - take into account the shade tolerance of the plants. The average length of daylight hours for vegetable sprouts is 12-13 hours. At the same time, tomatoes require 14-16 hours, cucumbers - 13-15 hours, white cabbage– 16 hours, peppers – 9-10 hours.
Reflectors and light screens, as well as reflectors, help to illuminate effectively and at the same time save energy. You can make them yourself. The easiest way is to put a kind of shield on the windowsill white– for example, from matte cardboard. You can cover it with foil - everyone probably knows its reflective ability.

Monitor the behavior of plants in order to adjust the position of the lamp in time

Also pay attention to how the sprouts develop under the influence of additional artificial lighting, and make adjustments in time:

the appearance of burns on the leaves is a sign of a low-lying phytolamp. Hang it higher;
pale leaves, overly elongated stems are signals of a diametrically opposite problem: the lamp hangs too high/far. Lower it to allow the seedlings to gain strength;
the stems are pulled to the side, become crooked, deformed - they overdid it with side lighting. Place the light source at the top.

Regardless of which lamp you decide to choose, it is important to use it correctly. Only in this case will it be possible to improve the quality of seedlings and reduce the number of weak plants.

How to choose a lamp for plants: video

Lamp for additional illumination of plants: photo

In winter, the home garden needs more than ever sunlight. Daylight hours are becoming significantly shorter, and plants are not getting enough solar energy. They begin to wither, turn yellow, about to bloom in winter time out of the question. But the situation can be corrected thanks to artificial lighting. Flower growers resort to lighting - the only solution to the problem. So, in winter you can achieve rapid growth of domestic plants, and even fruiting of some crops.

Saxifraga

Aspidistra

Light-loving crops are another matter. They do not develop well without sufficient lighting. Some species, often tropical ones, need bright sunlight. For some - absent-minded. Winter is a real disaster for such plants. If there is not enough light, you can forget about flowering and lush greenery. Therefore, the grower needs to install additional lighting. Light-loving plants include:

These are just the most common indoor plants that love bright light. When purchasing a particular flower, always inquire about its light needs. This is very important, otherwise the plant may die if there is too little or too much light. Do not forget that only thanks to sunlight, a plant can, in principle, live and develop.

In fact, even shade-tolerant crops need indirect light. In winter it will never be superfluous. The main thing is to choose the right phytolamp and install it in the right place.

The answer to this question would seem unequivocal – sunny. But it is not so. The plant world perceives sunlight in a completely different way, not in the same way as humans do.

Flowers need the red, orange, blue and violet spectrum to develop and grow normally.

As you can see, not all colors from the sun's rays are perceived by plants. Therefore, the backlight will emit exactly these spectra that the plants need.

Thanks to red and orange light, the process of photosynthesis is launched, without which the plant’s existence is impossible. Blue and violet spectra are necessary for growth and its regulation. Experienced gardeners know that for the germination of seeds and the development of young sprouts, red and orange light is needed. For already formed plants - mixed or blue, violet light. Having figured out what kind of light the plants need, you can choose a lamp.

Garden centers or specialty lighting stores will offer a wide range of lamps for plants. An inexperienced gardener may be confused by this choice. First of all, you should understand once and for all that an ordinary Ilyich light bulb is not suitable for illuminating plants. You need to choose either luminescent, or gas-discharge, or LED bulbs:

Fluorescent lamps. This type of lamp is perhaps the most common among gardeners. Fluorescent lamps are inexpensive and provide the necessary light to plants. They serve for quite a long time, they are convenient to place above the home garden. Some types of crops, such as Saintpaulia, bloom under these lamps in winter. The emitted spectrum is red and blue. If you want to choose these lamps, keep in mind that they are not suitable for tall plants (more than 1 meter). There won't be enough of them. The best-selling types of fluorescent lamps for plants are the Osram brand, Fluora.
Gas discharge lamps. In this category of lamps there are three groups - mercury, metal halide and sodium lamps. The best of them are considered to be metal halide backlights. They emit all spectrums of sunlight necessary for plants. Sodium lamps are more suitable for young sprouts as they emit red and orange light. Mercury lamps are not recommended for installation. In general, it is more advisable to install gas-discharge lamps in large rooms - greenhouses, conservatories or large winter gardens. For home use It is better to choose a fluorescent lamp.
LED bulbs. LED lamps are the latest development in the world of lighting devices. These lamps are perfect in every way. They are super economical, emit the entire spectrum of light necessary for plants and have sufficient power. These lamps have one drawback - high cost. Although, by purchasing a set of such lamps, you no longer have to worry about replacing them in the future. The lamps last so long that the savings from such a purchase will be quite noticeable.
Reflectors and reflectors. Along with the main lighting, it is customary to install reflectors. Thus, the emitted light is not scattered, it is reflected from the reflector and spreads to the plants. You don't have to buy reflectors. They can be replaced by white, matte Whatman paper or food foil, its matte side. Often gardeners install such reflectors on window sills; as a result, sunlight is not scattered and plants receive much more light than without a reflector.

If you decide to install a fluorescent lamp, you will also need a reflector. The gardener will achieve an even distribution of light in his home garden.

It is very important not only to choose the right lamp, but also to install it correctly. Many novice flower growers make the same mistake - hanging the lamps too high. More often, lamps should be hung at a distance of 25-30 cm from the topmost leaves. For shade-tolerant plants, lamps are placed at a distance of 40 cm. The lamp should be located strictly above the plant, and not on the side or below.

In addition to the lamps, install reflectors on opposite sides of the flowerpots so that the height of the reflector fully matches the height of the plants and is slightly higher than them.

If the plant is located on a windowsill, place reflectors on all sides, including the space on the side of the room. Mirrors cannot be used as reflectors, as they do not reflect, but absorb light. Therefore, they will be of no use.

Try to follow these simple rules and there will be enough light for plants. The backlight time is also important. You cannot turn on the lamps and leave them for a day. Develop a regime according to the needs of the flowers. Turn on the lamp 2 hours before dawn, then it can be turned on when dusk falls. In total, flowers need 10-12 hours daylight. Add to the main, natural daylight hours the number of hours that together would make the number 12. Usually this is two hours before dawn and two or three after sunset. Thus, the lamp will work for a maximum of 5 hours a day in winter.

More information can be found in the video:

Tips for flower growers:

When installing a lamp, always keep in mind that as the plant grows you will have to lift it lighting fixture higher. Install lamps on special holders whose height can be adjusted.
From experience, gardeners can determine the approximate number of lamps per plant, depending on its type. So, for citrus fruits, philodendrons and monsteras, one fluorescent lamp 60 cm in size + installation of reflectors will be enough. For tall plants, more than one meter in height, you will need two fluorescent lamps, more than 1 meter in size + reflectors.
Do not forget that the distance between the plant and the lamps for tall crops is 40 cm, no less. The distance between the lamps themselves is at least 30 cm.
If you have a large greenhouse, install different types of lamps. This way the plants will certainly receive the required radiation spectrum.
If we are talking about growing vegetables at home, then your arsenal should include sodium lamps and fluorescent lamps. The first are needed to illuminate young shoots, the second - for the growth of mature plants.

There is nothing complicated in installation, the main thing is to take into account all the nuances and follow the advice of experienced flower and vegetable growers. Don't forget about your pets in winter, give them the most important thing for their life and development - light!

For successful growth and flowering, any plant requires the process of photosynthesis, that is, sufficient lighting.

IN winter period backlight required indoor plants through a decrease in sun intensity and short daylight hours.

There are species adapted to exist in a room environment without additional artificial lighting. But there are not so many shade-tolerant flowers.

Standard option, suitable for most indoor plants - west and east facing.

In most cases, such an arrangement, even on a windowsill, does not require shade from direct sunlight, especially at lunchtime, and at the same time sufficient lighting during the winter dormant period. But some flowers bloom under New Year without having a pronounced rest period.

It is for this reason that people buy such varieties, perhaps to fill the gaps in the winter, when everything around is gray and there is snow everywhere.

With insufficient lighting, your pets lose color, become dull, stretch out, and there is no flowering.

For successful flowering of certain varieties, it is necessary during the dormant period to be kept at low temperatures, but with plenty of light.

Often the lack of lighting does not depend on the intensity, but the mandatory presence of 10-12 hours of daylight per day.

For artificial illumination of plants, lamps of various designs are installed. We will discuss this in detail in this article.

How to determine sufficient lighting level?

The amount of luminous flux and illumination is measured by special devices in the units of “lumens” (Lm) and “luxes” (Lx), this is something similar to the power of a light bulb, measured in watts. That is, the light source (lamp brightness) is measured in “lumens”, and the intensity of the illuminated surface (in our case, plants) in “lux”.

The more watts, the more lumens and the more intense the lamp shines. Most people confuse these two values and cannot figure it out when purchasing a product.

There are standards for one type or another, but practically no one owns or purchases this device. There is a way out, the plant itself will tell you whether it needs natural daylight, or should you install artificial light?

Required amount of light:

1000-3000 lux - shade-tolerant plants, as a rule, with a pronounced state of dormancy in winter.
Up to 5000 Lux - enough natural light. Feature - the pot is placed on the windowsill to obtain greater light intensity.
5000-1000 and above - indoor flowers require additional artificial lighting.

There is an automatic timer with a light indicator, capable of automatically turning on the light with the required intensity and also turning it off under certain lighting conditions (manually adjusted). This will significantly save you on energy costs and eliminate additional worries.

All plants can be divided into groups based on their appearance and natural habitat.

Variegated species are always demanding on the intensity of sunlight and tolerate direct sunlight well.

Monochromatic species with wide leaf blades are less demanding and can grow in semi-shade. The darker the leaf color, the less light it will need for successful growth. The shoots are noticeably longer and thicker from light-loving plants.

Insufficient lighting will immediately affect the appearance. The leaves turn pale, change color, and become dull. Variegated species immediately change color, the shoots stretch out, bend, and new leaves appear small. Sometimes the flower partially or completely sheds its foliage; the lower tier turns yellow with satisfactory watering.

In all plants, growth noticeably slows down, sometimes stopping altogether.

The distance between summer and winter nodes differs significantly.

Before purchasing, you always need to know whether the plant prefers sun or tolerates partial shade, whether you can provide enough light at home, based on your specific region.

In our encyclopedia of houseplants, on every page there is a brief description of with the column - lighting. By choosing any plant in alphabetical order, you will always and quickly find the information you need.

The need for lighting in winter

For the middle and southern strip of the former SND, some plants can grow without installing artificial fluorescent lamps under certain conditions.

Placement relative to poles. Sometimes in winter it is enough to move the pot to the south side.
Flowering and dormant period. The pronounced dormant period is from November to March. At this time, the flower does not need intense light, since growth slows down and the natural period of the day is sufficient. And, conversely, for indoor pets that bloom in winter, the period of vegetation and active growth begins; in most cases, the installation of lamps is mandatory. For example, an orchid growing on a windowsill in a warm winter climate with an east-south exposure will bloom on its own.
Transitional species. For example, Saintpaulia does not require mandatory lighting, provided that the flowering intensity is average.
Most variegated species need an increase in the portion of light, including ficus benjamina, aglaonema, and arrowroot.

Choosing lamps for plant lighting

There are two types of lamps: incandescent and gas-discharge (fluorescent).

We can immediately say that the second type is more economical in terms of electricity consumption, which is very important for large premises throughout the night.

Incandescent lamps operate from a regular network without additional equipment; gas-discharge lamps require a device to turn on. Among the second group, there are modern fluorescent lamps that allow you to use current directly from the network, but the price is several times higher than the same lamps. Let's look at it in more detail.

What is spectrum and how important is it?

Spectrum - the ability to emit a certain range of light waves. Unlike the human eye, plants do not absorb all rays, but only with a certain frequency of waves, blue and red.

Orange-red light is used to germinate seeds and serves as a catalyst for shoot growth.

Blue-violet promotes leaf development.

Photosynthesis requires a range with red waves. Under the influence, chlorophyll is produced, which promotes the metabolism of green mass.

The absence of blue color leads to elongation of shoots and scarcity of leaves.

By choosing lamps with a certain spectrum, you can significantly speed up the growth and flowering of your pets.

Sometimes several types of lamps are combined together to create a full spectrum.

Incandescent lamps

This type has a tungsten spiral inside, placed in a vacuum and when current flows through it, it glows. These are ordinary lamps that everyone has in their home.

Such lamps are divided into several types: halogen and neodymium.

Halogen - inside, along with the piercing spiral, there is gas to increase service life and brightness.
Neodymium - the surface of the bulb is made of special glass capable of retaining part of the spectrum. Yellow and green light is absorbed, thereby increasing brightness. The glass contains neodymium. But in fact, the number of lumens (light output) has not increased.

There are a number of disadvantages that make incandescent lamps not suitable as additional lighting for plants.

Incomplete spectrum, lack of blue and other colors.
Compared to the power consumption, the light output is low, that is, the efficiency is very low (65 Lm/100 W).
Due to strong heating, do not place it near flowers, otherwise burns will occur.
Uneven lighting compared to linear gas-discharge lamps; you will need several pieces, which means additional power.
The service life is not long.

In floriculture, splitting lamps are used for heating mini greenhouses and greenhouses, or together with fluorescent lamps, in the spectrum of which there is very little red color. They serve as a complement to the entire spectrum.

Fluorescent lamps

Lamp of this type may differ in shape, power, spectrum.

Criterias of choice :

Efficiency is the amount of light output per power consumed.
Full spectrum is extremely important for plants. Determined by the color rendering index Ra. The fullness of the spectrum significantly affects the growth of the flower. For plants, Ra must be at least 80 units.
Flow stability.
Lamp reliability and long service life.

The shape of the lamp is also important. For several pots at the same time, linear lamps are suitable. For a small area, spiral or arched shapes are used.

Lamps with a three-band phosphor (the inner part of the walls are covered with 3 layers) have the highest light output and optimal spectrum.

A conventional fluorescent lamp has a high efficiency (60 Lm/W) and does not heat up, which makes it possible to install directly above the plant.

Usually the lamp is sold complete with a trigger mechanism; in the future, when replacing, only the combustible element is purchased.

There are two types of trigger mechanism: electromagnetic (throttle) and electronic.

The second one is more reliable and works stably, the flickering of the lamp is not visible. The kit includes brightness adjustment.

The light source is placed at a height of 30-50 cm, strictly above the plants.

Fluorescent lamps intended for flowers

There are specially designed lamps with the maximum transmitted spectrum for illuminating indoor plants. But the price can be tens of times higher than usual. The flask is coated with a special coating. Such lamps are produced by OSRAM-Sylvania, Philips, GE.

The benefits are much higher and will pay off over time.

Lamps with built-in balance

There are modern small lamps with a built-in balance.

The price is much cheaper, and in terms of quality and spectrum produced, they are not inferior to righteous foreign manufacturers.

They are produced with a standard base and are suitable for a regular household network, but the spectrum, unlike tubular fluorescent ones, is slightly different; the red and green colors are partially absent.

For several pots, light should be installed at a distance of 30 cm.

There are also modern compact fluorescent lamps, one or two tubular with a plural arrangement, which are distinguished by high luminous efficiency and power compared to their small dimensions, as well as an excellent spectrum.

Now LED lamps have appeared on the market. This is the most ideal option in terms of energy savings, light output (4-6 times higher than fluorescent), durability and heating (LEDs do not heat up). There are LED lamps with different emission spectrums. One drawback - they are still very expensive.

Alternative lamps for plant lighting

As a replacement for fluorescent lamps, an alternative is gas discharge lamps. There are three types: mercury, high pressure sodium and metal halide.

They are often used to illuminate a large number of plants; the minimum power is 300 watts.

Gas discharge lamps have the highest light output with small sizes and are able to cover a large area.
Will dwell in detail on each of the types.

Metal halide. The most suitable of this line with an acceptable spectrum and high light output. The resource is several times higher than the above mentioned lamps.

They are produced by foreign manufacturers Philips (CDM), OSRAM (HCI), but the price is much higher than their competitors.

The domestic product is produced under the DRI brand. The lamp requires a special socket.

Sodium high pressure. Excellent light output per 1 watt, superior to red in the spectrum, promoting the formation of flowers and the development of the root system.

The lamps have a reflector, which further increases the illumination. From domestic producers: "Lighting engineering".

Resource up to 20,000 hours. Used for greenhouses and winter gardens with a power of 300, 500 watts and above.

Disadvantages: There is no blue color in the spectrum; it must be additionally alternated with other types.

Mercury - the main advantage, a large number of of blue color. The oldest and most inefficient gas discharge lamps. Low light transmission. Produced by foreign manufacturers, OSRAM Floraset.

An important drawback: when broken, mercury vapor enters the air.

This is an outdated option for illuminating plants.

Perhaps this is all you need to know about lamps, their design, operating range of the spectrum, to independently produce artificial lighting for your plants.

Be sure to properly alternate day and night for successful growth and flowering of your pets.

Growing seedlings at home is not an easy task. Often, natural daylight and sunlight are not enough for plants to grow fully and normally, especially in winter. The first task that needs to be solved is to take care of additional effective lighting.

What lamps are needed for seedlings?

You can illuminate areas, shelves or window sills on which plants are grown using different types of lamps. Great solution considered a phytolamp or phyto-lamp. Infrared, fluorescent, sodium or LED lamps for seedlings are widely used. These devices, unlike conventional incandescent lamps, do not emit excessive heat and do not damage the stems of plants. They save energy by minimizing costs.

Phytolamps

Such devices have an important advantage - they create radiation that is as close to sunlight as possible. At the same time, they provide a certain duration of daylight hours. This guarantees the maintenance of normal seedling activity in the autumn-winter period. Phytolight emitted by phytolamps restores the natural process of photosynthesis, increases the amount of carbohydrates, oxygen and energy produced. This accelerates nutrition, growth, and supports the development and health of plants.

LED bulbs

Unlike other phytolights, LED lamps for plants have minimal power consumption, providing high intensity artificial light. They can shine in the red and blue radiation spectra, which guarantees the rapid development of plants, do not produce a spectrum not used by seedlings, significantly activating the process of photosynthesis.

LED phytolamps for plants have the following advantages:

Economical. Devices consume at least 8 times less electrical energy than standard seedling lamps.
Durability, high efficiency. With heat dissipation, the lamps can function properly for 50 thousand hours.
Possibility of installing LEDs of different spectrum and power. This guarantees the receipt of lighting that ensures the full and rapid development of seedlings at any time of the year.
Possibility of changing the spectrum. To get blue, green, red or yellow light, which activates growth, nutrition and improves plant synthesis, you simply need to replace the diode in the device with a suitable one.
Minimal heating. This allows you to install seedling lamps above the plants, eliminating the risk of burns to their leaves.

LED lighting devices have one drawback - high cost. But if you wish, you can make them yourself, significantly reducing the cost of purchasing a finished device. Given that self-creation lamps for seedlings need to take into account the level of natural light in the room, the expected intensity of use, the type of plants being grown and a number of other factors.

Luminescent

70% of gardeners prefer to use lighting devices of this type for growing seedlings. The lamps have a tubular shape, create both basic lighting and are used for supplementary lighting, providing diffused, uniform light over the entire surface of the seedling box or cassettes. The ultraviolet light emitted by the devices is absolutely safe for plants; it does not cause burns to the leaves and stems. Fluorescent lamps must be installed at a distance of 15 cm above the seedlings. In this case, their lighting will be absolutely safe.

Fluorescent lamps for plants have the following advantages:

the entire spectrum of colors necessary for the full growth and normal development of plants;
generation of a small amount of heat by radiation;
A cost-effective device designed for different financial capabilities.

Sodium lamps for greenhouses

Lighting for seedlings at home using lamps of this type is no less high quality than lighting with similar devices. Lamps with sodium lamps can be installed on windows, placed above and below seedlings without the threat of leaf burns. The advantages of such devices:

minimal energy consumption;
development of the spectrum of rays necessary for the full development of seedlings;
high radiation power;
creating a warm climate in large and small rooms;
availability of maintenance and repair;
relatively low price;
high power;
ergonomic and practical design.

When buying sodium lamps for seedlings, study them in detail specifications. Pay special attention to the power of the device; it should not exceed 100W, otherwise the seedlings may burn. If the window sills in the house are up to 1.5 meters wide, then to create normal level Only one lamp is enough for artificial lighting.

Illumination of seedlings with energy-saving lamps

The advantage of LED lamps is that the user has the opportunity to choose the required spectrum. There are lamps with a “warm”, “daytime” and “cold” spectrum. The latter is used for additional illumination of plants during germination and vegetative growth. The warm spectrum is indispensable for the flowering phase. The daylight spectrum is used throughout the entire plant cycle.

LED lamps as lighting for seedlings are placed taking into account the following criteria:

if burn marks appear on the leaves, Lightning equipment must be raised, otherwise the seedlings will die;
elongated stems and pale color of leaves indicate that the lighting device is located too far away, in which case it must be lowered;
If the lamp is placed on the side, the seedlings may grow with a twisted stem, so it is best to place the lighting equipment above the plants.

DIY lighting for seedlings

If the budget for organizing lighting for seedlings is limited, it is quite possible to make the necessary lighting devices yourself, affordable and inexpensive ways there are plenty. The main thing is to follow all the instructions from the instructions and take into account the characteristics of the plants. The best option for home use - phytolamps. The materials required for their manufacture are inexpensive, and servicing the equipment does not require excessive time.

How to make a phytolamp

Step-by-step instruction:

drawing up a diagram (a drawing is developed taking into account all technical parameters, each diode must overlap each other, in this case the entire area under the lamp will be illuminated evenly);
Preparation necessary materials(you will need an old lamp body, diodes - 20 white, 30 red, 10 simulating midday light, 20 blue, led drive);
equipment assembly (using hot-melt adhesive, the diodes are attached to an aluminum plate, installed circuit breaker, the device connects to the network).

DIY LED lamp

This type of equipment, which organizes effective lighting for seedlings at home, is manufactured in the following way:

The necessary consumables are pre-prepared:

old energy-saving light bulb;
a piece of one-sided fiberglass;
a set of radio components;
LEDs – red, white and blue;
capacitor, resistance.

The scheme is being prepared:

You need to cut a circle with a diameter of 30 mm from PCB or foil;
draw paths on it using nail polish;
make a copper solvent and place the board there to clean the traces;
Drill small holes in the board and solder all the parts.

Assembling the lamp:

you need to disassemble the old lamp and remove all the insides, with the exception of the wires that come from the base;
Solder the manufactured circuit to the wires coming from the base.

Video: which light is best for seedlings

What lamps should not be used when growing seedlings?

they greatly heat the air around them, which can damage the sprouts,
dry out the air
low light output - about 10-15 Lm/W,
In the spectrum of incandescent lamps there is no blue color necessary for seedlings.

There are mirror incandescent lamps for plants, for example, OSRAM Concentra Spot Natura. Their glass is made with an admixture of neodymium, which absorbs a certain part of the light spectrum (yellow-green), thereby promoting photosynthesis of illuminated plants. But still, the efficiency of such lamps is less than that of fluorescent and LED lamps. They are more suitable for spot lighting 2-3 plants, for example orchids.

It is strictly forbidden to turn on quartz lamps near plants, including household medical devices “Sun” or lamps used in solariums. One minute is enough for the plants to receive severe burns, and not only the seedlings that were purposefully illuminated will die, but also all the house plants in the same room.

What is the difference between “illuminate” and “add light”?

If you grow seedlings not on a windowsill, but on special racks or in greenhouses, then the plants need to be “lit” and not “added”. This means that the lighting should be turned on from morning to evening, from 7 to 22.

Rice. 1 Mini-greenhouse. Photo Mama Lanya.

Rice. 2 Photos petunja: “I use a fluorescent lamp L-36/b77 OSRAM FLUORA. I turn it on for about 16 hours a day, the distance to the seedlings is about 15 cm. Here you can see the lamps and holes on the side; as the petunias grow, I lift them.”

For seedlings grown on a windowsill, additional lighting is needed during hours when there is no sun.

Rice. 3 Photos cvetiksemicvetik: “In my opinion, the distance from the lamp to the plants turned out to be too large. I read somewhere that it should be 25-30 cm. But rather than tying the rope again, it’s easier to put some boxes under the seedlings.”

What is the difference between ordinary lamps and special phytolamps?

Plants require a broad spectrum of light that contains both red and blue areas. Therefore, lamps for growing plants are produced with a special coating on the bulb. The light output of phytolamps is higher than that of ordinary lamps, however, the price is also higher. On the Leroy Merlin website you can see current prices, for example, for the most popular phytolamps - fluorescent Osram Fluora 60 cm and 120 cm long (shine with pink light).
The red spectrum is necessary for plants to build a powerful root system, for more lush flowering and good fruit formation. Blue - for increasing green mass. Therefore, if your lamp does not have a blue spectrum (for example, an incandescent lamp is used), then the seedlings will drag.

Is it possible to use household lamps instead of biolamps?

Yes, you can. The main thing is that they are not quartz or incandescent lamps, and do not shine with an excessive thermal effect.
Sibmama's experience confirms this:
MIhalich:“On my rack there are “Floras” on two shelves, and on two there are ordinary lanterns. Seedlings with "Floras" are slightly larger than with conventional fluorescent lamps. But everything is growing normally everywhere.”
MNBer: “I didn’t notice a significant difference in the illumination with Flora and a regular lamp. Perhaps this difference is noticeable when professionally growing seedlings and lighting for a certain time. For regular gardeners (for me), regular lamps are fine. I have two sets of backlights. Now (at the beginning of January) there is already one working to illuminate chrysanthemum cuttings in the morning and evening for 1-2 hours. When tomatoes and other annuals grow, they will need more and longer light.”

Rice. 4 Photos MNBer with two types of lamps.

Mama Lanya: “Two lamps together, in parallel - these are hanging on my window. One lamp is “Flora”, the second is Osram 36W/765 (cold white light)... I don’t use “Flora” separately, only paired with a white light bulb. I don’t see much effect from it alone.”

Fluorescent lamps

This is what fluorescent lamps are called. They are suitable for growing seedlings by non-professional vegetable growers.

Advantages:

luminous efficiency is 40-50 Lm/W, that is, the efficiency is quite high,
does not heat up and does not dry out the air near plants,
long service life,
cold light, which is necessary especially at the early stage of growth, so that the seedlings do not stretch.

Flaws:

Lamps with a choke with an unreliable starter flicker and make some noise, and also give several flashes before starting, which reduces the service life of the device, but electronic ballasts can be used instead - electronic ballasts.
Cannot be used at temperatures below +15 +20 degrees. Therefore, when hardening seedlings on the loggia, you need to carefully monitor the air temperature.
There is no red spectrum. In extreme cases, it can be used together with an incandescent lamp, but it is better with a Flora lamp or (which is most economical and good for plants) with warm fluorescent lamps.

It is better to use more powerful lamps - from 18 to 36 W. The longer the length, the more powerful the lamp. As for the type of light - cold or warm, Mama Lanya writes: “I have Osram 18W/765 and 18W/840. These are lamps 60 cm long. If you take a long one (1.2 m), then it will be 36W/765 or 36W/840. 765s - with cool white light, 840s - with warm yellowish light. I read that at the first stage, seedlings need white light (for root growth), and at the second stage they need warm yellow light - for green mass. But I’m not so careful about where I put them, that’s where they grow. I personally (and my seedlings, of course) like the 765s better, perhaps because their light seems brighter.”

Rice. 5 Photos Mama Lanya, Osram 18W/865 60 cm (daylight white light).

Mama Lanya shares his experience of growing seedlings at the first stage in the bathroom: “I really like the following: there are no drafts in the bathroom. It's always humid and warm there. There are no scorching sun rays, no batteries. The light of the lamp does not bother anyone. That is, there are only advantages, and almost no disadvantages (the disadvantages are electricity and cramped spaces). The lamp turns on and off by itself, according to a timer - from 6:30 to 00:00. It hangs about 5-8 cm from the seedlings. If you need to raise some plants (they can also be different heights) - I put all sorts of boxes and bowls. In general, the lamp hangs on a cord, and the height is easy to adjust. Well, now it’s been 2 days since all the seedlings moved to new house(a greenhouse with shelves, located in the room).”

Rice. 6 Photos Mama Lanya.

It is more profitable to use long lamps, 120 cm each, than 60 cm, since they have more power and the total light output. Instead of 4 lamps 60 cm long, 18 W each, it is better to hang 2 long lamps, 120 cm each, with a power of 36 W. The height varies from 15 cm to 50 cm above the tops of the plants, depending on their light-loving nature. And, of course, lamps must be installed along the entire length of the window sill, and not just in the middle.

Rice. 7 Photos Flowerfly: “And for them an electronic ballast control device - 18-40. Set the on and off time, and sleep well.”

Rice. 8 You can use a household temporary relay, I bought it (a long time ago) at Ikea. Photo Nadya.

Calculation of the number of lamps

It is believed that plants need illumination of about 8000 lux. We calculate the area of our window sill (or shelf shelf). For example, it is equal to 30 cm x 150 cm = 4500 sq. cm = 0.45 sq.m.
Now we multiply 8000 lux by the area of the window sill, we find that we need 3600 lumens. Taking into account approximately 30% of losses from hanging the lamp at a certain height above the plants, we find that we need to provide about 4600 Lm. When purchasing, we look at the luminous flux that the lamp gives; this indicator is indicated on the label in lumens. It turns out that with a lamp luminous flux of 2350 lm, we need to buy two lamps 1200 mm long. This is if the lamp is an ordinary fluorescent lamp with a power of 36 W.

Phytolamps have a lower luminous flux, about 1400 lm, so you will need at least three of them. Considering the price of phytolamps, it is not profitable to install them. Calculation of the number of phytolamps from dosya: “I have a fluorescent lamp L-36/77 OSRAM FLUORA. There are two such bulbs in one lamp. And above each shelf there are two lamps. That is, four L-36/77 OSRAM FLUORA light bulbs shine on a shelf measuring 1 meter by 0.8 meters.”

LED bulbs

Among the LED ones there are also those specially adapted for plants, for example, Uniel (18 W) IP40. True, the price for them is higher than for fluorescent phytolamps, about one and a half times.
Conventional LED lamps can also be used for additional lighting. Their luminous flux is decent, reaching 2000-3400 lm. For the size of our window sill 0.45 sq. m will need two LWL-3017 2x14 W lamps, each of them has two LEDs installed. True, they will be expensive.
Summer residents from the Sibmom forums do not actively use LED lighting. Lenochka73 writes: “I saw that LED lamps are used as phyto. But recently I watched a program on the “Udachny” program, there is a section hosted by a woman - I don’t remember her name, but she is very competent, she said that LEDs have a very narrow spectrum, which each plant has its own, and getting into the right range for each plants are very difficult. But in general people use it. A friend of mine grew strawberries from seeds last year under LED lamps.”

Rice. 9 Photos of eustoma from ceilingman: “For additional lighting, I adapted an LED module - a semi-finished product for LED panels, with a power of 25 W. We turn it on at dusk until lights out, and in the morning (whoever got up earlier) until daylight.”

Antalvi I used LED spotlights for a small number of seedlings.

Rice. 10 You can assemble the lighting fixture yourself. Photo Antalvi.

Rice. 11 Photos Antalvi.

Instructions for assembling fluorescent lamps

Valuable information about self-assembly fluorescent lamps shared MNBer: “Girls, I have two lights working: one on the floor, the second on the window. Of the 4 lamps, one is “Flora”. The cost of regular lighting is about 450 rubles. Reflectors - mirrors from a sideboard (you can use any foil material). These are two ordinary warm spectrum lamps (there are also blue cold ones, they are not suitable) 36 W, 120 cm long + choke (Feron EB53 electronic ballast 2x36). This is such a thing with long wires of 1.2 m. There is an Epra, it is cheaper. At the ends of the wires there are socket type, which are very easily connected to the lamps (the pins on the lamps are inserted into the holes on the sockets) + wire with plug + electrical tape. The wire with the plug is twisted and connected to the chokes, insulated with electrical tape and inserted into a regular socket.
I assembled this entire structure myself (and I’m a granny, I’m 60 years old), without the help of men, I don’t involve my son-in-law in gardening chores. If there is a man in the house, it will take him a couple of minutes to build this. The “Flora” lamp seems to be better (but, to be honest, I didn’t notice that the plants are better under “Flora”), but the price of one lamp is more than 300 rubles.”

Rice. 12 Photos MNBer:“That’s all you need for the backlight device.”

Rice. 13 Photos MNBe r: “You can see the difference in the glow here, the pink one is “Flora.”

Rice. 14 Photos MNBer:“The lamps are attached to the tangerine boxes with brackets that come with the throttle kit.”