If you’ve already stepped foot into the wonderful world of LED grow lights, you’ll likely have noticed that there are a lot of abbreviations used. These can be complicated to understand at first, but are useful to have an awareness of. Before getting a plant or starting seeds, determine the quality and hours of natural light in your space. Then choose plants with light requirements that match your indoor environment. Ceramic discharge metal halide are a more advanced version of regular metal halide lighting systems. They deliver great results when growing plants at any stage - vegging AND flowering. That's because they have much richer, full spectrum outputs than HPS fixtures. This sun-like full spectrum delivers rapid plant growth. CDMs are not as efficient as LEDs; they output more heat, which can make them a great option in winter, when your indoor garden temperatures start to drop. Fluorescent lights Surface sow and cover with lime-free grit. Best sown in summer as needs warm stratification for 4 weeks, followed by a period of cold moist stratification. Germination may take up to one year at 15–20°c Sow in autumn, lightly covering seeds. Require a period of cold moist stratification. Germination up to one year at 10–16°c

An 18-inch, full spectrum high output 6400K T5 fluorescent lamp (3,730 lumens) and strip reflector mounts to the dome top, and the six-foot power cord has an in-line on/off switch. Features

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Made in Vermont, this unit is a reliable choice for larger scale indoor plant production – without taking up all of your counter space.

Sow in spring or autumn, lightly covering seeds. Can be direct sown into prepared soil. Germination in 30 days at 15–20°c Compared with other grow lights, this model is very energy efficient. The improved high PAR and lumen output will help maximise your harvest, while each LED has a zener to protect it. If one LED goes out, the others will still work. It consumes just 240W so doesn’t cost a lot to run. Sow in autumn, lightly covering seeds. Require a period of cold, moist stratification. Germination in 30–90 days at 18–21°c Sow 2mm deep in late spring. Do not overwater as seeds are susceptible to damping off. Germination within 90 days at 20°c Seedlings that take on a bleached appearance or become stunted after growing under lights. Similarly, yellow-green foliage on plants nearest the tubes can indicate the light intensity is too high for the plant in that position. The intensity of light can be lowered by:Surface sow as seed need light to germinate. Require a period of cold moist stratification. Germination in 90 days at 15–18°c Sow in spring, soaking seeds in warm water for 12 hours before sowing shallowly. Germination in up to 90 days at 13–18°c

With a wide illumination area, this grow light is perfect for those with a lot of plants or seedlings to nourish. The flexible branches rotate 360°, and it’s easy to adjust the distance and angle. Nevertheless, if you want to make sure that your plant is channelling all of its energy into a certain process – for example growth, or flowering – you may wish to “artificially” influence this yourself. This is where different colours and light settings come in. Different Light Settings

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As you look for the right grow lights for your needs and space, keep in mind to always look for the greenest lighting options possible. Even slight efficiencies like placing your lights near sunny windows or finding lights with timers can really add up over the years. You can feel good knowing you’re practicing green habits like gardening while reducing your carbon footprint overall.

These are the most commonly found abbreviations, along with what they mean and why they’re relevant. LED vs. HID The lights and all-inclusive kits are easy to use, but there’s a huge variety of lamps to choose from.Built using a dual optic lens, this grow light has a fantastic light output. It has a reliable hanging design and a core coverage area of 91 x 91cm. The maximum coverage area is an impressive 121 x 121cm. Weighing just 3.4kgs, it’s very easy to install and hang up. This abbreviation comes up a lot when looking at grow lights and it may be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the term. PAR stands for ‘photosynthetically active radiation’; in simple terms this refers to the amount of light that is available to be used for photosynthesis. Different grow lights will produce different levels of PAR. Also, just because the light produces PAR, it doesn’t mean that all of the PAR is produces will be available to the plant. That’s where PPF comes in. PPF