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We grew basil, spinach, and tomato plants indoors to determine the best grow lights for every environment.
Credit: Southern Living/Ann Muder
To help you pick the perfect grow light, we tested a variety of grow lights for four weeks.
However, the bulbs width may require a larger lamp shade.
At 24 watts, the Sansi Indoor LED Grow Light Bulb provides plenty of light without getting warm.
Credit: Amazon
When temperatures dip and you want tooverwinter your plants, this model offers versatility when it comes to placement.
We liked how simple the setup wasjust unbox, clip it on a shelf, and plug it in.
When we tested this grow light, the plant growth results werent as impressive as the Sansi bulb.
The Sansi Grow Light Bulb produced the most noticeable plant growth of all, doubling the size of two plants and tripling the size of one plant versus the control groups.Credit: Southern Living
In the first two weeks, all three control group plants grew more than the grow light group.
This grow light performed better thanthe Leoter lightwith noticeable differences between the control and test groups.
The setup was very minimal, and we appreciated the magnetic cord that rotates easily during installation.
We enjoyed the simple instructions for mounting the light and using the timer.
We liked using this option so much that we will continue to use it going forward.
We appreciated that once its on, it stays on, so it doesnt require resetting.
The grow lights were placed in rooms with little to no natural sunlight to accurately assess their results.
We also assessed the practicality and efficiency of each grow light when used at home.
We looked at factors like ease of use and setup, quality of instructions, and overall size.
Second, be sure that the outer seedlings are covered by the light source as well as the center.
Invest in a light that is large enough to cover the entire tray of seedlings.
And third, buy a simple timer.
This will alleviate the dual problems of too much or too little light.
Bulb key in
There are really three types of bulb: LED, fluorescent, and incandescent.
She adds, The most utilized wavelengths during photosynthesis are red and blue light.
Wattage
In general, the higher-wattage lights are more intense and better for growing in larger areas.
Most experts recommend somewhere between 32 and 40 watts per square foot for the best growth.
But dont be alarmed if PPFD is not listed; not all models have them on labels.
We appreciated its dimming features and portable design thanks to the built-in stand.
Caley Sturgillis a gardening, landscaping, architecture, and interior design writer.
Credit: Amazon
Based on our testing, we think the Leoter Grow Light can add an extra boost of light for plants near low-light windows or during darker months of the year.Credit: Southern Living
Credit: Amazon
The seedlings grown under the Soltech Solutions LED Grow Light sprouted several days before those in natural light and looked healthier overall.Credit: Southern Living
Credit: Amazon
In testing, our tomatoes and spinach plants both grew noticeably larger under the iGrowtek Grow Light, but the basil plants grew to the same size as the control group.Credit: Southern Living
We grew one of each plant variety under the grow lights, then grew one of each variety in natural light by a window to serve as our control group.Credit:Southern Living
Some grow lights, such as the Leoter Grow Light, offer different light modes designed to maximize growth.Credit:Southern Living
