Growlights for the Greenhouse

You may think that greenhouse lighting sounds like a very odd idea. Isn’t the whole point of greenhouses that they let in plenty of light from the sun? Well, yes, but when the weather is gloomy or winter days are short sometimes the sun just isn’t there as much as your plants would like. Those are the times when extra lighting can really come in handy, keeping your plants happy and healthy no matter what conditions are like outside.



Lighting accessories for greenhouses have improved a great deal over the past few years. No only have they come down in price, but they’ve diversified to meet a wider range of gardening needs. Traditional fluorescent grow lights are still an option, relatively cheap and easy to install.



They’re good if you want to minimize heat output in a small greenhouse where it can be difficult to maintain temperature control. The newest grow lights to the market, the T5 fluorescent lights provide even more light intensity to your plants and use less energy!



Also available are high intensity discharge lights which concentrate their output in those regions of the spectrum which are most useful for photosynthesis. This means that it takes less power and fewer units of lighting to produce a comparable amount of growth.



There are grow lights designed to help your plants with vegetative growth or lights developed to aid with flowering. However, HID lights give off a lot more heat, so you should attach them high up in your greenhouse where they won’t bake your plants.



The advent of more sophisticated greenhouse lighting accessories means that even under the worst conditions, it’s possible to raise plants which look as if they’ve enjoyed full sunlight every day. However, it’s important to remember that, even with these options available; plants still need a distinct day and night cycle.



This is essential to the way they respire and the way they get rid of waste - so don’t be tempted to leave your greenhouse lights on too late into the night. Greenhouse lighting should not try to overcome nature - rather, it should complement it, to make the most of nature’s bounty.



About the Author:
Michelle Torres has nearly 20 years experience using and designing greenhouses and is an avid gardener. You can find additional useful information about greenhouses and greenhouse gardening at http://www.greenhousecatalog.com

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