Do Plants Grow Better Under Natural Sunlight Vs. Indoor Lighting?
Plants can grow just as well indoors as outdoors with the proper lighting – proper means the correct combination of spectral energy, exposure time, and light level (intensity). Plants need light having both red and blue components (green is not so important – plants do not absorb green light – they reflect green which is why leaves and stems are green). Standard incandescent lamps are composed mostly of red light, therefore they are not good for plant growth. There are special fluorescent lamps that emit light with the proper amounts of red and blue energy optimum for plant growth. One of the brands is called “Gro-Lux”. There are others also, but they usually have a similar name that implies they are for plant growth. These lamps usually look violet or purple in color when they are on due to the red/blue combination. As for exposure time, it is not necessary to keep the plants lighted 24/7. 12 – 14 hours should suffice, but it depends on the type of plant. Your own observations will de
