Watch This BEFORE You Buy A Grow Light (Guide For Beginners)

Read more about grow lights:

In this video, we explain grow light basics. You'll learn when a grow light is necessary for growing plants, what to look for when shopping for a new light, and a few of the different form factors available to gardeners.

Whether you need a grow for your houseplants, seedlings, or indoor garden, there's a light for you. We focus primarily on LEDs, but there are other options like HIDs and fluorescent lights. Enjoy!

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RECOMMENDED GROW LIGHTS:

2x4' (74W) LED light (Best for seed starting shelf):

3x3" (100W) LED (Best budget):

3x3' (150W) LED (All-around top pick):

Bendable grow light:

(Affiliate links)

DIY grow shelf video:

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Reputable manufacturers:
• ViparSpectra
• Spider Farmer
• Vivosun
• Mars Hydro
• Migro
• Growealth
• Atreum
• California Lightworks

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Timestamps:
0:00 Do you need a grow light?
2:35 Types of grow lights
3:58 How to choose the right grow light
8:08 How high should I hang my grow light?
9:05 How many watts do I need?
9:54 How long should you run grow lights each day?
10:38 Shopping for grow lights on Amazon

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🌱 USDA Hardiness Zone: 6B

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Thanks for watching Geeky Greenhouse!
#gardening #plants #vegetables

[gregbluefinstudios]

I am a lighting guy from college, and spent quite a good deal of time learning Kelvin and Colour Temp, as well as W=VA. I REALLY like the information you give to your viewers! Well done. The basics, Daylight Colour Temp and Wattage are the two big ones you hit on! AGAIN, well done. Getting as close to the 5500-6500K colour temp that is typical Daylight, is ideal and the units you recommend are PERFECT. I totally agree that if the budget can swing it, moving to LED is the way to go. Over time, you save so much money, in operating costs. Thanks again for a great video.

[nathaniverson]

I have a setup similar to the 4x2 metro rack in the video. I deployed a Spider Farmer SF600 which I use for overwintering peppers on one shelf. I use Valoya 18W LED clone bars for starting seedlings. Both lights work great. The Valoya clone bars are nice since they can be chained together - meaning they only need one wall socket. I use Kasa WiFi smart plugs for on/off automation, they are inexpensive and easier to schedule than mechanical timers.

[WisGuy]

I have had very good success for several years starting seeds using LED shop lights with two LED tubes per fixture that cost about $12 per fixture buying in quantity off of Amazon.

The primary feature that LED shop lights require is the correct color, which should be between 5000 kelvins and 6500 kelvins. While fancy “grow lights“ that cost much more might do a slightly better job for raising plants to maturity indoors, there’s no need to spend that kind of price, 3 to 10 times more than the price of a shop light, just for seed starting.

[kutmulc]

Great video! I just bought that VIPARSPECTRA light (with $20 coupon!) last week, so far so good. The dimmer switch has been a game changer compared to my other lights since I don't have much room to move the lights up and down.

[PoisonBreaker]

My rule of thumb is about 12w-25w per square foot of grow space, so a 100w grow light would hang high enough to cover 4(2ftx2ft)-8(just under 3ftx3ft) sqft area in light for starting plants. different plants and different light will need adjustment for best results but a great starting point to plan with.

[bhumphries]

Wow, what an informative video! Thank you! You got a subscriber in me!

[stevendobson]

I have used inexpensive LED shop lights for years to grow seedlings in the spring as well as herbs and greens in the winter. They have worked extremely well. I have not used full spectrum lights, so I can’t compare them, but these have worked very well and I don’t thinks they should be discounted.

[MeaganW]

What grow bulbs would you recommend? I’m looking to get something to help my large indoor potted plants to grow more!

[cajbor]

Great video but adding some sciencey geek to your garden geekyness. 😉 The P1000 in Viparspectra refers to its maximum PPF (Photosynthetic Photon Flux). To measure light like other plant needs (water/ plant food) PPF is often used (a better of measure photons/light than just how much electricity it uses (watts) . Plants Photosynthesize the sugars they need and require the right amounts and wavelengths(color) of light to do that as much as water and nutrients. Most of the grow lights you featured do also show the PPF Density maps of the lights growing area.

[tvbox]

an you please do a video about growing peppers in a grow tent? Thanks

[midwestribeye]

This was an awesome video for someone who didn't have a clue! That's me!😂

[VeggieSlayer]

Thank you for this very informative video! the past two years I've had so many issues growing my tomatoes outside with the inconsistent seasons in the UK over recent years, it makes it really hard to give my growing veg what they need. I'm thinking about trying to grow my tomatoes indoors this year and looking into an indoor grow light to help aid them, even though I have a good south facing windows, i didnt want to not have any beautiful beef steaks this year!

[ammiedoering]

Where did you get those pulley cords? Or what are they called? I grow, but am technologically challenged 😂. Your channels have given me so much sound advice. I grew peppers for the first time last year. A scorpion plan. I was hooked, they are so knarly and change colors in the coolest way. You and your adorable wife are my go to for advice. Thank you from an old lady in Wisconsin.

[SuperManning]

This was SO helpful ! Thank you very much for the information and just the right amount of detail.

[cjmc]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge I was able to find the correct solution for my needs!

[vaughncb]

Love the video thanks for the information. Have you ever found any grow lights that are better at a distance I’m trying to find one to go under a shelf, but I need to clear at least 2 to 3 feet before the plants.

[mikesmith-wkvy]

all these lights are well over 100$ if you need more than 1 . what about the brands like Barrina and sunco where you get 4-6 2ft bars for 60$ . im going to be starting pepper seeds on about a 4x2.5 table and was thinking that 6 2ft cheaper led bars would be sufficient

[yangyang-]

I think the quantum plate plant lamp is a very good choice

[sirveyer]

What's the difference between the VIPARSPECTRA P1000 and V1000?

[j.thorgard]

Fantastic info. Commenting because a like didn't feel like enough. Thanks for the video.