Succulent Grow Light to Skyrocket Healthy Succulent Growth

Every person who loves planting succulents, even if some succulents tend to be poisonous, at a certain point faces the moment when they start considering purchasing grow lamps to create a better environment for their favorite plants.

There are numerous reasons why you should consider getting one of those grow lights. There can be a lack of sunlight in your place or maybe you have no other option as to place your plants somewhere away from windows. One other reason is the winter period when there is not so much sunlight and your plants may need some help.

Using grow lights, you can significantly change your planting experience. They are easy to use while being efficient. It is a great option if you have many plants and cannot place all of them on your windowsills. 

What Is Succulent Grow Light

Grow light can hardly be considered as something unique or highly technological. Because plants aren’t really picky when it comes to the source of light, you can use any lightning to help your plants grow.

However, when it comes to real grow lights, they are distinguished by the spectrum of light they can emit. When it comes to typical lamps, they can be “soft” and/or “warm.” As for the temperature of light, it is measured in Kelvin and you often can see on a package something like 2700K that indicates the temperature. The point is that warm, yellowish light is softer and weaker in comparison to cold light.

When it comes to growing lights, they tend to be so-called “full-spectrum” lights. In other words, they can emit the full visible spectrum of light that goes from red to violet. Some lamps can even emit some ultraviolet light which is beneficial. Such lights are also known as white, cool, or daylight. When it comes to temperature, they can emit about 3500K-6500K.

So, basically, there is no big difference between grow light and regular lamps but grow lights tend to be more efficient.

Benefits of Succulent Grow Lights

Quicker Harvest Cycle 

Sunlight is one of the main sources of energy for plants. It helps them grow, so if they have a stable light source, they may grow faster. When it comes to the sun, it cannot provide plants with a stable source of light, which means that your plants stop growing at night. Using grow lights, you can make your plants grow constantly.

Healthy Plants 

Regular lights can burn your plants or even dry them up completely if the temperature is not comfortable for them. If there is too much UV light, it may also damage your plants. In such conditions, they need more energy and water not only to grow but to survive as well. Using grow lights, you have an opportunity to choose those that fit your plants’ needs most of all. It will let you protect your plants from damages and help them stay healthy. 

Easy to Use

Grow lights don’t differ from regular lights significantly. It means that you don’t need any special skills to set it up and use. Just place the lights near your plants, set up the height, and switch them on.

How Does Succulent Grow Light Work

Grow lights produce photons with the help of electricity. Plants can use those photons to turn them into the energy required for growth. This process is known as photosynthesis. However, plants require photons of a specific wavelength that is also known as a color. The range of photon wavelength required for plant growth is known as “photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).” 

The efficiency of your grow lamp depends on how much PAR it can produce per second. It is also called PPF (Photosynthetic Photon Flux). Another important thing about grow lamps that can influence the way your plants grow is PPFD or the density of PPF. It is one of the most important things about your lamp as it determines how much light your plants get. 

Pros and Cons of Succulent Grow Lights

Grow lights can be a perfect thing for people who like growing exotic or tender plants like hanging succulents, as hanging plants aren’t as thick as other succulent types. Grow lights can easily provide your plants with the required amount of light so they can grow well, especially after the process of succulent transplantation. Grow lights are really great but still have not only pros but cons as well. Let’s find out the advantages and disadvantages of it. 

Pros

• Source of essential light. Grow lights are created specifically to provide plants with the light they need to grow well. They can produce a full spectrum of light colors so your plants can get what they need for photosynthesis to generate the energy.
• Opportunity to grow plants everywhere. With growing lights, you can choose any place to plant and grow your favorite plants as you don’t need to worry about the natural source of light.
• Growing process control. Grow lights allow you to control how your plants grow as you can control the amount of light and water they get. Because light and water are the main sources of energy for plants, it gives you full control.
• Cost-effective source of light. There is a variety of grow lamps and you can always find the one that suits your budget and can provide you with the most “income.” It is a great opportunity to get the biggest output with a reasonable input. 

Cons

• High price. High-quality grow lamps can be rather costly. Also, be ready that your energy bills will grow as soon as you start using grow lights.
• Numerous grow lights are required. If you have many plants that require grow lamps, be ready that you need to buy a whole bunch of those things. The more plants you have, the more lamps you will need. The reason is that each lamp has limited coverage and placing them high to increase the area is not an option as, in this case, your plants will not get enough light and heat. Also, some types of grow lamps may require extra ventilation to reduce the heat they produce. It results in some extra spendings.
• Short life span. As growing lights tend to be used intensively, their life span can be pretty short, which means you need to replace them pretty often. Of course, the length of your grow lamp significantly depends on the type that you have. LED lamps tend to have the longest life span among all available options.

Types Of Succulent Grow Lights

Nowadays, there is an incredible variety of grow lights that you can use to grow various indoor plants, including succulents and the best low-light succulents. They vary based on numerous factors such as efficiency, energy consumption, the temperature of light, type of produced light, etc. You need to choose the type of your grows lamp based on the needs of your plants.

LED Grow Lamps

LED Grow Lamps are one of the newest options that you can find on the market. While looking more naturally than fluorescent or incandescent lights, they can produce full-spectrum lights. Moreover, they tend to be more efficient while the price is more affordable. Also, you can find various sizes of such grow lamps ranging from tiny ones to those that are really huge. 

Fluorescent Grow Lamps

Fluorescent lamps are one of the most options for those who like growing plants, including succulents. They are known for their efficiency. One other great thing about these lamps is that they can easily cover larger areas. These lamps produce full-spectrum shite light that is perfect for plants. Moreover, fluorescent lamps can produce more light with less heat which is very important. 

Incandescent Light

Incandescent lights are known for their warm, yellowish light and low intensity. They are pretty cheap and can help your plants grow rather well, but the fact is that they are the least efficient among all available options. One other important thing about those lights is that they have a rather small light output while producing lots of heat. Moreover, if you have many plants, you will likely need to buy lots of such bulbs.

High-Pressure Sodium (HPS)

High-Pressure Sodium lamps are also known as HPS. They are considered high-intensity lamps to emit very bright, yellowish light, pretty much similar to street lights. It is a great option for flower plants, especially if you want to make them flourish. The main thing about those lamps is that they are very efficient and have a long life span. However, they cannot provide your plants with enough blue light, so they are better for greenhouses where sunlight replacement is mainly required.

Metal Halide (MH)

Metal Halide is one another grow lamp with intense light. One important thing is that it can produce blue light that is pretty similar to sunlight. In other words, it can produce enough UV light to help your plants grow better. However, this type of lamps is less efficient than HPS. The efficiency of this grow light can be compared to the one that fluorescent lamps have, but MH tends to have a larger scale.

One more important thing is that this type of lamp tends to have a cooler temperature, making it perfect for lush greenery. However, you need to be very attentive and cautious when installing and using these lamps. If you don’t follow all the rules, it can explode. Keep in mind that you need to make sure there is no contact with water. 

How to Choose the Best Succulent Grow Light

When it comes to choosing the best succulent grow light, as well as the world’s best succulent ground cover, there are several things that you need to consider. Below, you can find more information about each point you should remember when deciding on the best grow lamp for your plants.

Light Output

Light output is usually measured in Lumens and you need to pay special attention. Make sure to read the specification of each lamp that you consider buying as our eyes cannot properly evaluate the level of lumens a lamp can produce. The best option for succulents is a lamp that can produce from 300 to 800 Lumens per square foot. 

Wattage

Wattage has nothing to do with the intensity or quality of the light a lamp can produce, but it can tell you how much electricity it consumes. If you want to learn about your lamp’s efficiency, you need to check the Lumens per watt number. The higher this number is, the more efficient lamp you have. 

Full-Spectrum

As you know, light is a variety of wavelengths that can be seen as different colors depending on its length. As we mentioned before, plants use two types of light – blue and red. The first one is required for faster growth, while the second one makes your plants flourish. Only blue and red grow lights can be more efficient, but full-spectrum light can also provide healthy plant growth without the annoying effect purple light may have. 

Color Temperature

The temperature of light or, more specifically, of its color is measured in Kelvin. Warmer, red lamps tend to have smaller Kelvin value while cooler, blue light is known for its significantly higher Kelvin value. Temperature for grow lights ranges from 2200K to 7500K. When it comes to succulents, it is better to choose lamps that produce from 300K to 6000K. It is a perfect option to create a healthy environment for your plants.

Amount of Usable Light

Usable light is related to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). It is PAR that plants use to get energy from the light. It is exactly the type of light that creates a rainbow when it goes through a prism. Plants use only red and blue light, as we mentioned before. At the same time, green light is reflected from plants giving them their beautiful green color. 

Efficiency

The efficiency of your grow light depends on how much light it can produce and how much energy it consumes during this process. Also, it shows how much heat your lamp produces while working. When choosing a grow lamp, you need to make sure that it can produce lots of light while consuming as little energy as possible. Also, make sure it produces a minimum of heat as it causes energy consumption growth and can be very harmful to your plants. 

Number of Hours

One important thing that you need to pay attention to is the number of hours during which you will use your lamp. There is no need to keep those lamps switched on all the time as plants and especially succulents require not only some rest and dark to perform various physiological processes. Usually, you don’t need to have it on for more than 12-14 hours per day. 

Positioning Grow Lights

When it comes to positioning your grow lamps, the main goal is to ensure that the light is properly distributed. Also, as all those lamps produce some heat, you need to place them far enough to avoid burning your plants. However, it still needs to be close enough to give your plants enough light. Of course, you need to feet more than one plant under one lamp so you can take care of all your plants without purchasing a whole bunch of lamps.

The distance between 3-6 inches is perfect for regular LED or fluorescent lamps. It is enough to provide your plants with the required amount of light without overheating and burning them. The distance, of course, depends on the type of lamp that you have. Lamps that produce more heat will require a bigger distance and vice versa. 

How to Use Succulent Grow Light

Step 1 – Measure your collection

The first thing you need to do is count how many plants you have and how much space they take. Also, you need to consider the type of your succulents and how you want them to grow. Based on this info, choose the type of light you need and the required number of lamps.

Step 2 – Choose a place

Now it is time to decide where it is better to place your collection so your plants feel comfortable and can place lamps easily. 

Step 3 – Set up the lamps

After you choose the place, it is time to set up the lights. Decide how you want to place them and adjust the height based on your plants’ needs to your lamp efficiency. For high-intensity lights, it better to set up a bigger height to protect your succulents from sunburn. At the same time, when it comes to low-intensity lights such as fluorescent, the height of about 6 inches will be absolutely enough. 

Step 4 – Decide on light-dark periods

Make sure you let your plants have some rest and switch the lights from time to time. If you leave the lights turned on all the time, your succulents may get more light than they need. It may cause significant damages.

Step 5 – Adjust lights when plants grow

When plants start growing, they become bigger and take more space. To avoid any issues, change the height of your lamps and add more lamps if required. Also, you can use our DIY recipe for homemade succulent soil to make your plant comfortable. 

 

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

For sure, when it comes to succulent grow lamps, more spending may mean more quality. The reason is very simple, more expensive options tend to be more efficient. They can provide your plants with more light without overheating them and spending much electricity. 

Do’s and Don’ts With Succulent Grow Lights

Do’s

• Pay attention to your lamp’s efficiency.
• Switch the lights off from time to time to give your plants some rest.
• Adjust the height based on the type of light and the height of your plants.
• Choose the lamp that suits your plants’ needs.

Don’ts

• Never use lamps that produce too much heat.
• Don’t leave the lamps turned on all the time.
• Don’t forget to water your plants as grow lights can make them dry.

FAQ About Succulent Grow Lights

Do succulents need UV light?

Succulents love light, but it doesn’t mean they require much of it. Six hours of direct sunlight will be absolutely enough for them. The number may vary depending on the type of succulents you have. Also, don’t forget that proper repotting helps succulent grow healthier.

What wattage grow light is best for succulents?

Grow lights that have about 30-45 watts are absolutely perfect for succulents. 

How do I know if my succulent needs more light?

If you see that your succulents have lighter and smaller leaves, it should be a sign for you. It indicates that your plants lack light that is why the color of the leaves is less intense. Remember that variety of succulent affects its watering schedule and lighting needs. 

Do succulent need grow lights indoors during the winter?

When it comes to the winter period, succulents tend to get less sunlight; that is why their color may fade. Especially rare succulents require proper light. To avoid it, you should consider using grow lights. 

How far away should the succulent grow light be?

If you use fluorescent light, the best height is about 6-12 inches. When it comes to LED lamps, it is better to give preference to 18-24 inches. It depends on the grow light you have. 

Conclusion

As you can see, grow lights can indeed change your gardening experience and even can help you start growing succulent plant from seeds. They can make your plants, including succulents, healthier and help them grow faster and better. However, you need to make sure to choose the right grow lamp to avoid any issues. Just follow our tips and you will for sure benefit from it. By the way, succulents purify the air and help you breathe better, so it is a good idea to have them in your household.

Photos from: IKvyatkovskaya / depositphotos.com, firefox / depositphotos.com and fox_the_hatter / depositphotos.com.