One of the most important things about growing plants indoors is having the right light for them to grow. And since most of our plant babies are not meant to be indoors it is really important to figure out which plant light will help make a growing plant thrive. And for indoor gardening that means turning to artificial light to fill the lighting requirements of a house plant.
And, no, unfortunately, a regular light bulb like a fluorescent bulb or an incandescent bulb that we use in our homes is not enough for an indoor plant to grow well. Most of those lights are heavy with the green and yellow spectrums while plants need more of the red light and blue light which helps promote leaf growth and flowers. And even though there are blue and red plant lights available, it is better to get a full spectrum light to promote plant growth.
There are so many choices when it comes to plant grow lights that you could make a decision not just based on the light requirements of your indoor plants but on your own personal style as well.
Some lights are meant to be supplemental to whatever natural light is available in a room. While other lights can supply all the lighting requirements of your indoor garden. (Check out our review of Mars Hydro lights.)
Most indoor gardeners do not have a lot of space or cannot install lighting fixtures on the ceiling so they turn to grow light bulbs that can easily be screwed into lamps.
Soltech Vita LED Grow Light Bulb
- Product: Soltech Vita LED Grow Light Bulb Full Spectrum for Indoor Plants
- Core coverage: 16″ – 55″ depending on the hanging height
- Input Voltage: 110V
- Light Size: 3.7 x 3.7 x 4.7 inches
- Full-spectrum: 3,000K
A popular plant light brand with plant lovers is Soltech. Their light fixture is a bit pricey and it has a modern design. But they do sell LED lamp bulbs that are cheaper so if you have a lamp you can easily use it. Their Vita light bulb comes in two versions, regular and dimmable, and because of its spread has to be 12 inches to 48 inches away from plants. If a plant needs bright light then it should be placed 12-inches below the light and then farther away if it is a low light plant.
This plant light bulb is great and if you have a dark corner, you can place it there and it is strong enough to be the sole light source for your plants.
I had an old flexible neck lamp that I was able to use. Luckily, the Soltech bulb fits in it!
What we like:
- can easily be screwed into an existing lamp
- doesn’t emit too much heat
- energy efficient
- warm white light
- powerful and indoor plants love it
- made in the USA
What we don’t like:
- bulky and heavy
- expensive
SANSI Grow Light Bulb with COC Technology
- Product: Sansi Grow Light Bulb with COC Technology
- Core coverage: 1 to 2.8 square foot area at 12” to 20” above the plants
- Input Voltage: 110V
- Light Size: 5.16 x 5.16 x 6.65 inches
- Full-spectrum: 2680 Lumen, 4,000K daylight
Another popular plant grow light comes from Sansi and they also have LED light bulbs. They have various bulbs starting at 10 watts all the way up to 36 watts. The light spread is focused so it can light a couple of plants.
We tried the 36-watt bulb and boy is this light bright! Aside from lighting your plants, it can work as a supplemental light in a room. It does get a bit warm but not enough to burn you if you brush up against it.
I partnered the Sansi bulb with this desk lamp. The lamp was strong enough to carry the weight of the bulb and didn’t topple over.
What we like:
- can easily be screwed into a lamp
- energy efficient
- warm white light
- powerful
What we don’t like:
- bulky and heavy
- can get hot to the touch
- too bright for foliage plants
Things to consider about both the Vita bulb and Sansi 36-watt bulb
Both light bulbs are heavy and bigger than normal light bulbs. If you plan on using it with a lamp you already have, measure the lamp opening to make sure it will fit. Also, check if the lamp can handle the weight of the bulb. If it is the type of lamp with an arm that can be adjusted, the weight of the bulb may force it downwards. The lamp may easily fall over because of the weight of the bulb, too!
June 1st
Testing Grow Light Bulbs for Indoor Plants
I tested these led grow lights on baby plants that were in a covered seedling tray. In the trays was a mixture of foliage plants. The indoor grow lights were placed a foot above the trays.
While the houseplants under the Sansi bulb looked bleached and light green. The light intensity was too strong for the baby plants. But, there were other foliage plants around it and those were not bleached and looked green.
Every situation is different so it is important to be open and go with the flow when it comes to plants. Next time, I will try succulents and herbs under this 36-watt Sansi light and let y’all know if it is better for those kinds of plants.
Verdict
The Soltech Vita was worth its money since the light encouraged growth and some leaves have leaf variegation.
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From managing a vineyard, studying horticulture, to obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science - Brody loves nothing more than taking his agricultural experience and ecological scientific knowledge and applying it to the exciting world of indoor plants.
