Friday, April 20, 2012

Growing Indoors Using CFL Grow Light

By Peter Schlomber


No matter if you have extensive prior experience growing organic life indoors or are considering housing plants for the first time, a CFL grow light is a good choice to get the most out of your investment. CFL lights not only last longer that most other bulbs on the market, but are good for the planet since they create less waste over time.

Before considering the specifics of how your indoor grow may operate, make sure that you visit a retailer that specializes in lighting meant to stimulate horticultural growth. CFL lights are specifically designed to produce the greatest plant yield in the shortest amount of time to save you money in the cost of materials and electricity.

Furthermore, whether you have conducted an indoor grow before or not you will want to make sure that the specific lights and other accessories that you choose are conducive to the type of plants that you are attempting to cultivate. For instance, CFL bulbs are best for plants that thrive in high humidity environments. For this reason, green thumbs looking to emulate desert or other non-tropical environments should ask a professional what alternative bulbs may be available.

Now that you have considered both the type of plants you will be growing and the general size of your intended endeavor, you will want to calculate the approximate cost of electricity over the intended period of time. For instance, using CFL lights can encourage faster growth and thus may save you one month or more in electricity bills. This also means that for every penny you spend on electricity you will reap more yield from your crop and thus will bring the overall cost of your grow down.

Similarly, do not be fooled by lights that claim to be 'rugged' or 'tough'. Speak to a professional about which brands are trustworthy and ensure that you are purchasing a bulb that is intended to last for a prolonged period of time in your intended environment. CFL lights have an average lifespan of 10,000 hours which means that you will likely be able to use them in multiple growing cycles, saving money on new bulbs with each successive use.

When ready to purchase a new CFL, make sure that you do so from a reputable store or online shop. Not only will employees likely have some good advice to offer you, but your product will be covered by either an in-store warranty, manufacturer's warranty, or both in case of a defective bulb. For this reason it is always recommended to purchase new bulbs rather than trying to get used bulbs second-hand.

Finally, speak with a professional at a nursery or other garden-related outlet about accessories that can further improve the yield and efficiency of your space. Most indoor bulbs can be improved by adding a rounded metallic hood above them to reflect stray light back down toward the plants below.

To summarize, remember to select the right bulb for the type of plant and environment in which you are growing, remember to try and purchase the most cost-efficient and highest quality CFL grow light to bring your overall operating costs down, and try to buy bulbs from a store that offers a warranty. As always, speaking to a professional is likely the fastest way to plan, purchase, and execute any horticultural endeavor.




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