Compact fluorescents are great for lighting indoor houseplants without having to use a full T5 system and for a fraction of the cost of incandescent lights. Wattage varies, so be sure to ask a specialist what will work best for you and your lighting needs. Carnivorous plants and phalaenopsis orchids do well under compact fluorescents.
What effects do fluorescent lamps have on household plants
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The fluorescent tubes developed specifically for growing plants have a higher output in the red range to balance the blue output. Many home gardeners have found that these tubes can be used in combination with cool-white tubes. Use one plant-growing tube to each one or two cool-white tubes. This method is more economical than using all plant-growing tubes, because cool-white tubes cost less than the plant-growing tubes. Also, the plant-growing tubes use less electricity and produce less heat than incandescent bulbs, and you will not have to provide fixtures for both incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes.
Plants that require high light intensity generally are less satisfactory for growing under artificial lights in the home. However, if you want to try, use special high-intensity lamps. These plants need at least 1,000 foot-candles, or 20 watts per square foot of growing area, but should have higher intensities for best growth and flowering. Fixtures containing three to four fluorescent tubes are necessary for plants requiring high light intensity.
Calculating wattage per square foot of growing area is a useful and easy way to estimate light required. When using fluorescent tubes, simply multiply the wattage desired by the square feet of growing area. For example, if you have a 4-square-foot area of low-light plants that need 10 watts, the calculation would be 10 watts 4 square feet, or 40 watts. With this approach, light measurements are unnecessary unless problems develop.
Why is this important? Well, it means whatever supplementary light source you're providing to your houseplants must produce all these wavelengths to be effective. The good news here, is that most modern bulbs will have this range. However, some are better for your plants than others.
These are specialist bulbs that can come in most forms mentioned above, with Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and LED lighting being the most popular. LED grow lights have the edge though, because they're easier to make and can come in any shape or size that's needed. They could be a bulb design or laid out as strips.
The primary difference between the two is size and application. Most compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) come in special shapes that allow them to fit into standard household light sockets. Another difference is that linear fluorescent tubes require an independent ballast that is separate from the bulb whereas most compact fluorescent light bulbs have an integral ballast built into the base.
In a 1993 study, researchers found that UV exposure from sitting under fluorescent lights for eight hours is equivalent to one minute of sun exposure. Health problems relating to light sensitivity may become aggravated by the artificial light in sensitive individuals. Researchers have suggested that the UV radiation emitted by this type of lighting had led to an increase in eye diseases, most notably cataracts. Other medical professionals have theorized that retinal damage, myopia or astigmatism can also be attributed side effects of fluorescent light.
As mentioned earlier, disposing of the phosphor, and more importantly, the toxic mercury in fluorescent lamps is an environmental issue. Regulations imposed by the government require special disposal of fluorescent lamps separate from general and household waste.
For the past few decades, study after study have shown casual links between exposure to fluorescent lights and various negative effects. These problems are all based on the quality of light being emitted and the underlying condition of the individuals. For the 35 million+ people who suffer from migraine, the majority of them are likely to endure generalized light sensitivity. Nine out of every ten autistic individuals have environmental sensitivities which are often reported to worsen under fluorescents. And in certain types of epilepsy, artificial lighting has been shown to trigger seizures.
Winter is a difficult period for houseplants. Many plants don't receive sufficient light because of the short winter days, low angle of the sun, and often overcast weather. While houseplants differ in their lighting requirements, all would benefit from supplemental lighting during the winter months.Light can be broken down into various wavelengths. Those wavelengths that are perceived as colors are in the visible spectrum. Plants make use of all visible light. Red and blue, however, are the most important for plant growth.The key to growing healthy houseplants is the light source. Most homes are lit with incandescent bulbs. Unfortunately, they are not a good light source for houseplants. Incandescent bulbs emit light primarily in the red portion of the visible light spectrum. They are also inefficient, 75 to 85 percent of the energy is lost as heat. Foliage which comes into contact with a hot incandescent bulb will be burned.Fluorescent bulbs are better sources of light for houseplants. Fluorescent tubes give off little heat and produce two and a half to three times more light than incandescent bulbs of the same wattage. They also produce light over a broader range of the visible spectrum, however, blue is predominant. In addition, they are available in square, tubular, and round shapes. Special fluorescent lamps are available in various colors, such as cool and warm whites, daylight, and natural. Warm white fluorescent tubes emit a higher percentage of red light."Grow lights" are also available to indoor gardeners. They emit light primarily in the red and blue regions of the light spectrum. However, "grow lights" give off less light than standard fluorescent lights and are quite expensive. A standard fluorescent unit containing two standard 40 watt fluorescent tubes or one cool white and one warm white tube provide adequate light for house plants and are much more economical.In well-lit locations, artificial light may be needed only for a few hours in the evening during the fall and winter months. In darker areas, operate the lights for 12 to 16 hours per day. Since light intensity drops rapidly as the distance from the light source increases, houseplants should be placed within a few inches of the lights. Place plants that have a high light requirement directly under the lights and plants that can tolerate lower levels to the side.Houseplants can be successfully grown without artificial light if indoor gardeners select plants that can tolerate low light levels. Low light areas receive enough light to read by during the day and are typically found within a few feet of a window .Houseplants that will perform well in low light conditions include: Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema spp.), cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), fishtail palm (Caryota mitis), parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans), spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia), dumbcane (Dieffenbachia spp.), and false aralia (Dizygotheca elegantissima).Other houseplants that will perform well in low light conditions include pothos or devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureum), English ivy (Hedera helix), split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa), peperomia (Peperomia spp.), philodendron (Philodendron spp.), aluminum plant (Pilea cadierei), artillery plant (Pilea microphylla), Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis), lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.), arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum), and wandering jew (Zebrina pendula).While the aforementioned houseplants will tolerate low light conditions, it is advisable to move these plants closer to windows during the winter months.This article originally appeared in the January 7, 1997 issue, p. 2.
Lamps may be used in combination to provide the requisitewavelengths of light for plant growth. Fluorescent tubes produce blueand red rays, while incandescent bulbs emit the red and far-red rays.When combined in the proper ratio of about 3 watts of fluorescent foreach watt of incandescent lamps, conditions can be created which makeplant growth possible. In totally dark rooms both kinds of lamps areneeded to provide balanced lighting. When only one of these lamps isused balanced lighting can be achieved by placing the plants near awindow. The amount of light energy needed for affecting thephotoperiod is small in comparison to that needed for photosynthesis.Hence, natural sunlight coming through the window will provide therequisite rays, and the lamps will provide the necessary energy forphotosynthesis. In indoor gardening, it is important to remember thatblue and red light promotes vegetative growth, whereas the red andfar-red light control flowering.
Plants respond to lights of varying colors because there areseveral different plant pigments which are capable of absorbing lightand transferring the energy to chlorophyll which catalyzesphotosynthesis. Thus plants may grow in green light, but efficiencyin the sue of the total light energy will be small because plantabsorption of green light is very small. Plants will grow best ifgiven a mixture of blue (450 nm) light and red (650 nm) light. Plantsgrown in all red light appear to be overly tall and leggy whereasones grown under all blue light may be low-growing and stocky.Incandescent bulbs emit light rich in red and infrared rays (heat).Fluorescent tubes emit light richer in blue light, but also withconsiderable green and yellow rays. Light from both types of lampsappears white because it is a mixture of colors. Of the two,fluorescent lamps have the best spectral distribution of rays andgive the most illumination for the energy consumed. Plants often growwell under fluorescent tubes alone but become spindly and pale incolor under incandescent lights alone. Fluorescent lamps have anaverage life of about 12,000 hours, but incandescent ones last lessthan 1000 hours. 2ff7e9595c
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