With the right plant lighting, even indoor plants in dark rooms receive enough light for the vital photosynthesis. In addition, plant lamps help frost-sensitive garden plants overwinter and the effective cultivation of vegetables. You can find out what to look out for when buying artificial plant lights and which models are recommended in our guide.
Plant lights are used where there is not enough sun
Our recommendations
our recommendation
LED grow lamp Spider Farmer SF 1000 LED plant lamp full spectrum and dimmable function with Samsung LM301 LEDs & Mean Well Driver LED grow light growth lamp for indoor plants, vegetables, flowers
199.99 EUR To the product| lamp type | LEDs |
|---|---|
| full spectrum | Yes |
| Dimmable | Yes |
| lifespan | up to 100,000 hours |
| Assembly | ceiling mount |
| CE certified | Yes |
The Spider Farmer grow lamp is ideal for plant lovers who want professional artificial plant lighting. The plant lamp (€21.99) is mounted on the ceiling and illuminates several plants from there with the necessary intensity. It is a full-spectrum lamp that gives green beauties the light they need at every stage, whether growing or flowering. Conveniently, the plant light can also be dimmed. Most Amazon reviewers are completely convinced of this lamp. It should do its job perfectly. In addition, the Spider Farmer ceiling lamp has a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours, which is a rarity.
our recommendation
Plant lamp LED, plant light, plant lamp 72W, grow light with 144 LEDs, growth lamp full spectrum growth lamp for indoor plants with timer, plant lights stepless dimming.
29.99 EUR To the product| lamp type | LEDs |
|---|---|
| full spectrum | Yes |
| Dimmable | Yes |
| lifespan | unknown |
| Assembly | clamp mounting |
| CE certified | Yes |
The plant lamp from etship particularly impresses with its simple assembly. All you have to do is clamp it to the edge of a table or shelf and then position the lamp necks, which can be rotated 360 degrees, so that the radiation falls exactly on the plants. The advantages of this plant light also include the timer function, with which the lighting time can be easily programmed. Like the winner in our comparison, this full-spectrum lamp can also be dimmed. The reviewers at Amazon praise above all the excellent price-performance ratio. In addition, most customers describe the flexible usability as advantageous.
our recommendation
SANSI 36W Plant Lamp LED Plant Lamp Full Spectrum E27 for Indoor Plants Sunlight LED Plant Light with Red and Blue Light Growth Lamp for Greenhouse Garden, Flowers, Vegetables, Hydroponics
39.99 EUR To the product| lamp type | LEDs |
|---|---|
| full spectrum | Yes |
| Dimmable | no |
| lifespan | up to 25,000 hours |
| Assembly | screw in (lamp socket) |
| CE certified | Yes |
Our third recommendation is the SANSI plant lamp. It is suitable for anyone who has an E27 lamp socket on the ceiling or wall, into which they can quickly screw this light. The installation effort is extremely low, but the effect is all the greater. With its immense power and the wide beam angle of 60 degrees, the full-spectrum light supports all plants that depend on artificial light. The plant lighting with the SANSI design is extremely popular with Amazon customers, not least thanks to the mixture of functional strength and relatively low price.
Purchase Criteria
lamp type
In contrast to conventional fluorescent tubes, LEDs do not get particularly warm. You can therefore mount plant lighting with light-emitting diodes at a relatively small distance above your plants - but please not too close, because if the number of photons is too high, the light will burn quickly. LED grow lights are also preferable because of their energy efficiency. They consume little electricity and have a longer lifespan than fluorescent tubes. LEDs are more expensive to buy, but you save in the long run with LED grow lights.
Light spectrum and light color
The light spectrum indicates which wavelengths from 300 to 800 nanometers the respective plant lamp covers. In this context, the light colors also come into play: blue light is at the short-wave end, red light at the long-wave end. At best, the light spectrum of the plant lighting is based on that of the sun. The latter emits blue, white, green, yellow and red light in the ideal mixing ratio for people and plants.
full spectrum
It is true that plants almost only need blue and red light to thrive; but in certain processes they also benefit from the other light colors or wavelengths. For example, white light supports root growth. That is why we recommend that you prefer a full-spectrum grow light.
color temperature
Choose plant lighting with a color temperature that suits your needs. In the germination and growth phase, a spectrum with a high proportion of blue and a warm white color temperature of 6,500 Kelvin makes sense; in the flowering phase plants need a redder spectrum with 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin; Plant lamps with 3,500 Kelvin are suitable in all growth phases. It is optimal if the light color can be adjusted as required. Pay attention to dimmability.
illuminance
The illuminance of a plant lamp is given in lumens. The following applies: the higher the value, the more intensively the lamp illuminates the plants. However, this feature does not have to be excessive. An illuminance of 1,500 lumens is usually completely sufficient.
Energy efficiency and lifespan
When comparing different plant lamps, always take a look at the energy efficiency class and the service life predicted by the manufacturer based on this. The more energy efficient the grow light is, the longer it will serve your plants well. Reference value: The service life should be at least 25,000 hours.
Assembly
Depending on the model, plant lamps are mounted on the ceiling, on the wall, on a table or shelf or in a lamp socket. Ceiling mounting offers the greatest flexibility, but is associated with the most complex installation. The easiest to attach models for clamping (on a table or shelf) or screwing into a lamp socket. However, these designs are commonly associated with a smaller lighting area, so they can often only illuminate one plant.
quality
One of the most important criteria when buying artificial plant lighting is quality. We advise you to choose a model from a well-known and trusted brand. A CE mark must be present - and genuine. Another tip for your individual comparison: Do not take the information on illuminance and service life at face value, because manufacturers often exaggerate a little. Also read through some customer reviews, at least on the models that interest you.
youtubefrequently asked Questions
When do you need artificial plant lighting?
Plant lamps are particularly in demand for indoor plants that are particularly light-hungry, for the safe overwintering of lemon trees and other frost-sensitive garden plants, and for the optimized cultivation of vegetables.
How do I use a plant lamp correctly?
Always position the plant lighting in such a way that it shines directly on the respective plant(s). Whether you need more than one plant lamp always depends on how many green beauties you want to illuminate and how far the light emits the light. Ceiling lights usually have a wider beam angle than the other variants of plant lamps.
How long should I light my plants?
In the germination phase, most plants want to be supplied with light for around twelve hours a day. Expose your plants to as much natural daylight as possible. Use plant lamps to compensate for the time that is not covered by natural light. But: Do not illuminate any plant with an artificial light source for more than 16 hours at a time.
What is the so-called sodium vapor lamp all about?
Sodium vapor lamps, or NDL for short, were the ultimate when it came to artificially illuminating plants until the spread of LEDs. Sodium vapor lamps are still occasionally available today. Your advantages are the cheap purchase as well as the good results in the flowering phase. However, they get extremely warm, which is bad for both the plants and your wallet.
Where is the best place to buy plant lighting?
Plant lamps can be found in all hardware stores and garden centers, whether OBI, Hornbach, hagebaumarkt, toom or Dehner. You could also find what you are looking for in some furniture stores, for example at Ikea. Amazon offers you the largest selection and an extremely convenient ordering and return procedure.
How much does a plant lamp cost?
Simple plant lights that screw into a lamp socket are sometimes available from as little as three euros. If you want a particularly high quality and functionality with individual adjustment options in terms of color temperature or light color, you have to reckon with at least 25 to 30 euros. Professional models often cost 100 euros and more.