Why a CFL Grow Light might be right for your plants3715134

If you are thinking about using a CFL grow light for your indoor gardening, you should be aware of both the upside and down side of these bulbs. CFL, or compact fluorescent bulbs have really improved over the last few years and have become a major force in the indoor growing industry. In years past, fluorescent bulbs were to big and cumbersome to use in almost any growing operation except a larger operation.

A CFL grow light bulb is loved by indoor plants and has many good qualities. In addition to a wide color spectrum output, these bulbs have a large color temperature range (2000K to 9000K) for different growing cycles, which makes them versatile. One CFL bulb will use about 67% less energy than an ordinary incandescent bulb, making them much more efficient. You will be able to find CFL bulbs just about anywhere and they will fit into a normal light socket. Another positive of a CFL grow light bulb is that they can last an average of around 10,000 hours.

The best uses for a CFL Grow Light are...

Some of the best uses for CFL bulbs are for Medical Marijuana, house plants, seedlings, mother plants, cuttings, orchids and flowering plants. You can but you don't have to use the CFL bulb as your main lighting source. You can also use it as a supplemental source of light for HPS or LED units.

Any kind of shelf gardening is a good use for the CFL bulb as these bulbs do not put out a lot of heat. This means you can place the bulbs closer to your plants and they won't get too hot. In addition, small plants and seedlings tend to do real well with CFL grow lights.

Adding more efficiency to your CFL bulbs...

A typical CFL bulb give off 360 degrees of light. Not all of that light goes to your plants. To harness more of the light, many people use a reflector. A reflector will capture unused light and redirect it towards the plants. Most CFL grow light  reflectors are fairly inexpensive and there are many different styles available.

Use the bulbs closer to your plants. It may sound simplistic, but again, these bulbs do not put out a lot of heat, so they can be placed closer to your plants than other types of lighting.

Be aware of the different growth phases of your plants, and match your bulbs accordingly. A blue spectrum bulb would promote overall plant growth, while a red spectrum bulb is better for the flowering phase of your plants. Increase your light penetration with higher wattage bulbs.

The CFL bulb is a good choice for most gardening needs, But it's not the only choice. Decide what type of plants you want to grow and how much space you have to work with, and that will help you immensely when picking out your light source and other related accessories. By doing a little planning ahead of time you will be on your way to growing plants that you can brag about.