Lighting up my plants…yes, but where to start? What do I need? What is garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system? Basic knowledge is a good start to answering these many questions.

Plants also need light to live

Of course, sunlight is the cheapest source of light for plant growth but it is not always available. Thanks to an indoor light, it is possible to better control the growth of plants and ensure effective production throughout the year!

Interior lights generally consist of two elements:

• A reflector protects the lamp and directs the light to the desired location and which provides up to 30% more light since the light that would otherwise be lost reflects back onto the plants.
• The ballast box contains the components necessary to power the garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system and regulate the current when the lamp is on.

In summary, what do I need to know about light?

The first choice to be made concerns the color of the desired light, a warm or cold light? Light temperature, also known as correlated color temperature (TCP), is expressed in Kelvin (K) and refers to thermal temperature.

High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps and fluorescent light sources all have a TCP value, which represents how hot the light source is. For example, a garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system with a TCP of 2700 K considers hot. With a value of 4200 K the light source is neutral and with a value of 6000 K it is cold.

5000-7000K: garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system

It promotes bushy growth. Ideal conditions for the rapid growth phase of plants. Noticeably improves overall plant growth when generated by powerful, high pressure sodium or 3K warm metal halide halogen lamps.

• From 4000 to 4200 K: White fluorescent lamp

This can complement blue lighting. Ideal for propagation.

• 4000K: Neutral Metal Halide Lamp

A best single light source for plant growth that produces a bushier and shorter crop than 3700K lamps. Good to use for general plant lighting.

• 3700K: Softer metal halide lamp (coating)

This garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system is good to use for general plant lighting. It generates faster growth than with 4000 K lamps.

• From 2,100 to 2,700 K: High-pressure sodium lamp

The Mixture of redder colors: It is ideal for fruiting and flowering, as well as for creating additional lighting in greenhouses.

Can I check at a glance if the light is suitable?

In principle, no: Traditionally, the intensity of HID lighting is measured in lumens. This method of measuring light favors the yellow-green region of the light spectrum, which is the light to which the human eye is most sensitive.

Therefore, this method completely ignores the light produced at the blue and red ends of the spectrum. However, it is precisely this light, present at the blue and red extremities that a plant needs to flourish.

What types of garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system are there?

Nowadays, there are two main types of lamps in horticulture:

• High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps
• Simple to use, they cover a large area for almost any type of plant.

HID lighting includes two categories: Metal Halide (MH) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS).

Metal halide (MH) hydroponic grow tower system

Metal halide (MH) lamps emit a high proportion of blue light, which mimics the natural light seen in spring or summer. It is the best light for propagation and vegetative growth, while promoting short length between nodes.

High Pressure Sodium (HPS)

High Pressure Sodium (HPS) garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system produces a redder light, which can be compared to the natural light of an autumn sunset. A color that is more yellow/red in the spectrum and less blue favors a tall flower relative to the leaves, during flowering and fruiting.

HPS lamps are widely good to use to extend the daylight that bathes the plants, reproducing the weather conditions observed in summer.

Since blue light provides all the necessary blue light, high pressure sodium lamps are good to use during low light or total darkness hours. If your culture is carried out indoors and therefore without natural light, it is preferable to associate the garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system, in particular if a rail for moving the lamps install.

Vertical hydroponic grow tower system: Fluorescent lamps

Fluorescent lamps are undeniably energy efficient and are therefore ideal for ecological growers. There are several categories: fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) having a high wattage, a warm or cold color or a high or low wattage.

Fixing elements for these lamps generally complement the lamp holders and the integrated ballast. The sales people at your hydroponics store will show you the different models.

Fluorescent lamps have a lower intensity

Since garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system don’t give off much heat, they won’t dry out the growing medium when placed close to the plant.

They are therefore ideal for propagation and early vegetative growth, as well as orchids and other plants that require reduced light conditions.

As they do not give off much heat, they can also be placed about 2.5 cm from the plants, without requiring the presence of a ventilation system to eliminate any excessive heat. This means that the light generated is good to use for your plants and you optimize the power of your lamps.

Use fluorescent lights only for seedling cultivation and cloning

During the vegetative growth phase, you should opt for a cool “white” light. It can also be good to use for flowering, but a warm “white” light will be more suitable because it is the presence of a redder light that is best suited for this phase.

Use garden vertical hydroponic grow tower system only for seedling cultivation and cloning, to supplement daylight and for vegetative growth. An HID sodium lamp is important in any case for flowering due to the high light output. Its effectiveness increases when you check the production of your plants according to the number of watts delivered.

Compact fluorescent hydroponic grow tower system

Compact fluorescent lamps are aptly named. They generate a higher light intensity than fluorescent tubes and are available with different wattages. Small in size, they are very versatile and can be inserted into most standard E40 lamps. In the case of vegetative crops, such as herbs or lettuces, a compact fluorescent lamp should suffice for a small area.