What grow light is best for vegetative growth? 420 Guide 2020 Updated
In any garden, the vegetative stage is the foundation for a successful fruiting or flowering stage. After all, it is during the vegetative stage that the majority of the root mass is created and the plant’s structure (the spacing between branches and overall stem strength) is established.
It is also during this stage that many growers use manipulation techniques to shape plants to increase yields. But aside from the various plant manipulation techniques used by growers, there is one other vital component that prepares a vegetative plant for a strong finish: the artificial light source.
Best Light for Vegetative Stage — HID Grow Light
iPower 400 Watts HPS/MH Grow Light
With the introduction of newer technologies on the market, HID is not as preferred as it was before. Nonetheless, as it will be discussed later on, it is still a great choice when it comes to the vegetative stage. This product, to be specific, is great because it already comes as a complete kit. Aside from the light bulb, it is already inclusive of a reflector and ratchet clip hanger rope, among others.
As expected, the highlight would be the bulbs that are included in the package. There are two bulbs — 1 Super HPS 2100K bulb and 1 MH 6000K bulb. Both of the bulbs have 400 watts. They have optimized spectrum that can help improve the vegetative growth of the plant. One thing that is nice, however, is the fact that it is suitable even for the other stages of the growth of cannabis.
The 19-inch wing reflector that comes along with the package is also great. It is made of 95% German aluminum with exceptional reflectivity. This also makes it easy to direct the light to the plant, which is an important aspect of using HID during the vegetative stage.
Fluorescents Grow Lights
Some old school growers may remember when shop lights (T-12 fluorescents) where common place in a vegetative marijuana garden. Although T-12 systems can work to grow plants, they are quite inefficient compared with newer florescent technologies. T-8 fluorescents are a step up from the old T-12s and can be used for vegetative growth. However, the T-5 florescent technology is the pick of the litter.
T-5 fluorescents are super-efficient and, therefore, have made a name for themselves among marijuana growers. The attributes that make the T-5 system so appealing include a lower operating temperature, an even distribution of light and a relatively long life span. There is also a certain level of customizability as there are bulbs available in various spectral outputs. Many growers prize the T-5 fluorescent’s even light distribution for the vegetative stage of growth. In fact, the light energy emitted from a T-5 system is completely uniform the entire length and width of the fixture. The uniformity of light distribution equates to more even vegetative growth and a better foundation for the flowering stage.
Eco Farm T5 24W Fluorescent Grow Light
Eco Farm’s newest T5 system delivers performance, flexibility, and high lumen output in any growing environment. These systems allow you to choose multiple hanging configurations to meet your garden’s design. They combine premium grade specular aluminum with energy-efficient/high-output T5 tubes and put out double the light energy of normal fluorescent systems.
LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights for weeds are very popular among cannabis growers as an alternative to HPS grow lights. They tend to run cooler and also usually come with built-in cooling. They can often be plugged into a wall and simply hung over plants which is definitely easier than setting up an HID grow light. LEDs also have great penetration so they don’t need to be moved frequently like fluorescents.
Eco Farm 120W/216W/480W LED Grow Light
When it comes to selecting the right grow light for your precious cannabis plants you want to make sure that you pick one that is built to last and will do the job properly. With this LED grow light from Eco Farm you getting a full spectrum light which has been very carefully designed to replicate the suns rays — having more yellow and green lights than other grow lights.
The excellent features of this light don’t stop there, it is set at the perfect temperature for your plants whatever stage they are at in the growing cycle having a 3200K color temperature. And being a full spectrum light, your plants will get an equal balance of light exposure.
Now that you are familiar with all the most common cannabis grow lights, I hope your choice is a little easier. I wish I’d had this information when I first started growing indoors 🙂 Happy growing!!!