Grow lights have evolved to allow for year around gardening. People use grow lights for a couple of different reasons. Grow lights are used for seed starting to encourage good growth, they are used in the winter months for fresh herbs or greens, and they are used to keep plants alive through the winter when normally they would die. How you intend to use a grow light will depend on exactly what kind you will want to purchase.

The first thing that you need to understand is that plants have to have the right color light. This may sound confusing but sunlight contains all colors of the spectrum. Plants also need all colors of the spectrum to perform photosynthesis, however it is believed that red and blue are the two most important colors in the process. It is important that you cross reference the color of the bulbs that you use with the color that your plants best thrive in.

The next thing to consider is what type of bulb will be best for you. The two main types of bulbs are fluorescent and high intensity discharge lamps. Each has their advantages and disadvantages so we will look at each.

The fluorescent bulb comes the closest to natural sunlight. It has 98% of naturally occurring colors. Another plus with the fluorescent bulb is that it is not overly bright so it would not bother you if you are in the same room. Fluorescent bulbs work great with seed starting, herbs, and average household plants.

High intensity discharge lamps are more geared for greenhouses as well as the avid garden hobbyist. HID lamps are about twice as bright as a fluorescent bulb so in most cases you would want an isolated room so that is not a distraction. Even though the HID lamps put out twice the light they use about the same amount of energy so they are extremely efficient. HID lamps also come in different light colors to accommodate different plants of your choice. The high light output of HID lamps creates extremely green, stocky, plush vegetation. The one drawback to the HID lamp is that they are right much more expensive due to the special light fixture.

Once you have determined your exact needs and desires you will be more prepared to determine which grow light might be right for you . Grow lights are a great addition to seed starting and can even be used to supplement outdoor gardening all together. You will truly be shocked at how much difference a grow light will make with your plants.