What Size LED Grow Lights Do I Need?

What size LED grow lights do I need? This is the most common question among gardeners and garden centers. Most beginners start off with a thirty-five watt bulb that can easily be fitted to an existing garden light fixture. However, a thirty-watt bulb is insufficient for any grow space that is not twelve inches by fourteen inches in diameter. The ideal solution to a lack of sunlight in a large growing area is a forty-watt bulb or greater.

The next question is, “How much light should I use?” In general, an eighty-watt LED grow light will be sufficient for a one square foot garden. Anything more than this will be overkill. Many gardeners use lights with triple watts, which can easily be handled by two, three or four-watt incandescent bulbs in the same growing space. Another option for a large garden is to use a combination of lights in one unit. This is often referred to as a “surrounding unit” and can handle between seventy-five and one hundred watts.

There are also options for a sixty-watt and a seventy-five watt LED grow light. However, these are often too much for a large backyard. It may also not be possible to obtain a matching eighteen-watt lamp for a fifty-two square foot gardening area. A sixty-watt unit is suitable for most gardens up to a height of seven feet. For any larger grow space, a seventy-five watt unit is recommended.

If you are new to indoor gardening and are concerned about how much light you actually need, consider this rule of thumb when comparing what size led grow lights to use in a one-square-foot area. If you have an ample amount of space, go with a three-watt unit. If you only have a twenty-five square foot area, go with a six-watt unit. This allows you to see if your new unit will heat up too fast or if it doesn’t heat up enough when you least expect it.

The fourth thing to know when comparing what size LED grow lights to use is that many of the more expensive units will also have a high quality built in HID bulb. This is what provides the extra light that helps make the plants healthier. You can choose a standard incandescent bulb for a one-square-foot garden or you can opt for a high quality LED grow light with a par output. A par output LED grow light gives off greater amounts of light for each watt of energy that is used.

The last thing to remember is to always purchase a unit that comes with a circuit board. If it does not come with a circuit board, you are going to want to purchase one as soon as possible. A circuit board will help you use the Grow Kit that you purchase with ease and will provide you with an accurate readout of how much light is being produced. It will also have information on how many watts the unit is using so you can quickly find out if you are using the right amount of light per watt. By using these four things listed above you should be able to easily determine what size led grow lights are best suited for your needs.