How Many Grow Lights Do Your Plants Need?

How much light can be enough to promote excellent growth?

That`s the question that a lot of beginning growers may have when they start the grow. But it's won't be any problem for you after you read this post, because we will help you to figure it out.

Knowing the light your plants need isn`t as simple as choosing any light and then hoping for the best. You`ll have considering two important factors -- the plant coverage and canopy coverage.

Plant coverage means the amount of light each individual plant can receive; canopy coverage means the type of coverage refers to the light that will be spread over the entire group of plants in the grow space.

Whether the plant coverage or canopy coverage, you have to know the PAR and lumens. Which mean how much energy you plant can receive.

Plants require a certain amount of lumens or PAR to achieve optimal growth.
As such, it`s best to figure out the exact amount of lumens/PAR the specific plants you`re growing will need.
Notice that we're ditching the whole "x-watts/per sq.ft." method. Now, the Coverage Area of any given light will have varying PAR/lumens the further out from the center you go. That's why if you have a large growing area and need to use multiple lights, PAR and lumens is going to be especially handy.
This will allow you to figure out how much light they need more accurately than just trying to get a certain amount of wattage per square foot.
Research Your Plants Specific Lumen/PAR Needs
PAR chart for LED Grow Light measurements.It`s important that you research the lighting needs of the plants you plan on growing. While you could potentially get decent results from simply estimating, you`ll see the best yields and the healthiest plants with proper lighting.

Weak Light Intensity: If you don`t provide enough light for your plants, they`ll struggle to grow. This can lead to stunted plants and weak results. Not to mention, you simply won`t get the flavors and aromas you want out of your plants.
Too Much Light Intensity: Too strong of a light will also cause problems for your grow. If you give your plants more light intensity than what they need, you could end up burning them.
If you want to determine how much PAR or how many lumens you`ll need for each of your plants, it`s pretty simple. All you have to do is a bit of research to find the right values for the plants you want to grow.

Leafy greens like lettuce and spinach, for example, would need a PAR value of around 200.
Meanwhile tomatoes, which flower and produce fruit, would need a PAR value of 400 to 500.
Once you`ve figured out the lumens/PAR your plants will need, finding the right light or lights for your grow tent will be a lot easier.

Determining the Coverage for Your Canopy Led Grow Light coverage for tomato plants.Once you know what your plants need to grow, it's time to figure out how much coverage you need.

But to figure that out, you've got to first measure the size of the overall canopy you need to light.

Measure your canopy's length and width: Your canopy is the part of your plants that absorb light. This is what you want to measure when considering grow lights. Measuring the entire grow space will give you an inaccurate estimate of the necessary light for your plants.

Note: the size of your growing area is important because it's the area you can fit a certain amount of plants in.

Measure your canopy's depth: Don`t overlook the depth of your canopy. You`ll need lights that are strong enough to penetrate deep into your plants. Simply covering the tops of your plants won`t be enough.

Find the Best Grow Light(s) for Your Grow Tent or Grow Room: Now that you`ve determined the size and depth of your canopy, as well as the lumens/PAR you need, you can make the most informed decision and purchase the right grow light.

By knowing the PAR/Lumens your plants need, you'll be able to determine how strong of a light you need.

By knowing how much area you need to cover, you can figure out how strong of a light you'll need so that it can spread the light it gives off the higher its raised.