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PLANTS
AND LIGHT
 Photosynthesis
is the process by which plants use light energy to collect carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it to chemical energy in
the form of sugar. The products of photosynthesis serve to nourish
the plant and enable it to release free oxygen. Plants use only
the spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye. Although
the light appears white, it is actually a mixture of all the colours
of the rainbow. Pigments, which are the light harvesting units of
the plants, absorb certain colours of the spectrum and reflect the
rest. Chlorophyll, the main pigment used in photosynthesis, absorbs
light in the violet and blue wavelengths as well as in the red,
leaving green the colour we see. Photosynthesis can also occur indoors,
providing the artificial light source used supplies the necessary
spectrum and intensity.
Wide spectrum fluorescent,
metal halide, and high pressure sodium are the types of lights most
widely used for indoor growing. All of these lights require a ballast
to operate and come in a variety of sizes and wattage's.
Read about the revolutionary
Sunmaster
Growlamps
Before high intensity
discharge light came along, indoor growers depended mainly on
fluorescent lights for best results. They are inexpensive, reasonably
energy efficient, and most emit a wide enough spectrum of light
for plant growth. There is a wide range of fluorescent bulbs or
"tubes" available, and are categorized by wattage, length,
and colour of spectrum range. Indoor growers should look for the
type specifically made for plants such as the vita-Lite* or Ultralume
5000*.
The fixtures for these
lamps are usually complete with lamp holders, reflector, and built-in
ballast. Since the introduction of H.I.D. lights, fluorescent
now are mainly used for propagation and early vegetative growth.
The 20 watt,24 INCH, and 40 watt, 48 inch, are the most common.
The more intense and energy efficient H.I.D.'s are now the choice
for maturing high-light plants and vegetables indoors.
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