Imagine enjoying the taste of sun-warmed tomatoes plucked fresh from your kitchen counter in the dead of winter. Tired of wilted greens and pricey grocery store produce? Craving a gardening experience that’s easier on your back and immune to unpredictable weather?
If so, let’s talk.
How Important is Lighting?
Making a small investment in a good grow light can make a world of difference in what you can accomplish as an indoor gardener. While many people are familiar with what a shop light does for seed starting in the spring, we consistently talk to people who are not familiar with what today’s advanced LED grow lights can do for an indoor garden. Shop lights and even many of the LED lights available simply fall short of offering optimal light levels for plants to fully mature.
For this blog, we are primarily focusing on growing food or edible plants, but indoor gardening can encompass any plants that someone wants to enjoy year-round – and the same statement holds – that a good quality grow light makes a difference in how well plants respond.
A Simpler, Effective Approach: The Kratky Method
Combine a good grow light with a mind-blowingly simple method called the Kratky Method, (aka, passive hydroponics), and you will wonder why everyone hasn’t become an indoor gardener. It’s crazy how easy this is, and it can easily pay for itself in a short period of time with the savings on herb and spinach prices alone.
Why We Love the Kratky Method:
One key to the success of the Kratky Method is that plants grown in a nutrient-rich “water bath” can derive all the oxygen their roots need from the air space between the bottom of the tray and the water’s surface. This is a significant advantage compared to soil-based growing, where plants acquire their oxygen from the air in tiny spaces between soil particles. Additionally, unlike active hydroponic systems that require electricity to pump air into the water to supply the roots with oxygen, the Kratky Method relies on natural aeration, making it simpler and more cost-effective.
Secondly, it significantly reduces the risk of pests. Since you’re not introducing organic matter like soil or peat moss, the possibility of bugs is greatly minimized.
Third, it’s both economical and convenient. There’s no need to continually purchase bags of soil; you only need water, which is readily available in your home. It’s basically magic and it’s easy—what’s not to like?!
We’ve successfully taught thousands of people how to grow a wide variety of plants using the Kratky Method, from leafy greens and herbs to even more challenging crops like eggplants and edible flowers. Visit our Happy Leaf LED YouTube channel for step-by-step video tutorials on how to get started with the Kratky Method and grow delicious, homegrown produce year-round.
What Should I Grow Indoors?
Growing just about anything indoors is possible if you have the patience, space, and, of course, good light. The best things to start with are lettuces (spinach is our favorite), basil, your favorite herb, or microgreens. The NGB New Plants page has lots of new plants to grow.
Even eggplants, zucchini, and cucumbers can be grown indoors. For cucumbers, be sure to choose parthenocarpic varieties which are seedless and do not need pollination such as Green Light and Quick Snack varieties. For eggplants and zucchini, you will need to hand pollinate for fruit production.
Growing tomatoes indoors.
We continue to experiment with varieties to find the flavors we like and types of plants that are best suited to indoor gardening. For example, we recommend only choosing determinant tomato plants, so the plant stays relatively compact. We also recommend working with cherry, grape, or cocktail tomatoes that are small to medium-sized and not trying to grow beefsteak-type tomatoes.
With tomato varieties, we haven’t had to worry about pollinating them ourselves. Varieties to look for include: Tiny Tim Tomatoes, Red Robin Tomatoes, and lots more from the recent NGB blog Enjoy Delicious, Fresh Food All Year When You Grow Your Garden Indoors!
Learn more on our Growing Tomatoes Indoors blog.
Growing spinach indoors.
With spinach, we found it does best in a mix of coco coir and vermiculite versus the clay pebbles that we use to grow lettuce and herbs. We have decided to keep 4-6 14” round containers of spinach going at intervals so we can harvest it regularly.
Growing microgreens indoors.
Microgreens are true stars for indoor gardening. These nutrient-dense powerhouses offer a burst of flavor in a compact package, easily adding zest to soups, sandwiches, sauces, pizzas, tacos, and virtually any dish. Imagine this: a tray of microgreens, ready to harvest in just 7 days, can fetch up to $25 at a farmers’ market while costing less than $1 in seeds! Each variety boasts unique flavors – from peppery arugula to nutty sunflower and spicy radish – offering a culinary adventure. The USDA reports that microgreens contain up to five times the nutritional value of their mature counterparts, making them a nutritional powerhouse. Explore a wide selection of microgreen seeds from numerous online retailers at NGB Shop Our Members.
Learn more on our Growing Microgreens without Soil Blog.
Choose Your Grow Light Wisely
Hop on the internet and you can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer number of grow light options.
There are many misconceptions about grow lights which we will highlight:
- The human eye cannot accurately determine the quality of an LED grow light.
- Brightness does not mean quality.
- Seeing a red or blue cast does not mean quality.
- There are many outdated LEDs still on the market. You can identify those by a “blurple” appearance or by the term “chip on board”
- A high quantity of LED lights does not necessarily mean a higher quality of light.
- The term “full spectrum” may not indicate a high quality of light.
It’s important to remember that a longer light doesn’t automatically translate to covering a larger grow area. For example, a shorter 33-inch light might have a wider beam angle and deliver more energy, making it more suitable for effectively illuminating a 4-foot-wide by 18-inch-deep shelf.
Many budget-friendly LED grow lights rely on outdated white LEDs or chip-on-board technology. Mass production of these older technologies often leads to overstocking and lower prices, making them more readily available.
While the presence of a fan might suggest advanced cooling and performance, it’s important to note that many grow lights priced under $500 with fans may still utilize older technology. It’s crucial to research specific models and their components to ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment.
What Determines a Good Quality Grow Light?
While terms like watts, kelvin (color temperature), and lumens are often used to describe grow lights, they can be misleading when used as the sole indicators of a light’s effectiveness for plant growth
The most accurate way to measure a grow light’s effectiveness for plant growth is by its Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) output. PAR measures the amount of light within the specific spectrum (400-700 nanometers) that plants use for photosynthesis.
Even if you can’t find or easily understand what the PAR measurements are for a grow light, the instructions or specifications should at least tell you how much area is covered and what type of growth is supported. A key differentiator is whether the light supports fruiting and flowering plants.
Choosing a Grow Light
When choosing a grow light, it is important to know what you will be growing so you can be sure to get enough PAR energy from the light.
Here is a basic guide:
- Microgreens and seed starting need 100 to 200 PAR
- Vegetative plants need 200 – 400 PAR
- Fruiting plants need 300 – 600 PAR
Read more here, if you want to deep dive into what makes up a good grow light.
Written by NGB Member: Happy Leaf LED
About National Garden Bureau
Founded more than 100 years ago, the National Garden Bureau educates, inspires, and motivates people to grow home gardens. National Garden Bureau members are horticultural experts, and the information shared with you comes directly from these experts to ensure your gardening success.
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”
