Preparing yourself with a veggie garden is a great way to safeguard your family against food shortages. Speak to any vegetable farmer or hobbyist gardener, and they’ll tell you that the biggest challenge with growing your garden comes from managing the seedling phase of development.
Most beginner gardeners fail at this stage, causing stress in the plant that delays growth. If you want to start your veggie garden like a pro, you need the best grow light for seedlings. A grow light imitates the rays of the sun in a specific spectrum, providing your seedlings with the optimal light spectrum they need for speedy growth.
With growing zones expected to shift on the coming Grand Solar Minimum, a seedling grow light can help you get an early start on the growing season. As a result, you get more harvests per year, increasing your food stockpile.
In this review, we’ll look at the best grow lights for seedlings and make our recommendations on top products for your indoor garden.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks
If you want to skip on the rest of the review, and get right to the bottom line, check out this section. We scoured hundreds of online listings to settle on our top three choices for the best overall, premium, and budget grow lights for your indoor garden.
We selected these three models, giving you options to suit your gardening requirements and your budget.
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- The Best Pick: Root Farm All-Purpose LED Grow Light
This model takes our top award for the best overall seedling grow light. This model features a sturdy, freestanding design, with an overhead canopy light for your seedling tray. This grow light comes with an all-purpose LED grow light, providing a suitable spectrum that raises your plants from seedlings to healthy adults. - The Premium Pick: Future Harvest Developer
The Future Harvest Developer wins our top award for the best premium seedling grow light in this review. With this model, you get Sun-blaster 6400K T5HO LED lamps, providing 48-Watts of total light to your plants. There’s an adjustable hood to accommodate your seedlings development, with nanotech reflectors to enhance the light on all sides of the plants. - The Budget Pick: Elaine Indoor LED Grow Light
This elaine model is a great choice for starting your plants indoors. You get three light arms, featuring 20-Watts each, for total lighting power of 60-Watts. They feature five dimming levels and a built-in timer for three, six, and 12-hour light cycles. This model is affordable, and it comes with three brightness modes to help your seedlings adjust to stronger light as they develop.
Grow Lights for Seedlings Reviews
After reading through the reviews of our top models, let’s unpack them further. We’ll also look at other models that qualify for the best grow light for seedlings.
After reading through the reviews, make sure you check out our buyer’s guide section. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing the right indoor lighting system for your seedlings.
Root Farm All-Purpose LED Grow Light
Growing seedlings for your veggie garden or indoor flower display require you to mimic natural sunlight to help the plants produce food for growth. This Root Farm model is an excellent example of a top-quality indoor lighting system.
Root Farm 10101-10135 LED Grow Light (3 Pack)
- This 45 watt grow light is specially designed to grow a wide variety of plants from seed to harvest
- Grow your favorite veggies fruits and flowers 365 days a Year
- Versatile design adapts as plants grow
- LED recipe specially designed to grow plants indoors
- LED light provides more power with less energy compared to more traditional lights like cfls
$342.50 
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
With this model, you get compatibility with Root Farm seedlings trays (sold separately). The frame on this lighting system features telescopic legs with release and locking buttons available in various positions to suit your canopy height.
Start your plants indoors early this season using the Root Farm indoor LED lighting system. With this model, you get an attractive display for your indoor garden, featuring clean design and the use of aluminum materials in the frame for a classy finish.
This model includes a powerful 45-Watt LED light setup. It offers a good balance for red and blue light, providing plants with optimal growth in the seedling stage. There is a hanging kit and a power adapter included with your purchase.
What We Liked
- 45-Watt output
- Good LED balance and PAR output
- Adjustable legs with locking and release mechanism
- Clean design
- Energy efficient
- Comes with a hanging kit
View Details
Future Harvest Developer
If you’re a home gardener looking to propagate cuttings or grow seedlings for your veggie garden, this indoor grow light is a great choice for starting your seedlings early.
You get a complete system included with this kit, featuring four seedling trays, a reflector canopy, and Sun-blaster 6400K LED lights.
SunBlaster SBL1600200 T5HO Indoor Growlight Garden, Home Growing Kit, Black
- ALL IN ONE INDOOR GARDEN KIT – includes two high efficiency grow lamps with NanoTech reflectors and power cord, heavy duty base with raised platform, auto-watering wicking mat, four unique reusable seedling trays and an 18 inch adjustable canopy. Just add your choice of soil, seeds, water and you will be growing in no time.
- EASY-TO-USE – Sets up in minutes and features an auto-watering design for indoor germination, growing fresh vegetables, plants, microgreens and herbs. Takes the guesswork out of in-home gardening!
- NATURAL PLANT GROWTH – two SunBlaster 24 Watt high-performance, 6400K full spectrum T5HO fluorescent grow lamps with NanoTech reflectors to replicate Mother Nature for safe and rapid indoor plantgrowth.
- THE PERFECT SIZE – the compact size and flexibility of this indoor garden is perfect for anywhere in your home, let your plants bring life where you live, from the office to the kitchen.
- A THOUGHTFUL GIFT – give anyone the gift to cultivate their love, confidence, knowledge and involvement in home horticulture. Plus having year-round homegrown fresh greens, from seed to harvest!
$151.02
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The hood and reflector increase light absorption by your plants by up to 20%. You get two rows of LED lights, each offering a 24-Watt output, for a combined light output of 48-Watts total. The hood sits on a frame, allowing for adjustment to suit your canopy height.
This model is the ideal choice for homeowners looking for a complete lighting and growing system for indoor use. It’s easy to set up, with a plug-and-play operation for your seedlings.
What We Liked
- An excellent choice for hobbyist gardeners
- Includes four seedling trays
- Canopy with reflectors included
- Adjustable canopy height
- Sun-blaster 6400K lamps included
- 2 x 24-Watt output for 48-Watts total
View Details
Elaine Indoor LED Grow Light
If you’re looking for an indoor grow light on a budget, we recommend this model from Elaine. This indoor grow lamp wins not only our best budget model in this review, but it’s Amazon’s top choice as well.
- Sunlight Full-Spectrum: Perfect grow light with 132 high quality(10,0000 hours lifetime),high par value(120 μmol/m2·s at 12in) and high efficiecy LED chips,3 head grow lamp with timer,the wave of the light from 380nm to 820nm.Suitable for both home & office.
- Timer & Auto On/off Function: Comes with 3 timer setting options which allows up to 3,6,or12 hours according to plant needs.Also has two-way memory timing function,set up once and it will turn on and off automatically EVERY DAY!
- High-Efficiency: Larger illumination area 120° beam angle and 18 inch gooseneck.Provide 360-degree illumination for your plants,High-efficiency and scientific heat dissipation design,make your plants grow faster and healthier,effectively promotes photosynthesis, increases growth rate,and satisfies plant germination, growth, flowering,and results entire process of light energy needs!
- 5 Brightness & 3 Switch Modes: 5 adjustable brightness to suit varied stages of plant growth,and 3 Switch Modes One light on,Two lights on and Three lights on.360-degree flexible gooseneck with clip that can easily adjust the angle and distance,which enlarge the illumination area and provided more efficient lighting for more plants.
- Widely Used：This Grow lamp has more larger lighting area that is suitable for whole growth circle. Perfect for balconies,greenhouses,darkroom,office and so on. Powerful Clip
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
With the Elaine indoor grow light, you get three gooseneck arms supporting three T5 LED lights. Each light offers a 20-Wat output, for a total light output of 60-Watts. Each light comes with a full-spectrum LED set up, and you have the option of choosing between three lighting modes to suit your seedling development.
This indoor grow light features a desk clamp design, allowing you to secure it to tabletops and windowsills in seconds. The Gooseneck arms on the lights allow for customizable height selection to suit your canopy.
This lighting system also includes a three-stage timer for three, six, and twelve-hour light cycles. You get high-quality LEDs included with this model, providing up to 50,000-hours service life.
What We Liked
- Affordable
- Powerful 60-Watt light output
- Five dimming options
- Adjustable goosenecks
- Timer included
- Three switch modes
Barrina Grow Light
If you’re looking to build a large indoor garden, we recommend going with the Barrina model.
This indoor grow light offers you full-spectrum grow lamps, featuring 384 LEDs, producing a light output of 96-Watts. These lights have the same lumen output as traditional 600-Watt models, with improved efficiency and low energy consumption.
- Full Spectrum(Pinkish white color) - Barrina LED grow lights provide indoor plants with full-spectrum sunlight replacement. They provide the most reasonable grow light wave based on the ratio of the absorption of the plants
- Super Bright - Consume only 96W with 384 LEDS totally, replacing 600w general plant lights. Over 95% light energy can be absorbed by plants. It is a great option for plants that in seedling, vegetative and flowering cycle
- Reflector - The light efficiency can be increased by 17~20% with reflector. The shell of our light was made of 100% aluminum which provides the high-efficiency heat dissipation. Ensuring the longer service life of the led chips.
- Easy Installation - You could link up to 12 led grow light strips in a series by including 48 inches connecting cords. Using clips or Double-sided tape to mount on ceiling, using cable ties to tie on grow light stand, or using hang ring to hang the lights, multiple installation methods provide the best way that you need
- What You Get - 4 x Barrina LED Grow lights, 2 x Power cords with ON/OFF switch, 4 x Connecting Cords(48''), 4 x Small Connectors, 8x Installation Clips, 8 x Double-sided tape, 16 x cable ties
$59.99
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The high-efficiency LEDs produce a light spectrum that’s 95% absorbed by your plants, speeding growth while increasing yield. The aluminum reflector enhances light output by up to 20%, with long service life.
The Barrina indoor grow lights feature easy installation, with plug-and-play operation. You can daisy-chain up to four of these lights together for the largest indoor setups. You get a hanging design and all mounting hardware included with your purchase.
What We Liked
- Professional-grade equipment
- Super bright 96-Watt output
- Reflector provides a 20% increase in efficiency
- 384-total LEDs
- Plants absorb 95% of light energy with this model
- Plug-and-play operation
View Details
Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit
If you’re looking for a quick start for your seedlings this summer, we recommend the Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit. This model features an enclosed environment for your seedlings, ensuring your plants’ best chances of survival.
- Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit provides a complete system for starting your seeds or cuttings
- 4-piece kit includes humidity dome, grow tray, high output fluorescent grow light, and a propagation booklet
- Just choose your favorite media and you are good to grow
- Light is UL listed
- Super Sprouter Deluxe Propagation Kit is the ideal growing environment for seedlings and cuttings
$55.90
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Super Sprouter comes with a 10″ x 20″ seedling tray and a propagator hood. The propagator hood increases temperature and humidity inside the unit by creating a greenhouse effect. The clear canopy allows for optimal light penetration for the 18-inch T5 LED light mounted into the hood.
You get plug-and-play operation right out of the box; with everything you need to get a great start on your veggie or herb garden this year. Use this model to grow seedlings or your favorite cuttings, providing the optimal growing environment for younger plants.
What We Liked
- Ideal for growing sprouts
- Hood included for micro-climate
- A good choice for propagating cuttings
- Seed tray included
- Complete system
- 18-inch T5 grow light included
View Details
Elaine Tri-Light Indoor Grow Lamps
Elaine gets a second mention in this review for the best grow light for seedlings.
This model features the same desk clamp design, fitting to windowsills, tables, and desks. You get three gooseneck stands featuring light setups with 132 high-quality LEDs, offering a service life of 10,000-hours.
- Sunlight Full-Spectrum: Perfect grow light with 132 high quality(10,0000 hours lifetime),high par value(120 μmol/m2·s at 12in) and high efficiecy LED chips,3 head grow lamp with timer,the wave of the light from 380nm to 820nm.Suitable for both home & office.
- Timer & Auto On/off Function: Comes with 3 timer setting options which allows up to 3,6,or12 hours according to plant needs.Also has two-way memory timing function,set up once and it will turn on and off automatically EVERY DAY!
- High-Efficiency: Larger illumination area 120° beam angle and 18 inch gooseneck.Provide 360-degree illumination for your plants,High-efficiency and scientific heat dissipation design,make your plants grow faster and healthier,effectively promotes photosynthesis, increases growth rate,and satisfies plant germination, growth, flowering,and results entire process of light energy needs!
- 5 Brightness & 3 Switch Modes: 5 adjustable brightness to suit varied stages of plant growth,and 3 Switch Modes One light on,Two lights on and Three lights on.360-degree flexible gooseneck with clip that can easily adjust the angle and distance,which enlarge the illumination area and provided more efficient lighting for more plants.
- Widely Used：This Grow lamp has more larger lighting area that is suitable for whole growth circle. Perfect for balconies,greenhouses,darkroom,office and so on. Powerful Clip
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The 18-inch gooseneck design of the lamps makes it easy to adjust them to the canopy height. You get three light settings for your preferred spectrum, with full-spectrum lighting available. This model comes with five dimmable modes to replicate sunlight hours.
This model comes with three timer settings for 3-hour, 6-hour, and 12-hour light cycles for your seedlings.
You get a 120-degree beam angle, with 360-degree illumination of your plants. This high-efficiency model features a 20-Watt output per light, offering 60-Watts of total light output.
What We Liked
- Three 20-Watt LEDs for a 60-Watt total output
- High-efficiency LED chips for 10,000-hour service life
- Three timer settings and auto on/off
- 120-degree beam angle
- Flexible gooseneck adjusts to canopy height
View Details
Ankace LED Growth Light
This Ankace indoor grow light is a great choice for starting your seedlings earlier this year. This model comes with four 11-inch gooseneck arms, allowing for a customizable setup to match your canopy height.
- MULTIPLE USES - It is suitable for indoor plant seedlings grown in a hydroponic greenhouse at your home or you placed in your office. It helps to speed up the growth of potted plants, flowering plants, foliage, and succulent plants.
- BEST RED/BLUE LED COMBINATION - This LED grow lights diverts targeted wavelengths for plants. The 12 Blue LED chips ensure plants take in more energy through the synthesis of chlorophyll to help in germination. 24 Red LED chip contributes to effective germination, flowering, and enhances photosynthesis for better results.
- UPGRADED TIMER - it comes with three timer setting options which allows up to 3, 6, or 12 hours according to plant needs. This is a one-way timer whereby lights can automatically turn off after the stipulated time and you will need to turn it on manually.
- 5 DIMMABLE MODES & 3 SWITCH MODES - it has five dimmable modes to suit varied stages of plant growth. You can just switch the lights off or on to suit the plants need.
- ADJUSTABLE DESIGN - It has a USB connector which makes it convenient to connect to your office or home. With its 360 degrees adjustable gooseneck, it is able to light a wider area and emit light in any direction to provide energy to more plants.
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
There are three light settings, with a full-spectrum setting available, and you get five dimming modes to replicate the daylight hours. This model includes a desk-clamp desk, allowing for easy setup on desks, windowsills, and tables.
This model comes with a 3-stage timer, offering you 3-hour, 6-hour, and 12-hour light cycles for easy operation.
You get plenty of coverage with this model, including a light output of 20-Watts per gooseneck, providing a total of 80-Watts of light output.
What We Liked
- Four 20-Watt LED arms
- Flexible goosenecks for adjustable canopy height
- Three lighting modes with a full spectrum
- Five dimming modes
- Affordable price
- Three cycle timer
View Details
CXhome T5 LED Grow Light Strip
This CXhome model is a great choice for homeowners building a custom indoor seedling garden. These light strips attach to shelves, providing you with a custom fit to your application.
The CXhome LED lighting system includes three lighting tubes, featuring high-efficiency, full-spectrum LEDs. You get three lighting settings, along with 10-dimming options, to adjust the light to your preference.
- 【Full Spectrum PlantLight】Contains yellow/red/white light and is composed of 48 high-efficiency full-spectrum LED chips with a wavelength of 380-780 nm, which is suitable for the light needs of all stages of plant growth.
- 【3-tube switching & 10-level dimming】3 on/off modes can be switched freely: Single tube bright, double tube bright, or all bright. 10 levels of brightness adjustable from 10% to 100% to meet the needs of different growth cycles of plants.
- 【Timing automatic on/off memory】Timing lighting can be set to 3, 9 or 12H. Cycle on/off memory,setting once-time,automatic opening and closing every day. No manual operation is required, can take good care of plants during work or vacation.
- 【Scientific heat dissipation design】 With the support of aviation-grade radiator, even if it is used continuously for 24 hours, the heat of the lamp body will not exceed 25℃/77℉, and the performance is very stable.
- 【Flexible and Easy installation】Comes with tie and double-sided tape (please cut into two pieces when using). The compact design is suitable for various fixtures and surfaces. USB interface, the power cord is 78 inches long, which is convenient to use anywhere.
Last update on 2024-02-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This model comes with a three-stage timer, allowing 3-hour, 6-hour, and 12-hour light cycles. The auto on/off button gives you total control over the lighting system for efficient and effective light cycles.
This indoor grow light includes an aviation-grade radiator material, dispersing heat for cool operation, even if you’re running 24-hour light cycles.
What We Liked
- T5 LEDs for full light spectrum
- High-efficiency LEDs
- Three-tube switching and 10-level dimming functions
- Three timer settings
- Scientific heat dissipation design
View Details
Other Best Selling Options
SaleBestseller No. 1
- DIY Designable Grow Light Shelf: This versatile plant shelf offers multiple installation methods, allowing you to customize it according to your specific requirements. Moreover, the height of the wire shelf is adjustable, and you can personalize the number of layers, accommodating up to six layers.
- Full Spectrum and High PPFD: The eight grow lights included in this setup provide a full spectrum of light that closely mimics sunlight, catering to the different stages of plant growth. This promotes faster and healthier development. Each light consumes only 24 watts while delivering an output of 206.5μmol/㎡/s at an 8-inch distance. These professional grow lights are suitable for seed starting, growing, and flowering.
- Easy to Move and High Bearing Capability: Equipped with eight industrial wheels, four of which have fixed locks, this plant stand offers both mobility and stability. You can easily move or securely lock the shelf into the desired position. Constructed with sturdy and durable materials, it exhibits excellent rust and oxidation resistance, with a maximum weight capacity of 270 pounds.
- Water Leakage Prevention and Ample Space: The inclusion of six PP mats effectively prevents water from reaching the plant lights during watering. Each wire shelf provides generous display space, allowing you to cultivate and showcase a wide variety of indoor plants, such as succulents, aloe vera, and flowers.
- What You Get: 8 X Grow Lights, 4 X 13.8 inches Connecting Cords, 4 X 23.6 inches Connecting Cords, 2 X 5.9inches Extension Adapter, 2 X 78.7inches Power Cords, 1 X Storage Belt, 6 X Wire Shelf, 6 X PP Mat, 8 X Industrial Wheels, 1 X Accessory Kit for Grow Lights, 1 X Accessory Kit for Plant Shelf
$219.99
SaleBestseller No. 2
- 6000K White Light - equipped with 10 Red + 74 White LEDs, this growing Lamp is similar to the full-spectrum sunlight at noon,that is professionally designed for indoor garden plants.Moreover, its color rendering index is as high as 95, the light is soft and flicker-free, which is very suitable for reading lamp
- Timer Function & Multiple Settings - this growing light offer the timer function with 3 options that is 4Hrs or 8Hrs or 12Hrs, it is based on a 24 hour cycle from the time you set the timer.For example,when keeping power ON, if you select 8 Hrs,it will turns ON for 8 hours per 24 hours.The other two timer settings are the same.
- Easy to Install - with flexible Gooseneck & strong clamp,it allows you to place the growth light in any direction to provide the best lighting angle for your plants，meet the cover around the plant.Powered by USB or AC Power Plug
- High Efficiency LED Lamp - as for LED power draw this seedling lights just comsume about 10watt and is equivalent to a 50W Halogen Bulb.Estimately monthly cost roughly $2 in electricity (12 hours a day). It is a great gift if you growing some small house plants.
- 【365 Days Worry-free Warranty】GooingTop service team offer 365 days warranty and 24h friendly customer service. If there are ever any issues about the product, please feel free to contact us and we will send you a new replacement or full refund.
$21.59
SaleBestseller No. 3
- 【5 Heads Plant Grow Lights & 150 LEDs】This plant growing lamp consists of 150 efficient grow LEDs (100 red and 50 blue). 5 head plant grow light provide a wider lighting range than traditional 2, 3, and 4 head plant light and increase the intensity of light by up to 100%, allowing your plants to receive more energy.
- 【3 Spectral Modes & 10 Brightness Levels】Full spectrum led grow light has 3 spectrum modes(Red, Blue & Mixed Spectrum). 10 brightness settings ranging from 10% to 100%, we can be switched at will, free to choose the most suitable brightness and spectrum for our plant growth. Makes plants grow 5 times faster than natural plants.
- 【Auto Cycle On/Off & Timer Function】Designed with auto circular memory timing function and there are 3/9/12H timer setting options for your choosing. Plant grow light will turn on/off by itself every day as your setting. Even you're on the travel, these grow light strips will still take good care of your plants every day!
- 【Strong Clip & Flexible Gooseneck】This 5 head grow lights have a strong clip and bracket support that can be stably placed and arbitrarily clamped anywhere. The indoor grow lights have a 360° independently adjustable gooseneck design, which can be rotated to any angle for your requirements, which provides a wider and more flexible range of light.
- 【Designed for Plants Growth 】This indoor grow lights are perfect for seed starting can meet the different needs of plants for sunlight in different growth stages. The excellent heat dissipation performance ensures the lamps are more durable and the service life is up to 80,000 hours. Widely apply to greenhouses, herb garden, indoor garden, flower bed, succulent seeds, bonsai tree, especially plants, seeds & herb.
$21.99
Bestseller No. 4
- Top Rated LED Grow Light from Freelicht Lighting
- Sunlike Spectrum: Simulate natural light, best for all plants seeding, growth and bloom. Add red spectrum to promote photosynthesis.
- Pay Less Bills: Consuming only 60W but equal 350W HPS grow light. Energy saving up to 70%.
- New Design: Super slim and light, link up to 4 units. Both hanging or surface mount are available, very easy and fast installation. No extra bulbs needed
- 2 Way Installations: You can choose either suspending installation or ceiling installation to meet different set-up needs.
$41.99
Bestseller No. 5
- 3 Head 135 LEDs Plant Light for Indoor Plants: This LED grow light is made of 36 red and 99 daylight white high-quality LEDs, this growing light is similar to the full-spectrum sunlight at noon and provides the plants with a full spectrum from 380nm to 800nm, suitable for indoor plant growth cycles. With 10 dimming levels and 3 switch-mode designs, you can choose the brightness of the plant lights (10%-100%)
- 3 Spectrum Modes & 10 Brightness Levels: The full spectrum LED grow light has 3 spectral modes, red, white, and mixed spectrum. There are ten brightness settings, from 10% to 100%, so you can choose the spectrum and brightness that perfectly suits your plants. Let the plants grow in the perfect way possible. Indoor grow lights make your plants five times faster than plants that use only natural light.
- Auto Cycle On/Off & Timer Function： The indoor grow light offers the circular memory timer function with 3 options-3h(Blue)/9h(Green)/12h(Red), Choose the time needed according to your needs, when keeping power, Which requires no manual operation and takes good care of your plants when you are on work or vacation.
- Flexible Gooseneck Neck & Strong Clip: The 3-head light has a 360-degree flexible gooseneck made from quality tubing to keep a fixed position. so each can be rotated to any angle to adapt to your requirements, Provide wider lighting for plants, The metal clamp allows the lamp to be placed anywhere in your home or office.
- Designed for Indoor Plants to Growth: our plant grow light is mainly designed for indoor plants, It can effectively supplement the lack of natural sunlight and promote the growth of plants at all stages. especially when the plant needs extra light when raining, snowing, dark indoors, etc. The plant grows lamp tubes are backed by a high-quality aluminum shell, quickly dissipate heat and extend bead life up to 80,000 hours.
$22.99
Last update on 2024-01-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Grow Lights Buyer’s Guide
Plants require air, water, and light to grow. When the winter pulls around, the days get shorter, and the sun’s rays lose intensity. As a result, it’s challenging to grow plants until the ground thaws in the spring.
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, that means you can only put plants in your vegetable garden or flowerbeds when it’s mid-spring. Unfortunately, the shorter seasons in the Northern Hemisphere mean you don’t get a longer growing season than you do in the south.
If you want to get more out of your garden this year, you’re going to need to start your plants indoors. To achieve growth indoors, you need an indoor grow lamp to provide your plants with the chance to produce food to thrive.
It’s easy to reproduce the effects of rain and air. However, lighting presents the biggest challenge to replicate indoors. Leaving your plants on the windowsill won’t work – you need an indoor grow light for your seedlings.
Why Do I Need a Grow Light for My Seedlings?
An indoor grow light for your plants mimics the sun’s rays, providing you with a source of light energy for your seedlings. Your seedlings can’t tell the difference between the grow light and the sun, as the grow light emits the same lightwaves.
Therefore, you can start your plants four to six weeks early, transplanting them into the garden as the ground thaws and spring starts. This strategy gives you a longer growing season and an additional harvest.
Indoor grow lights allow you to start early, and your plants should be ready for transplanting as soon as the spring gets into swing.
Features to Look for
When purchasing the best grow light for seedlings, we recommend looking for the following features in a prospective model.
LED Lights
All modern grow lights feature design with LED technology. LED is effective and affordable to run. It’s the best way to give your plants the optimal spectrum they need for growth. LEDs have a longer service life than fluorescent, incandescent, or metal halide bulbs, and they use less electricity.
LED Output and Power
When selecting your ideal indoor grow light, we recommend looking at the LEDs’ output in your prospective light. The average small grow light for seedlings needs between 45-Watts to 80-Watts of light output. That’s enough lumens to help your plants achieve optimal growth.
LED Quality
The quality of the LEDs in your grow light makes an enormous difference in service life. The average high-quality T5 LED should provide you with at least 10,000-hours of service life before replacement.
Light Spectrum
It’s critical that you look at the wavelength emitted by the device when purchasing your grow light. Plants require full-spectrum light for the best growing results. Look for models featuring a full PAR spectrum, offering both red and blue wavelengths. Some models will also feature white-light.
Lighting Modes
Your LED grow light should feature different lighting modes. Look for models offering blue, red, and full-spectrum modes for your choice of growing conditions. The lighting modes affect your plants and how they grow.
PAR refers to the balance of red, blue, and white light in your LEDs. Top models feature high PAR ratings, giving you the best performance out of your new grow light.
Timers
The best grow light for seedlings come with timers. You get the option of setting your light cycle to 3-hours, 6-hours, or 12-hours, depending on your plant’s needs.
A timer is a handy feature in your light, allowing you to control the light cycle. However, if your model doesn’t come with a timer, you’ll have to purchase one separately or rely on manual operation.
Reflectors
A reflector helps increase the light intensity from the LEDs, amplifying the light output. Some reflectors can increase lumen count by up to 30%, depending on the design and materials used in the reflector. The best reflectors feature design and construction with polished aluminum or mylar materials.
A reflector is not an essential piece of equipment for your grow light. However, we recommend looking at models with reflectors to speed up your seedling growth. Some models come with detachable hoods, while others have permanent fixtures.
Propagator Hoods
If you’re starting cuttings, then you need a humid environment to help with the rooting process. A propagator is a type of lighting setup involving a seedling tray and a clear hood, with an LED light on top.
This setup allows you to contain humidity and heat inside the growing area. As a result, your plants root faster. Propagation kits are also good choices for growing seedlings. The additional moisture and warmth accelerate growth.
Adjustable Light Height
As your plants are growing, you need to move the light up to keep it at the correct distance from the canopy.
If you place the light too close to the plant’s, it results in the burning of foliage and delayed growth. Some models come with gooseneck arms for easy adjustment, while others have hanging cables or telescopic legs for fast adjustment of the light height.
Seedling Trays
Some models include seedling trays, while others don’t. We like the custom setups with integrated seedling trays. They offer you a plug-and-play system that’s ready for use right out of the box. Seedling trays are relatively inexpensive and available at most nurseries and big-box retailers.
What are the Mounting Designs for Indoor Grow Lights?
- Hanging – Hanging models require installation into your roof or a growing cabinet. They are highly adjustable and can accommodate full-grown plants. They aren’t the best choice for indoor lights due to the advanced setup and mounting required.
- Freestanding – A freestanding model is convenient and easy to use. You can set it up anywhere in the home, and it’s the ideal choice for starting seedlings. In most cases, freestanding models come as complete kits, but there are plenty of exceptions in this review.
- Clips – These grow lights feature a clamp design, allowing you to secure them to tales, windowsills, and desks. While they offer a convenient mounting design, they have limited applications around the home.
Grow Lights FAQs
How far do I position the lights from my plants?
We recommend you position your LED lights at least 12 to 30-inches from the canopy. As your seedlings develop, you’ll need to keep adjusting the canopy’s height to accommodate the new growth.
Placing the lights too close to the canopy cause burning on the seedlings. Leaving the light too far from the canopy slows growth.
How many hours of light do seedlings need each day?
According to experts, your plants need at least 16 to 18 hours of light every day during the seedling stage. This lighting cycle provides the plants with the amount of light they receive at the height of the growing season. Don’t set your lights on a 24-hour cycle. Your seedlings need a few hours break from the light to recover from the stress of the growing hours of the day.
What is the best color spectrum for my seedlings?
When purchasing your grow light, it’s vital that you do your research on the system’s output before you finalize your purchase. Red LEDs stimulate flowering and fruiting in your seedlings, and it also mimics the shorter days of the season, allowing you to put your plants into the flowering phase of its lifecycle. Therefore, red light is essential for growth, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming in your grow light. Blue light LEDs assist with the vegetative growth of your plants. It’s the ideal spectrum for seedlings, but you do need to include some red light to balance it out.
Where do I buy the best grow light for seedlings?
We recommend searching for the best grow lights on Amazon. Amazon is the leader in global eCommerce, with the best selection and prices on grow lights. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get buyer protection on your order, with fast, free shipping to your doorstep. Amazon offers you a hassle-free returns service if there’s anything wrong with your grow light.
Grow Lights – The Verdict
By now, you should have your eye on a few prospective models for your new seedling grow light. Light is an essential element for development in your plants, and choosing the right lighting system makes a significant difference in your plant’s yield at harvest time.
Start your plants early this season with one of our top choices in this review. If you’re having trouble settling on a model, why not go with one of our top picks?
The Root Farm All-Purpose LED Grow Light wins our award for the best overall seedling grow light. This model comes with a freestanding design and telescopic legs for an adjustable canopy height. You get a good balance of red and blue LEDs, with a 45-Watt capacity that’s ideal for rearing seedlings.
The Future Harvest Developer is our choice for the best premium seedling grow light in this review. This model comes as a complete system, including seedling trays. You get two banks of 24-Watt lights for a powerful 48-Watt total light output. The reflector hood features a telescopic stand to adjust to your canopy height as your seedlings develop.
The Elaine Indoor LED Grow Light is another top choice and the winner of the best budget buy in this review. With this model, you get three flexible gooseneck arms featuring a 20-Watt LED. This model comes with five adjustable dimmer functions and easy adjustment to your canopy height. These grow lights come with high-quality LEDs, offering 50,000-hours of service life at a great price.
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Hollie Carter
Hollie is a life-long gardener, having started helping her Dad work on their yard when she was just 5. Since then she has gone on to develop a passion for growing vegetables & fruit in her garden.She has an affinity with nature and loves to share her knowledge gained over a lifetime with readers online.Hollie has written for a number of publications and is now the resident garden blogger here at GardenBeast. Contact her at hollie@gardenbeast.com or follow on twitter https://twitter.com/greenholliec
