Growing plants indoors can be a huge benefit to you and your family in terms of producing even some of your own food, such as salad greens and tomatoes. But inefficient hydroponic grow lights can be expensive to run. Here's how to use more efficient grow light systems in order to save money.

The heart of the system is based on the type of grow lamps you choose. There are several available. Incandescent lamps are not a good choice for growing plants indoors because they burn hot and can burn the plants if placed too close and they also have a short life span. Fluorescent lights work well if you want to start seeds indoors, and will work nicely for growing the little plant seedlings on inside. They also are appropriate for growing salad greens indoors. The bulbs need to be placed close to the plants in order for the plants to receive the best benefit from the grow lamps, typically no more than four inches from the plants. You can save money by using appropriate light, because if you do not, you have wasted the seed, growing medium and nutrients, because the plants will not thrive without adequate light.

HID lights, or high intensity discharge lights, are good for growing indoor plants because they produce more light than do incandescent or fluorescent lamps. One type of HID light is the metal halide. Metal halide lights closely resemble natural sunlight. Another HID type is HPS lamps, known as high pressure sodium lights, which produce red light that plants use for reproduction, or producing fruit or flowers. These bulbs are known for their long life span: up to two years. They are also very efficient. They produce six times more light output and an incandescent light bulb for every watt of energy they use.

Plants respond to different light frequencies, which are referred to as colors, at different times in their lives. Blue light is needed by the plant when they are growing, but plants need red light when they are trying to produce fruit or flower. Plants do not use the green or yellow spectrum in a lamp for any purpose, and this essentially results in wasted light for which you are paying. For the best cost efficiency, you need to know what stage of life your plants are at as well as what color light they need at that stage, so that you do not pay for what you do not need, thereby saving money.

Having light bulbs in your indoor plant system that use appropriate colors, that last a long time, and run on small amounts of energy are the ways to save money when it comes to efficient grow light systems.

About the Author

The grow lights used in hydroponic gardening can affect many aspects of the overall cost of producing fruits and vegetable in an indoor garden. Offering years of expertise in the area of Hydroponic Propogation, Susan Slobac discussses how to maintain your grow lights and improve your hydroponic gardening techniques.