Phytolamp for seedlings: when it is needed and when it is not

On the eve of the new summer cottage season, on the windowsills in some houses in the evenings you can see not only containers with future seedlings, but also lighting that is not quite typical for apartments (usually purple or red shades). This is how phytolamps glow.



But there are few windows with such a glow around. This means that not all summer residents (and there are many among city dwellers) use special lamps when growing seedlings. And mentally reasoning on this topic, you involuntarily ask yourself the question: "Does a summer resident need a phytolamp in principle?" Let's try to understand this topic.

Light is what plants need along with soil, water and fertilizers for full development. Proper lighting is especially important at the initial stage, when the root system and the above-ground part of the sprout are formed from the seed. Lack of light can lead to the stretching of seedlings, since the seedlings involuntarily begin to "reach" for what they lack so much - for light.

Stretched seedlings are more susceptible to infections, have a harder time getting used to being planted in a permanent place, and they may not survive preliminary picking at all. To prevent this from happening, the seedlings must receive everything they need in full, including lighting. And if there is not enough sunlight, artificial light sources will help (but not all).
 

A phytolamp is an electric source of artificial light developed specifically for growing plants, which ideally should fully provide the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that plants naturally receive from the sun. Or at least that part of it that is sufficient to meet all the needs of plants. In fairness, it should be said that a phytolamp that would ideally imitate sunlight has not yet been invented. However, most existing sources of such light emit it in the range that plants need, including seedlings.

Specialized stores today are replete with offers for the sale of lamps for additional lighting of plants. All sources of such light differ in their individual characteristics and, of course, price. Logically, the higher the price, the more effective the result of the phytolamp should be. But is such a purchase justified or is it really possible to get by with less spending when purchasing such a "gadget"?



When choosing a phytolamp, pay attention to several factors. For those who grow seedlings in limited quantities, a small round lamp or a table phytolamp is more suitable. But for lovers of "scale" - a linear lamp or LED phytotape (when growing seedlings on shelves). Also, be sure to consider the height of the lamp: too close to the plants will harm them faster than help them.

If we talk about the artificial light source itself, then LED, fluorescent and induction lamps are in particular demand among summer residents. And in terms of the color spectrum, experts advise choosing the simplest bicolor lamps or full-spectrum lamps for seedlings (but they are much more expensive than the others).

As a rule, on the product packaging or in the instructions attached to it, there are manufacturer's recommendations on the use of the lamp or luminaire, the effective lighting area and the recommended operating time, and often - about the optimal distance between the working lamp and the seedlings. This will also help you not to make a mistake when choosing.
 

Logically, additional lighting is needed for plants in cases when the natural light emitted by the sun is not enough for their full development or if for some reason this light does not reach them. For example, when the length of daylight hours for the sprouts is insufficient or the light intensity is insufficient during this day. Some of the light is initially "eaten up" by the weather if it is cloudy outside, and some by the window glass. But is it as bad for seedlings as it seems at first glance?

Experienced gardeners know that buying a phytolamp alone is often not enough to solve problems with growing seedlings. Everything depends on the conditions in which the seedlings live. This is the side where the windows of the room with seedlings face, the temperature in the room, as well as the location of the containers. Most often, seedlings stretch out on northern windows, and when grown not on a windowsill, but, for example, on shelves, they generally "see" little light. Indirectly, the fertility of the soil, the size of the containers for growing, the density of seedlings planting and the frequency of their watering are also important.



The combination of light intensity and room temperature is also very important, since each crop has its own preferences. After all, temperature also affects the absorption of light by a particular plant. The more it exceeds the "comfortable" values ​​for it, the more light it requires, oddly enough.

Tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber and cabbage seedlings are especially demanding of intense light. The optimal illumination for these plants is 20,000 lux for 14-16 hours in the first 7-10 days after emergence. At the same time, the air temperature in the room for heat-loving crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers) should not exceed 20°C in sunny weather, and 16°C in cloudy weather. For cabbage - a maximum of 14°C. Then the temperature can be increased by 2-3°C. But it is better to leave the illumination at the same level, but if this is not possible, then at least provide it at a level of at least 6000 lux. You can measure the light intensity using a lux meter or a special application on a mobile device.

The ideal option for growing seedlings is an insulated balcony or veranda with adjustable air temperature. But this is an expensive pleasure and not everyone can afford it. Therefore, containers with seedlings during the heating season are often placed on windowsills directly above the battery, which, we recall, is not very good at the stage of emergence and in the first 10 days of the seedlings' life. In late spring, the heating is turned off, daylight hours increase - and the conditions for keeping seedlings are normalized.

So when do seedlings really need a phytolamp? Experienced gardeners agree that it is difficult to do without it when sowing seeds for seedlings in January, growing plants with a long growing season, and also in the case of significant deviations from the temperature and light standards that plants need to form generative organs.

Note: there is a fairly simple way to check whether your seedlings need a phytolamp. After the shoots appear, pay attention to their appearance. If their stems begin to stretch and bend, and the cotyledon leaves "stretch" towards the window, then it is still better to buy an artificial light source.
 

Many gardeners successfully grow seedlings of different plants without additional lighting, following just a few simple tips.

Note: if your sprouts have stretched out and seem to be "looking" longingly towards the window, add soil to the containers if possible and turn the seedlings 180 degrees so that they align. If necessary, regularly repeat the second procedure until the moment of planting the seedlings in the ground.

With or without a phytolamp - seedlings with proper care will still grow in most cases. And the shortcomings made due to lack of light are more than compensated for by transplanting the seedlings into fertile soil and observing all further agricultural measures.