Linggo, Hunyo 10, 2012

HPS Lights From HIDHut

HPS lights are light bulbs that create a very strong, bright light suitable for use in indoor gardening applications.  HPS stands for high pressure sodium, and this is just one of the many different types of grow lights that you will find available at HIDHut.  As a discount gardening supplier online, HIDHut offers hundreds of different types and wattages of grow lights perfect for growing your indoor plants in soil, hydroponically or aeroponically.

HPS lights are great for use with mature plants that you would like to produce flowers and fruit.  This is because many HPS bulbs give off a light color temperature in the red to orange range, which is exactly what mature plants need to promote reproduction.  Plants that are in the earlier growth stages need light in the blue color temperature, which promotes growth of the foliage.  You do need to read the labels on your HPS lights as you shop for them, because some offer orange color spectrum, some blue color spectrum, while others provide a full color spectrum.  Depending upon what types of plants you are growing, and at what stage of growth they are, you can focus in on the HPS lights with the color temperature that will best suit their particular needs.

HPS lights will also need a couple of auxiliary pieces of equipment in order for them to function properly.  The first is a ballast, which is used to control the electrical current that flows through the grow light, so that it has enough power to light the bulb but not so much that it causes the bulb to explode.  The second is a reflector.  These are attached to the light fixture, and they help to spread all of the light that the grow bulb produces to as much area in your grow room as possible.

One of the grow lights that HIDHut offers is the Full Spectrum 1000 Watt HPS bulb.  Unlike other popular grow lights offered elsewhere, the HIDHut HPS bulb can be used in a vertical or horizontal position, which means you can aim your indoor grow light to the exact parts of the plant that need to be exposed to bright light.

In order to learn more about the HPS lights available, you may call HIDHut for free at 1-866-678-8565.  A knowledgeable service technician will answer your questions and help you find the right grow lights for your indoor gardening projects.

Grow Lights For Succulents

Some of the easiest plants you can grow indoors are succulents.  These plants are know for growing in arid climates and have the ability to retain water.  These plants feature small, daisy-like flowers but probably most impressive are the broad array of different types of foliage that they offer.  They enjoy growing in bright light, and can take a little bit of neglect in terms of watering and fertilizing, and will still look great.  It is important to grow them indoors with appropriate grow lights, in order to give them the light that they need to thrive and flourish for a long time.

Succulents have few requirements for growing well indoors.  One big one is that they do not like to have their roots sopping wet, so it is important to use well-draining soil.  There are special potting soil mixtures especially formulated for cactii, and you can use this as well for other succulents to good effect.  (It bears mentioning that while a cactus is a succulent, not all succulents are cactii.)  You can fertilize them lightly with a complete organic fertilizer once a month or so.

You can achieve some very pretty decorative effects for little money with succulents.  You can try growing them in pretty and large tin cans, for example, that have decorative labels.  Ceramic bowls that are wide and shallow are another good choice, and these can be picked up at yard sales and thrift stores in a huge variety of colors to complement your succulents.

The grow lights that you use will be the key to your success with these diminutive yet striking accent plants.  HPS lights and metal halide lights work very well for growing all manner of plants indoors.  With each of these types of bright-light bulbs, you will also need a ballast and reflector, the first to control the electrical flow through the light bulb so that it lights properly, and the second so that you can extend the area of light in your grow room.

Grow lights also come in kit form.  If you are just starting out with indoor gardening with succulents, this is the easiest way to begin with them, because all of the components that you will need are included in the kit.

There are online discount gardening suppliers who offer grow lights in kits and as replacement grow bulbs, so it is simple to set up the perfect conditions for your succulents to look their best.

Choose The Right Grow Light For Growing Strawberries Indoors

One of the best summertime treats is fresh strawberries.  While they grow very well outdoors in warm, temperate climates, if you happen to live in a colder region, or somewhere where there is no soil available in which to garden, you may want to try growing strawberries indoors instead.  There are different methods used to grow strawberries, but with any indoor garden plant, the key to success is to provide the water, food and light that the plants need to thrive and grow well.  The correct grow light for growing your strawberries will mean the difference between success and failure with these charming and delectable fruit plants.

For the indoor grower of strawberries, you can choose from growing them in soil or growing them without soil.  For those who wish to use soil, the bareroot plants or starts can be planted directly in a large container filled with an appropriate potting soil.  Water and feed regularly, at least once every week or two, for best results.  Once the strawberry plants begin to grow, they will develop scalloped-edged green leaves.  Eventually, white flowers will grow from the crown of the plant, and eventually those flowers will be replaced with light green strawberries.  The plants will need strong light especially at this point for the strawberries to ripen to their traditional red color.  The plants are decorative, and can be grown in pots, as well as window boxes, hayrack planters and hanging baskets.

You can also grow strawberries hydroponically or aeroponically without soil.  Essentially, the crown of the plant is held by a non-soil medium or by netting if grown aeroponically.  At certain precise times, the roots are saturated with nutrient, which is a water solution that contains the correct plant food for the strawberries.  The nutrient drains away from the roots by various means, and the plant roots are also more highly exposed to oxygen in both gardening methods, which leads to rapid growth in the plant.

For either type of indoor gardening, the right grow light is crucial to good plant growth.  The best lights replicate natural sunlight, and produce a bright and strong light.  You want your grow light placed no higher than two to four inches above the plants for maximum light absorption by the plants' leaves.

You can find a HID, HPS, Metal Halide or LED grow light online from a discount garden supplier.