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Many gardeners and farmers ask whether they can use a grow light bulb for a regular lamp. Simply put, grow light bulbs or artificial bulbs will fit into regular lamps but there are some conditions to consider.
Instead of using grow light fixtures, some gardeners might prefer to insert LED grow lights into a regular lamp. But is it suitable for growing houseplants? Or will it be able to discharge the proper amount of light, heat, and intensity to cover the area of the indoor garden?
However, you don’t need to sleep on these queries as we are about to answer whether you can put a grow light bulb in a regular lamp or not.
Can You Use a Grow Light Bulb in a Regular Lamp?
So, can you use a grow light bulb for a regular lamp? There is no straightforward answer to this. You can insert a grow light into various light fixtures including regular lamps but the effectiveness of it will depend on the socket type, precise wattage, and capacity.
So, in short, utilizing typical lamps as light fixtures is not the most suitable approach to grow plants. To understand this question well, we should grab some context on the differences between regular electric lights and LED grow lights.
First, what do grow lights do? Grow light bulbs work as a substitute for sunlight. As we all know, natural sunlight is super important for photosynthesis, and it provides the accurate color spectrum to grow and flourish plants.
However, in the case of using regular lamps or traditional electric lights instead of grow light bulbs, gardeners should consider some of the following key factors and differences.
- Light Spectrum
- Light Intensity
- Duration of Use
- Heat Generation or Heat Stress
- Light Coverage Area
Light Spectrum
Brian May, A heating and Air conditioning company owner, states that through the light spectrum indoor plants get what they need to flourish, and the only way to achieve it for your houseplants is to get full-spectrum grow lights.
Nevertheless, grow light bulbs are designed in a way that emits the right balance of light wavelengths which are crucial for a plant’s different growth stages. For instance, LED grow lights discharge red and blue light. Blue lights aid plants in generating chlorophyll pigment.
Therefore, a combination of red and blue lights (600-700nm) wavelengths stimulates flowering and budding, and this is also vital for photosynthesis and biomass growth.
On the contrary, regular lamps, incandescent bulbs, or LED bulbs don’t offer this specific light spectrum. In addition, even if you insert an LED grow light bulb in a regular lamp, it might not work accurately because of the capacity and coverage area.
Light Intensity
Another key factor to consider here is the intensity of the regular lights. Normally, grow light bulbs are constructed to discharge higher intensity compared to regular lamps or incandescent bulbs.
A blog post about "Lighting Indoor Houseplants" written by David H. Trinklein, a horticulture state specialist, stated that medium and high-light plants require different levels of intensity.
He informed that Medium light intensity plants prefer 250 to 1,000-foot candles. Regarding the High lights plant, he added, that at least 1,000-foot candles, or 20 watts per square foot of growing area are needed but should have higher intensities for best growth and flowering.
So, using a regular lamp or incandescent bulb won’t give growers customized or adjustable options of lighting intensity for different types of plants. Therefore, regarding intensity, using a grow light bulbs for regular lamps isn’t a good idea to initiate your farming mission.
Duration of Use
Regular lamps are not made to be used continuously for a long time. However, grow light bulbs are left on for much longer periods of time.
Therefore, it might result in a short life span for regular bulbs compared to LED grow lights. Furthermore, it will increase energy consumption as well.
According to an article published by Oklahoma State University, the lifespan of LED grow lights lifespan is 50,000 hours. Besides, HID (High-Intensity Discharge), Incandescent, and Fluorescent lights’ lifespans are 24000 hours, 750-1000 hours, and 10000 hours respectively.
Heat Generation
Regular electric lights and lamps used in houses generally emit a lower amount of heat in comparison to LED grow lights. This happens due to the light intensity.
That’s why gardeners should check their grow lights’ heat output management on a regular basis and maintain them between 18-27°C). Also, the level of humidity should be around 40-60%. However, if heat stress occurs, use a ventilation system.
Furthermore, to maintain the ideal temperature of an indoor grow tent, indoor growers can also use Hydro fans.
On the other hand, regular LED lamps or incandescent lights are unable to produce a balanced amount of heat and maintain humidity as they are not specifically engineered for indoor plants. Even if you use a grow light bulb for a regular lamp, it might not cover a satisfactory amount of heat and humidity for all the houseplants.
Light Coverage Area
If you are still inquisitive about the question “Can I put a grow light bulb in a regular lamp”, then you shouldn’t stop reading here.
The regular lamp won’t be able to cover the entire row of indoor plants. As a result, some of the plants might not acquire the proper amount of light heat. Besides, without light fixtures, it’s not possible to illuminate the indoor plants. This eventually fails the plants to grow successfully in the different growth stages.
As a side note, all plants need light for the photosynthesis process and this process converts light, oxygen, and water into energy which is also called carbohydrate. Without this energy, plants will die.
Always make sure each plant in your indoor garden is getting an adequate amount of lighting.
Grow Light Best Practices for Indoor Garden
Hope you’re enlightened about “grow light bulbs for regular lamps”. However, to all the dedicated gardeners, it’s recommended that you invest in proper equipment for the grow room.
Check out some of the following recommendations if you’re an indoor gardening enthusiast:
Investing in Proper Grow Light Fixtures
Why investing in grow light fixture is vital instead of using a regular lamp or standard LED light? The short and plain answer is that it will ensure the best light exposure for your plants.
Besides, grow light fixtures are designed and manufactured in a way that is suitable for accommodating the specific needs of grow light bulbs. Also, these grow light fixtures have features like heat dissipation.
Heat dissipation will ensure the movement of heat away from its source to the surrounding space.
Supplemental Lighting
Growers! You don’t need to replace the regular lamp entirely. Besides, you can use it as an additional lighting support along with other grow room setups and indoor garden supplies.
Bottom Line
The final advice is if you have indoor gardening resources, you should go for grow light fixtures instead of using grow light bulbs for regular lamps.
As the regular lamp is incapable of delivering better light exposure to the indoor plants, it will affect the plant’s health and negatively interfere with the photosynthesis process.
On the contrary, LED grow light bulbs can perfectly fit into grow light fixtures and they will eventually be effective for healthier plant growth. However, before purchasing any type of lamp for your indoor garden, always consider factors like the light intensity, right spectrum, heat generation, coverage area, and duration of use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding “using grow light bulbs for regular lamps”.
Can you put a grow light bulb in a regular lamp?
Yes, it is possible to insert a grow light bulb in a regular lamp. But unfortunately, it might not be effective enough compared to using grow light fixtures. As the dedicated grow light fixtures are designed to provide adequate light exposure needed for the plant’s healthy growth for various stages.
Can I use a regular lamp as a grow light?
Yes. You can use a regular lamp or standard LED light as a grow light if there is a shortage exposure of lights in your indoor garden. However, this is not the best option available. To produce healthy plants and get higher yields, you should choose specially designed grow light bulbs for growing houseplants.
What can I use instead of grow lights?
It's always the wisest option to use grow lights for growing healthy crops. However, if you’re looking for an alternative, you can choose Fluorescent lights or LED lights. But keep in mind that the choice of light depends on the nutrient requirements of each plant.
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