Re: Plant lighting, black bodies, etc.

dave evans (T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU)
Fri, 20 Dec 96 16:53 EST

> From: Perry Malouf <pmalouf@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>
>
> Paul Burkhardt wrote:
>
> > We are all aware that usually plants do better with natural sunlight
> > than with artificial light.
>
> I am one person, perhaps in the minority, that is not "aware" of this.
> That is, I believe that I can grow most plants under artificial lights
> and have them look just as good as those grown under sunlight provided
> that other growing requirements are met also.

Right! But it's also a lot harder to supply all the right requirements
indoors, and even if you do, most plants just plain grow better
in natural sun-light. You get perfect season; perfect light, if
it's too bright just add a shade cloth; ect. This a fact. If you
want to spend hundreds or thousand of dollars trying to do this in
your home, just spend the money on a greenhouse instead! It's much
easier. Of course, if you have only a couple dozen plants or less,
then it would be easy to set up a very good indoor system.

> > impression that it must be in the ultraviolet region.
> > (that plants like.)

No, they like visible light. And they refect green, and less so,
yellow so they don't use those much. UV can help keep fungus
away though. Blues and Reds are what plants really like but a
full spectrum is best for a variety of reasons. They'll looks
better, has a *slightly* antiseptic quality, ect.

Dave Evans