Growing plants has always been synonymous with daily physical labor in the great outdoors. The needs for tons of acreage, powerful equipment and good weather for productive harvests have and still dictate, to a large degree, how plants are grown outside. Whether it's running a farm or gardening for fun, most folks will be outside, in the dirt, and at the mercy of mother nature.

However, in this day and age, more and more people are choosing to grow plants indoors. Why, might you ask? Well for one, we have the knowledge and technology to do so successfully. Another main reason is that indoors, you take the place of mother nature.

You can be in charge of things like water, light, humidity, and even ventilation. In other words, indoors, you don't have to worry about being at risk from inclement and unpredictable weather. People also love growing indoors because you can be more in charge of pests and plant diseases.

Indoors, it's always growing season. You can grow year-round and not wait for the traditional Spring and Summer months to be the most productive seasons of the year. You can amplify your growing and harvest cycles to 2–3 times a year instead of just one time, no longer relying on the weather to dictate your growing schedule.

And for all those reasons, indoor plants tend to be of higher quality. If you've ever seen a tomato grown indoors in a greenhouse compared to a tomato grown in the field (or any vegetable for that matter), then you know exactly what I mean. Indoors plants live less stressful lives with regards to weather, pest, and disease, and so oftentimes, they satisfy higher quality standards. Things like shape, color, smell, and flavor are all enhanced.

So, if you are tired of getting sunburned in the garden, or want to decorate your home with some new plants, then making sure you have the proper set-up indoors will be key to your success (and the success of your plants). One component of that setup is light. So, let's learn more.

How Do LED Grow Lights Compare to Others

Many cannabis plant problems trace back to incorrect lighting practices. How does the best LED grow light for cannabis compare to the other types on the market?

LED Vs. CFL
CFL, or compact fluorescent, lamps are the traditional choice for growing marijuana. They served well in their time but didn't compare favorably to LEDs.

CFL lights require daily adjustments. LED lamps are less time-intensive and typically require minor adjustments.

LED lights also burn much cooler than a CFL lamp. You don't need to manage LEDs' heat, saving more time.

Since you can position CFL lamps closer to the plants, they may be more appropriate for low grow rooms.

LED Vs. HPS
Many beginner and expert growers consider high-pressure sodium lights the best choice for budding. Most experienced growers agree that you should combine sodium lamps with another type.
Beliefs aside, evidence shows that cannabis buds can grow better beneath LED lights. The scents and smells are more potent, and the buds are bigger.

High-pressure sodium lamps consume a vast amount of energy, producing more heat. LED lights have the reverse.

LED Vs. MH
Metal halide lamps comprise metals that evaporate into gases. LED lights contain semi-conductive diodes.

While the two have similar brightness, the LEDs burn much cooler than the halide lamps.

LEDs have a much longer lifespan than their halide counterparts.

Metal halide lamps are excellent for vegetative growing. The flowering and fruiting seasons need something more than halide lamps can offer. LED lights can adjust to every stage of the weed growing season.

Maxibright Daylight 660W LED

Features:
This Maxibright LED uses predominantly Osram White LED's with the addition of some Lumiled red spectrum to ensure optimum performance throughout the life of the plants. The unit is made up of 8 X 1m LED bars connected to the running gear, it is easily installed by one person as the running gear is suspended in position before the LED bars are connected. With the total input coming in at a eye watering 1782umols giving overall efficiency of 2.7umol/J. Full spectrum comes as standard, the very best LEDs are being used LUMLED white (2.85umol/J) and Osram red (3.8umol/J), with full bodied enhanced red spectrum lights which gives you bigger growth and huge yields. Completely silent due to the 'fanless' design which means no mechanical parts, stopping the risk of failure. Fully dimmable in 25% increments (included).

LUXX Lighting 645w LED Pro

Features:
This LUXX LED grow light is made up of horticulture whites and Osram reds. The LUXX 645 LED PRO deploys a lens angle of 120 degrees, from a 6 bar design, with a total of 2,226 diodes. The LUXX 645 LED PRO features manual and auto power adjustment. Delivering the flexibility to dim the unit down to 40% total power for lower photon intensity, without affecting the quality of the spectrum. The LUXX 645 LED PRO has been developed by assessing SMD (Surface Mount Device) chips and drivers from leading manufacturers in controlled test applications and cultivation facilities for +3 years. Wide 6-bar form factor offers even & broad canopy coverage,maximize grow space,easy to install,IP66 waterproof, ideal for high PPFD cultivation with single or multi-tier racking. No-fan no noise design,and highest quality removable Meanwell Driver equal unmatched performance in heat dispersing & lifespan,save 50% energy than other old grow lights!

What to Consider Before Buying LED Grow Lights

Ease of use
Indoor gardening can be challenging enough, without having to contend with complicated equipment.

For your own sake, choose an LED grow light that's easy to position and use. It should be very straightforward to switch between different wavelengths and levels of light intensity.

Wattage
Wattage is one of the primary concerns when selecting an LED grow light. Plants need plenty of light to grow, but too much light can cause issues with nutrient deficiency, and result in browning or yellowing leaves.

The amount of watts you need from a grow light depends on the type of plant you're growing, and the area you need the light to cover.

High-light flowering plants (like tomatoes) may need up to 32 watts of light per square foot of growing area, whereas low-light plants (like salad leaves or herbs) need more like 10 to 20 watts per square foot of growing area.

If you're not sure about the size of your growing area, get out that measuring tape!

Full-spectrum lights
Until relatively recently, LED grow lights had limited spectrums, usually offering red, blue, and white light.

Nowadays, you can find full-spectrum LED lights, which provide all the colors in the light spectrum.

Since full spectrum lights are the most similar to natural sunlight, they can support plants throughout the full growth cycle, from seed right through to fruiting, flowering, or producing vegetables.

Semiconductor chip
The semiconductor chip is the core of your LED grow light and is what converts electricity into light.

Lights with a good quality semiconductor chip are likely to be long-lasting.

The chip itself has a wattage - we recommend purchasing LED grow lights with a semiconductor chip of at least three watts in order to provide an adequate amount of light.

Conclusion
LED grow lights have been through so many changes and enhancements, and have proven the effectiveness and efficiency for growing plants indoor. Here is the reason why:
LED grow lights are not like HIDs that require heat up gases or metal to high temperatures. There is minimal radiation generated by LEDs. The heat of the LEDs creates only a minor addition which will not create overheated conditions in the grow room.

LEDs consume around 465 watts producing a similar intensity as a 1,000 watts HID. This means you save energy and cost compared to HIDs. Without ventilation and cooling equipment the cost would be much reduced.

LED grow lights can provide precise wavelengths for better growth. Plants in the grow room only absorb specific wavelengths of light. LEDs give your plants needs so these plants get as many wavelengths as possible.

In the end, I wish you can find a suitable LED grow light after reading this article!