When you think of desk lamps, what comes to mind?
A bright light that helps you see your work at night? What about a lamp for reading books in bed before falling asleep?
While these are both valid uses for desk lamps, did you know they can also be used as natural light sources for plants?!
Let’s find out how.
Table of Contents
Can a desk lamp grow plants?
You may grow a plant inside your desk lamp, but a regular incandescent bulb or an energy-saving light bulb is unlikely to work. The appropriate amount of light wavelengths is present in sunlight for plants to flourish, whereas artificial light seldom contains the same spectrum of light waves.
I like to grow plants. It is fun and educational. One day I asked my family if they wanted to help me in growing plants. They said yes!
We went out and bought all kinds of plants growing tools such as pots, dirt and seeds.
To make it more interesting, we grow two types of plants; one under the sunlight for about 6 hours while another was placed beside my desk lamp (which has 7 hours/day).
After several days passed by, the result surprised us. My plant, which was beside the desk lamp, grew faster than my other plant, which was under!
It was amazing because I always thought sunlight was necessary for plants because I learned so in school.
What type of light bulb should I use?
You are probably wondering what type of desk lamp you should buy so that your desk lamp can help grow plants.
Well, there are two main types of desk lamps: incandescent desk lamps and fluorescent desk lamps. Incandescent desk lamps emit a yellowish light whereas fluorescent desk lamps emit a bluish light.
The type you choose depends on the plant species you want to grow.
For example, if you want to grow an African violet indoors under artificial lighting (i.e., without natural sunlight), then use an incandescent desk lamp or a compact fluorescent desk lamp with warm white color temperature bulbs because these lights best approximate the full spectrum of sunlight available outdoors in nature for this particular plant species.
If you want to grow houseplants like ferns, palms, dracaena, philodendron, etc., then use a desk lamp that emits bright white light or full spectrum white light.
How a desk lamp helps to grow plants
A desk lamp can help grow a plant by providing an alternative light source for it that mimics sunlight.
There are two types of desk lamps that people use with plants: fluorescent and incandescent desk lamps, which emit light waves through a gas discharge tube or a heated filament, respectively.
By adding a desk lamp to your nightstand, you have the good light alternative for those low-light loving flowering plants!
Plants need certain wavelengths from the electromagnetic spectrum to trigger things like growth and photosynthesis. In nature, they get this from the sun, but as long as there is enough illumination in your room at night, both types of desk lamps may provide the lighting that will promote plant growth indoors.
Fluorescent desk lamps emit light at a range of frequencies that can be useful to some plants, while incandescent desk lamps emit a lot of reddish light. As a result, adding an incandescent desk lamp may not provide enough light for your plant.
Is it good to grow plants under a desk lamp?
Desk lamps can be a great source of light for some plants, while some desk lamps may not provide enough light for plant growth.
Desk lamps can help grow a plant by providing an alternative light source that mimics sunlight.
In nature, plants get what they need from the sun, but if they’re placed in the right environment indoors with artificial lighting, then both my incandescent desk lamp and a fluorescent desk lamp might work to help promote plant growth.
It’s important to understand desk lamps don’t emit the same spectrum of light waves as the sun. Even fluorescent desk lamps have a limited range of frequencies available, which don’t include all wavelengths that plants need from the electromagnetic spectrum.
Some desk lamps can be used as a substitute for natural sunlight, but not all desk lamps provide enough energy or lighting required for plant growth. There may even be a chance using a desk lamp can burn your plant if too much heat is given off!
How useful is a desk lamp in growing plants?
Depending on the type of plant or the type of desk lamp you have, they will have different levels of how useful they are for growing plants.
Some desk lamps can be used as a substitute for natural sunlight, but not all desk lamps provide enough energy or lighting required for plant growth. Some desk lamps, such as fluorescent desk lamps, give off light waves in a range of frequencies that can be useful to some plants, while other desk lamps, such as incandescent desk lights, emit a lot of reddish light.
Will any LED light work as a grow light?
If the LED bulbs provide enough light, you may use any LED bulb to grow plants. Plants want warmth to come from the light source, and we all know that LED bulbs do not give much of it.
LED desk lamps including clip on desk lamps may work as a grow light but you should check to make sure the LEDs provide the right wavelength for your plant.
The LED desk lamp should be added within six inches away from plants for two hours on each side of the day; otherwise it will cause burning on plants or leaves.
While desk lamps are good alternatives if natural sunlight is not available, they do not offer all wavelengths that plants need from the spectrum of electromagnetic waves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, desk lamps can be useful for growing plants by providing an alternative light source that mimics sunlight. Some desk lamps may work better than others for certain types of plants depending on the type of desk lamp you have, but make sure your desk lamp provides enough energy or lighting required in order to prevent overheating and harming your plant!
I hope this article has taught you what you need to know about desk lamps when using them to grow plants.
