Sunlight requirements for plants are based on their environment of origin. There are many different types of light and it would be helpful to follow the light guide for indoor gardens. The light categories are:
Direct Sunlight
Indirect Sunlight
Low-light
These light requirements are based on natural light. How your apartment or house is set up you might get a variety of all three, or just one. If you want to have plants that require a light level you don’t currently have, you can use artificial light. There are many options to have an indoor garden that only relies on artificial light.
Light Levels
Direct Sunlight– Light that is unobstructed in its path. When you see clearly defined shadows, you are dealing with direct sunlight. The shadows are crisp and the outline of the plant is easily seen as in the picture below.
Indirect Sunlight-Light that has an obstructed path to the plant. When you see soft shadows without clearly defined edges, you have indirect sunlight. As in the picture below.
Low-light-No direct or indirect sunlight. To clarify, your plants will want to be a few feet away from the light source. Below is an example of lowlight.
Natural or Artificial Light
Many people in an urban environment don’t have access to all of the different kinds of natural light levels. This is all dependent on the direction their windows face, something that can’t be changed. To help shore up this weakness, you can include artificial light lights in your garden to make up the light saturation deficit. This will also give you more control on how often your plants receive light.
From a cost perspective, natural light is the cheapest as it already exists. However, if you don’t have the right windows or any at all, then you will need to go for artificial light. There are many types of lights to consider if you go the artificial route but the 3 most common are below:
HID-expensive but good for large plants.
CFL-expensive and energy efficient.
Fluorescent-inexpensive so from a cost perspective this is the best for beginners. The downside is that it needs to be close to plants and might be too harsh on some.
LED Lights-seen as the best for indoor gardens now. The early versions of LED lights were not the best, but the technology has improved. Low energy bill while also delivering consistent and high quality light for your garden.
Finding the best artificial light source depends on your budget. For a beginner, look into fluorescent or LED light set ups. These two types of set ups will give you the most variation and let you experiment with your setup before you have to commit to a specialized setup. As your knowledge and garden grows, you can shift into the more specialized and expensive setups. We recommend reading more in the artificial light guide.
Price or Convenience
Breaking down which setup to have typically comes down to how much you will pay versus how much time you will save. The comparison sounds easy, but as they say, time is money!
For a beginner, please consider the more affordable options. As you are learning about your skills and plants, time is best spent learning! Once you have a good handle on your plant needs, you can begin to optimize your setup to save yourself time.
Once price variable that beginners typically overlook when setting up their indoor garden is the upkeep and maintenance cost. Much like the plants, your gear isn’t a set and forget. You will need to replace parts including lightbulbs. Beyond replacements and repairs, you should also consider the energy costs associated with each set up.
Another variable that is often overlooked by beginners is the heat factor these light setups have. Having a robust light set up will produce a lot of heat and can make it uncomfortable to live in. If you crank up the air conditioning then your electric bill will sky rocket not just for the new lights but also for the cooling. A short list to consider when doing a new indoor garden build is:
- Space requirements
- Energy requirements
- Heat regulation
- Intensity and your eye sensitivity (light pollution)
Space and Scale
If you live in a small apartment, then the options are going to be limited not only for plants but for your light set up. We recommend maximizing the utility of natural light and then adding in artificial light for exotic plants or as supplements to your garden. Typically for edible plants you will want to supplement with artificial light if you are on a shorter schedule, you don’t want your tomatoes or basil to go to waste!
When you are initially sprouting your vegetables we recommend using a controlled environment, or as close to it as you can get, because this is when your plants will be the most susceptible. Tracking the progress of your garden will help immensely in making changes to future projects and measuring the impact of different approaches. Your baby plants are using all their energy to grow and establish their roots, so be sure to give them the best fighting chance possible.
Light Steps for a Great Garden
If you are not sure where to start with your light needs and are on a budget we recommend:
- Start with natural light and take notes on your garden’s progress
- As you chart the progress, research the specific light corrections needed
- After you establish a trend you can start investing in artificial light setups
By systematically approaching your garden purchases you can run a thorough feedback loop and not risk blowing your budget on the most expensive lights that could turn out to be a complete waste of money. Small steps lead to big impacts!
Closing Thoughts
Each garden journey is different, whether you are using only natural components or supplementing your routing. With limited space and a good plan, your garden will come to life regardless of which side you fall on of the natural and artificial light line. Happy gardening and may your garden always be healthy!