[Tomato Dirt #195] 3 Things to Know about Grow Lights so You Can Start Tomatoes Indoors
January 30, 2020
Tomato Dirt Newsletter Volume 10, Number 3
Dear Tomato Dirt reader,
Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.
Start and Grow Tomatoes and Veggies Inside All Year Long
Beat the winter blues. It’s easy to grow tomatoes and veggies inside with grow lights. Grow lights come in all shapes and sizes: modular, mobile, tabletop, and freestanding units. Browse different options used by gardeners like you!
FEATURE: 3 Things to Know about Grow Lights so You Can Start Tomatoes Indoors
Image: Tomato Dirt
Grow lights are an ideal way to start tomato plants and grow them indoors (or in a greenhouse) until they are ready to set out in the garden.
While natural light offers the full spectrum of color, grow lights for seedlings provide consistency to get your seedlings off to a good start. You can give plants the hours of light they need, at an appropriate intensity, so that they can grow healthy and strong.
That being said, many of us have questions about using grow lights to start and grow tomato seedlings.
Here are three things you must know about grow
lights.
What are the most popular grow lights for tomato seed starting? Fluorescent bulbs are a favorite among home gardeners. They are ideal for starting tomato seeds because they give off very little heat and they provide high intensity light. Plus, they are not expensive.
What are the least efficient grow lights for tomatoes? A. Incandescent bulbs emit too much heat, which can burn tender tomato foliage. They also lack blue spectrum light that helps seedlings become stocky and dark green.
Q. I hear that I should choose a “full spectrum” light. What does that mean? A. “Full spectrum” refers to light that contains all colors of the rainbow. Tomato plants require the full spectrum for photosynthesis, although red and blue are most important. Natural sunlight contains the full spectrum of light. The most effective grow lights imitate this aspect of natural light the best.
Two horticulturalists combine forces to give you advice about the right way to prune, fertilize, water and stake tomatoes. You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos.