Why You Need Grow Lights
My son came home from school with a cup of dirt and a bean seed. We watered it, and I put it in the window. Here’s how it turned out:
- 2 1/4 inches to seed leaves
- 3 1/4 inches to first true leaves
- 8 1/2 inches to second leaves
- 7 inches to third leaves
This is what we call “leggy”–tall and skinny, the poor plant is reaching to get enough light.
Many people ask or wonder if a sunny window sill provides enough light to start seeds indoors. If your intention is simply to germinate seeds indoors, and plant them outside when they are still small, a sunny window will certainly do the trick. However, if you need to start seeds indoors and grow them for 4-6 weeks, the window will not cut it. You need to buy a kit or build a frame for lights.
Yes, I think it was a vine-type, but still it was really stretching to get to sunlight. 🙂
possibly a vine-type, rather than bush-type, bean? Sometimes referred to as a runner-type bean?
Many people don’t realize that the newer, more energy efficient windows have a UV block that restrict the light needed for plants. Setting your plants by these windows will starve them of the needed light. I have a terrible time growing plants in the house unless I put them near a UV light bulb made for aquariums or plants.