L.E.D lights during winter? ...are they needed? Red & Blue or White?

Hi Everyone,

I have a cheap 20W Red & Blue LED and also a 66W white full spectrum LED but not sure if either of them are any good.

I have a few Tracycarpus Fortunei seedlings,Fatsia Japonica seedling, orange tree seedling and a Gunnera seedling at the moment which all look like they aren't doing too well. The palms only have one left so far but recently they all started to go brown and die off, The same has happened to the orange tree and the leaves darkened and have now gone crispy, same thing with the Fatsia plant.

There's a chance I've overwatered them recently so they may not survive but I attempted to change the compost yesterday and only lightly sprayed them all instead of watering them in the hope that overwatering could be reversed.

As it's now winter, Should these plants be put under either of my grow lights (if they aren't already dead) If so, are either of these lights that I have suitable or too weak? I'm not good at keeping things alive over winter.

 

Sounds like they had too much water.
Led lights seem to be getting plenty hype right now on youtube, namely Spiderfarmer and Mars ££££££ !

Led tube would work in a strip light. Eg 5ft led tube,6500k,producing c. 3500 lumens. About 20 quid.

Im using some 2ft led tubes x 4.

 

A friend of mine used to have his own electrical firm. Up until this Covid 19 started. We would go for lunch at different places. Shown to our table and he would start looking at the lights. Then he'd have the cheek to suggest to the owner/manager whatever, about changing to LED's. Asked him one day why he did this. Never know Mick, it might get us a freeby lunch one day.

I have to admit.Providing lights for plants has never been my thing. However I do recall bits and bobs about growlites etc. Also when employed. Mercury vapour lighting. I would be interested in members hints and tips, just to add to my gray matter.

 

I've used LED lights now for about 5 or so years and I find that plants just flourish beyond your expectations with them. My "shop light" set up with each ballast holding blue/pink led strips use the equivalent of 40 watt incandescent bulbs but give at least 4 times that value. And I tried fluorescent light bulbs/tubing as well with inferior results. The LEDs are built to emit the right colour frequency of colours to provide superior growth. The plants are greener than those outside in the summer sun.

You don't need a giant array to make your plants happy. Just plug and point.

I go a few steps further by using a solar power panel/battery array to power my set up but I certainly had to do it in steps to fit my budget

 

Lori. Thank you. You have totallied blinded me with science. My scientific degree is winging it's way to you

 

Oh, @Mike Allen I wish I had a degree in all of the tinkering one must do to garden. I've learned pretty much through trial and error. Lots of error!

 

I well remember being told. 'You learn by your mistakes' 'Never to make the same mistake twice'
My mistakes have cost me.......................................................I'm skint:giggle:

 

I have used LED lights for about three years now, I started using fluro's from my tropical fish tanks with tubes advertised as full spectrum dedicated to plant growth. I have found the LED to be far better with no leggy plants that the Fluro's often produced.
Much lower wattage with higher lumen count.
Regards Sandy

 

Vipar Spectra Model V450 dual functions grow and bloom