The Best Grow Light for Flowering Plants

For many people, growing plants with indoor gardens are the only way they can enjoy them. If you happen to be in one of those anti-plant climates. A good grow light will support both the growth and flowering of plants, regardless of where you live.

People who aren’t experts in lighting need a light fixture that is easy to use, convenient, and affordable. That why in this article, we plan on helping you pick the best grow light for flowering plants. 

The Five Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants

1. Roleadro 75W Grow Light for Indoor Plants – The Best Overall
2. Spider Farmer SF-2000 LED Grow Light – Energy-Efficient
3. Vogek LED Growing Light – Flexible and Sturdy
4. Mars Hydro TSW 2000W – Very Bright 
5. ECRU LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants – for People Who Have Limited Space

Roleadro 75W Grow Light for Indoor Plants – The Best Overall

The number one pick from our research is the Roleadro 75W grow light. Much like all the lights on this list, it is a full spectrum plant light.

We will delve into that later, but what you need to know about it now is that it covers a wide variety of plants. The light emitted even covers tropical plants. 

The purple lighting is unique when compared to other lights in this market. While it may not be appealing to all, the warmer color spectrum makes it far more bearable to be around.

The biggest problem with the standard grow lights is that they are bright. Brightness is excellent for growth, not so great for eye strain.

Roleadro grow lights are ideal for tiny seedlings, which isn’t always the case with some of these. That means that this light is suitable for a plant’s entire life cycle.

With easy-to-hang carabiner-style hooks on the other end, you don’t have to try hard to get this thing set up. Overall, this is an excellent investment at an incredibly reasonable price.

Pros	Cons
If you have tropical plants or need growth from seeds.	It isn't great for people who hate the color people.
If you are looking for something you can easily install.	Doesn't last long.
If you don't want to stare into the sun every time you check your plants.
Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants Review

Spider Farmer SF-2000 LED Grow Light – Energy-Efficient

Spider Farmer is an excellent producer of simplistic lights. With no assembly required and a thick aluminum board backing these lights, they are very sturdy.

Regardless of how thick these are, the light energy is high despite the low power consumption. If you want a light to but are afraid of your energy bills jumping, this would be an excellent choice. 

The only problem with this is that it’s a brick. The brick size makes it sturdy, making it less suitable for growing rooms with space-saving concerns.

The extra size makes up for it by having full-spectrum lighting, making it ideal for all growth stages. 

Spider Farmer adds to the thoughtfulness of design by including a dimmer knob. That means you can control the power of the LED, which may be necessary for some plants.

Also, it means you can step into the room without wearing three pairs of sunglasses. Provide you are willing to spend a bit more than average, this is an excellent light for your larger grow room. 

Pros	Cons
If you have a larger grow room.	Its size makes it unsuitable for smaller rooms.
If you want a grow room with an adjustable light.	The upfront investment is much more significant compared to some.
If you want a light that is sturdy, energy-efficient, and large.
Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants Review

Vogek LED Growing Light – Flexible and Sturdy

On the other end of the cost spectrum, Vogek has created a great grow light. This one is great because of its reasonably low cost combined with its flexibility.

Instead of coming in a whole brick, it has three different long necks in a small space. By bending the lights where you need them to go, this light provides the ultimate flexibility.

The lights are also adjustable with ten different brightness levels. It also has full-spectrum lights, which allows them to focus on various growth stages.

Despite the smaller size, it is still a brick as far as sturdiness goes. 

The only real drawback behind this light comes from its limited longevity. It doesn’t boast the insane amount of hours from some of the other options.

This light (like most others) also isn’t suitable for tropical plants. While it isn’t for larger rooms, this thing is great for your smaller grow room.

Pros	Cons
If you are worried about space savings in your grow room.	Not great for succulents or micro plants.
If you need a flexible neck for your light.	The clip is somewhat weak.
If you want a memory timer that shuts the lights down automatically.
Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants Review

Mars Hydro TSW 2000W – Very Bright 

With a name like Mars Hydro, it makes you think about setting up a greenhouse on another planet. Given that most other planets aren’t too close to a sun, this light will act as a great substitute.

The Mars Hydro TSW 2000W light is incredibly bright, so your plants will undoubtedly love them. Just make sure you have a pair of sunglasses ready before you enter the room. 

It hits all of the other major concerns here: it doesn’t have any blowing fan, it doesn’t take up a lot of energy, and it is a full-spectrum light. It also has an adjustable knob, so position it just outside of the room if possible.

The size is also large enough for bigger grow rooms. 

This light is unique in that they have multi-channel lights. That means if you have a variety of plants with different lighting needs, this light is suitable for that use.

As a result, this cost is comparable to the Spider Farmer light cost, making it among the most expensive options. 

Pros	Cons
It is reliable for large grow room projects.	It's a bit expensive for those who are starting as a grower.
If you want a premium light that covers a wide variety of plants.	The hydrometer operates purely in celsius.
If you need a flexible full-spectrum light for both greenhouses and large rooms.
Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants Review

ECRU LED Grow Lights for Indoor Plants – for People Who Have Limited Space

The ERCU LED light is only about 150W, making it somewhat weaker compared to other options. Most of this wattage limitation comes from the smaller size. As a result, it’s great for people who have smaller grow rooms. 

This light is also great if you are looking for something that has growth potential. You can easily connect multiple of these lights, making them great for grow rooms that you plan to expand later.

However, you might want to buy a more considerable grow light at this point, as matching other grow lights will cause your costs to go up fast. 

The smaller size does come with additional drawbacks. First, expect the light to heat up after using it for an entire day, so don’t forget to turn it off as needed.

Granted, waiting a few minutes for it to cool down isn’t a big deal. 

Pros	Cons
Perfect if you have a small grow space.	The size makes it less suitable for most grow situations.
Even better if you want to expand that grow space.	It has expandability, but you can save money just by buying a more significant light.
It has a variety of mounting options.
Best Grow Lights for Flowering Plants Review

What You Need To Know Before Buying a Grow Light

When it comes to buying a grow light, there are many buzz words these retailers use. In this section, we will help you understand what some of those buzz words need so you know you’ve selected the right light. 

What is the Best Wattage for Grow Lights?

Wattage by itself will not affect your ability to grow plants. Instead, they will let you know the overall square footage you can use. For the best results, you will want about 30 watts per square foot. 

Using this general “rule-of-thumb” as an example, you should buy a 2000W system for a room that fills out 60 square feet. This measurement isn’t an exact science, so feel free to play with the numbers until you find something that works. 

Higher light intensity will not result in more growth. 

What Does “Full-Spectrum” Mean With Grow Lights?

When your light is “full-spectrum,” that means it is most suited for a plant’s complete growth cycle.

This name comes from how close it resembles light from the sun, which generates a combination of ultraviolet light (UV Light), Infrared Light (IR light), and visible light to create the full-spectrum experience. 

Companies measure this light in nanometers (nm). The electromagnetic spectrum, which includes light from the sun, is categorized by frequency.

Your light should consist of measurements from 400 nm to 700 nm to create an authentic sun experience. These measurements are what differentiates a grow light from a regular sun lamp.

LED vs. Fluorescent Lights – Which is Better for Growth?

When selecting a light source, you can choose between an LED grow light bulb or fluorescent tubes. Both are available and can provide excellent results, but LED is the clear winner for a couple of reasons:

• LED lights last up to 50 thousand hours.
• LEDs are incredibly energy-efficient 
• LEDs give off less heat, which can assist you if you want to grow herbs or have seed starts

Fluorescent lights are acceptable for growth, but they provide less energy-efficiency and are more of a safety hazard. While most modern fluorescents have gone away with mercury, it’s much easier to shatter glass in a thin tube. 

What is a Good PPF/PPFD for Lights?

PPF, which stands for Photosynthetic Photon Flux, tells you about the number of photons produced by a light source. Photon production’s effective rate happens between 400nm to 700nm. 

The 400 to 700 range falls under photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). PAR tells us of the light range needed to support photosynthesis, which is necessary for plant growth. 

Provided your light falls within PAR, your PPF is measured in micromoles per second. Most companies don’t list this metric due to the advanced measurement requirements behind them.

However, it is one of the most critical metrics needed to measure how much PAR light reaches your plants. 

PPFD, standing for Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density, is also a handy measurement. PPFD tells us the number of photons that fall on a surface each second.

Manufacturers need to measure this figure with the light being at a fixed light to be effective. 

This data is easy to manipulate, as the center of your light will be the most likely measurement point. That means photon measurement done on the outside might be weaker in a lower-quality light.

PPFD requires multiple measures at multiple points from many heights to be taken seriously. 

What Makes a Grow Light Suitable for Transplants, Flowering, and Seedlings?

Because someone who fits into a size 40 waistband can’t possibly expect to fit into a 30, the same logic applies to grow lights best for different purposes. To make your grow light the most suitable for all plants, it needs to have the following features:

• A dimmer light ensures that you have precise control over the level of light given. This feature provides consistent light that doesn’t overstimulate the plant.
• A timer on your grow light is necessary to control the amount of sun it receives. Because plants are typically outside, it’s best for climates where the sun exposure matches its home. You should usually set your timer to fit a normal day cycle.
• A grow light with multiple zones allows you to position your plants so that plants that require the most light can be in one area with other plants can be elsewhere. 

Pay attention to your plant’s typical climate. If you do that, you will match sunlight needs to that individual plant, ensuring success. Provided your glow light meets your PPF needs.

Best Grow Light Brands

We’ve discussed some of the best grow lights in the industry. Here is a quick review of the brands:

• Grow-Light: Roleadro is a company known for socializing in a wide variety of grow lights. They are among the brands featured on grow-light.org‘s website. 
• Spider Farmer is a California-based company known for creating lights, tents, and entire kits. They’ve had five years of experience after establishment in 2015.
• Vogek was founded in 2016. At the time, the world knew them for creating USB chargers and headphones. Today, they have a wide variety of products which include grow lights.
• Mars Hydro is a company that services the US, Canada, Russia, Germany, the UK, Australia, and China. They are best known for having an impressive five-year warranty. 
• ECRU is a company that is on Amazon. They have a Facebook page, but not much is known about them otherwise.  

Out of all the companies on this list, Mars Hydro has the most experience with over ten years under their sales time. 

Grow Light FAQs

How Long Should You Leave Plants Under Your Grow Light?

Because plants should be outside, they typically won’t receive sun 24/7. They need a natural light-dark cycle but still need plenty of light. 

At the bare minimum, your plants will need six hours of light to be healthy. However, you can put it up to 12 hours a day of daylight. Too much light can kill a plant.

Are House Lights Enough for Plants?

House lights typically aren’t good at mimicking the light of the sun. That’s because they lack the necessary PAR levels to meet what the sun provides. A sun lamp will do better, but grow lights are your best bet. 

Are Grow Lights Bad for Your Eyes?

Because most grow lights are LEDs, you should know that they can cause eye damage. It is no different from staring too long into the actual sun, so wearing sunglasses is enough to prevent this issue.

You can also purchase grow lights with dimmers, which allow you to reduce the light levels before entering the room. 

How Do I Position My Grow Lights?

The wattage of your grow lights will affect where its required placement. With some of the solid greenhouse-style lights (Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, etc.), you should place them several feet away. These lights should suspend from the roof, covering several square feet worth of plants. 

Smaller lights can be anywhere from a few inches to a couple of feet away. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for precise details.

Will High-Pressure Sodium Lights Work?

High-pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs are known to release a high amount of lumens per watt (about 100). These types of lights are primarily used as street lighting. They are also for security purposes and indoor gardening due to their color-temperature spectrum. 

These lights can be just as expensive as some grow lights, so if you have a choice, stick with lights that improve your garden. LEDs are also typically more efficient. 

Final Thoughts

As a reminder, our favorite light available is the Roleadro 75W Grow Light. This light has a dim purple appearance to them, making their rooms more bearable.

Also, they are the most suitable on this list for complicated tropical plants, which can be challenging for many other lights. 

As a medium-sized light, your larger room may not find this to be suitable. In that case, you may choose the light from Spider Farmer or Mars Hydro.

If you need more flexibility, consider Vogek or ECRU. Regardless of what your preferences are, we have the light for you. 

If you decide any of these lights are right for you, click any of our affiliate links on this article. They allow us to continue doing what we love: producing high-quality reviews and how-tos to help you with gardening.

Whatever future gardening projects you choose to be a part of, thanks for reading!