Like other plants, succulents go between growing and dormant seasons. Although most succulents become dormant in the winter and consequently require less light, they still normally need as much light as they can obtain indoors.
When grown indoors, succulents won’t experience genuine dormancy until you force it with variations in temperature and light.
For a healthy growing cycle, all succulents require darkness every day, but they also require at least six hours of sunlight each day to be flourishing. I leave grow lights on for roughly 12 to 14 hours to simulate natural sunshine plus a few hours when caring for my indoor succulent plants.
Based on the season, you may use this post to determine which of your plants will require more or less water.
How much time should be spent with succulents in a grow light?
The temperature drops and the leaves begin to change as winter draws near. You must now bring your succulents inside to protect them from the harm that freezing can do.
Your house can provide your succulents the perfect temperature, but what about the light? Have you given this aspect any thought? If grow lights are to be used, how long should they be on for succulents?
If you want your succulents to flourish, you need to find the answers to these crucial questions. These and other inquiries will be addressed in this essay. There is a lot to learn, so let’s get going.
Whens The Appropriate Time to Bring in Succulents?
Some succulents, such hardy sedums and sempervivum, can survive year-round outside (even through the freezing winter days). However, when exposed to severely cold temperatures, the majority of other succulents suffer damage. Therefore, it is crucial that you bring your succulent indoors once winter arrives.
Examine the plant first, then take off any dead leaves and foliage as well as any insects you uncover. Clean the pans properly as well. When the outside temperature has dipped to about 40’S, or about 5oC, it is preferable to bring in your succulents. Your home’s temperature will be better suited for your delicate succulents, but you may need to change your watering routine because the plants will use less water indoors.
However, lighting is the most difficulty. Yes, some succulents may be content and able to thrive in your indoor illumination, but many will require more than that to survive. As you are already aware, photosynthesis, which produces the energy needed for growth and reproduction, depends on light. But without enough light, your plants will swell, become etiolated, and in extreme situations, they could even perish. So, if you see the succulents extending, that can mean they aren’t getting enough light.
Do Succulents Require Grow Lights To Survive?
It is not required. Your succulents are more likely to survive the winter months if there is a window where they may receive enough light throughout the day. But because the days are shorter in the winter, there won’t be as much light as there would have been in the summer.
It just takes a short while for succulents to start stretching out and losing their compact shape and vibrant colors if they don’t receive enough light. They might still be alive and healthy, but not as well as they would be in sufficient light. Winter’s shorter days frequently cause succulents to stretch, so you must find a means to adequately light your succulent so that the shorter days don’t impair the amount of light provided.
Grow lights hold the key to the solution to this. Your plant will remain vibrant and compact as a result. Additionally, it helps bring extra bright light throughout the day. Succulents housed indoors for multiple winters without the help of a grow lamp have occasionally survived without harm. However, when spring approaches, many of these succulents get more elongated. Many people frequently prune them back before planting the succulents in the ground. However, you might choose to buy a grow light to stop the stretching.
How Long Should Succulents Be Under Grow Lights?
There is a growing season and a dormant season for succulents. Since all succulents go dormant in the winter, they will need less light when kept outside, but they can tolerate as much light as possible indoors.
When grown inside, succulent plants won’t experience real dormancy until a shift in light and temperature is made to force it. Succulents need at least six hours of sunlight each day to survive, but they also need darkness every day to sustain a healthy development cycle.
You can put succulents under grow lights for roughly twelve to fourteen hours, which is the answer to the question of how long they should be. This indicates that the grow lights simulate natural sunshine in addition to a few more hours. A timer can be used to keep track of how much time has passed. It’s vital to buy a grow light with minimal heat output because some excessively hot lights will burn your plant.
What Grow Lights Should I Purchase?
In this session, numerous other queries are posed. There are several pertinent considerations, such as what type of grow light should be used, how much grow light is required, what hue of light should be acquired, and how far the light should be from the succulents. Here are some things to think about in relation to this:
What kind of light should I buy? A fluorescent light (CFLs) or a bulb (T5/T8 bulbs) is the best type of lighting to employ.
Which grow light color should be purchased? The greatest option is a daylight spectrum (especially one with a color temperature of 6500K)
How far apart should the succulent and the grow light be kept? A: The fluorescent light and the succulent should be separated by roughly 6 to 12 inches (but only if you are using a fluorescent bulb)
How many lights ought to be purchased? A: The quantity of plants will determine this. The more plants, the more grow lights are required.
The aforementioned advice was compiled based on effectiveness and cost. Nevertheless, there are other, more expensive choices to take into account, some of which are even more successful than those mentioned. Given their availability and efficiency, fluorescent grow lights are a good choice to take into account.
Regarding the color of light to be utilized and the recommended number of lights, the answers to the questions are the most ambiguous. Red and blue lights are the two most often used colors of light. The most natural light is provided by blue lights, which have a daylight temperature of 6500K. Also keep in mind that a 3000K bulb is the ideal choice for growing succulents properly under grow lights.
It’s typically advised to receive as much light as you can when it comes to the amount of light required. Additionally, shining this light directly on your succulent is a smart idea; but, in limited places, this might not be practical. However, the general concept is that you should use a light that covers a space of 1 foot by 4 feet if you have plants in that area. Grow lights can be purchased locally or online.
Wrap Up
In a well-lit interior environment, your plants can survive without a grow light, but one is still necessary because it ensures that they receive enough light for healthy growth and development. How long should succulents be kept under grow lights is just one of the numerous queries that come up with them.
We think the query has been satisfactorily addressed in this post. We were also able to provide you with a ton additional advice that will ensure your succulents enjoy the best indoor growing possible. Now is the proper time for your plants to bloom, and you may thank us for that.
Let’s Tend The Garden founder Helen Reed is the author of the piece. Here is a location where gardeners and those who love the backyard may go to find the best online material (we think so, anyway).
Succulents can they receive too much grow light?
Do you ever wonder why a succulent doesn’t look as good as it did when you first bought it? If a succulent is otherwise healthy, light should be taken into account initially.
Insufficient lighting causes the leaves of succulent plants to become colorless. They may flatten or stretch as they transition from red, yellow, or orange to faded blue or green hues (etiolate). Conversely, when exposed to much sunlight, succulents may develop beige areas on their leaves or close their rosettes.
Don’t simply glance down at the nursery; look up as well. Give your goods accustomed sun intensity when you bring them home. They might astound you when they settle in and the seasons change. It’s realistic to anticipate that they will look much better after having time and space to spread their roots.
Succubuses enjoy grow lights?
Whichever you choose, the grow lights for your succulents will have the following characteristics in common:
- Grow lights ought to be suspended just over your plants. Depending on the fixture, 6–12 fluorescent bulbs and 1824 LEDs are used.
- Grow lights ought to be on for 10 to 14 hours each day. This is simple to do with a timer like this one.
- Choose lamps with little heat output. Some fluorescent lights can cause plant burns.
Your succulents will remain thriving and healthy during the winter months under fluorescent or LED grow lights. Additionally, you can utilize them to propagate some succulents over the winter to have more come spring.
Finding out that they must maintain their grow lights so close to their plants always shocks folks. Why not give them a little more room as it appears crowded and you can see the light on the plants from a more reasonable distance?
Keep your plants close to the light source so they receive a high intensity of light in order for them to benefit from a grow light. According to the inverse square law of light, the amount of light that is received decreases according to your distance from the source. If you move your plant another foot away from the light when it is already one foot from it, the intensity is lowered to one-fourth instead of being cut in half. The intensity drops to one-ninth at a distance of 3 feet.
As the intensity of the light is decreased, the benefit your succulents receive from the grow light is reduced. People setting the plants too far from the light is the single biggest cause of grow light dissatisfaction.
Choosing Fluorescent Grow Lights for Succulents
If you want to see your succulents while they are indoors, fluorescent grow lights are your best bet. While still providing the necessary lighting for your succulents, the white light is gentle on the eyes. While conventional fluorescent lighting will undoubtedly be beneficial to your plants, grow lights are made specifically to improve the spectrum that is most advantageous to their development. There is less chance of burning your plants because they are designed to produce less heat and to divert it away from the bulbs.
You need to know the following information to determine which fluorescent grow lights will perform best for your succulents:
- Lumens Lumens are a unit of measurement used to describe how bright a light source is. The amount of lumens in each bulb determines how brilliant the light is.
- WattsWatts are a unit of measurement for how much electricity a light fixture uses. The amount of electricity utilized depends on the wattage of the bulb.
In order to save money on your electricity bill, you should choose a lighting feature that produces the most lumens for the fewest watts. Fluorescent lights cost more to operate and need to be replaced more frequently than LED lights. Use the following calculator to find the cost of operating your fluorescent grow lights: Watts (of the bulbs) divided by the number of hours each day you want to use it. You are then given your kW. (Kilowatts per hour). The cost of operating your fluorescent grow lights per month is calculated by multiplying kW by cost (per kW from your electric bill) x 31 days.
Excellent manufacturer Hydrofarm has a solid reputation. This lighting fixture up top is pretty nice. The Hydrofarm FLT44 offers four high output fluorescent tubes that are 4 feet long and can produce up to 18,800 lumens. It has a five-year warranty. With fluorescent lights, it is especially crucial that it operates cool. Daisy-chaining this item enables numerous lights to be powered by a single socket. Each unit is a fantastic choice for lighting a 4 feet by 14 feet region. This light can be hung in three different ways, but ropes or hooks and chains are required.
How much inside light do succulents require?
Succulents thrive in hot, arid conditions and don’t mind a little neglect due to their unique capacity to store water. They are therefore ideally suited to growing indoors and are the perfect choice for anyone looking for low-maintenance houseplants. Follow these instructions for successful plant care if you’re choosing succulents for the first time.
Select a succulent that will thrive in your indoor environment.
The majority of succulents need direct sunshine, however if your home only has a shady area, choose low light-tolerant plants like mother-in-tongue. law’s A trailing variety, like string of bananas, is an excellent option if you intend to grow your succulent in a hanging planter. To learn about your succulents’ requirements for sunlight, size, and spread, always read the plant labels.
Give the plants a good draining potting material.
You should repot your succulent as soon as you get it home since nurseries always plant their succulents in soil that is overly rich and holds too much moisture. A coarse potting mix with sufficient drainage and aeration is a good place to start. You can use an African violet mix or unique cactus and succulent mixtures that you can purchase at the nursery. Add perlite or pumice to the cactus or African violet mix (up to 50% of the total potting mix, depending on your particular succulent’s moisture requirements) to further increase drainage and prevent compaction. To make sure the mixture is moist throughout, always moisten it before using.
Decide on a container.
When repotting, use a container that is at least 1 to 2 inches bigger than the nursery container and has a drainage hole. Avoid using glass containers (such mason jars or terrariums) for long-term potting since they prevent roots from breathing and over time may result in root rot. Place your plant inside the container and backfill with extra pre-moistened potting mix after filling the bottom one-third of the container with pre-moistened potting mix.
Put the succulent plant in a pot somewhere sunny.
Try to arrange your succulents close to a south or east-facing window because most succulents need at least six hours of sun each day. Insufficient sunlight may cause your succulents to become spindly or to extend toward the light.
Between waterings, allow the potting mix to dry out.
Overwatering succulents is the most common error people make with them. Watering more deeply but less frequently is preferable. Before the next watering, completely saturate the potting mix (while making sure the water drains out of the drainage hole properly). The plant can finally perish if the potting soil is left moist every day.
Succulents should be fertilized at least once a year.
Fertilizer works best for plants in the spring (when the days lengthen and new growth starts) and again in the late summer. Use a water-soluble, balanced fertilizer (such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10) that has been diluted to half the strength indicated on the container. Since succulents are semi-dormant in the winter, there is no need to nourish them. Because they are not actively growing, they do not require the nutrient boost.