Best Cheap Grow Light for Seedlings: Tested and Reviewed

Here, I will suggest the best cheap grow light for seedlings and tell you what features you must consider for buying a grow light. keep reading.

Growing seedlings of herbs, vegetables, and any other type of plants in places without enough sunlight is possible with growing lights but what is the best cheap grow light for seedling? Seedlings are one of the most sensitive parts of growing plants, they are similar to a newborn baby. It is important to care for them perfectly and light plays a critical role in their healthy growth.

In this post, I want to share with you my experiences with various grow lights for seedlings and introduce ones that I found cheap and best.  Please note that I’m a horticultural counsellor (I have a PhD in plant protection science) and walk with you through this article. You can ask me all of your questions and I will answer them as soon as possible. Let’s get going.

In addition, If you are interested in growing seedlings for creating an indoor herb garden for cats, I discussed it in my other article.

➡ You can also hear the audio version of this article.

Tips for Choosing the Best Grow Light for Seedlings

Before introducing the best cheap grow light for seedlings, I want to tell you pro tips that I always consider for choosing a grow light. Let’s find them.

1- Light Spectrum:

It is one of the first things that I note for choosing a grow light. Do you know what’s the light spectrum? As you can see in the below picture, visible light (that we see as a white colour) includes various wavelengths (which we see in seven colours) that we call the visible light spectrum.

Plants need different light spectrums at various stages of their life. I know that blue light promotes vegetative growth and red light stimulates flowering and fruiting. So, I think Blue light is more appropriate for seedlings, However, I always look for a growing light that provides a full spectrum of light (similar to sunlight), including both blue and red wavelengths. I think it is more similar to natural environments.

2- Light Intensity:

It is another factor that you must search about a growing light. We group different plants based on their light intensity requirements into three groups:

• Low-Light Plants: you must provide light intensities ranging from 50 to 250 fc (500 to 2,500 lx). Some plants such as Ferns are low-light.
• Medium-Light Plants: the best light for them is ranging from 250 to 1,000 fc (2,500 to 10,000 lx). I considered the Lucky bamboo light requirements in my other post, this plant is one of the Medium-light plants.
• High-Light Plants: these plants need light intensity levels of 1,000 fc (10,000 lx) or more. Cactus and succulents are the best examples of High-light plants.

I recommend considering the light intensity requirements of your specific seedlings and choosing a growing light that can provide adequate brightness for their optimal growth.

There are other factors such as:

3- Energy Efficiency

4- Heat Output

5- Coverage Area: first you must consider the size of your seedling trays or pots and then search about the coverage area of various growing lights to choose a grow light that can cover the entire area adequately.

6- Durability and Lifespan

7- Adjustable Mounting Options: it is essential to prevent burning or stretching in your seedlings. You must consider the position of the light source at the appropriate distance from your seedlings.

8- User-Friendly Features

9-Manufacturer’s Reputation and Warranty

You must consider them before buying every growing light. A growing light consists all of the above features will be expensive but, in the following, I have suggestions that can work well with appropriate prices. Keep reading.

What Is the Best Cheap Grow Light for Seedlings?

And now. It is time to look for the best cheap grow light for seedlings, I have a few options that you can consider:

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL):

CFL bulbs were a cost-effective option for seedlings that I tested. I’ve found them energy-efficient with a decent light spectrum for plant growth. Please look for CFL bulbs:

• labelled as “daylight” or “full spectrum”
• the colour temperature of around 6500K

They are more similar to natural sunlight and your seedlings will be surprised.

Fluorescent Tube Lights:

I’ve found the T5 fluorescent tube lights an appropriate and affordable choice for My seedlings. Because they:

• can provide a good light spectrum for my plant growth.
• are widely available in most markets.

I recommend looking for fixtures that are specifically designed for plant growth, as they can provide maximum light coverage for your plant. This is due to their adjustable height settings and reflectors.

LED Strip Lights:

I think they can be best due to:

• I found LED strip lights more affordable and energy efficient.
• They were the efficient choice for my seedlings.
• Their adjustable or dimmable options let me provide the right light for my seedlings to grow.

I always Look for strips with:

• high lumen output
• a colour temperature of around 6500K  (it is optimal for plant growth).

LED Grow Bulbs:

However they are a bit more expensive than fluorescent options, but I think they will save your budget over time because:

• they are energy-efficient
• they have a longer lifespan.

I always buy LED grow bulbs with:

• a high wattage
• a full light spectrum suitable for seedling growth.
• adjustable colour temperature and intensity that allows me to customize the lighting conditions for my seedlings.

DIY Options:

My uncle is handy with some basic electrical knowledge and created his own inexpensive DIY grow light setup using materials like:

• Aluminium foil to reflect light
• Socket adapters
• Inexpensive CFL or LED bulbs.

I found it works well for his indoor herb garden and is safe too. I also recommend reading my article “Best under cabinet grow light for herbs” to gain more information about the best grow lights.

Conclusion

I told you about my experiences in choosing the best cheap grow light for seedlings and shared my knowledge about four common growing lights in markets that are not expensive. I Prefer to buy LED Strip Lights for my seedlings because they are energy-efficient with longer lifespans. How about you? Do you think which one is the best cheap grow light for your seedlings?

Please tell me about your ideas and experiences below this page.