I'm planning to build an IKEA cabinet for some plants in my gaming room, but I don't want a super bright light blasting off the adjacent wall while I'm playing. I'm thinking of setting up a timer to run the grow lights from 2 AM to 10 AM, dim them from 10 AM until 5 PM, and then turn them off until 2 AM. My room has a North-facing window with drawn blinds, so there's not a lot of natural light coming in. Is this a good plan? Do plants need a certain night cycle, and does it matter if it lines up with the actual sun?
2 Answers
I’ve got some plants in a windowless bathroom with a light on all the time. They’ve been growing fine for ages! It might take some trial and error, especially with more sensitive ones, but you should be alright experimenting. Just keep an eye on how they react to your light schedule.
Yeah, plants definitely need a night cycle to thrive! You can experiment with light timings, but making sure they get enough darkness is key. A lot of plants can handle a longer light cycle, but going 24/7 can stunt flowering and mess with their natural cues. Transitioning from bright light to dim shouldn’t be a problem as long as they have some time in the dark, too.
Most plants adjust pretty well as long as they have some routine. You can definitely find a good rhythm that works for both your plants and your gaming!
That makes sense! I just want to maximize the bright time when I’m not around, and keep the dim lights while I’m gaming. I was really wondering about whether I need to sync their light cycle with sunrise and sunset or if they’ll adapt.