Plant Basics

• Plants need an average of six hours of sunlight a day to perform photosynthesis, the process which involves turning carbon dioxide, water and sunlight into sugars and oxygen. Plants absorb light at specific wavelengths of the light spectrum. Plants favor blue and red light, reflecting green, hence the green color of plants.
  
  

Growing Outdoors

• Plants outside get natural sunlight containing the entire light spectrum. If the plant is in a open sunny location, then it should theoretically do well. Plants grown indoors must be in a sunny location or under grow lights. Grow lights must produce light in the right spectrum to be of any use to the plants.
  
  

Growing Indoors

• The sun is in the sky everyday and offers plants everything they need in regards to light. Grow lights are expensive to purchase, have running costs and need to be maintained. The advantage of grow lights is they can be controlled. They can be used to extend day length and intensity. This flexibility means crops can be grown faster and out of season.