Indoor Grow Lights

Indoor grow lights stand in for the sun for seedlings, winter herbs and microgreens. The lights here are LED fixtures that mount under a shelf, sit on a table or hang from a hook.

The grow guides set the hours and the height. University of Maryland Extension keeps lights 2 to 6 inches above seedlings for 14 to 16 hours a day, and University of Minnesota Extension names a lack of light as the major cause of elongated, skinny stems. Microgreens get about 16 hours of light a day from any source, with lights typically 6 to 12 inches above the leaves (Maryland). In winter, window light falls short: Minnesota may run lights 10 to 12 hours a day for basil, and Iowa State puts indoor herbs under a grow light on a timer for 12 to 16 hours.

Use a timer, and leave the plants some dark each night, as Minnesota advises.