As a free time (or a full time) gardener, you probably know that plants’ well being highly depends on being exposed to proper lighting, since keeping them in the dark results in not producing chlorophyll, becoming "leggy" to reach towards the source of light, dropping leaves and failing to produce flower buds.

And regardless of how much you love planting, not all of us are blessed with having sufficient space proper for gardening in our outdoor areas while living in the urban areas’ skyscrapers also makes it impossible to plant a couple of seeds outdoors. If that’s your case too, it’s about time to get introduced to artificial lighting systems which are very convenient and highly recommended for growing plants indoors.
So, for the sake of your indoor plants’ well being, know that a lot of experts rely on the help of the CMH (ceramic metal halide) lights.

What Are Ceramic Metal Halide Lights

If you were wondering, the ceramic metal halide (or short, CMH) lights are the modern version of the metal halide lamps, which uses ceramic instead of the traditional quartz. Using ceramic quartz makes it possible for the lamp to operate at higher arc tube temperature, which allows the manufacturers to make more precise variations on the spectrum to increases its performance.

Why You Should Choose CMH Lights?

There’re many reasons why experts rely on these high-quality CMH grow lights for their plants. If you’re wondering why. we wrapped up a couple of them why these lights are beneficial for your plants:

The Broadest Spectrum

Some other lights, such as HPS and MH lights tend to spend a lot of energy to produce light spectrums that are not even completely used by the plants. This is not the case with CMH grow lights, since as we said before, the ceramic tube can withstand much higher temperatures than any other material used in lights.
These high temperatures result in creating a plasma-like light source that is similar to the sun. Being exposed to these bulbs, plants get much more usable light than being exposed to the other types of grow lights.

Best Colour Rendering Index

Compared to other grow lights, the CMH ones are known for providing the highest measures of Colour Rendering Index (CRI). In fact, if the objects that are fully visible to the human eye in natural light have a CRI of 100, an average CMH grow light has a CRI rating that ranges between 80 and 96.

Colour Stability

It has been shown that CMH lights last approximately 3 years more than halogen or incandescent lights. The fact that the CMH lights last longer will keep you ensured that they will provide consistent quality and retain their wide spectrum for many of the upcoming years, unlike the other bulbs whose’s effectiveness loss may not be visible to the human’s eye.

UV Lighting

Plants during their vegetative stages are in great need of UV lights since it promotes the development of stronger branches. Unlike many of the artificial lighting bulbs for plants, the CMH lights are shown to produce great UV lights due to their broad spectrum of lights.

Less Heat

Regardless of the fact that they operate at high temperatures, the CMH light bulbs emit less heat than any other bulb. This means that you can always place the bulb closer to the plant without being worried that it will burn its leaves, unlike with the other bulbs. Also, this feature is very beneficial for those who grow their plants in smaller rooms, since tight spaces which aren't well ventilated combined with the heat of the HPS or MH grow lights can be fatal for your plants.

Cost-effective


The CMH plant growing lights may not be the cheapest solution for your plants, but it will keep you ensured that you chose a bulb that offers great energy efficiency and wider light coverage which is healthier for your plants. Also, since these bulbs promote longevity, you won’t have to worry about the light accidentally "fading". This makes them very cost-effective in the long run and an excellent investment for your plants.

Great Fit for Any Fixture

The CMH light bulbs also come in a huge range of sizes, which makes it highly possible and convenient to put them into any halogen fixture, including the one you already own.

How to Choose the Best CMH Light for Your Plants

At this point, it’s important to know that not all CMH light bulbs are the same. That’s why you should consider the following couple of features before you make your choice:

Ballast Compatibility

The CMH ballast is responsible for regulating the electric current in the lamp, in a way to ensure appropriate brightness and to control the voltage for extending its lifespan. For this purpose, there are many types of ballasts, but not all of them are compatible with CMH bulbs. For instance, the standard electronic ballast is highly unsuitable and not recommended to use, since it produces very high frequencies.

On the other hand, to make sure you’re doing the right choice, always choose CMH specific ballast since they use low-frequency square-wave technology to minimise the electromagnetic interferences and produce a steadier stream of light.

The Wattage

It’s of great importance to consider the wattage of your CMH bulbs, since the higher it is, the bigger the area of coverage. Usually, the CMH bulbs’ wattages range from 315 to 630 watts, and you should always choose depending on the space you’re lighting up.

The Heat Output

As much as the CMH lights are able to operate at high temperatures and produce less heat than the other plant bulbs, it’s not recommended to use them in spaces with low ceilings, small closets, tents or anywhere where the air circulation is poor. For this purpose, always consider your plants' growing room and make sure the air is well ventilated.

So, don’t hesitate to "arm" yourself with these convenient CMH growing lights, considering how beneficial they are for your plants’ well being. Once you choose the features and performances you’re aiming for, you’re never going to get back to the other types of bulbs.