Top 7 Best Veg Lights for Weed Growth 2024 – Reviews & Guide

Last Updated on December, 2023 by Rob Wilson

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When a marijuana plant grows wild in nature, it survives because it has everything that it needs. Sunlight, air, and rain/groundwater is essential, and so is the natural cycle of the sun and the changes that happen to the surrounding environment. However, when it comes to professionally growing a marijuana plant indoors, growers need to pay attention to a lot of factors, which includes finding the right kind of lighting. The right kind of lighting can be achieved by using the best veg lights for growing marijuana. Over the course of this article, we will focus on the 7 best LED veg lights for vegetative growth that will help your marijuana plant stay healthy.

We will also discuss what an LED vegetative grow light is and why it is so useful for growing marijuana. Afterwards, we’ll take a closer look at what the vegetative phase of growth is. Then we’ll examine the 7 best lights for vegging cannabis in detail, along with the pros and cons of each of them. We’ll also take a quick look at our buyer’s guide where you can discover what you need to look for in a grow light before you buy it. Lastly, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about LED grow lights for vegetative growth. Let us now begin by addressing some basic questions:

WHAT IS A VEGETATIVE LED GROW LIGHT AND WHY IS IT USEFUL?

There are many different kinds of veg lights for weed, but all of them serve the same purpose. They ensure that the marijuana plant that you are growing indoors gets enough light. These grow lights have lights of different wavelengths, which helps them recreate natural sunlight inside a controlled environment. Unlike the natural cycle of the sun, however, you can control exactly how much light you give to your plants and for how long. This is a great feature that allows growers to grow the ‘optimal’ plant that provides high yields at the end of the growing cycle.

There are a number of different types of grow lights, but LED lights for vegetative growth are usually considered the best option for growers. Other types of LED grow lights for vegetative growth include High-Pressure Sodium grow lights, metal halides, CFL grow lights, and more. However, veg lights for weed are better for a number of reasons. First off, they can last you for close to 100,000 hours or even more. Another great thing about these lights is that they are totally non-toxic and do not carry any chemicals inside them, making them safer to operate and easier to dispose of. However, the biggest benefit of using LED grow lights for vegetative growth is that they have a much cheaper operating cost when you compare them to other traditional grow lights.

All of these reasons are why a good vegetative LED grow light is considered to be an essential part of any marijuana garden, especially if you get a hold of a full-spectrum LED vegetative grow light. This type of light can help you grow your marijuana plants through both the vegetative stage and the flowering stage. While our article is centered on finding the best LED grow lights for vegetative growth, we will mainly be focusing on the best lights for weed that use the full-spectrum of light. That way, you won’t have to buy another grow light for the bloom phase later on.

UNDERSTANDING THE VEGETATIVE PHASE OF GROWTH AND WHY YOU NEED VEG LIGHTS FOR WEED

The vegetative stage of the growth is the fourth stage in the marijuana plant’s seven-stage growth cycle. It comes after the seed, germination, and seedling stages and is followed by the pre-flowering, flowering and harvest stages. The vegetative stage is the stage of growth where the seedling begins to mature into a proper plant. During this time, a large number of branches and leaves will start to appear. Here, the plant gets sturdier as the stem gets thicker and the height of the plant increases tenfold. This is the phase of growth where you will need to provide a lot of light to the plant, especially with one of the best lights for weed, to ensure that it is getting enough light for photosynthesis. This is quite important because the green portions of the plants will still be growing at this stage. A plant is only considered fully matured at the next stage. When you reach this stage, you will need high humidity levels so the leaves can directly absorb the moisture from their environment instead of from the roots.

7 Best LED Veg Lights for Vegetative Growth

Now that you know what LED lights for vegetative growth are and what the vegetative stage of growth is, here’s a look at the 7 best LED lights for vegetative growth.

1. BLOOMSPECT 600W LED VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT

BLOOMSPECT Upgraded 600W LED Grow Light with Daisy Chain, Dual Chips Full Spectrum Plant Grow Lights for Indoor Hydroponics Greenhouse Plants Veg and Flower (60pcs 10W LEDs)
  • B600 only consumes 132W±3%, the electricity of 0.132kW·h per hour to save more money than HPS/MH lamp; Perfect for 2.5x2.5ft grow area while 2x2ft flower area.
  • Well balanced spectrum of blue, red and white emitting from upgraded 10 watt double-chips LEDs make more efficient and better higher yields.

We start our list off with a 600 watt LED grow light from Bloomspect, which is a company that has been making grow lights for quite some time now. This is the best light for vegetative growth on our list, especially for growers who want an inexpensive grow light for growing their marijuana plants. This is a 600W LED grow light, which features 60 pieces of double chip LEDs that contain 10W each in a single panel. The panel measures 11.8″ x 7.9″ x 2.6″ and weighs close to 6lbs. It has a lifespan of about 50,000 hours on average.

When hung from 16” off the ground, this grow light offers a coverage of 2ft x 2ft but can cover 2.5ft x 2.5ft when the height is increased to 20” off the ground. Its PPFD rating is also quite high. While it offers an output of about 600W, the actual power draw from the socket is close to 132W with a variation of about +/- 3%. With this LED grow light, you don’t have to deal with separate switches for the VEG and BLOOM modes. This means that it is good for both stages of growth with the kind of light it provides. It offers a mix of reds and blues and is perfect for beginners who may get confused during the different stages of growth. Overall, this is one of the best LED grow lights for the vegetative growth stage.

For those wondering about the heat management elements of this grow light, the device uses a single fan on the back which ensures all the heat is dissipated properly. There are also small circular openings on the front panel where the heat can escape without damaging the lights. This LED grow light also comes with a two year warranty. You will also have a 30-day money-back guarantee when you buy the light from Amazon.

Pros

  • Full spectrum lighting – ensures plants grow well and get an almost-natural sunlight
  • Easy to use
  • Power efficient – doesn’t draw a lot of power from the socket
  • Inexpensive
  • Great for vegetative stage of growth

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Cons

  • Does not feature separate VEG and BLOOM switches
  • No support for daisy chaining

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2. ADVANCED PLATINUM P300 LED GROW LIGHT FOR VEGETATIVE STAGE

The best veg light for growers who want to use a premium LED vegetative grow light and are willing to splurge a little is the Advanced Platinum P300 Led Grow Light. This is a 300W LED for vegetative growth that offers one of the best growing experiences you can find for your marijuana plants. The design of this grow light is quite elegant, and the lighting it provides is superior compared to most other brands, making it the second best light for vegetative growth on our list. Even better, this product is a made-in-USA product. It features VEG and BLOOM switches and has 100 LEDs that each hold 3W.

This grow light has 12 different bands of light, which ensure that your marijuana plant gets the full-spectrum of light during the vegetative stage and the bloom stage. This is one of the best LED grow lights for the vegetative growth of your plants. Another great thing about this grow light from PlatinumLED is that it gives you a large coverage of about 4.5 ft x 5 ft when it is hung from about 24” off the ground. When you move down to 18” off the ground, it goes down to about 3.5 ft x 4 ft of coverage, which is still pretty decent.

When you use this grow light, it provides an output of 300W, but it can easily replace a 400W HPS grow light while consuming only 93W during the vegetative phase of growth. It offers a very high PAR value of 1050 uMols at 18” off the ground, and it is considered one of the “best lights for veg stage” in the market. This grow light comes with a large number of heat vents and two fans located on the back. However, what really makes this choice one of the best LED lights for weed is the fact that it comes with a 5-year warranty as well! This option might be a little pricey, but it is totally worth it given what you give in return.

Pros

Pros

  • Very impressive lighting and PAR score
  • Consumes very little power
  • Decent coverage for a 300W grow light
  • 12-band full spectrum grow light along with IR and UV lights
  • 5-year warranty period

Cons

Cons

  • Expensive
  • No dimmers, which you would expect at this price

3. VIPARSPECTRA 1200W VEGETATIVE LED GROW LIGHT

Viparspectra is a name that has been in the industry almost since it became a trend to grow weed indoors. The company has over 10 years of experience in manufacturing grow lights and is one of the biggest, most popular, and credible names in the market. This 1200W LED grow light from Viparspectra is very bright and very effective when it comes to growing marijuana indoors. It measures 19.4 in. × 19.4 in. × 3 in. and weighs 20 lbs. There are 240 LED lights in this grow light, each of them containing 5W of power. The LED lights are divided into two sections in the panel.

If you’re looking for the best light for vegging cannabis, this is a fantastic option and the third best light for vegetative growth on our list. With this option, you get access to a 12-band full spectrum of light, along with VEG and BLOOM channels for easier growth. All in all, these features make it one of the best grow lights for marijuana plants indoors. When you use this grow light to grow marijuana plants during their vegetative stage, you get a coverage of 4.5’ x 4.5.’ If you lower it during the flowering phase, the coverage reduces to 3.5’ x 3.5’.

This grow light can replace a traditional/HPS grow light of 800W. The actual power consumption, surprisingly, is only 520W (with a small scope of variation). The PAR value is pretty good for a grow light of 1200W, and you can expect to get 870 uMols at 18”. This grow light is built into a huge device, so it includes a lot of cooling features. There are four fans located on the back side that help make sure the heat is dissipated properly and keeps it circulating out of the device’s body. This happens naturally thanks to the openings directly in front of the fans and the vents on the sides. This grow light also comes with a decent three-year warranty period and 30-day return period.

Pros

Pros

  • Separate VEG and BLOOM switches
  • 12-band full spectrum lighting
  • Very safe to use – a UL certified product
  • Decent PAR score too
  • Optimal for a 4×4 grow tent

Cons

Cons

  • Does not support daisy chaining
  • Power consumption could have been more fine-tuned

4. Bestva DC 2000W LED Grow Light

Last but not the least is the Bestva DC 2000W LED grow light, which is the fourth best light for vegetative growth on our list. It is also one of the brightest! At 2000W, this type of light is as good as it gets for marijuana plants. This is also a great option for growers who need a larger coverage area because the total coverage offered by this light is close to 7.8 ft x 7.5 ft when it is hung from 24” off the ground. When  it is lowered to 18” off the ground, it can still cover about 1-1.5 ft.

This is a full-spectrum LED grow light that uses VEG and BLOOM switches, so that you can adjust the lighting based on which phase of growth you are in. You can also switch both of them at the same time. There are 200 dual-chip LEDs of 10W each in the grow light panel. It offers a 9-band spectrum with LEDs angled at 120 degrees for optimal growth. The PAR score here is also pretty decent, as you get about 1036 uMols at 18”.

While you do get an output of 2000W, the actual input is only about 390W. This grow light can replace a 1400W HPS grow light. When you analyze these numbers, it is a no-brainer that this is one of the best lights for weed in terms of power efficiency. Given that this is a 2000W grow light, you may expect it to produce a lot of heat. Fortunately, however, there are four fans on the back side which keep the heat from damaging the product. It comes with a 3-year warranty as well as a 90-day money back guarantee.

Pros

Pros

  • One of the best LED grow lights for vegetative growth for those who are growing in tents between 6×6 to 8×8 feet in size
  • Extremely bright lights, help in increasing yields
  • Fans have a noiseless operation
  • Good warranty period

Cons

Cons

  • Lack of daisy chaining feature
  • High cost

How to Choose the Best Veg Light for Growing Marijuana

Now that you know what to look for in the best LED veg light, you should also know some crucial factors that need to be considered before you buy a grow light:

  • Spectrum: When looking for the best LED light for vegetative growth, you’ll want to find a grow light that offers a full-spectrum of light. This means you are getting the reds as well as the blues. The red end of the spectrum is important for the growth of marijuana in the flowering stage, while the blue end is good for the growth and vegetative stages of the marijuana plant’s life cycle.
  • Coverage: You should know how wide the coverage of the grow light is. Will it be enough to cover your grow tent? Make sure that the grow light(s) you are getting are enough to cover the entire grow tent but do not exceed it.
  • Power Consumption: You need to see how much power your grow light consumes before you buy it. It’s best not to go by the wattage reading that the light provides you, though. A 2000W grow light might consume only about 800 to 1300W of power. This is something you need to double check to make sure you’re getting a device that doesn’t consume too much power.
  • Cooling: Cooling is pretty important for a grow light because light emits heat. While the best veg lights heat up less than other grow lights, they still emit quite a bit of heat that can damage either the plants or the equipment itself. Hence, you need to make sure the light has proper cooling arrangements to dissipate the heat that the light generates.
  • Cost/Warranty: Last but not the least is the cost and the warranty. Grow lights are one of the most expensive parts of an indoor growth setup, and they can cost you anywhere between $50 to $1000 depending on what kind of a grow light you’re getting. Make sure to invest in only the best LED for veg. Most grow lights also offer at least a 2 years of warranty.

3 Bonus Lights for Veg Stage: 2024

1. HYDROPLANET T5 HO FLUORESCENT VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT

For those searching online for “the best light for veg stage,” this is a good option for you. This grow light is particularly effective during the vegetative phase of the plant’s growth cycle and helps you grow more stable plants that provide high yields. This grow light comes with aluminum reflectors attached to it. It also has a plug and play ballasts, which make it easier to operate the light compared to traditional lighting fixtures where ballasts tend to be rather complex.

This is one of the best grow lights for vegetative growth because it carries 8 bulbs of 6500K each. Each bulb on this grow light produces about 5000 lumens of light, providing a total of 40,000 lumens. The 6500K bulbs provide plenty of blue light for your plants, which is of particular importance during the vegetative growth stage. Another great thing about this grow light is that it also supports a daisy chaining feature, which means you can plug other grow lights to it and create a chain of interconnected grow lights that share power rather than plugging each light individually to power outlets. It also comes with a hanger for hanging the lights.

Mounting and installing this grow light from Hydroplanet is a simple process, and just about anyone can do it with ease. There’s a two-year warranty on the product, and the grow light itself is pretty durable and can survive quite a few scratches and bumps. All in all, if you’re looking for “the best grow lights for vegetative stage” online, this option is the one that will help growers get better vegetative growth and big, leafy plants.

Pros

  • Super durable
  • Very bright, 40,000 lumens
  • Excellent blue lighting – growers can get very leafy vegetative growth
  • 2-year warranty period

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Cons

  • Heats up quite a bit

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2. MARS HYDRO TS FULL SPECTRUM LED VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT

Mars Hydro is a popular name among the growing community. This vegetative grow light from them is perfect for growers who want to grow marijuana indoors and in a small-scale setup (2.5 x 2.5 ft or 3 x 3 ft). This is a 1000W LED grow light that gives you 342 LED lights that work together to provide the best LED veg light possible for good vegetative growth. The spectrum of the lights here ranges 660-665nm Red IR/3200-4200Knm/5200-6800Knm and is simply perfect for indoor growth, as it gives off a near-natural light.

Another great thing about this grow light is that it’s built with a fanless cooling system, which means that the heat gets dissipated noiselessly. The best part about this is that, while you get a massive 1000W output, it only consumes about 150W of energy from the power socket when it is used under ideal settings. There is reflective material around and below the bulbs to help ensure that the intensity of the light is magnified. This Mars Hydro grow light is good for both growing stages but, in particular, it’s the best light for vegetative growth.

Mars Hydro is a trusted brand and has been known for making high quality LED grow lights in the past. What also stands out about this grow light is that, while it is quite large, it is not very heavy, and you can easily hang it in your grow tent without worrying about the weight. Cited as the best light for vegetative growth in 2020, your plants will be at little to no risk of heat-related damage with this product.

Pros

Pros

  • Offers high lighting output at a low energy input
  • Large yet lightweight
  • Full spectrum lighting great for vegetative phase but ideal for bloom too

Cons

Cons

  • Some users have had packaging and shipping related issues with this grow light from Mars Hydro

3. HYDROFARM AGROBRITE T5 VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT SYSTEM

The third name on our list comes from Hydrofarm. This LED vegetative grow light offers a decent lighting system with really bright lights. The lumen output goes up to 60,000 lumens, making it the brightest and one of the best veg lights on our list. This is a large product that is particularly great for growers who want to buy the best grow light for vegetative growth in 2022. Your marijuana plants will love this light because of how bright it is! Plants, especially in the early stages and vegetative growth, need a lot of light compared to their later stages. Hence, this is a great choice for indoor growers.

There are 12 bulbs in this grow light from Hydrofarm, and each of these bulbs has the power of 5000 lumens, giving a grand total of 60,000 lumens of light. This is an ideal setup for those growers who want to grow four to five plants under it. The temperature that you get here is 6400K, and the light is very blue, which is great for the vegetative growth of plants! Even better, this grow light also has attachments for daisy chaining other lights onto it for an even brighter effect!

Mounting and installing this grow light is pretty easy because all you have to do is just plug and play it. There are no special ballasts that are needed, and you can keep the light overhead on the plant, sideways, or however you like. There are multiple power switches on this grow light, which will let you choose which of the 12 bulbs you want to light up. This is one of the best features of this grow light.

Pros

  • Covers a large area
  • Supports daisy chaining
  • Very bright – great for vegetative growth
  • Allows you to switch off certain bulbs manually

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Cons

  • Heats up frequently
  • Reflective system not so good

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Best Light for Vegetative Growth

Here are some frequently asked questions about the best LED lights for weed:

1. HOW MUCH LIGHT DO PLANTS NEED IN THE VEGETATIVE STAGE?

The vegetative stage is a stage in the plant’s growth where it needs a LOT of light. You may be wondering: exactly how much should the photoperiod be? You can start off by giving your plant as much as 20 to 22 hours of light for a few days before eventually easing it down to about 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness a day as the plant begins to grow. Eventually, as you enter the pre-flowering phase, you can reduce it to 16 hours of light and then down to 12 hours of light when you want to trigger your plants into the flowering stage.

2. CAN I GROW A PLANT WITHOUT USING AN LED VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT?

Yes, you can make use of other types of grow lights to grow your marijuana plants. These include HPS lights, Metal Halides, CFL lights and other similar options of lighting. However, LED grow lights are generally considered the best out of all these because they are non-toxic, cheaper to operate, and last longer. While you could eliminate the need for a grow light and choose to grow your marijuana outdoors or in an area where you get a lot of sunlight, using grow lights gives you a greater advantage. You can control the intensity of the light as well as the amount of hours that the light is provided to the plant.

3. HOW DOES LIGHT DETERMINE THE SHIFT FROM VEGETATIVE STAGE TO FLOWERING STAGE?

The “photoperiod” is a term used to describe the amount of time that light should be provided to plants. The photoperiod determines many things, such as the growth of the plant and phase of growth. When you reduce the photoperiod from 18-16 hours a day to 12 hours a day as the pre-flowering phase comes to an end, flowering will begin.

4. HOW MANY HOURS OF DARKNESS (NON-LIGHT HOURS) DO PLANTS NEED?

The amount of non-light hours or hours of darkness that you provide to your marijuana plants depends a lot on the phase of growth your plants are in. During the early stages, you can provide up to 2-3 hours of darkness. During the peak vegetative phase, you can provide about 6 hours of darkness. The pre-flowering stage requires about 8 to 10 hours of darkness. Finally, the flowering phase needs 12 to 14 hours of darkness.

5. IS IT LEGAL TO USE AN LED VEGETATIVE GROW LIGHT?

Yes, it is completely legal to use a vegetative LED grow light. Growers use these grow lights to grow not only marijuana but also many other plants. However, if you are planning to grow marijuana using a vegetative grow light, you need to check with your local law enforcement if it is legal to do so. Grow lights are legal, but growing weed might be illegal, so it’s best to watch out for that.

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Conclusion – Finding the Best Light for Vegetative Growth for Your Needs

To conclude, we hope that this article on the best lights for weed helps you find the best equipment for your specific needs so you can grow plants that give you the best yield. Selecting the best light for vegetative growth can be quite a tough task, and we hope this post has helped you gain a better insight into the world of LED lights for vegetative growth. Let us know in the comments below about any questions you have or email us if you feel like we’ve missed out on something.

Happy Growing! 🙂

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  • Rob Wilson

    Rob Wilson is a maverick horticulturist and alchemist of the herbal world. With an uncanny green thumb and a passion for unlocking the secrets of cannabis cultivation and processing, he blends science and artistry to orchestrate nature's most intricate symphony. Rob's journey is an odyssey of coaxing delicate trichomes and potent terpenes into harmonious existence. When not lost in his garden, he's a devoted educator, guiding fellow enthusiasts through the verdant realms of cannabis cultivation.