Dear Ellen,

Thanks for reaching out and sharing your question about the best lights and practices for starting seedlings. My name is Deb Hoover and I serve as a volunteer through NH Master Gardeners.

Adequate lighting is challenging in an indoor setting and is more complicated than one might expect. Some grow lights targeted for homeowner use focus on plant-specific wavelengths of light, but the most important factor to consider is the quantity of light. Crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers require more light for production while leafy greens tend to need less. Fluorescent shop lights provide an affordable grow light option, and a similar setup with LED lights will be most energy efficient. A plug-in timer can help ensure that the lights stay on for the correct length of time each day for the plants you are growing. It’s best to keep the plants as close to the light as possible without touching or you risk burning them. You will likely need to adjust the position of the lights as the plants grow.

UNH Extension has developed a few great resources to help with your project so you can focus on the specific requirements of the types of seeds you are germinating. These references will answer your questions about the level of light and the distance of light from the plants.

For basic information on Starting Plants from Seeds, please refer to this informative Fact Sheet:

https://extension.unh.edu/resource/starting-plants-seed-fact-sheethttps://extension.unh.edu/blog/2021/02/optimizing-plant-growth-indoor-lighting-qa

Here is an excellent overview of the science of light requirements with much more detailed information (Growing Seeds Under Lights by Jonathan Ebba, UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist):

https://extension.unh.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_unmanaged_files/Resource008038_Rep11733.pdf

Here is one more useful reference in a blog format (Optimizing Plant Growth with Indoor Lighting), also authored by Jonathan Ebba:

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2021/02/optimizing-plant-growth-indoor-lighting-qa

I hope these resources will be helpful to building your grow station and I wish you great success getting a headstart on the 2026 growing season.

Warm regards,

Deb Hoover

NH Master Gardener