Northern Lights Seeds

Best Grow Lights for Northern Lights (LED vs HPS vs CFL)

Alright, so you’re growing Northern Lights — good choice. Classic strain. Chill, reliable, smells like pine and dreams. But now you’re stuck on lights. LEDs? HPS? CFLs? Everyone’s got an opinion, and most of them sound like they’re reading off a script. Let’s cut the crap.

First off, CFLs. Compact fluorescents. Cheap, easy to find, and honestly . . . kind of a joke if you're serious. They’re like using a flashlight to grow a tree. Sure, they work—for seedlings maybe, or a single sad plant in a closet—but you’re not gonna get fat, sticky Northern Lights colas under a bunch of twisty bulbs from Home Depot. Don’t kid yourself.

Now HPS—high-pressure sodium. Old-school. These things run hot, like really hot. You’ll need fans, maybe even ducting, and your electric bill’s gonna look like you’re mining crypto. But damn, they grow. Big yields, deep penetration (yeah, I said it), and that orangey glow that makes your grow room look like a scene from Blade Runner. Northern Lights loves HPS. It bulks up, gets dense, resinous. But the heat, man. The heat is real. And if you’re in a tiny apartment or your landlord’s nosey? Sketchy.

Then there’s LED. Not the garbage ones from Amazon with fake wattage claims and rainbow disco lights. I mean real LEDs—Spider Farmer, HLG, Gavita if you’ve got cash to burn. These things are efficient, cool-running, and they’ve come a long way. Full spectrum, low heat, and they sip electricity. Perfect for stealth grows or tight spaces. Northern Lights under a good LED? Gorgeous. Tight nodes, frosty buds, and you can actually control the spectrum if you’re into that kind of thing. Some people swear LEDs don’t yield like HPS, but I’ve seen side-by-sides where LED crushed it. Maybe it’s the strain. Maybe it’s the grower. Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Anyway—if you’re just starting out, and you’re not trying to turn your closet into a sauna, go LED. Spend a little more upfront, save yourself the headache. If you’re old-school or just love the raw power of HPS, go for it—but be ready to manage the heat. CFLs? Only if you’re broke or bored. Or both.

I’ve grown Northern Lights under all three. LED wins. Every time. Less stress, more control, and the buds? Sticky like honey on a hot day. Just don’t cheap out. Bad LEDs are worse than no lights at all. Trust me.

Anyway, that’s my two cents. You do you. Just don’t use CFLs and expect miracles.