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Using LEDs as Grow Lights

Author: Franklin David
by Franklin David
Posted: Jul 07, 2017

To replicate the natural solar spectrum, gardeners use indoor lighting for plant cultivation. Artificial grow lights are important because they provide plants with either supplemental lighting when natural light is dim, or to provide the sole source of lighting for plants grown indoors. During photosynthesis, Chlorophyll in plants requires light to turn into energy. For this, plants need different amplitude of light wavelengths at different growth stages. Traditional light bulbs such as CFL, incandescent or high intensity discharge lights (HID) may not be viable to use for plants because they produce too much heat and cannot provide full spectrum of light needed for proper growth. Another downside of traditional bulbs is that they emit light that may not be used in photosynthesis at all. While some bulbs scorch plants with excess heat, others provide restricted support for plant growth.

How do LEDs Emphasise Growth Spectrums?

The development of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) provided cultivators a new source of lighting that has many advanced benefits. LED grow lights are fundamentally different from other conventional types because they contain no mercury, no lead, gas or filament in its lighting system, and are therefore completely safe and recyclable. LEDs produce photosynthetic active radiations (PAR) at varied wavelengths that intensify plant growth. They offer full spectrum lighting support with emphasis on blue and red wavelengths that are preferred for full-cycle cultivation from seed to harvest. By customizing the spectral intensity of different colors, cultivators can bring variations in their plant characteristics. However, they must pick the correct spectrum of light and use right combination of LEDs to provide favourable growth conditions for their plants. By choosing the best LED lighting setup for their growing area, cultivators will have higher yields and minimize energy usage.

LEDs offer better growing environments

As LEDs provide the ability to steer the plant growth in confined spaces like indoor growing areas and greenhouses, it gives cultivators more control on their crops. They can supply different light spectral outputs to have different varieties of crops in the same space. Since grow LEDs produce ideal illumination for plants, cultivators will need to depend less on chemical fertilizers to enhance the growth of plant hormones for photosynthesis process. They can have a healthier indoor environment and make use of fewer chemicals in their growing operations.

What LED types are used as grow lights?

Not all LEDs are used in plant growing. Commercial LED lights do not have an optimized spectrum for ideal plant growth and propagation. However, LED grow lights allow cultivators to supplement plants with specific light spectrums especially during the vegetative and reproductive phases. In general, plants require wavelengths within the visible range (400-700 nm) in varying proportions. By combining several LEDs with different wavelengths, growers can customize the intensity of spectral radiation that is required for different stages of plant growth. For instance, when light is supplied within the wavelength of blue light it enhances the plant vegetation whereas if red and orange shades are used it supports flower and fruit production. This way using different LED options, growers can control light spectrum to bring out different variations in plant characteristics.

LEDfullSpectrum design and manufacture high quality energy efficient full spectrum LED growlights for indoor plants. LEDfullSpectrum.com offers wide variety of LED lighting fixtures and systems, specially channelled to the needs of research and cultivation. Their full spectrum LED lights offer favourable growth conditions for full-cycle cultivation. For more details on LED lighting products please visit http://www.ledfullspectrum.com

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LEDfullSpectrum a pioneer in lighting solution, design and supply high quality LED lighting fixtures and systems.

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Author: Franklin David

Franklin David

Member since: Jun 13, 2017
Published articles: 6

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