The LED grow lights have developed themselves in recent times. It is seen that the grow lights have come a long way in the agricultural sector. Let’s see the factors one has to consider when purchasing grow lights for their benefits.
The lighting basics
The plants need to perform photosynthesis to prepare food for their survival. The particular cell converts the energy contained in the natural light to prepare starch. In this process, they prepare oxygen.
Fruity edibles and tomatoes need brighter light to prepare starch. In winter times, the plants cannot absorb natural light indoors, so there is a need for grow lights.
Lighting terms
Intensity – The amount of light reaches the surface at a given distance from the light source.
Duration- The time duration in which the plant receives natural light for starch preparation. We can control the grow lights using programmable dimmers for better plant growth.
Color – Most grow lights deliver a full spectrum of brightness. The spectrum is either blue or warm lights for better growth.
There is a little usage of yellow and green light for the plants. Blue light ensures better growth among vegetations, and red light stimulates the fruits and flowers. The best LED grow lights nurture the growth of plants and crops.
Why LED grow lights?
They use less power than the traditional lights and are less power-consuming.
They boost the growth of roots and enhance the process of photosynthesis among plants.
The heat dissipation is less than the traditional ones.
Some plant lights come with sensors and remotes for illumination control.
They are very much eco-friendly and do not emit harmful toxins such as mercury, etc.
More often, LED grow lights for plants are super-efficient. They can deliver five times more precise brightness than the traditional ones.
They are easy to install.
Most of them have higher IP ratings for better performance against dust and moisture.
There is height adjustable grow light fixtures with super sturdy frames and shelves for plant storage.
Grow lights cut the energy usage in half, and UL certified to be used in dry and moisture locations.
They eliminate the need for regular maintenance and have a lifespan of more than 50,000 hours.
The ideal LED grow light helps in large-scale indoor farming and provides the required spectrum for the flowering and vegetative growth of the plant.
Some of them have furniture quality construction – renewable bamboo finish for a better design aesthetic.
The LED grow lights have less energy wastage in comparison to the traditional ones.
The growing space is not needed to be extra wide and high. The grow lights must be set closer to the plants.
The LED grow lights are safe compared to the traditional HPS lights, and there is no danger of fire.
How to protect your grow lights?
Connect it to a surge protector power strip. It protects the grow lights against power surges and irregular voltage fluctuations.
Some come with built-in timers to control the amount of brightness required for plant growth. They also lessen the power consumption as compared to the traditional ones.
What is the effect of LED grow lights on plants?
The color variations of the LED grow lights influence plant growth and root formation.
The addition of color spectrums, far-red and deep blue, helps grow plants and development. The majority of the plants complete the natural growth cycle if exposed to red and blue spectrum ranges.
The spectrum is defined as the source that contains all the colors and contains natural lighting for better plant growth or crop growth.
How the color spectrums affect plant growth?
| UV lights | Stimulation of insect-repelling chemicals and enhances pigmentation, |
| Blue | Stem elongation, thicker leaves development, and orientation towards the light. |
| Green, yellow, and orange | Stomatal closure and enhanced photosynthesis. |
| Red | Stem elongation and photosynthesis |
LED technology was once thought to be impractical and ineffective, but things have started to change with LED grow lights as cost-effective and suitable for large-scale indoor farming.
A research study has shown that using the LED technology; the vegetation grows more quickly in indoor production houses. The LED lights help to grow better crops in terms of agriculture and productivity.