10-09-2021, 03:17 AM
Indoor Gardening isn’t exactly a new thing, but LED’s are changing the way we light our indoor gardens. LED lights are more efficient than traditional fluorescent and incandescent lights. That’s because LED lights convert nearly all of their energy (95%) into light, while other lights turn a significant amount of energy into heat. But, there’s another very important reason that LED’s are more efficient when it comes to growing plants. With LED lights, we have the rather unique ability to customize the type of light that is emitted, and that means we’re not wasting energy to create light that doesn’t help our plants grow. At the end of this article, you’ll understand the science behind why spyder grow light series come in many different colors, as well as why some LED grow lights cost so much more than others.
The best way to get PAR values for your 400W LED grow light, assuming you don’t want to purchase your own PAR meter, is to check with your reputable grow light manufacturer or provider for the PAR rating of their lights.
How Much PAR do My Plants Need to Grow?
The amount of PAR your plants require depends on what you are growing, as well as how far away from your plants the light is. Generally speaking, leafy greens like lettuce only need a PAR value of ~200, whereas tomatoes and other plants that flower and produce fruit require 400-500 or more PAR. Unless you place your 600W LED grow light right on top of your produce, you will need an even higher PAR rating from your grow light, to take into account the distance between your plant and the light source.
However, for those of us growing produce in our living spaces, it’s probably worth the extra pennies it costs to produce a nice full-spectrum color that will be more natural and pleasing to the eyes. Full-spectrum grow lights will often come with a chart, which shows the distribution of blue, green, yellow and red light that is emitted. See the example below
Choosing the right grow light spectrum for your commercial operation can be a challenge. Many 800W LED grow light suppliers have conflicting information on the topic due to bad marketing or simply a lack of knowledge in plant and light research.When considering light spectrum for horticultural applications, greenhouse and indoor environments will differ. With indoor environments your grow light’s spectrum will account for the total light spectrum that your crop receives. Whereas in a greenhouse you must consider that your plants are receiving a combination of folding grow light series and solar spectrum.
The best way to get PAR values for your 400W LED grow light, assuming you don’t want to purchase your own PAR meter, is to check with your reputable grow light manufacturer or provider for the PAR rating of their lights.
How Much PAR do My Plants Need to Grow?
The amount of PAR your plants require depends on what you are growing, as well as how far away from your plants the light is. Generally speaking, leafy greens like lettuce only need a PAR value of ~200, whereas tomatoes and other plants that flower and produce fruit require 400-500 or more PAR. Unless you place your 600W LED grow light right on top of your produce, you will need an even higher PAR rating from your grow light, to take into account the distance between your plant and the light source.
However, for those of us growing produce in our living spaces, it’s probably worth the extra pennies it costs to produce a nice full-spectrum color that will be more natural and pleasing to the eyes. Full-spectrum grow lights will often come with a chart, which shows the distribution of blue, green, yellow and red light that is emitted. See the example below
Choosing the right grow light spectrum for your commercial operation can be a challenge. Many 800W LED grow light suppliers have conflicting information on the topic due to bad marketing or simply a lack of knowledge in plant and light research.When considering light spectrum for horticultural applications, greenhouse and indoor environments will differ. With indoor environments your grow light’s spectrum will account for the total light spectrum that your crop receives. Whereas in a greenhouse you must consider that your plants are receiving a combination of folding grow light series and solar spectrum.