How does Indoor LED Grow Light influence plants?

INDOOR LED GROW LIGHT: WATTS AND LUMENS

To understand Indoor LED grow light, we have to know about watts and lumen.

Watt is the power measurement unit calculated by multiplying the voltage (in Volts) by the electric current (in Amperes) and is equivalent to 1 Joule per second. It's basically the amount of energy a light bulb uses to produce light. This information appears on the packaging of the lamps.

Lumen is the standard unit of the international measurement system for defining the luminous flux of a lamp. In theory "a lumen is the luminous flux within a cone of 1 spherorradian, emitted by a point of light with an intensity of 1 candela". 

Moreover, it is nothing more than the amount of light emitted by an Indoor LED grow light lamp falling on 1 square foot of a surface that is 1 foot away.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LUMEN AND WATTS?

The relationship between Lumens and Watts determines the so-called “light output” expressed by the lm/W unit. This measure represents how many Lumens are produced for each Watt of energy consumed. 

The higher this value, the more advantageous the lamp (in terms of electricity bills will have an impact on production). If this data is not on the package, just make this division (Lumens/Watts).

GROW SIZE AND CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS

As for the size of grow, reinforcing what we highlighted above, the solution really is to put the numbers on the tip of the pencil. Correctly calculate the grow area, conclude how many Watts and Lumens are needed and from that you have the data for choosing the.

As for the climate issue, it is worth remembering that HQI are the lamps that emit the most heat, followed by HPS. That's why, when common, they must be away from the vessels, avoiding thermal stress. Because of this, in a situation such as keeping an indoor crop in a place with a very hot climate and/or low ventilation and cooling efficiency, it is more appropriate to use Indoor LED grow light.

WHAT IS THE USE OF EXTRA HEAT EMITTED BY INDOOR LED GROW LIGHT?

In the case of a colder and more humid climate, the extra heat emitted by the steam lamps can help to control the higher temperatures.

Here, we don't even discuss the use of fluorescents anymore, low-yield lamps, high damage to the environment and a lot of financial expense – and for all that, considered obsolete.

GROW SIZE AND TYPES OF INDOOR LED GROW LIGHT

Still on the relation of size with which types of lamps to use, taking as an example a grow with three vases, LED panels, in addition to being much more economical and sustainable, also have a longer useful life, unlike steam, chemical it does not volatilize and maintains a constant luminous flux.

However, it is interesting to note that one of the advantages of Indoor LED grow light can turn into a disadvantage due to lack of care and attention. While steam lamps such as HPS and HQI emit light 360°, LED is directional. 

In the case of an indoor growing area, it is important to understand this. Opting for an LED display will probably be necessary to better distribute the amount of Watts between more than one lamp.

WHAT IS THE INFLUENCE OF LIGHT?

The influence of light for the success of an indoor grows is basic information that everyone assimilates when they decide to set up their growing. Light is life, literally. The same goes for choosing the right lighting and for carrying out the photoperiod control so that the plant's exposure to Indoor LED grow light is neither more nor less, but at the ideal time.

This prevents, for example, the plant from becoming stressed, as reported by a reader of the Green Power blog who missed the photoperiod. Hence, this ends up hindering development. “What can I do to make my plant happier again?” he asks.

In this case, the best option when faced with a photoperiod error is to adjust it as soon as possible. It is important to take into account the stage of development the plant is at.

HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED FOR LIGHT?

If it's still in the vegetative state, ideally it should go through a period of 16/18+ hours of light from Indoor LED grow light per day. The same time is common for the germination phase. We recommend that you identify the cause of the stress: was it too much or too little light? Based on this information, adjust the photoperiod control.

For example, if there was an excess of light, prefer to restart the correct routine with 16/18h. If the stress is due to a photoperiod in which there was a long time of darkness, as in cases where there is no light in the grow area , it is best to opt for a longer period of light (20/22h).

If the plant is already in flowering (and in that case you may not be able to produce as good any more) set a timer for Indoor LED grow light to ensure a 12/12 routine.

HOW ERROR IN PHOTOPERIOD CONTROL CAUSES PLANT STRESS?

The weight of the error in controlling the photoperiod as a “stress generator” is mainly due to the “mess” it causes in the metabolic functions of plants, such as photosynthesis.

 In addition to the process of producing glucose using water and CO2, plants also need light to metabolize some pigments, such as Carotenoids. This also protects chlorophyll from the negative effects of excess light.

Further, the stress comes by a photoperiod error is easy to alleviate by returning to the correct lighting routine. As long as the stress isn't extreme or doesn't occur during flowering, you'll still have beautiful flowers and a good yield to harvest.

WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT OF INCORRECTLY PHOTIPERIOD?

Problems generated by incorrectly done photoperiod are visible to the owner of the crop depending on the amount of light the plant receives from Indoor LED grow light.

Furthermore, error due to excessive light usually comes by causing yellowing of the upper leaves of plants. Similarly, it causes a certain curling of the older leaves, in addition to hindering the growth of new ones.

WHAT IS THE HARM OF LOW LIGHT?

In the case of low light, the plants stretch and lean towards the brightest direction if there is any light source. Hence, a common symptom of poor lighting is the formation of a larger space in the stem, between the nodes. Here, the leaves grow and the branches.

Moreover, you can also notice thinner and more fragile leaves (seen against the light they can be almost translucent). It is also important to remember that poor lighting reduces the aromatic effect of different teas and herbs, which can compromise this part of the experience.