What are LED Grow Lights?
What is all the fuss about LED grow lights? Put simply, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are horticultural lighting fixtures utilizing LED technology to produce light that grows plants. Considered as the fourth generation of lighting, they emit the widest range of PAR of any light. PAR stands for Photosynthetically Active Radiation and is the spectrum of solar radiation from 400 to 700 nanometers that are used in the process of photosynthesis.
The brightness of a light can be measured in PPFD which stands for Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density. The original LEDs gave poor light output (PPFD), were available in only a few colours (PAR range). They were also wildly expensive. However, the latest LEDs are extremely bright and are available with an assortment of colors in visible, infrared and ultraviolet spectral ranges.
Why should I use LED Grow Lights?
Firstly, LEDs are king when it comes to energy efficiency and it’s not even close. They are up to 1.8 times more efficient compared to a HPS (1100 μmol/s), with some fixtures pumping out more than 1900 μmol/s whilst drawing less than 700W!
Secondly, they offer much better environmental control. LEDs give off much less radiant heat to impact the growing environment and less incandescent heat to affect the water and food requirements of the plant.
Due to the PAR spectrum, you can expect crops to have significantly higher essential oil production and overall quality. This is in comparison to HID lightings such as High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH).
Last but definitely not least is the cost factor. While they command a high startup cost, LEDs will save you money in the long term due to the high lifespan of around 10 years. No more replacing globes every year!
If you are ready to start your LED light journey, check out our range of LED Grow Lights. We don’t stock every brand because we only stock the best!