Growing Cannabis with LED Grow Lights
Oct 14, 2020
Last Updated
October 14, 2020 at 4:26:41 p.m.
How LEDs can mimic nature’s lighting cycle to produce maximum yields for growers in the rapidly expanding cannabis industry
Relaxed laws around the use of cannabis have resulted in a massive increase of cultivation operations across Canada. The demand for cannabis has been largely driven by the growing awareness of the medicinal properties of cannabidiol (CBD), the most abundant medicinal chemical in the plant.
Growers in all parts of the country have now embraced the open market for cannabis and all offshoot industries - such as lighting - have expanded and innovated as a result.
Radiance Energy has responded to this market demand through working with the top manufacturers of LED grow lights and providing fully-customizable solutions that operate for cost-effective, profitable grows.
Lighting and the Cannabis Growth Cycle
In many parts of Canada, nature’s growing cycle starts with the fresh bright sunlight of spring. This soft bright light then morphs into strong summer lighting at the peak of the growing season and ends with the super-warm soft hues of the fall harvest.
Plants react differently to varying light frequencies and wavelengths. Cannabis, like all plants, has distinct stages that require different lighting conditions for optimal growth, both for size and eventual output per plant.
This can be illustrated by the following chart that shows how the growing cycle corresponds to the spectrum of light and its associated frequency:
Besides light frequency, the following factors also affect plant growth:
Light spectrum:
Light is produced by a combination of colours. Different cannabis growth stages require a different spectrum in order to mimic the natural cycle and maximize the potential of each plant.
Light intensity:
Measured in micromoles, light intensity or brightness refers to the amount of photons projected onto the plants. Light is most intense at the start of the natural growth cycle and tapers off close to harvest time.
Photoperiod:
During the natural growing cycle, the days gradually grow longer until they shorten again in the fall. Indoor growing uses this concept, known to as the photoperiod, that refers to the number of hours the plants are exposed to within a 24-hour period.
Light uniformity:
Indoor growing operations use a canopy to distribute the light. Optimal efficiency is achieved when the light is equally distributed across the canopy so that the growth potential of each plant is maximized.
Radiance Energy LEDs: An Ideal Choice for Growing Cannabis
High-quality LED lights are a wise choice for growing cannabis. They provide the ideal lighting conditions that help plants thrive, keep electricity costs down - all while benefitting the environment.
Radiance Energy provides a wide variety of lights for different conditions that combine precise spectral outputs, advanced optics and thermal management engineering. These factors, when used in synergy, are able to convert nearly 100% of the power into energy that targets growth for greater yields.
Schedule an appointment today for an expert consultation and cost estimate that can translate into a superior cannabis grow while contributing to a cleaner, greener future.
