Maximize horticultural production with LEDs
Using LEDs rather than another lighting system is today an important technical choice for horticulturists, whether they grow indoors or in greenhouses. In addition to being more and more widespread, horticultural LEDs are modernizing and increasing in quality and efficiency. For those who would like to switch from a conventional lighting system (type HPS, MH or CFL) to a LED system, here are some good practices to maximize the use of your lamps, and therefore your horticultural production.
Use the appropriate LED panel to your situation
A 1m² crop indoor will not require the same equipment in horticultural LEDs as an outdoor greenhouse because the constraints and uses are not the same. Nowadays, LED technology adapts itself to any type of crop by enabling to save energy, a big advantage that every horticulturist is looking for. On the other hand, the power of the panel must be adapted to the type of plantation. To learn more, you can consult our guide: Horticultural LEDs: HOW TO CHOOSE YOURS ?
The light spectrum
The LED light spectrum is one of the most important factors to maximize horticultural production. Your plants need certain wavelengths of light to develop and flourish. Indeed, the plants then benefit from optimum conditions of cultivation, and therefore produce more fruits or flowers.
Ideally, the light spectrum of your horticultural LED can be finely configured to best suit your plants and their stage of growth.
Conditions of cultivation
Overall, and beyond the contribution in light, the more the crop conditions are controlled and satisfy the plants, the better your production will be. This involves managing many factors: nutrients, pH, CO2, substrate, planting structure, hygrometry, temperature, etc.
Maximizing these factors according to the needs of your plants is the second key to optimum yields.
Over-watering is often a cause of declining yield in new users of LED lighting horticulture. With less heat stress, plants sweat less and therefore consume less water.
Good ventilation
Ventilation is not just to refresh the growing space but also to allow air (and thus CO2) to circulate in the room in order to prevent the leaves from consuming all the CO2 in their environment if the air stagnates.
This stress is all the more important in the case of multi-layer cultivation because each stage must be correctly ventilated.
Reflective Materials
You may have the best horticultural LED in the world, if the light does not reach your plants, your LED panel will be ineffective. A good way to optimize light reflection, and thus help the plants to absorb more light, is to surround the reflective paper culture area, so that the lower parts of the plants or plants outside the illuminated surface receive as much light as the high parts or plants at the center of the lamp.
These reflective materials are not a real necessity.
The Horticoled team can accompany you in all your project culture. From simple greenhouse cultivation, to automated multi-layer cultivation according to your farming goals and budgets.
