Growing marijuana with LEDs is one of the biggest evolutions for the last decades. In this post we will talk about main characteristics of these lights, its advantages, and tips for marijuana growing under these equipments. The purpose of this post is show the advantages of growing marijuana under LEDs, and also to explain main concepts to get maximum yield using this grow-lights.
What does LED mean?
LED are the capital letters for Light Emiting Diode. This type of grow-lights generates less heat, consumes less watts of light to get the same lumen power, and also has a longlife compared with HPS lights.
Due to diode's individual lower consumption, these are usually grouped to form what's called LED panels (or LED lights), to get bigger or smaller equipments, depending on the requirements. Due to the huge spectrum variations possible, each LED panel can be customized to the use we want to give it, being normal to use more blue diodes for vegetative stage, or more red diodes for flowering stage. This is spec is a key factor for the performance of each grow-lamp, because the huge variations possible can make the difference between some equipments and others.
L.E.D. evolution
Initially, LED manufacturers usually said that this technology gets a 50% energy savings compared with HPS equipments, what after certain time it's been demonstrated that is not 100% false, but it confuses the end customer, and its expectations about crop final results.
After testing different models along last years, at SantYerbasi, we detected an improvement in yield production, specially because of the main products used.
Actually the main benefit of using LED equipments growing marijuana is not because energy savings (wich is also perceivable), it's the quality of the light (diodes emit a continuous light, what generate less stress in plants), reduction of temperatures when working (its working temperature is much less than HPS' or MH'), and also an increased resin production, smell and taste, of the final product, due to this cooler temepratures that also favour less terpene volatilisation.
Advantages of LEDs growing cannabis
- Working temperatures are much cooler, what derives in less temperature inside the grow-room.
- Compact size, and less distance lamp-canaopy, what allows them to be used in places with low heights.
- Wide light spectrum available for plants.
- Increased light efficiency (using the same power, LED will allways turn to better performance).
- Faster cycles: Due to its full spectrum Infra red UV, plants develope faster.
Panels characteristics
In general, diode's light is more difuse, so most of the manufacturers decided to use lenses to focus the light, and power, in a lower area, but with increased intensity. This way light fully is projected to what's under, avoiding loosing light sent to sides.
Due to this characteristic, is very important to know wich is the cpapacity of each panel before placing it in our garden. Even you'll find in the net many sites recommending to proceed with plant rotations during cycle, and also recommending using a light-rail, at SantYerbasi we are against this options, becasue the only thing you'll get doing this is distribute the same yield in more buds, not an increased production (the final yield will be the same but distributed in more plants, so it will require more effords, and money spent in).
Another key factor is the distance between panel and plant's canopy. Even though panel generate less heat (so plants could be closer to them), it is important to keep enough distance so the light is properly blended before hitting the plants.
Tips to grow marijuana with LEDs
Growing marijuana under led panels is almost the same than a regular grow under HPS lamps, with the singularity of temperatures in the grow-room, distance plants-light, and the amount of nutrients fed.
As we already said that grow-room temperatures will be lower, it is important to understand that some factors will be afected, so we should adapt to the new situation.
Distance light-plants:
-Power: Depending on the panel used power, we should increase this distance more or less.
-Light depth: Bigger the distance light-plants, lower the intensity plants percieve.
Advised growing techniques:
SOG: Sea of Green technique is ideal for these type of lights, as the canopy will be equal in-between plants getting a good green surface equally distanced from light.
SCROG: Screen of Green method is also good, so as the SOG, so all the main colas will be eauqlly distanced from the LED panel.
Irrigation and feeding:
If we don't have an optimzed growing, one of the factors that will take part in the irrigitaion will be the lower temps (less temperature, less water needings, and less water evaporation), and derived form those less nutrient needings.
If we are looking for the best possible yields, we will need to assure the lowest temperatures are over 20ºC, with a maximum not over 28ºC. Under these ideal temperatures, the water, and nutrients, consume will be quite similar to HPS.
*One of the main characteristics derived from spectrometry of light generated by LED panels, is an increased consumtion of Calcium and Magnesium. If under high pressure sodium lamps it is common to use RO water (with EC=00) and then add a EC=0,2 of Calcium + EC=0,2 of Magnesium, grwoing under LED lights it is recommended to add EC=0,3 of calcium + EC=0,3 of Magnesium.
Conclusions:
Growing under leds it is not only a possibility, it is very recommended, always discarting all those low quality led panels (it is better to pay for a trusted company, with good reviews from professionals, than purchasing a low cost, and low effective LED panel).
LED panels for sale at SantYerbasi
For growing stage:
Herbalvador 2x 180w: ideal for keeping mother plants and cuttings in growtents, and grow-rooms. Can cover an 80x80 area.
Vegetator 2x 330w: Perfect for keeping mother plants, rooting cuttings, and to grow plants in vegetative stage. this panel has an intense coverage of 1,20 x 1,20 meters.
Full spectrum (for growing and flowering):
Lumenator 2x 180w: The Lumenator is a full spectrum led panel for smaller areas. Thanks to its performance, is possible to get goo crops in spaces of 80x80 cm or less.
Dominator 2x XL 650w: the Dominator 2x XL is the best, or one of the best led grow lights in market. It great power, and high performance, makes it comparable to 1000w HPS equipments, with much less consume. It covers perfectly an area of 1m x 1m, and it could be used in 1,20 x 1,20 meters without problems.
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