Grow LEDs

More beautiful growth form with LED plant lamps

Plants become unnaturally long under sodium vapour lamps. The light composition causes the plant to stretch. Grow LEDs do not have this problem. The light composition is such that the plant grows very compact and very stocky. This gives you enormously stable, healthy plants with thick stems. In addition, cultivation with an LED plant lamp is much less stressful. The plant gets healthier light, has fewer problems with diseases, does not hermaphrodite and does not need to be protected from burning. For these reasons, gardening with grow LEDs is also simply more fun.

How is the colour temperature specified for Grow LEDs?

Your plant needs a special light for photosynthesis. You can even influence the different phases of a plant, such as growth and flowering, through targeted lighting and the choice of light colour. The colour temperature - given in Kelvin (K) - is one way of measuring this value. Values around 2100 - 2700K for the flowering phase and 6400 - 6500K for the growth phase are common. These values are usually used for sodium-vapour lamps or energy-saving (or fluorescent) lamps

With LEDs, this is somewhat different. Here we specify the wavelength of the individual diodes, which in total then result in a certain colour temperature. The wavelength is measured in nanometres (nm). The blue light for growth is more in the range of approx. 450 - 480nm and the reddish light for the flowering phase is in the range of approx. 620 - 680nm. Beyond that, from about 700nm, comes the infrared light, which we can no longer perceive with the naked eye. Incidentally, the same applies to the blue range, which includes ultraviolet light from approx. 400nm and less.

Important quality features of grow LED lamps

The right LED technology for fast-maturing plants

Through years of research, plant lamp LEDs have been constantly refined by manufacturers to meet the specific needs of plants. From growing and nurturing seedlings to supporting the flowering of the mature plant, there is no better alternative to the specialised grow lights.

For the illumination of larger areas, the powerful LED panels and fixtures have proved particularly successful. The smart gardener illuminates smaller areas with individually configurable LED clusters or LED spots with a lower wattage. The practical thing about this is that if the cultivation area is expanded, the lighting systems can simply grow with it. Modular LED systems, which are now offered by many manufacturers, are particularly suitable for this purpose.

The tone The colour makes the music

Healthy and even growth is achieved primarily with the blue and red colour spectrum. Therefore, good grow LEDs shine in the light spectrum required by the plant, depending on the growth phase. This can be achieved by using special LED fittings that contain different LEDs with different colour spectra.

Comfort and user-friendliness

Indoor and outdoor growing need not and should not be witchcraft. High-quality plant lighting is therefore also characterised by intuitive and simple operation, which is usually done via a user-friendly home growing app and facilitates the precise control of the lighting for your plants.

Don't overpower

When designing an LED plant lamp, it is important to determine the voltage with which the chips are supplied. The higher the voltage, the greater the luminous efficacy - but with decreasing efficiency. So if a really good, efficient LED plant lamp is to be built, many chips must be operated at low voltage. This, of course, massively increases the material costs.

4 buying tips for choosing the right grow LED

In order to make a purchase decision for a specific plant LED lamp, you should clarify the following questions in advance.

Buying tip 1: Many small lamps

For sodium lamps, efficiency increases with wattage. A 600W lamp is more efficient per watt than a 250W lamp. This is not the case with grow LEDs! 10 x 30W are just as efficient as 1 x 300W. However, ten small LED grow lamps can be hung more flexibly and have a more evenly illuminated surface. Therefore, if in doubt, buy several small lamps. Bars are best.

Buying tip 2: Passively cooled if possible

Even if it is very little, grow LEDs generate heat and this must be dissipated. The cheapest way to do this is with a small fan. However, this can fail (dust, dirt, wear) and is always the weak point of a construction. LED plant lamps that are passively cooled via aluminium heat sinks have a clear advantage in terms of longevity. Moreover, they do not produce any noise.

Buying tip 3: Adjustable colour spectrum

An LED plant lamp can be easily constructed in such a way that the user can optimise the light spectrum to suit his or her needs (growth, flowering, propagation). If no such function is built into the LED grow lamp, this may be an indication that the lamp was not developed by gardeners.

Buying Tip 4: Warranty and service

The purchase of a grow LED is worthwhile primarily because of its extreme longevity and reliability. An LED plant lamp should be an investment, not an expense. Therefore, only buy from a specialist dealer with a guarantee. Prefer products with more than just the legal warranty. In any case, avoid own imports from non-EU countries. Keep the proof of purchase.

Still undecided? Give us a call, we will be happy to advise you!