Rain, rain, go away; come again some other day. 

It’s an oft-repeated and well-known phrase, one that points to the inherent problem associated with growing fruits, flowers and vegetables: unpredictability. 

Without the assistance of supplemental lighting, growers are at the mercy of natural weather conditions. Extended periods of cloudy and/or rainy days can wreak havoc on a crop, as well as an individual’s bottom line. 

The right LED fixture can have a drastic and positive impact on the health, growth rate, profitability and harvest time of almost any crop.  This is partially due to the fact that it is possible for growers using LED lighting technology to control the intensity, color and duration of the light their crops receive.

As far as I know, it is not currently possible to make the sun provide the exact amount and type of light that a fruit, vegetable or flower needs.  This is achievable with the use of LED lighting, however, and savvy growers have firsthand experience reaping substantial, measurable benefits by dialing in the lights to perfectly match the needs of their plants.

Simply being able to modify the duration and intensity of a light source can provide growers with added yields and profitability. When combined with the additional capability to adjust the spectrum of the light a plant receives, the results can be even more profound.

Different plants need different colors of light in different phases of their lifespan. You know that comfortable orange spectrum of light, reminiscent of autumn and the dog days of summer?
Many different species of plants also have the capacity to ‘see’ that color. In many cases, it is their cue to begin ripening and preparing for the full completion of their life cycle.

With traditional farming, it is the grower’s signal that harvest time is approaching - that once-a-year, labor-heavy event associated with fall festivals, Oktoberfest, Halloween, etc. For indoor growers who utilize LED technology in an effort to provide plants with the exact spectra of light needed during each phase of their life span, it’s possible to harvest some species of plants numerous times each year.

Consider a tomato plant. Using traditional methods, it would take 16 weeks to achieve a harvest. When LED lighting is used in an indoor application, the amount of time it takes to harvest can be reduced to 12 weeks, and the process can be repeated four times a year.

More harvests equal more overall yield and profitability. This is an essential aspect of making LED-supplemented indoor and outdoor gardening practices make sense in major urban centers. Utilizing efficient LED fixtures to produce healthy fruits and vegetables in large cities can help to ensure that distribution channels are kept short. This, in turn, can help minimize an operation’s carbon footprint and ecological impact. Some applications could include greenhouses, rooftop gardens, etc.

With all the benefits LED lighting provide for both indoor and outdoor growers, it’s no surprise the technology is one of the fastest-growing in the horticulture industry, which is currently valued at around $300 billion by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

For a consultation about how to reap the rewards of LED lighting technology, give me a call at 910-742-7029, or send an email to [email protected].  You can also visit us online at www.WilmingtonWinlectric.com.