Can you use white LED lights to grow plants?
For people who love to grow indoor plants, there are always continuous debates on the best grow light that gets the best results for growth. One of the most recent debates is the effect of white LED lights on indoor plant growth.
So what is the white LED grow lights?
White LED grow lights provide a full spectrum of light designed to mimic natural light, providing plants a balanced spectrum of red, blue and green. The spectrum used varies, however, white LED grow lights are designed to emit similar amounts of red and blue light with the added green light to appear white. Completly full spectrum led grow light.
While most indoor growers are familiar with the benefits of using purple growing lights, white LED lights are a newer consideration.
Almost all growers have previously considered white light to have little or no value for plant growth. However, this is not actually true with white LED Lights.
The white light spectrum includes a few colors currently included in all LED grow lights, like blue and red. But it also comprises of a few wavelengths not included in significant intensity in most LED grow lights today.
The full white light spectrum can be seen in the table below:
White LED lights are also great lighting to help enjoy the plants as they grow, and they provide a 40% light absorption rate. Additionally, because they are LED, these lights will not burn or over chafe the leaves, ground or soil with a drying light.
So Can you use white LED lights to grow plants?
Generally, yes. But because LED technology is so customizable, every light is different and you want lights that produce the exact mix of red, blue and other wavelengths preferred by your plants. White light contains a great mix for plants, so white LED lights will work to grow.
While white LEDs can provide good response and growing power in very young/immature plants, the most efficient, powerful way to fully grow plants is to tailor the spectral output of an LED grow light to the Absorption spectrum by use of narrow banded LEDs in a perfected balance.
White LEDs by nature are and inefficient and wasteful when used as the primary source of light in an LED grow light. This inefficiency goes against the very core principle of the concept of LED grow lights which is producing 100% usable light by way of a perfected spectral output as it pertains to the rate of spectral absorption by green chlorophyll.
Not only has scientific research shown this, but actual results of growers worldwide have proven this time and again. Not only this, but due to the very nature of how “white” LEDs are actually a phosphor coated blue LED, they will never reach the same intensity level as a quality narrow banded LED.
When you filter light, you lessen it’s intensity. Since intensity spectral output are what actually grow plants, these are not only the most important factors in an LED grow light’s power, they’re the only factors with regards to growing power.
Are White LED lights good for growing cannabis or other plants? The answer is yes. They play an important role in being one part of the absorbable spectrum, but it’s not enough to fully nurture your plants on its own unless it’s mixed with red and blue spectrum as well.
So what are the better white light brands so far?
The Model-W is a high performance LED grow light for the horticulture cultivation. It is designed for high PPFD cultivation practices. Full spectrum design covers each critical phase of growth from vegetative to flowering. An independent Far Red 730nm channel is designed to target Phytochrome Far Red in photomorphogenic lighting applications. Base on research, introducing far-red light after the lights have been turned off can lengthen the dark period to encourage the flowering process.
- Reliable passivecooled design (no cooling fans required)
- Dimmable high-efficiency Meanwell driver
- High quality original diodes from famous brands
- Prolonged and thickened heatsink
- Full spectrum mixing the most vital extra wavelength 660nm 730nm 395nm for both veg and flower
- Adding high quality driver box makes it safer
- Separate IR, UV switches designed for all growth stages
All in all, white led lights are a good light for you to try!
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