Blog
‘LED’ it Grow, with customisable plant growth lighting
MARL offers speciality lighting that includes indoor plant growth.
Plants absorb mostly blue and red light, meaning the output of an artificial light source can be optimised to the exact wavelengths required to give optimum growth. Blue light encourages leaf and stem growth, whilst red light is used for flowering, fruiting and the overall weight of the plant. Normally both are present in an LED grow light, resulting in the magenta-looking output that is iconic of this technology.
With the infamously unpredictable and frequently dull weather here in the UK, indoor plant growth can be particularly challenging. During a good summer, indoor plants can thrive by just getting natural light near a window but may struggle through a less predictable summer or the dark winter months. Traditionally, full spectrum fluorescent lighting would help, but at the costs of energy consumption, heat and maintenance. As fluorescent tubes age, they also suffer from flickering and buzzing noises.
LEDs are not only more efficient than fluorescent lights and with a smaller carbon footprint but also able to be tuned to the exact wavelengths required, doing more with less light. Their lifespan of typically 50,000 hours or more reduces downtime and maintenance costs, and their lack of IR radiation means no heat from the light output, greatly simplifying heat management. Grow lighting systems can be as simple as small lamp in the home but at the other end of the scale are ideal for vertical farming, allowing for a good volume of output in a small indoor space.
Customisation options can be added to the lighting system itself, allowing for wavelengths to be optimised for the stage of plant growth or the specific plant being grown.
MARL works closely with customers thanks to our expertise on PCBs, light output, LED wavelength recipes and cost-effective design services. We have had several customers in the plant growth sector and notable applications have included strawberries, microherbs and vegetables including lettuce – there are many more possibilities, including plants that are not native to the UK, and of course applications in any other country.
For more information contact [email protected].
