Hydroponics is a branch of plant physiology where plants are grown without the use of soils but use mineral nutrient solutions. In this system, lights are used to help the plant photosynthesize. As you might know already, light as in sunlight, is essential for plants to thrive and grow. So what happens to plants that are grown indoors where natural sunlight is not available? Some form of artificial lighting has to be supplied such as incandescent or fluorescent lighting. One method of lighting that has gained popularity for growing plants indoors is the use of LEDs.
Unlike the normal incandescent bulb that is still so popular, an LED has no filament. An LED or Light-Emitting-Diode is a semiconductor diode that produces light when electricity is passed through its LED circuit. A diode usually has two terminals and allows current to pass unidirectional only. The light produced is a narrow spectrum light, more like electroluminescence hence it isn’t very coherent.
If you brush up your knowledge of physics and chemistry, you’ll be reminded that sunlight is made up of millions of photons, a unit of light. Sunlight is produced when these photons, contained by the atoms, move around or change electron positions. A continuous process produces sunlight. However, LED lamps work with the help of electricity that flows unidirectional. This one-way flow of the current prompts a change of movement of the electrons, where the positively-charged electrons move away from the negatively-charged ones. The electrons leave gaps in its chain, which become the positively charged points on the semiconductor. This movement of electricity over the semiconductor, from negative areas to the gaps on its surface, helps emit light.
LED grow Light systems come in different colors, depending on type of grow lamp it is and the size of the gap in the electron chain. You must be wondering how a gap in the chain can result in a change in the color of the light? Well, you see, the gap alters the frequency of the photons and this difference ends up in a change of color. However, the light produced is infrared, so it’s invisible to human eyes! LED lamps are available in visible and ultraviolet too.
Do you want to grow plants indoors? First of all, categorize your plants under seedlings, fruit bearing and flowering and then look for the grow lights that’ll help maintain your young plants’ health! Seedlings usually need blue LED lamps to grow. Fruit bearing plants need orange grow lights, and flowering plants need red lights to ensure their ability to bear fruits and flowers. Once you know what you’ll need it’ll be easier to get hold of the particular grow lights. Now you can watch your plants thrive!
Other advantages of having LED lamps are that they are long lasting since there isn’t a filament in it, and that they don’t become overheated when in constant use. Just let it shine and watch the magic unfold!