How LED Lighting Has Changed the Way You Grow

Believe it or not, there was once a time when LED lighting was so expensive that the only companies using it were multi-billionaires like NASA. Today, most growers prefer LEDs over traditional HPS, CMH and MH globes, so we thought we’d revisit their journey into mainstream horticulture.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and dates all the way back to the 1920’s, however it wasn’t until the early 1990’s that they were considered for their horticultural potential.

At this time, only red LEDs were available and until the invention of a blue spectrum, LEDs could not be developed for hydroponic use.

The very first LEDs for growers hit the market in the early 2000’s, but they came with a hefty price tag, making them out of the question for many growers.

Despite their cost, growers big and small who knew about LEDs wanted them. LEDs promised the world and they were delivering on those promises.

Soon, commercial growers began reporting the benefits of LEDs. Not only are they more cost effective to run, they are also easy to customise and more durable as well.

The good news is that with increased demand comes increased supply which brings affordability to the wider community. Luckily, this is exactly what happened with LEDs.

Fast-forward to today and LEDs are still holding up to the hype with many new advances in the technology. Growers are no longer restricted to only blue and red colour spectrums and can now better customise lighting based on plant types and growth stages.

LEDs can now also be designed based on regional power grids so they are able to emit the appropriate amount of light based on power consumption.

LEDs continue to get better in simpler ways too.

For example, more LED fixtures are becoming waterproof, making them safer to use around irrigation. LEDs are also adapting to be able to withstand the varied climatic conditions often found in grow rooms.

It might seem impossible given how far LEDs have already come, but there is still much more on the horizon for this revolutionary technology.

With the help of embedded software and cameras, LEDs will soon be able to detect early symptoms of pests, diseases, deficiencies and toxicities.

There are also LED systems in development that will fluctuate outputs based on real-time lighting conditions, considering the plant’s needs for various spectrums of light at different stages of development.

LED technology will continue to develop, becoming more precise, programmable and most importantly, more cost effective. At Aquaponics WA and Hydroponic Xpress, we’re so excited to see where the future of grow lighting takes us, and we hope you’ll all be along for the ride!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s newsletter, and as always, happy growing!