Choosing a lighting system for your application is a large investment. Knowing where to begin can be difficult. Cannabis requires high light intensities for proper development and growth and critical photoperiods to initiate specific growth stages. Having a reliable and efficient lighting system is important not only for plant growth but also for increasing yields and maximizing profits. Since P.L. Light Systems manufactures and sells both HID and LED technologies, we aren’t biased toward one technology. We can help find the right solution for your application.
For more information on cannabis and its lighting requirements download our Cannabis Guide
– Explore the basic concepts of how the light environment affects plant growth
– Learn about lighting requirements for different stages of growth
– Discover what lighting system works best for your application
GREENHOUSE APPLICATIONS
For greenhouse applications, where sunlight provides much of the light and growers use supplemental lighting to increase their DLI and/or photoperiod, we recommend our NXT-LP luminaires with CMH lamps for vegetative growth stages and NXT2 with HPS lamps for flowering growth stages. CMH lamps provide a broad spectrum, with peaks in blue wavelengths to limit the flowering response and to encourage bushy vegetative growth. HPS lamps are a tried and true spectrum, with peaks in red wavelengths, used to optimize photosynthesis and initiate the flowering response in plants.
For LED technology, we recommend the HortiLED Top 2.0 RW(MB) Spectrum, with peaks in red and blue for optimizing photosynthesis. Photoperiod should be monitored to move through vegetative to flowering growth stages.
To get the best of both technologies, a hybrid LED-HID (CMH & HPS) can be used. This allows you to take advantage of the radiant heating from an HPS and extend the supplemental lighting period into the spring by using LED lights only when outside temperatures and daylight hours increase. A hybrid system also reduces the initial capex and can help further manage costs by maintaining existing infrastructure.
INDOOR GROWING APPLICATIONS
For indoor sole source lighting applications, where artificial light is the only source available for plant growth, we recommend the NXT-LP / NXT-LP (CMH) for low ceiling or NXT2 for higher ceiling applications. Using grow lights compatible with CMH lamps for vegetative growth stages will help limit the flowering response and encourage bushy growth habits. HPS lamps are the tried and true spectrum for initiating the flowering response and optimizing photosynthesis during the flowering stage.
For LED luminaires, we recommend the HortiLED Top 2.0 with daylight “broad spectrum” white light, so plants can use the wavelengths they need throughout their lifecycle. These also make plant assessment easier for workers. Photoperiod needs to be monitored for plants to move through vegetative and flowering growth stages when using a single spectrum for growth.
For close-to-ceiling applications or multi-tiered vertical applications, the Vertimax LED line is recommended.
Ready to see what P.L. Light Systems can do for your grow? Get started with your own custom light plan or contact your local sales manager.