If you enjoy gardening, you probably know getting the appropriate lighting is crucial for plants. You have to put many things into consideration so as to get the best yields and achieve optimal growth. LED (Light-emitting diodes) grow lights have carved a niche of their own because they not only have light covering the whole spectrum but also allow you to control the dispersion of light.

LED grow lights are used as supplemental sources of light in crop production both off and on earth. The advantage of these lights in plant lighting designs lies in the fact that they are durable, consume less energy, and are small in size. Apart from offering specificity when it comes to the wavelength of light needed for certain crops; LED grow lights also emit light at cool temperatures. These are some of the aspects that make them have an edge over other traditional sources of light. But it is not enough to have LED grow lights. It is also vital that you apply the best-growing practices.

Best practices with LED grow lights

It is imperative that you avoid feeding plants with excess nutrients if you are using LED grow lights. You should also avoid over watering the plants. Ensure that you place the lights at the proper distance from the plants as this will help you achieve robust photosynthesis and eventually achieve optimal growth.

Different lights require to be hung at various distances ranging from 16 inches to 42 inches. The crucial stage is the vegetative stage. If you keep the distance between the lights and plants fixed, plants grow and upon reaching a certain height, grow wider and become denser. If the light is too close, the plants may appear stunted and discolor. Therefore, stick to the recommended specifications of each light.

Duration of exposure to LED grow lights

To maintain vegetative growth, ensure you expose your plants to 16 or more hours of light. Exposing the plants to 24 hours of light still works but the optimal time is 18 hours of light. The objective of exposing the plants to 18 hours of light is to mimic exposure to natural light in the long days of summer.

It is critical to note that the vegetative state requires lower intensity light. However, the flowering stage requires higher intensity light. In summary, ensure you turn on your LED grow lights for 18 hours and switch them off to leave the plants in the dark for 6 hours.