Cannabis is not necessarily a hard plant to grow. However, it does need a few things to survive and thrive: light, heat and lots of nutrients and water. Whether you’re growing for commercial purposes or your own use, if you are growing indoors, a cannabis grow light is an essential part of your setup. Here’s what you need to know about why you need an LED grow light, how to find the best grow light and more.
Why You Need Cannabi Grower Lights
Whether you opt for traditional soil or a hydroponic system to grow cannabis, the fundamentals of plant biology don’t change.
Plants don’t eat the way we do. Instead, they take nutrients from the soil, add water and light, and create chlorophyl, which is the green substance that gives them color. At the same time, they “breathe” carbon dioxide in and release oxygen into the air. It’s a very simple process, compared to what we need to survive as humans, but you need all of the elements, including light.
If you are growing plants indoors, there’s a good chance they are not getting enough natural light to keep the process of photosynthesis going (in fact, in this case, photo means light, so you can see how important this really is!) Without enough light, plants can’t grow and thrive, and if they really don’t get enough light, they might even die.
The Benefits of Growing Cannabis Indoors
Of course, if you live in a part of the world that has mild or warm weather all year round, you might be able to grow your cannabis plants outdoors. However, many people would like to grow cannabis at home, and there are several reasons why you might want to move your crop indoors.
The first is legality. Even in places where cannabis use is legal, there are still usually requirements that you keep it away from minors, and usually a requirement that you grow it in an indoor or lockable space. Which means you might be legally required to grow your plants indoors, no matter where you live.
Then there’s the weather. Cannabis is a relatively hardy plant, but it needs warm or mild weather to survive. If you live in a place that is very cold or way too hot, your plants will not survive if grown outdoors.
Finally, there’s the growth cycle. In most cases, plants grow and thrive in one or two seasons, and then die or become dormant in others. However, when you grow your plants indoors, you have complete control of the climate. It can always be midsummer or spring when you have an indoor grow area, so you can keep your plants growing at their peak all year round if you choose to. Which means you can get a higher yield, all year round.
Why LED Cannabis Lights Make Sense
Now that you know why you need a cannabis grow light (or a few) to keep your plants healthy and growing, you’re probably wondering what the best cannabis grow lights are.
While some people used to use fluorescent tubing or incandescent bulbs, many don’t provide enough light to keep your plants healthy, and they use a lot of power.
LED Cannabis lights are specially made for growing cannabis. So, they provide a light that is as close to natural as possible, so your plants stay healthy and can grow to their optimum size. They also require much less power than traditional lighting, so you will save on utility bills, and it’s better for the planet.
Finally, LED grow lights, and LED lights in general, are a sealed unit that has a very long lifespan. So, you can use the same lights for a relatively long time, without having to replace bulbs or worry that your lights will stop working when you need them most.
How to Choose LED Cannabis Grow Lights
Now that you know why plants need light, why it’s often better to grow your cannabis indoors, and why LED lights are often the best cannabis grow lights solution, it’s time to look at how you should choose your lights. Here are a few things you want to consider:
- How many lights you need – the larger the area you need to light, the more lights you are likely to need, but if there is any doubt, a professional light supplier should be able to assist in calculating this
- How powerful they need to be – this can be measured in several ways, such as wattage and lumens, and again a professional supplier should be able to advise you about the best option for your specific grow setup
- The layout of your grow operation – professional and commercial LED grow lights are supplied in preassembled panels that are easy to install and use – but you need to know what the layout is so you can make sure they will all fit
- Power requirements – this is not always an issue, because LED lights use so much less power than traditional incandescent lighting – however, if you are setting up a large commercial grow space, it’s a good idea to speak to an electrician to make sure you have enough power available for your lighting
- The light spectrum – grow lights are different to the other lights you might have in your home or office – they need to provide light that is as close as possible to natural light, so you need to get lights that offer light on the right spectrum
- Quality and warranty – finally, when you are choosing cannabis grow lights for any facility or grow space, you should consider who they are made by and what kind of quality warranty they offer on their product – this is not somewhere you want to cut corners
Choosing the right grow lights, and getting enough of them, are critical factors in the quality of the crop you get from your cannabis plants. So, make sure you choose the right products, and that you have enough lights to keep your plants happy and healthy.
Installing Cannabis Grow Lights
Once you have found the best grow light for your crop, worked out how many lights you need and figured out the best layout to make sure every plant gets enough light, it’s time to figure out how to install them.
LED grow lights should be suspended above your plants, leaving enough room between the bottom of the light and the plants to allow for growth. However, because LED grow lights don’t create a lot of heat, you don’t have to worry that they will burn or singe your plants – even if they do grow close to the lights. Although of course, you want to have some space so the lights can provide a larger pool of light and keep more plants healthy.
You should of course also keep your lights away from any water or mist that you might use for your plants.
When it comes to electricity, the ideal is to find the best grow lights with a plug and play adapter. This means you don’t need to make time consuming or costly changes to your electrical system. You can simply hang your lights, connect them to each other and plug them into a regular power supply.
If there are any questions about installing cannabis grow lights, it’s always best to refer to the manufacturer’s documentation, which should give you all the information you need to get them set up and working right.
Professional and Commercial LED Grow Lights
There’s a big difference between the kinds of lights you can buy from your usual home supply store and the kinds of lights needed for professional or commercial cannabis grow operations.
If you have anything more than a handful of plants, and you want to get the best possible yield from your crop, it’s important to get the best quality commercial or professional grow lights possible. The investment you make in the lights will be repaid many times over by the increase in growth you get from your crop with the right kind of lighting.
So, whether you’re already producing cannabis for commercial purposes or just getting started, make sure that the right lighting is close to the top of your must have list.
Wattgrower offers a range of high quality lights, you know you’re getting a product that’s backed by years of experience and research, that will get the job done right.
If you need any help choosing the right cannabis grow lights for your grow operation, or you want to find out more about specifications, features and options, we’re always happy to help. Contact us to discuss your cannabis grow light needs, and we’ll help you to make the right choices, and get the perfect lighting setup.