Using LED grow lights to maximize cannabis yields (2023)

Selection; a wonderful freedom or a terrible burden? Choosing how to set up your cannabis grow involves many decisions, especially when it comes to lighting. Find out everything about LED lights, the different types, the best application and much more in our guide.

Lights are perhaps the most important piece of equipment for an indoor cannabis grow and can mean the difference between a massive yield from the best buds and a slightly below average yield.popcorn flowers. SoChoosing the right grow lightsis essential. But with so many out there, where do you start?

LEDs have come a long way in the last few years and could be on the way to becoming the best option for cannabis growers. However, there are a few things you should know about them before you go. LEDs are incredibly versatile, which is their greatest strength. But you can also come across LED lights that aren't good for your cannabis plants. So take a look at the following information before you buy LEDs to equip your cannabis grow.

What are LED grow lights and why should you use them?

LED stands for "Light Emitting Diode". It's an incredibly energy efficient type of lighting, capable of emitting very bright light at low temperatures for potentially years to come.

Because of the small size of each diode and the versatility of the technology, LEDs can serve many, many functions. From Christmas tree lights to street lights to full-spectrum grow lights, they become the obvious choice.

Some advantages of LED Grow Lights are:

• cheap to run
• great for running
• Completelylight spectrum
• Adjustable spectra: one light for the entire crop
• Potentially promotes further trichome development
• Saves water (due to less evaporation)
• Due to the lack of heat, you can place them closer to the cannabis plants, increasing the exposure to light.

Some disadvantages of LEDs are:

• Poor quality LEDs do not produce a suitable light spectrum for cannabis plants
• It's hard to tell if a manufacturer is really doing well
• The lack of heating can be a disadvantage in winter
• Anecdotal evidence suggests that LEDs can stop autoflowering plants mid-flowering (more on that later).

However, given the recent developments in LED lighting, this is a very good choice if you're willing to do some research and invest in a good oneIndoor marijuana cultivation.

Which LED grow light should I buy?

Purchasing the right type of LED grow light will ensure that you are able to provide a sparkling runbuds covered in trichomes. You need to know the wattage and light spectrum to make an informed decision. Animals tend to respond to lumens: the brightness of light. Plants, on the other hand, respond to light frequency, so it's important to check the stats. A super bright light with the wrong frequency won't hurt you.

Different Types of LED Grow Lights

There are three main types of LED lights, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. If you are serious about your cannabis cultivation, higher quality models will produce significantly better results. And since LEDs last for years, if you want to keep growing in the future, invest in a good one now.

Violette Standard-LED

These are the original LED grow lights and come with a mix of red and blue diodes which together emit a purple light. Blue light helps the plant in the early stages of its life; the red in the latter. Some lights emit the same hue throughout the grow, while others have settings for bothvegetativejflowering stages.

This is the cheapest LED option, but it may also be the worst. Mass manufacturing affects reliability and it can be difficult to know if the light spectrum is within required frequencies.

LED MAZORCA

COB lights are one of the highest quality LED options available and, unsurprisingly, one of the most expensive. COB stands for "Chip on Board" and consists of many very small LEDs that together emit a bright white light.

This intense light penetrates well into the canopy and provides your plants with a full spectrum of light. While some come with both veg and bloom settings, most only have one setting, which is enough for the entire grow.

These can be combined in large clusters, making them suitable for larger grow spaces.

Enhanced style LED

These use a large number of small LEDs arranged on a circuit board. They are extremely energy efficient and offer your plants a great light spectrum and light intensity. Commercial cannabis growers tend to use this option.

Variations such as spider styles are also available. These have long arms that go down so you can adapt them to your grow for optimal lighting.

Not surprisingly, these tend to be the most expensive option.

What size LED grow light do I need?

The size or power of the LED should be proportional to the size of your grow. For a one square meter crop, a light of around 400-600w would be ideal. As a general rule in the growing world, 1 watt of light typically equates to between 0.5 and 1 gram of cannabis at harvest time. This depends on a lot more than just light, but it's a good way to determine how many watts to use.

LED grow lights with a Veg/Bloom switch

As mentioned earlier, many LED lights have a switch to switch from the veg phase to the flowering phase. This changes the spectrum from blue (vegetable) to red (flower), reflecting the sun's frequency at different times of the year. It's not entirely clear if this is any better than a grow light that puts out full spectrum all the time, but it will likely draw less power by cutting out unnecessary frequencies. So when looking for cheap bills and cooler weather it's not a bad option!

How many LED grow lights do I need?

To figure this out, you need to think in terms of coverage. You want your entire canopy to receive a fairly equal light intensity. A good grow light is often sufficient. However, if you have a large room with lots of plants, a combination of fewer larger lights or more smaller lights might work better. It all depends on the room and your decor. For example if you will useSO GÖScrOGtraining techniques, you must adjust your LED settings accordingly.

Growing Marijuana With LED Grow Lights

Using LED lights to grow marijuana is fairly easy, especially with full spectrum or switched lights. That means you don't have to change your rig. However, there are some important factors to consider at every stage of the cannabis growing cycle.

LED grow lights and the seedling stage

In the seedling stage, cannabis plants are at their most vulnerable and require the most care. If you use LED lights, be careful not to expose themseedlingstoo much light If your LED has a dimming option, you should use it. If not, move the light away a little. That being said, you must follow the directions of the plant itself. If it shoots up and starts looking lanky, you're not giving it enough light and it isrenewal. If you don't, you risk falling.

If your grow light has a Veg/Bloom switch, set it to Veg mode so it receives a blue spectrum. That helpsroot development, which is crucial at this stage. Switch to a light cycle of 18/6 for this phase, or up to 24/0 for autoflowering plants.

LED Grow Lights und die vegetative Phase

The veg stage requires more or less the same setup as the seedling stage, except your plants can receive a higher light intensity. You still don't want to burn them! Look for discoloration and curling on the top leaves. When you see it, move the lights a little further. Aside from increasing the light intensity, keep the settings as before.

If she's still growing upright, tall, and skinny, that's a sign your cannabis plant wants more light. Although it naturally grows tall, most healthy plants also exhibit plenty of bushy outward growth. The exception to this rule are somesativa strains, which appear to stretch regardless of environmental conditions.

LED grow lights and the flowering phase.

For the flowering phase, switch to the flowering (red) option if you have it. In order to get a photoperiod cannabis plant to flower, you need to set it on a 12/12 light cycle, otherwise it will continue to vegetate. Again, beware of lights that burn and expand and keep the grow light onoptimal distance.

Can you grow autoflowering cannabis with LED grow lights?

If you can. In general, it seems to work just as well as it does with photoperiod plants. However, there are some anecdotal reports of autoflowering plants freezing under LED lights in the early flowering phase. However, if this is true then it seems quite uncommon and shouldn't put you off trying.

How far away should my LED grow lights be from my marijuana plants?

To answer this, you need to know the strength of your lighting and the growth stage of your cannabis plants. Combining the information above with the manufacturer's instructions should help you figure it out.

A major advantage of LED lights is that they can be placed much closer to your marijuana plants without burning yourself. This helps maximize light exposure and possiblyincrease yields! Play and watch your plants. Basically, you want your lights to be as close to the canopy as possible without burning the plants. Beyond the seedling stage, you can afford to find out what that distance is as long as you act quickly.

Can LED grow lights burn cannabis plants?

Although the LEDs can be placed much closer, they can still burn your plants. The good news is that it should be slower, and as long as you're vigilant you should be able to fix any problems before they do any real damage to your cannabis plants. Thanks to their coolness, the top leaves will not be fried immediately if the LEDs are placed too close together.

Are LED grow lights as good as HPS?

This is a long-term debate that cannot rest here. In general, however, we would say yes. Certainly an old favourite, HPS have been responsible for the best quality indoor cannabis for decades, making many indoor growers reluctant to give them up. But while they certainly produce large yields of quality weed, they're expensive to run, hot, and cumbersome.

LEDs, on the other hand, are cheap to run, consume no power, and stay cool. This makes them much better for home growing as they are smaller and don't need ventilation. The downside is that unlike the HPS market, the LED market is not yet standardized and it can be difficult to figure out what you are actually getting. With HPS, you know exactly what's in the box.

Those are the differences in terms of settings, but what about the results? HPS are incredibly intense and tend to produce the biggest yields in terms of quantity. LEDs are less powerful and can produce slightly lower yields, but many claim they produce higher quality bud.

What is it you want? quantity or quality?