Top Tips on Using LED Lights To Grow Your Own Marijuana Seeds

Top Tips on Using LED Lights To Grow Your Own Marijuana Seeds

LED lights on marijuana seeds

Top of the line HID lights were always the first choice for marijuana enthusiasts. But, since the rapid innovation of technology, LED lights have become increasingly popular with growers, for many reasons.

As indoor marijuana growers are always looking for economic and diverse ways to grow their plants, LED lights have paved the way for indoor growers to see stellar results, when growing marijuana seeds. LED lights have many benefits, from being more robust to consuming far less energy than conventional lighting, all the way to having a far greater lifespan.

LED Vs. HID Lights

MH/HPS grow lamps are currently the conventional method of lighting to grow marijuana seeds as they’re a little lighter on the wallet, in comparison to high-quality LED lighting. New cultivators of marijuana crops will often start with HID lights because they’re commonly used and come with growing kits.

Despite the initial startup cost of HID lighting being relatively cheaper, there’s still much to be desired in the long-run of growing marijuana with HID lights. They operate at a higher temperature and emit greater amounts of radiation, giving them more chance to ruin a crop and rack up a hefty bill.

Cultivators of marijuana at varying levels of skill can take advantage of LED lighting, so if you’re looking to make the switch or you already use LEDs, here are some top tips to help you get the most out of your crops and your money.

The Right LED Light for the Job

To make the most of out of growing your plants, it’s important to know which type of LED light is best suited to you. There are currently three LED grow lights available that are ideal for growing cannabis, each with their advantages and disadvantages. There are a few constraints when choosing the correct LED and they depend on what you want from your plants and your budget.

3 main types of LED grow lights for marijuana:

Standard purple light — the standard LED light is widely available and can contain up to hundreds of 3-5 watt small to medium single LEDs. The combination of red and blue colors can create a purple hue, hence why they’re often referred to as purple light LEDs. Despite these LEDs offering significantly lower light, in comparison to other LEDs on the market, the biggest benefit is they’re perfect for growers on a budget.
COB LED — these LEDs are made of hundreds of small LEDs, on a single small chip. COB LEDs are extremely efficient as they’re able to produce light that’s very similar to the natural light spectrum of the sun. They’re able to penetrate into the plant canopy that produces a similar quality yield to HID lamps. Furthermore, these lights have high energy efficiency, making them ideal for cutting on costs and growing the perfect crop. Single COB lighting fixtures are ideal for larger growing spaces for distribution of light across big areas.
Spread style LED — a significant amount of LEDs are spread across a larger panel to create spread style LEDs. Despite the hefty price point of this style of LED board, they’re extremely energy efficient, offering a great light to usage ratio.

Cost Efficiency

In comparison to HID lighting, LEDs give you more bang for your buck. Utilizing LED lighting uses far less electricity and reduces expenses in the grand scheme of things. It can cost a pretty penny to buy LED lighting and get yourself set up but the savings of running the lights over time outweigh the startup costs. Furthermore, you get what you pay for and LED lighting is no exception. They generally have a longer lifespan than conventional growing lights and can last up to 20,000 hours on average, HID lighting would need frequent maintenance and replacement, incurring more costs to the grower.

Keep it Cool

LED lights run at a temperature of up to 40 percent cooler than HID lighting. The savings incurred and reduction in damage to your plants means you won’t need an additional cooling system to ensure everything runs smoothly.

If you happen to grow your plants in a warmer climate or during the summer, LED lighting is especially advantageous. Furthermore, if your LED lighting system is producing less heat, your soil will retain its moisture in it for longer and reduce your watering schedule.

Important note: If you’ve made a recent switchover from HID to LED, it’s crucial that you reduce the amount of water for your plants to avoid overwatering.

The Bottom Line

When cultivating your own crops, it’s important to find a good online marijuana seed shop, to ensure that you’re only growing the most suitable seeds for the lighting that you’re using. With a good variety of lighting available, at a fraction of the cost, it was years ago, marijuana can be grown cost-efficiently and at a high yield.