The last five years in the hydroponic lighting industry have been quite the battle; LEDs have changed the game. Due to a plethora of designs and eager Chinese manufacturers, there are several LED brands – I lost count at 50. Some markets around the world are still selling predominantly HPS, but they are fewer and fewer each year. As the prices of LEDs continue to fall and their efficiency continues to rise, it seems apparent that they will continue to gain in popularity.
What a great edition! Brian Gandy’s PAR WARS – Dialing Your Garden Into the 21st Century and Beyond humorously and scientifically explains the efficiency battle in our lighting market. Then, to push that discussion further, in the article You, Me, and Photon Efficacy, Christopher Sloper, the creator of the LED Grow Book, explains plant lighting efficacy down to the last photon.
Growing under LEDs comes with its own set of challenges. If you have only used HPS and been successful, you will have to adjust. In Grow Room Ventilation 2.0 How LED Grow Lights Have Moved The Goal Posts, Everest Fernandez explains what you need to do differently to get the most out of your new lights. And award-winning HVAC expert Adam Clarke dives into how to control your grow room environment in Ventilation, Dehumidification, and The Effect On Your Environment And Plants.
In his first article, Takin’ A Bite Out of Labor – JAWS Soils, regenerative organic agriculture advocate, Av Sing, scratches the surface on how to switch to water-only soils.
Happy Gardening!