Maximum Yield USA 2012 March | Page 72

by Dr. Lynette Morgan Photosynthesis, Maximized. Dr. Morgan explains just how much light your indoor garden needs—and what colors it should be. P hotosynthesis is the process that drives plant growth and development, and while most of us have some idea of its importance, there is a lot to understand if we are to fully optimize the potential of our plants. We all know plants need light and this radiation energy—as light is technically known—can either be supplied by the sun or artificially, by the highly efficient grow lamps used by indoor gardeners and the plant scientists who study photosynthesis. However, it is not just the light source that affects the rate of photosynthesis—there are a number of external and internal plant factors 70 Maximum Yield USA | March 2012