spectral light
“ ALTHOUGH A PLANT can grow under red lights alone for its entire life cycle , indoor growers usually prefer shorter , bushier plants due to limited vertical space , and have found that using a fuller spectrum of light will produce a higher yield come harvest .”
The spectrum ’ s wavelengths are measured in nanometers , and it ranges from zero to 5,000,000,000 nm . Visible light , which falls between red and violet light , and is a small slice of the entire electromagnetic spectrum . All the colors of the rainbow fit in the very narrow range of 400-700 nm . All of these colors together create white light , and they are separated into individual colors when they pass through a prism ( this is why rainbows appear when sunlight passes through water droplets ). This section of the spectrum has the most impact on plant growth , although more recent studies are showing that infrared and UV rays play a role as well .
Visible Spectrum
White Light
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet
Glass Prism
UNDERSTANDING THE SPECTRUM It is important to understand how color temperature is measured when shopping for an indoor grow lamp . Kelvin measures a light ’ s degree of warmth , ranging from zero to 10,000 K . Cooler blue lights will have a higher temperature , and warmer red lights will have a lower temperature . The temperature of daylight is about 5,600 K . Light plays an essential role during photosynthesis . In the photosynthesis process , plants convert light , carbon dioxide , water , and minerals into glucose and oxygen . Plants primarily use the red and blue spectrums of light in varying amounts during this process , depending on their stage of growth . Although different plants prefer different light spectrums , in general , certain spectrums perform specific tasks . Blue light in the 400-500 nm range promotes root growth and intense photosynthesis . Red light in the 640-720 nm range stimulates stem growth , flowering , and chlorophyll production . Sunlight contains the full spectrum of colors , though the wavelength will vary according to the time of day or year . Spring sunlight is more violet and high energy , encouraging the vegetative growth of plants , whereas fall sunlight has a warmer color temperature and lower energy , producing the fruit and flowers for a fall harvest . You can also see the color spectrum change throughout the day as the sun changes position in the sky , which is what creates vibrant red and orange sunsets as the day winds down .
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