| LED Gardener |
Light For Plants, Not People researched for decades, and researchers have long known that plants use different frequencies of light, for different purposes. Some colors of light make plants grow and bloom, while others promote compact growth. Scientists used this knowledge to develop lamps that would let them raise plants without sunlight. Their new “grow lights” were’t developed from scratch. They took existing lights and modified them to produce more of the colors of light that are used efficiently for plant growth. And they were successful. Today we have many lamps that can be used to help grow plants. They range from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent tubes, to the very powerful metallic vapor lamps, such as metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps. And they all have the same problem: they produce a lot of light that plants can’t use efficiently. The researchers at SolarOasis took a different approach. They designed grow lights from the ground up, optimized for plant growth, not human vision. Using LEDs, they selected the colors of light that plants use most efficiently for vigorous growth and health. The result is a plant grow light that uses very little energy yet provides all the light your plants need to thrive indoors. --CEO Solar Oasis ************************************************************************** Venus Fly Traps & LEDs Named after the Greek goddess of love and beauty, the Venus Fly Trap is a fascinating variety of carnivorous plant. The bogland, and sandy areas where it normally grows are devoid of nutrients. This remarkable plant has adapted with hair triggers in each lobe. When stimulated properly these lobes snap shut to capture insects from which to draw the needed nutrients. Venus Fly traps require full sun to grow well which makes them difficult to grow indoors. This is where the LED plant lighting shines- allowing maximum light and avoiding the usual problems. The ideal indoor environment is a terrarium. One of the problems we encounter when we begin to use traditional plant lighting- is often times the added heat creates condensation on the sides of the terrarium; making it difficult to see the fruits of your labor. The slight warmth of LED lighting eliminates this problem. We also find many growers wrapping their terrarium in a reflective covering in order to optimize the scattered light of fluorescents or HID lighting. The LED grow bars eliminate the need for this unsightly step. LED’s are fitted with a built in reflector to ensure that all of the light is focused on your grow area. These built in reflectors also eliminate the glare associated with traditional plant lighting, making them a welcome fixture in your home or office. For more information about Carnivorous plants and Orchids… www.phantomplants.com ************************************************************************** Temperature and Plant Growth Heat plays a vital role in your garden. Heat is a major factor in determining, among other things, transpiration rates. Transpiration involves the use of about 90% of the water that enters the plants through the roots. It is necessary for mineral transport from the soil, to move sugars and plant chemicals, and for the maintenance of Turgor pressure. An increase in temperature or air movement decreases relative humidity and causes the guard cells in the leafs to shrink, opening the Stomata and increasing the rate of transpiration. Conventional grow lights are very hot, running from several hundred degrees to over fourteen hundred degrees Fahrenheit at the bulbs surface. This excess radiated heat output adds to the cost to cool your grow environment. Check your plant's optimal temperature range. When using LED lighting, the heat has been eliminated from the equation. To ensure adequate transpiration rates we often need to supplement heat in order to maintain ideal growing conditions. The lack of heat also requires additional attention to the root zone, again check the optimal root zone temperatures for the plant species you are growing. With very little evaporation taking place, there is a tendency for over watering. Cold water can stress plants and reduce water uptake. The root zone temperature needs to remain consistent for ideal growth rates. Root temperature is more important than leaf temperature in achieving plant growth. Water should be room temperature. --AL |
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| In This Issue: Lights for Plants, Not People Venus Fly Traps & LEDs Temperature and Growth Distributor Links www.cleanairgardening.com Dallas, TX 210-370-0530 www.westcoastleds.com San Diego, CA 858-578-4477 www.phantomplants.com Dracul, MA 978-761-6348 www.hy-yieldindoor.com Concord, CA 888-499-4375 Educational Links www.gardenorganic.org.uk www.schoollunchinitiative.org www.ecoliteracy.org www.organicconsumers.org Care to Comment? The LED Gardener appreciates all the imput we receive from our readers. If you would like to submit an article or pictures; or if you would like to comment on a current article please send submissions and comments or questions to angela@led-grow-master.com You are receiving this email because you subscribed at led-grow-master.com If you do not wish to receive this newsletter :Request your name removed angela@led-grow-master.com Contact LED Grow Master Global: Admin@led-grow-master.com |
| August 1, 2006 Volume 1, Issue 2 |
