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Artificial Lighting - LED Based

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
by grnthb on December 08, 2004 09:04 PM
Has anyone used LED based grow lights? Saw them in the Growing Edge magazine about a year ago from a company called SolarOasis www.sloaroasis.com.

I did some research but did not find much so I just bought one. Bottom line is that I have had great success for months now but still have not seen much feedback on them.

Any shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Therese
by attennis on December 12, 2004 04:04 PM
I only know one person who uses that product (maybe its a similar led light, i don't know) and she threw it out because it makes the plants look gray-ish. Its true, they lost their green brilliance. It helps the plants grow, but makes it look very unnatractive. Did you notice this?
by Bindesh on December 14, 2004 10:59 PM
As far as I know there is not any commercial LED light for plants. However, if you feel adventurous, you can get LED lights usually through science vendors (the ones who supply to college lab) and use it for plants. I do not think they cost now that much.
by grnthb on December 15, 2004 03:14 AM
thx, yes, I did notice and I was concerned at first so I contacted the company. They guided me to this section on thier web site:

Why do your lights make my plant look so grey?

Plant leaves reflect light colors not used efficiently for growing. Under white light, most plants look some shade of green. This is because white light is mostly green and yellow light mixed. But since our grow lights only supply light in colors plants can use efficiently, very little light is reflected from the leaves. The plant absorbs nearly all of the light provided by SolarOasis Ruby Grow Lights. The effect of this is a plant that looks like it’s in a dark room. It's also a sign that you're not spending money to create a lot of extra light your plants aren't using. Just add a little supplemental sunlight or room lighting when viewing or showing your plants for a natural look.

I am very pleased so far. I am growing mini roses indoors! These, as you know, are well documented as outdoor plants.

thx again,
T

by boxmonkey on December 20, 2004 06:28 AM
I wonder how these compare to Compact Flourescent Lights, which are much cheaper...

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