LED Grow Light Forum

haha, in our country, a farmer harvest a lot of fruits and vegetables above a small place in his balcony, and I think your idea will be realized.

SisterMaryElephant wrote:LED lights lack the penetration power to grow tall plants. Fortunately, strawberries *are* short plants so you may have good luck with those at least. Corn, not so much...

The problem isn't 'penetration power' but the way things are set up. Plants always have the newer top parts growing to capture the most light. The sun moves so the best spot is constantly moving as well which allows penetration. Bulbs (like hps) while not moving normally have reflector to (obviously) reflect the top part of the light comming off the bulb back towards the plant, this diluted light (as it's scattered) is less attractive to the plants and normally gets through to the bottom of the plant.

LED's however don't need reflectors as the light is restricted to specific angles so the plants can grow to capture this light with ease. If you are wanting some of that light to get to the bottom part of the plant there are two things you could do, have some of those LED's shining into a reflector to cause some scattering OR set up your LED's in such a way that they actually move during the day that way they get a chance to penetrate the bottom.

LED diode lens angles act like a reflector by spreading the light but without the light having to travel as far. That should make them penetrate farther but they lack the power so far.

Ask anyone that's actually grown with LED and HPS and they'll tell you that LED lights do not penetrate as well, we have journals here that prove it.