Many indoor plant growers are switching to LED grow lights, and they want to know the answer to this question, “can LED grow lights burn plants?” The answer to this question depends on many factors. In the case of LED grow lights, the answer is usually no, but it depends on the placement of lights in your farming area. When we talk about HID, florescent, and incandescent, the answer is yes; these lights can burn your plants.
What Are the Chances of Burning Plants By Using LED Grow Lights?
Remember, too much intense light can’t even burn your plants, but if your plants are getting too much light, this light can reduce the productivity and challenge your plants. Still, it will not cause burning. As mentioned earlier, some lights have hot bulb like HID, incandescent, and florescent, and they produce too much heat and they can result in crop losses and tissue death.
It will not happen by using LED grow lights because, under LED lights, plants grow right. We are not saying that LED lights won’t burn plants, but the chances of the plant burning with LED lights are less as compared to other lights. It is the major benefit of an LED lighting system, and you can use them for seeding systems where lights have to be placed in compact or tight places that are closed to plants.
What Are the Cases in Which LED Grow Lights Can Burn Plants?
In some cases, LED grow lights can also burn plants. Some of them are given below:
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Improper Lighting Distance
Overheating can result in by placing too many lights at an improper distance. Meanwhile, there can be insufficient lighting because of not having enough lights. Improper lighting distance means either placing lights too close or too far from the crops. Hanging LED lights much closer to your plants can bleach your leaves. Along with bleaching, it will also overheat the plant environment. Too much heating will cause your plants to curl and dry out. In the case of bleaching, the best thing you can do is place lights further away from plants. By doing this, you might not get the desired color, but it can prevent your crops from running down.
However, there is no universal solution to this improper lighting distance; but ideally, it is recommended to place LED lights 12 to 18 inches away from the plants. You can test it yourself by placing your hands over the plants. If you feel too much heat or comfortable, it means your plants will feel the same. So, it is the best solution to maintain lights at a specific distance to prevent burning and getting the desired results.
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Overlapping Lights
When the indoor farming area is large, there will be lots of lights in the same room. Moreover, there will be some reflective walls as well. It is recommended to place the lights higher so that there should be overlapping between the lights. By doing this, you are ensuring that each plant is getting light from different angles, and it will result in better penetration of light. The result will be a better yield.
As mentioned earlier, you will come to know that your plants are getting excessive heat by noticing the change in leave’s color. If it happens, you need to change the position and placement of lights and reflective walls. Change the position of lights, especially in those areas where the leaves are getting brownish.
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Wrong Light Cycle
Wrong light cycles can cause significant damage to your plants. For example, you keep the lights on for 24 hours, or in the opposite scenario; you forget to turn on the lights; in both cases, you might end up damaging your crops. It has been seen many times that farmers end up messing light cycles. Remember, even a minor change in the lighting cycle can negatively impact the plant’s growth. If we talk about cannabis, it needs 12 hours of light during the flowering stage and 18-24 hours of light during the vegetative stage. So, follow the right light cycle for better yield and good results.
Read more: Can You Leave Grow Lights On 24 Hours A Day?
How Can Strong LED Grow Lights Damage Your Plants?
As mentioned earlier, plants need a proper amount of light, so either excess or insufficient light would not allow plants to grow properly. When the lights are too intense, they can cause heat stress and bleach the leaves. Strong LED grow lights can bleach and change the color of leaves, so it is important to understand the proper light cycle and heat quantity required by plants to grow.
You can prevent this damage by placing lights at some angle and distance from plants. Moreover, choose the lighting cycle according to the growth stage. In this way, you can minimize the damage and improve overall yield. You can regulate the room temperature by using airflow and cooling air system. Prevent overheating plants to get the best output.
Conclusion: Can LED Grow Lights Burn Plants?
LED grow lights are gaining popularity, and almost every grower is using or wants to use this lighting system. However, it depends on the nature of the crop and heat requirement. Florescent light bulbs produce much lower heat so they can be helpful in the seeding system. Florescent is still an inexpensive choice but LED grow lights are a much better option for confined and compact places. You can set up lights according to plant’s requirement.
People are switching from traditional HPS, HID, and Mill Halide lighting towards LEDs. As a grower, you will have to keep lots of factors in mind, along with prices, such as the effects of lights on crops and the challenges that a crop faces, especially the chances of burning. So can LED grow lights burn plants? It depends on lots of factors. Yes, it can burn plants if it is not placed properly, and you are following a wrong light cycle and improper lighting distance. You can test the impact of lights by placing your hands under lights, if you feel uncomfortable, your plants and crops will also feel the same.
