LED Autoflowering Cannabis Growing

LED lights have changed the way indoor autoflowering cannabis growing is done. Not only are LED lights brighter than incandescent lights it also lasts more and is cooler; your plants will not suffer from a harsh plant burn when using LED bulbs. There is no doubt too that LED bulbs are very cost-efficient. With this kind of light, you can flood your grow room with light and grow autoflowering cannabis plants all year long without worrying about the cost of your electricity bill.

Autoflowering Cannabis Light Needs

Autoflowering cannabis plants can grow with an 18/6 lighting schedule (18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness) or it can be grown under 24-hour lighting conditions. This type of cannabis plants need all the light, food and water it can get to satisfy its genetic makeup of growing in just 3 weeks as compared to regular cannabis plants that have 3 months growth periods. It also needs a lot of energy to meet an 8-week harvesting period. Without a doubt, autos need a reliable, efficient and non-stop light source that will help fuel their energy needs. This could be possible with an LED lamp.

18/6 or a 24/0 light schedule

Now that we are in the topic of light schedules to follow for your autos, you can actually use two schedules each with their own pros and cons. Choose the best one that will fit your growing situation and climate.

An 18/6 schedule is ideal for growers from hot climates. You can turn off the lights and give your plants darkness during the 6 hottest hours of the day. With this schedule you can turn your lamps off and save electricity even for just 6 hours. Some growers also believe that this schedule can help make plants grow healthier and stronger when it has a dark period.

A 24-hour light period is suitable for autoflowering plants so that they can get light all day and all night long. It is the ideal schedule for growers who live in very cold places and there are no hot hours of the day. An LED lamp could be a good choice for this situation since you can light up your grow room without interruption without worrying about paying a high electricity bill. You will be using an LED lamp that is longer-lasting and will not add heat that can stress your plants.

Autoflowering Plants that don’t Rely on Amount of Light

Not all autoflowering cannabis plants have the same light requirements. There are some strains that do not rely on a constant amount of light to live and thrive. The strain called Lowryders or species Ruderalis is an auto cannabis variety that will complete its life cycle in just two to three months and this sin regardless of how much light they receive.

You may also want to consider learning about the autofllowering plant strain that you are going to plant or care for. Check for their plant needs, growth cycle, their blooming and growing times as well as the height of your plants. All these important factors can affect cannabis plant’s lighting needs.

Here are a few tips to make sure that your LED lighting lamps can help you yield more crops

1. Depending on the number of plants you have in your growing area, spread your LED lights to accommodate all the plants you have. Lighting should be efficient and will be able to shine brighter and steadier than ordinary fluorescent or in candescent lighting.
2. Use a timer switch in case you want to use an 18/6 schedule. If you don’t want to run back and forth your grow area just to turn on and off your lights, use a simple light switch. This manual switch can be programmed to power on and off your lights and it therefore you don’t have to bother your plants too as you move in and out the room especially during their dark hours.
3. Use reflective materials. There are a number of great materials to use to help reflect light back to your plants. You must go for a material that can reflect more light, will not tear easily, will not bend, can be easily installed and is cheaper to purchase. Just some good candidates are Mylar, canvass material and polyurethane paint. You can use two or more reflective materials just make sure that the room won’t be too warm for your plants.
4. Use the color light spectrum. Expert growers advise the use of light spectrum colors to grow their plants for better yields. It is advised that growers use blue light during the vegetative period of the plant. This is the time when the stems, flowers and branches of the plant are just starting to develop. Bluish light can support cannabis from the first weeks of life to the time the plant reaches its flowering stage.

Yellow to yellow orange and red lights are recommended when the cannabis plant is in its flowering stage. This light color can help plants produce dense buds. The reason why this brings about a better yield is that it mimics the color of fall, autumn and nature which can signal the plant to make more buds before the winter comes. Some growers also say that these colors can also encourage vertical growth which is important when you want to grow bigger and healthier plants.

5. Plants also need water and good plant food to grow. Don’t just rely on good heat and light sources because autoflowering plants grow well when all its needs are met. Use an efficient water delivery system, passive or active, this will help deliver water more efficiently to your plants as well as pamper them with plant nutrients needed for optimal growth and development.

LED lighting for growing cannabis is a great idea especially if you are looking for an easy and cost-efficient lighting solution to use. You will also find it easier to shop for large scale LED lighting online for your specific growing needs.