5 things to know when choosing indoor growing lights

Added on 29 March 2022

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5 things to know when choosing indoor growing lights

Fundamental to the creation of any indoor farming environment is its horticultural lighting. According to plant scientist Phoebe Sutton, "LED lighting is what enables the concept of vertical farming. You can mount lights in layers practically anywhere to support a plant throughout its lifecycle."

Editor's Note: This is the first post of a two-part series in partnership with Vertically Urban (VU). It includes information derived from an interview between Agritecture and members of the VU team: Andrew Littler, Chief Executive Officer, and Phoebe Sutton, Plant Scientist.

Andrew Little, Chief Executive Officer of Vertically Urban. Image sourced from Vertically Urban.

However, caught up in the excitement around this emerging sector, many entrepreneurs fail to do the planning and research necessary to select the right equipment - particularly lighting - for their crops, budget, and farm's needs. Committing to one solution too quickly, or going too big too fast, without performing proper due diligence or testing the market, has been the downfall of several failed vertical farms. Agritecture's 2020 Global CEA Census found that 73% of CEA operators would choose their equipment, technology, or crops differently if they could go back in time.

"Vertical farming is key for the next generation of growers. But, you have to start with quality components to get quality products." - Andrew Littler, CEO at Vertically Urban

While professional grow lights cost more, the rewards are well worth it to ensure a vertical farm has the ability to grow the exact crop their customers want to buy.

As a leading researcher in LED lighting applications for vertical farms, Sutton adds that LED lights "offer a unique ability to choose a spectral composition, which can significantly increase crop growth and enhance targeted characteristics when using plant biology." This includes the ability to "change the structure of a plant, and also secondary metabolites like taste, aroma, and the nutritional content."

Vertically Urban is the NASA-inspired turnkey lighting solutions provider with full-spectrum LED grow lights and more

"We see ourselves playing a role of supplying technology beyond just low-profile LED lights," shares CEO Andrew Littler. "With our test lab, in-house vertical farm, and R&D team, we offer plant science support and use data to improve efficiencies and spectra constantly."

Continue reading on Agritecture.

Header Photo: Phoebe Sutton, Vertically Urban's Plant Scientist, collecting data from one of Vertically Urban's in-house trials. Image sourced from Vertically Urban.

Source: Agritecture