Filed under: LED Grow Master, gardening, led grow lights | Tags: led grow lights, microEinstein
Minnesota Flowers
I come from a long line of gardeners. The old fashioned kind of gardener, they use what nature provides- the sun, dirt, and then add a little water to create small paradises in rural Minnesota. My mother’s garden draws visitors to our home from miles around and provides at least 75% of their fruit and vegetables every year. I call her whenever I have a gardening question and she has always given me sound advice. But as children age, which I have, there comes a point when your parents no longer have all of the answers.
In my current position at LED Grow Master I have come to this point. My mother doesn’t know the light wavelengths that are used in photosynthesis. She is not familiar with the microEinstein. Grow medium is dirt, and in Minnesota the root zone temperature is too low when the plants freeze.
Our company has worked directly with schools, Universities, research organizations, commercial growers, and hobby growers using LGM lighting for the last seven years. This experience has taught us that there is a notable difference in the growing environment when the heat of traditional lighting is removed and plants begin to receive quality light. A focal point of our business is to help clients adjust to these changes. While I’m certain that many of the people who contact our company have been gardening far longer than I have, in the world of LED grow lights- I dare say I could teach you a thing or two.–AL
www.led-grow-master.com
Filed under: LED Grow Master, gardening, gardening in schools, indoor gardening | Tags: gardening supply stores, gardening tools, indoor gardening, LED technology, Miracle Grow, nursery
Alfred State SUNY College of Technology
A Bigger Slice of the Pie
In the spirit of spring, I recently visited two startlingly different gardening supply stores for the first time. One was your basic nursery type. They carried plants, Miracle Grow, lawn and garden ornaments, and gardening tools. In the half an hour I spent wandering, there was at least two dozen other shoppers wandering the premises. The employees were busy answering questions and caring for their plants.
My next stop was the local indoor gardening supply store. I spent an equal amount of time in this establishment. Only one other customer entered. He whispered in a hushed tone to the only employee- a young man behind the counter who proceeded to hand him a bottle of nutrients labeled “Super Bud” or something of the sort. The customer paid and avoided eye contact as he walked hurriedly from the store. It made me pause to think about the kind of market that the indoor garden shop has come to represent. This was the moment that I realized LED Grow Master lighting gives indoor gardening shops across the country a much broader market. (The moment may also have been inspired by the unnatural amount of time I spend reading, writing, and talking about LED technology.)
For the first time, we have plant lighting that will fit over your bookshelf or countertop. Lighting that is safe and durable- for the true “hobby” gardeners. I’m talking about grandmas that want to grow orchids in a dreary corner of the study without 1,000 watts and a climate control system. Anyone that doubts the size of this market need only step away from the indoor gardening shop and into the nearest nursery. You can also look at the new trend of gardening in schools, or the increasing number of architects and builders incorporating gardens into new buildings and homes. The LED Grow Master line is the first product that avoids the burn, fire, shock, and mercury poisoning dangers that have been barriers to these markets. Maybe you can look into the solar/wind powered communities that now have a viable plant lighting option. These are only a few of the many new markets opened up with this new technology. The pie just got bigger. Get your slice now. -AL
For more information- visit us at www.led-grow-master.com or call toll free 1-866-414-7244
Filed under: Heliamphora, LED Grow Master, Technology, efficient lighting, gardening, grow light, indoor gardening, led gardening, led grow lights, led plant light, terrarium | Tags: LED Grow Master
The genus Heliamphora contains 16 species of pitcher plants native to the mountaing tops of South America. They have tubular shaped leaf forms that evolved mechanisms to avoid completely filling up with water and attract, trap, and kill insects. The leaf size ranges from a few centimeters up to more than a meter.
Small pitcher plants trap flys, beetles, and ants. A clever design attracts the insects with a sweet nectar spoon feature. The nectar acts as a drug that makes the insect unsteady as if drunk. Next, the unfortunate insect finds that the smooth pitcher walls offer an unstable foothold. The lowermost region of the pitcher have sharp, downward pointing hairs that prevent the upward movement of prey and becomes a watery, digestive prison.
It is recommended that this particular carnivore be grown in a terrarium. The best coloring of Heliamphora develops with bright, diffuse light, and cool conditions. The heat from windows and artificial lighting is often too intense for a terrarium. The ideal night/day temperature range is 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit. LED Grow Master lighting has overcome these obstacles to achieve an intense red color- a credit to good lighting. By using led grow lights to light your terrarium, no heat is added, over 85% of the light from the LGM line will pass through to your plants, and the glass will stay mostly clear of condensation. Heliamphora provide an exotic touch to terrarium growing and can be an excellent learning tool for the classroom if conditions can be provided. –AL
Carnivorous Pitcher Plant
Filed under: LED Grow Master, efficiency, grow light, horticulture industry, hydroponics, indoor gardening, light, sustainable production
The LED Grow Master grow light provides a natural evolution in the indoor gardening market. According to a National Competition Policy Legislation review. “The hydroponics industry is the fastest growing sector in the horticulture industry.” The review goes on to state that “In a tightening regulatory environment to produce safe food, growers are under increased pressure to adopt best practice technology such as hydroponics, to efficiently produce high quality, safe produce. New water reforms and pesticide bans place additional pressure on growers to produce safe food.”
Hydroponics is universally recognized as a sustainable production method and it has a strong reputation for high quality, “clean, green” produce. Users of hydroponic supplies increasingly search for products that will increase their efficiency. The systems commonly in place today, such as HID lights, are extremely inefficient. They use enormous amounts of electricity, are bulky and difficult to install, and are still using the “glass envelope” bulb invented by Thomas Edison in 1880. Such old-school technology is fragile, hot, and inefficient- opening the way for the LED Grow Master product line.
Hydroponic gardens are quickly becoming a part of everyday life here in the United States. Everyday there are 5,000 more people to feed from the production of farmland which is shrinking by over 15,000 acres a day. The result is over 1,000,000 household soilless culture units operating in America for the production of food alone. Russia, France, Canada, South Africa, Holland, Japan, Australia, and Germany are among other countries where hydroponics is receiving the attention it deserves. The race to efficiently produce is well under way, and LED’s are lighting the path.-AL
Carbon Dioxide doesn’t receive a lot of good press these days, but for those of you looking to increase your growth rate and yield- CO2 is your friend. The average air we breathe is about 300-400ppm. Proper ventilation can maintain these levels in your gardening area. But increase this level to 800-1600ppm and you can increase your growth rate by as much as 40%.
There are several different methods used to increase the CO2 in your greenhouse or grow area. But as we are heading into colder weather, and many LED gardeners will need to supplement heat to their environment, a great way to get this added CO2 is the burning of hydrocarbon fuels such as propane. This is a fairly inexpensive way to kill two birds with one stone. As the CO2 is introduced to the grow area it needs to be thoroughly mixed using a circulation fan- but if your prerequisites of proper light, moisture, humidity, temperature, and nutrition are satisfied, you should be able to see results within days or even hours.
When considering supplementing CO2 take into consideration the size of your area. A small grow room can actually be augmented by just spending more time breathing next to your plants- the most economical method by far. With the exception of this method, remember that the concentration needs to be monitored to insure safe levels. High concentrations of CO2 can cause dizziness and even unconsciousness. This noted, get ready to fill up the propane and watch them grow.-AL
Filed under: LED plant lighting, Venus Fly Traps, efficient lighting, terrarium
Named after the Greek goddess of love and beauty, the Venus Fly Trap is a fascinating variety of carnivorous plant. The bogland, and sandy areas where it normally grows are devoid of nutrients. This remarkable plant has adapted with hair triggers in each lobe. When stimulated properly these lobes snap shut to capture insects from which to draw the needed nutrients. Venus Fly traps require full sun to grow well which makes them difficult to grow indoors. This is where the LED plant lighting shines- allowing maximum light and avoiding the usual problems. The ideal indoor environment is a terrarium. One of the problems we encounter when we begin to use traditional plant lighting- is often times the added heat creates condensation on the sides of the terrarium; making it difficult to see the fruits of your labor. The slight warmth of LED lighting eliminates this problem. We also find many growers wrapping their terrarium in a reflective covering in order to optimize the scattered light of fluorescents or HID lighting. The LED grow bars eliminate the need for this unsightly step. LEDs are fitted with a built in reflector to ensure that all of the light is focused on your grow area. These built in reflectors also eliminate the glare associated with traditional plant lighting, making them a welcome fixture in your home or office. For more information about Carnivorous plants and Orchids visit www.phantomplants.com
Filed under: Uncategorized
How do plants capture and use light? This question has been studied and researched for decades, and researchers have long known that plants use different frequencies of light, for different purposes. Some colors of light make plants grow and bloom, while others promote compact growth. Scientists used this knowledge to develop lamps that would let them raise plants without sunlight. Their new “grow lights” weren’t developed from scratch. They took existing lights and modified them to produce more of the colors of light that are used efficiently for plant growth. And they were successful.
Today we have many lamps that can be used to help grow plants. They range from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent tubes, to the very powerful metallic vapor lamps, such as metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps. And they all have the same problem: they produce a lot of light that plants can’t use efficiently.
The researchers at SolarOasis took a different approach. They designed grow lights from the ground up, optimized for plant growth, not human vision. Using LEDs, they selected the colors of light that plants use most efficiently for vigorous growth and health. The result is a plant grow light that uses very little energy yet provides all the light your plants need to thrive indoors. -CEO Solar Oasis
