What Is Infrared Light?
Did you know that roughly 49.4% of the light that reaches the surface of the earth is what we call infrared (IR) light, or heat radiation?
Infrared light is part of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum, where wavelengths are longer than those of visible light. Typically, IR wavelengths range from 700 nanometers to 1 micrometer. These longer wavelengths are one of the main ways that heat is able to be transferred from one source to another. Longer wavelengths of infrared light produce more heat.
Infrared light is made up of a range of wavelengths:
- Near-infrared — Wavelengths that fall in this range are the shortest in the IR light spectrum. These wavelengths are closest to being visible, and they are used in common objects like your television remote control. Near-infrared lights are not hot.
- Mid-infrared — Wavelengths in this range are warmer than those in the near-infrared range, but are still not considered hot. Using special equipment, scientists and astronomers are able to use mid-infrared light to better observe and study planets and other celestial objects.
- Far-infrared — Wavelengths in this range are hot. This is the type of IR light that is used within grow lights in order to help plants grow and bloom.
How Do Different Grow Lights Use Infrared Light?
LEDs are made up of several diodes, some of which are capable of producing IR light. Most LEDs typically only produce visible light like blue and red wavelengths. So in order to emit infrared light, growers need to add infrared emitting diodes.
- High Intensity Discharge (HID) Grow Lights
HIDs provide a lot of infrared light naturally, just by plugging them in. Your plants light via chemical reaction when electricity arcs between two electrodes interact with ionized gas or plasma inside of a bulb. Depending on the type of gas being used, you'll produce white/blue light used for metal halide (MH) lights and ceramic metal halide (CMH) lights, or warm yellow/orange light used in high pressure sodium (HPS) lights.
In between all those wavelengths of light, though, is IR light. In fact, roughly 30% of the light emitted from HID lights is IR light.
In the same way as HIDs, T5 lights produce light with an electrical current and a chemical reaction. That said, growers can incorporate infrared LED grow light diodes with their T5 light fixtures, or buy separate bulbs for their fixtures that provide IR light.
How Does Infrared Light Affect Plants?
- Better Blooming
Researchers and horticulturists have found that infrared light helps plants bloom. This is due to a type of photoreceptor that plants contain called phytochromes. Phytochromes help regulate processes that are critical to plant development, such as leaf expansion, stem growth, and blooming- and IR light is what helps stimulate that growth.
Growers can use infrared light to “manipulate” your plant's senses, thus altering the plants’ growth process. Phytochromes react strongly to infrared light, so exposure to this light will make a plant think that it is experiencing the same amount of light that it would if it was growing outside during any given season.
IR light is a big reason why you don't have to wait for the summer to grow plants, nor the winter to harvest them. They get the IR they need to grow from your lights, not what's seasonally available by the sun.
- Increased Plant Growth
Another benefit of exposing your plants to infrared light is increased plant growth. Because plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, they have automatic defense processes that kick in when their exposure to sunlight is threatened by other plants.
When plants are covered by other plants, they can lose direct sunlight exposure, and they tend to receive light through the taller plants’ leaves. This results in your plants taking in high levels of infrared light, which triggers the plants’ survival mechanism, subsequent stretching and growth.
When combined with other forms of light that aid in branching- like all blue LED grow lights- and producing a desirable plant shape, IR light help aid in rapid plant growth.
Then I want to recommend some quality grow light for you.
ECO Farm ECOZ Series 250W/510W/700W/1000W Samsung LM301H Chips LED Grow Light Strips With Separately UV+IR Control
Description:
- ECO Farm ECOZ 250W/510W/700W/1000W series light with top-bin Samsung LM301H chips (5000K+3000K)+Osram (660nm+730nm)+Refond (395nm), offering all the necessary light effiency to your medicinal plants in whole growth stages - from VEG to Flower
- Adjustable full spectrum 3 channels dimming way, each channel can be controllable separately.
- UV IR seperately control
- Passive cooling, no noise operation.
- Higher yields and lower cost: ECO Farm ECOZ series delivers powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration to resulting maximum higher yields.
- 'Plug & play' fast installation design makes your grow way easier with lowest maintenance cost and easy installation, specially big saves on shipping.
ECO Farm 1000W HPS Double Ended Hydroponics Grow Light Kits- G-Star Kit
Description:
- ECO Farm double ended 1000 watt grow light system is a premier choice for your garden. Available in 1,000-Watt versions, the lighting system sets a new standard for others to follow.
- ECO Farm Hood Kit (1000 Watt) This combo can make you control the grow light automatically, plant more conveniently. It not need fans or ducts to cool, which can cool itself, so it can help reduce the energy to save money This set can solve all problems you have in the process of indoor gardening.
- High-frequency dimmable ballast: High frequency digital dimmable ballast 120V-240V designed specifically for double-ended grow lamps 1000 Watt(HPS/MH).
- 1000w HPS bulb: Ultra-bright at 155,000 lumen CCT 2,050k, optimized red & blue spectrum encourages flowering growth. Provides 35% more available energy than the high standard pressure sodium lamp.
- Double-ended adjustable reflector German aluminum layer of 98% reflection and excellent color rendering.
ECO Farm High Reflective T5 Fluorescent 54W Grow Light
Description:
T5 fluorescent lighting systems are becoming increasingly popular with hydroponic gardeners because of the energy efficiency and great yields that come with this type of lighting. Plants thrive under T5 fluorescent lights, without the excessive cost that often comes with traditional metal halide or HID systems. T5 lights are great for early growth stages of your plants, from seedlings to vegetative growth.
White powder coated on steel housing
Louvers make the ballast and light tubes cool and more safer
95% reflective aluminum reflectors
Hangs 3 ways—overhead, vertical or horizontal
High performance faceted secular aluminum for better light distribution
Unique lamp spacing to provide more space coverage and light distribution
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