How Lighting Technology Influence Indoor Gardening Experiences
As planet earth undergoes uncertain climate change outcomes, society’s mantra has been energy saving, food security, and sustainability. Meanwhile, technology breakthroughs have resulted in people coming up with creative ways to feed an ever-growing population.
Technological improvements have also allowed for a more aesthetic feel with household plants, enabling homeowners to have beautiful plants which offer health benefits. Lighting technology is the intentional use of light to achieve a specific goal, aesthetics, and indoor gardening.
Indoor gardening is the shift from arable land cultivation to artificial gardens using modern gardening techniques. Read on to find out how advancements in technology assist in indoor gardening, the benefits to the planet, and how plants are good to you.
Lighting Technology and Indoor Gardening
The Benefits
The growing world population, industrialization, and diminishing food reserves due to more urban cities have resulted in scientists looking for alternative ways to feed the globe. The idea of indoor gardening is one approach that has gained traction.
- Improved Plant Produce
Lighting technology has allowed plant factories, greenhouses, and large-scale indoor farming to utilize upward and vertical illumination for rose and tomato plants during winter, gloomy, and rainy days.
Lower leaves receive more light required for photosynthesis when lights are placed vertically or upward; this is better than the sun’s downward-flowing light. Higher-lying leaves of plants in dense plant regions get enough light naturally, but the lower-lying ones turn yellow or die from lack of light.
- Access to Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs All Year
Indoor gardening allows you year-round access to immune-boosting fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Even those living in apartments can enjoy fresh vegetables and the thrill of growing their plants. They can also access organic vegetables without fear of absorbing pesticides.
How it Works
- The Science
Plants need to make food, and this process is known as photosynthesis. Sunlight is the primary requisite in the photosynthesis process, aside from water and soil nutrients. The catch in indoor gardening is to provide sufficient sunlight and the correct temperatures necessary for healthy plants. Also, temperature regulation is critical since heat is harmful to plants.
With indoor gardening, plants are grown away from direct sunlight using artificial lighting, ranging from huge LED lights to tiny grow lights. Traditional indoor gardening uses any soil holding container or gunny bag to plant house plants.
Aquaculture is the modern way to grow dirt-free plants with enriched water (has organic supplements or nutrients), also known as hydroponic farming. Aeroponics is the most advanced innovative way of moisturizing through spraying nutrient-rich mist to hanging roots.
- Indoor Gardening Characteristics and Must-Have conditions
Planters must consider a few factors when creating a conducive environment for indoor cultivation. These include exposure to daylight, moisture seepage, height, the difference between day and night temperatures, and proximity to a source of warmth.
Plants that grow tall and reach the LED lights turn black because of too much heat. Lighting must therefore be strategically placed above preconceived plant heights to reduce heat damage to the plants.
Studies on indoor gardening found that blue and red lights are most beneficial to plants. Energy absorption of blue and red light by plants fuels photosynthesis and chlorophyll production. The proximity of plants, particularly to infra-red light emitted by LED lights, stimulates healthy plants’ increased growth.
Plant care includes observing leaves. Small thin leaves imply the plant isn’t getting enough simulated light. If the leaves are dusty, the owner can gently clean them by pouring water over them or wiping them with a damp sponge or towel. Dust blocks sunlight, chlorophyll formation, and plant health.
How Gardening Using Lighting Technology Improves Health
- Cleaning and Humidifying the Air
House plants absorb the carbon dioxide we breathe out, releasing plenty of oxygen during the day. They increase oxygen levels in homes and improve aeration. They also get rid of harmful toxins in the air and add humidity to the atmosphere.
The carpets and rugs used in homes suck up moisture from the air, leaving the air dry and pathogen-rich. Plants keep away pathogens that cause respiratory diseases.
- Indoor Plants Look Beautiful
Hydroponics gives people the advantage of having attractive dirt-free plants that add to the beauty of a home. Who doesn’t love coming back to a lovely home? These plants promote positivity, reduce stress levels, and purportedly are a source of happiness. This happy feeling has an impact on blood pressure and concentration.
- Plant Care is Therapeutic
Plants are therapeutic, according to doctors and academics. Studies have shown that taking care of a house plant can help depressed and anxious people manage their stress levels.
- Plants Promote Speedy Recovery
According to empirical studies, ill patients or those who have undergone surgeries or are nursing injuries recover faster when nearby plants. Looking at flowers and plants speeds up the healing process. The greenery and flowering purportedly decrease pain levels, according to studies done in hospitals.
How LED Lighting Saves the Earth
LED lighting is energy-saving. Some LED grow lights utilize only a tenth of the electricity compared to competing lighting systems in the market. Farmers that use HPS lights in greenhouses might save half the electricity by switching to LEDs.
Also, when compared to other types of lighting, LEDs have a much longer lifespan. Once they reach the end of their useful life, they don’t just cease working. Many LED grow lights on the market today include automated shutoff or programmable timers for planters to choose whether the lights should be on, dimmed, or turned off.
The Take-away
Hydroponic or aeroponic vertical farming offers numerous advantages, one of which is the capacity to maximize crop yields. Cultivation of crops in vertical farms is not time, area, or weather-dependent. Traditional farming, on the other hand, consumes ten times as much water as vertical farming.
Additionally, creating a healthier urban environment, new jobs, and better air are other advantages of indoor gardening. Modern lighting technologies used in indoor gardening are also more sustainable and energy-saving.
