How We Are Using Undercanopy Lighting In Our Grow Rooms!

About this video

• Video Title: How We Are Using Undercanopy Lighting In Our Grow Rooms!
• Channel: Craft Farmer
• Speakers: Not specified
• Duration: 00:12:58

Overview

This video explains the strategy and implementation of using undercanopy lighting in grow rooms to enhance plant development and yield. It covers when to introduce these lights, how to manage plant work in conjunction with them, and the environmental considerations, such as heat load and runoff management.

Key takeaways

• Purpose of Undercanopy Lights: To add light to the lower canopy of plants, which previously received insufficient light, to promote better bulk and top-tier product development.
• Timing and Plant Work: Undercanopy lights are typically activated around day 16, after the initial plant work and base cleanup. Plant work in the lower canopy involves balancing leaf and bud sites, leaving productive lateral branches with accompanying foliage to support bud development.
• Light Schedule and Intensity: The undercanopy lights are left off for the first week after flipping to flower to avoid stressing the plants during their transition. They are then turned on at the start of week three and run at 100% until week nine, mirroring the strategy for overhead lights, which are dimmed down from week eight onwards.
• Environmental Management: The introduction of undercanopy lights increases the heat load, requiring careful monitoring and management of the room's temperature and air circulation. It also accelerates transpiration, leading to faster dry backs and potential salt buildup, necessitating daily monitoring of runoff EC and adjustments to nutrient levels.
• Historical Context: The concept of underlighting is not new, with historical examples like Dutch tomato growers using reflective plastic in greenhouses to bounce light into the lower canopy, demonstrating its effectiveness for decades.