Choosing the best Kelvin for flowering growth of plants is essential when it comes to hydroponic farming.
As your plant graduates into different stages of its life cycle such as the seedling phase, vegetative phase, flowering phase, and fruiting phase, there will be a need for light color switching to suit each of these growth stages.
So, if you’re wondering what the best Kelvin is for the flowering growth phase of plants, we will let you know in this post.
The Kelvin Scale and Light Colors
It’s no news that light is one of the most important components for the growth of plants and you need to be aware of the accurate Kelvin for each of the plant stages. Light (be it natural sunlight or other types of artificial light) is needed by plants for photosynthesis. For hydroponic gardening, this light needs to be recreated to mimic the light that comes from natural sunlight.
The light that is provided by artificial grow lights falls in a certain light spectrum. This spectrum can also be associated with the light temperature that is measured using a Kelvin scale. The Kelvin, usually abbreviated K, has a scale of 1,000 to 10,000. The Kelvin color temperature scale for commercial grow lights are usually in the range of about 2000K to 6500K.
Kelvin Scale
As we mentioned earlier, the color temperature in bulbs is measured in Kelvin. The Kelvin scale has tones of the red and orange light spectrum or warm white further down the scale. The other part of the Kelvin scale has a blue light spectrum or cool white.
The red light spectrum is the nighttime tones while the other end which is the blue light spectrum is the daylight tones.
The Best Kelvin for Flowering Growth Phase
From the Kelvin scale, the best Kelvin for the flowering phase is in the red light spectrum otherwise known as cool white. This is the further end of the Kelvin scale and is the required light for the flowering stage of the plant life cycle. Â This type of light is low in energy and will enhance flowering and blooming.
The best Kelvin to support the fruiting and flowering phases of plants is in the range of 3,500 to 4,500 Kelvin. Red light, when combined with blue light allows plants to flower. So cool fluorescent light is excellent for growing plants indoors.
As the temperature goes higher, it gives a cooler light spectrum. The cool light falls above 5,000k on the Kelvin scale. Meaning the light has more blue tones than red and this is not ideal for the flowering phase. What we want is a Kelvin scale of red tones (warmer tones) for our flowering phase.
Your bulbs should be around 2,000 to 3,000 in Kelvin for the best Kelvin range for the flowering stage. We recommend you mix some tones of light, such as blue in addition to the red light spectrum.
The flowering phase can also benefit from moderate amounts of orange, blue, green, yellow, green, and some other colors. This will result in a better flowering or blooming rate.
Types of Grow Lights for Flowering
The most common types of grow light used in the flowering phase are LED, high-intensity discharge light bulbs, and T5 lights.
1. LED
LED is an excellent grow light you can use to provide light for the flowering growth phase of your plants as well as all the other growth cycles. Most LED growth lights contain the full light spectrum, which means they are dedicated to supplying your plant with the light spectrum for all growth stages of the entire cycle. Therefore, there’s no stress of changing light as your plants progress throughout the various growth stages. For the entire plant life cycle, the total light spectrum package of the LED grow light should include:
-ultraviolet (UV) from 200 to 400 nm, blue from 400 to 500 nm, green from 500 to 600 nm, red from 600 to 700 nm, near-infrared (NIR) from 700 to 800 nm, and finally infrared (IR) from 800 to 1200 nm.
EZORKAS 9 Dimmable Levels Grow Light with 3 Modes
2. High-intensity discharge light (HID)
High–intensity discharge light is another cool grow light you can use in your indoor hydroponics system. However, they emit less red light for your plant. So, as your plant is reaching its flowering phase, you may need to change or switch to high-pressure sodium bulbs for a higher red light spectrum.
3. T5 grow light
T5 grow light is another good option for your flowering plant stages. A T5 grow light can be used for plants in pots as well as aquaponics. Some of the benefits of this type of light are that they do not produce a lot of heat. And because they stay cool, you can place them just a few inches above your plants.
How Long Should I Leave My Grow Lights On For to Encourage Fruiting?
What is the ideal time to keep your grow lights on if you want to encourage your plants to go into fruiting? During the flowering stage, you should increase the light intensity and decrease the daylight intensity. You should provide your plants with a photoperiod of 12 hours during the flowering stage. During the vegetative stage, they will do better with a higher light exposure of 18 hours.
It is important to understand the plant growth cycles and the different stages so that you can know what stage of growth your plants are at and provide them with the best growing conditions.
What is The Best Temperature For Flowering Stage?
Temperature is absolutely crucial for plants. It influences plant development and helps dictate the speed and efficiency with which photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, germination, and flowering happen.
It might be tempting to think the higher the temperature is, the better plants will perform. This is not true. There is an ideal range of temperatures that suit different plants at different growth stages.
Yes, an increase in temperature will increase the rates of photosynthesis, transpiration, and respiration but only to a certain point. When the temperature gets too high, it can hurt photosynthesis and water use efficiency, and then plants will struggle to reach their full potential.
In the flowering stage, temperatures in the range of 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal. At night, most plants prefer temperatures of between 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit. A 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit fluctuation is okay, anything larger than that may hamper the growth of your plants. So if you need to install lights or some sort of heating to buffer against large temperature fluctuations, do that.
If the temperature in your grow room is too low, your plant’s metabolism will slow down, which will negatively affect the growth of your plants. As a result of this slow metabolism, the root system of your plants will not perform as it should and will leave your plants stunted because they are not getting enough nutrients for healthy growth.
On top of the right temperature to maintain plant flowering, you need to maintain the right humidity. Relative humidity of 35-45% should be maintained and even lower by about 30% for the last couple of weeks before harvest. Maintaining the right humidity will help you avoid issues such as mold, bud rot, and powdery mildew that can occur because of high humidity.
Summary of The Best Kelvin for Flowering Growth
So, let’s take a look at some key points we listed above:
- The best Kelvin for the flowering phase is 2,000 to 3,000.
- The appropriate light colors for the flowering phase of your plant are the red and orange light tones of the spectrum.
- You can have a blend of other light colors in moderation to boost your flowering phase.
- The most common grow light for your plant life cycle is LED, high-intense light discharge (HID), and T5 grow light.
FAQ’s
What colour light is best for flowering?
Generally, red light is best for flowers. It is important to remember that your plants need the correct amount of light to flower. If you are growing a houseplant from seed and want it to flower, then you can use a regular incandescent bulb. However, if you want a flower to flower, then you should be using a plant light. A plant light is the type of bulb that is used in the growroom. The type of bulb you use is very important when you are growing plants for flowers. The type of bulb you use will also have an impact on the amount of light your plants get. Some people like to use fluorescent bulbs, which are a type of light that gives off the same spectrum as sunlight. These bulbs are very popular, but they are not the best type of bulb to use for growing flowers. You can buy different types of plant lights, and there are many different kinds of bulbs. For example, some lights can be placed directly over your plants, while others are designed to be used in a grow room. You can find lights with different wattages and different spectrums. The amount of light your plants get will depend on how close they are to the bulb, as well as the size of the bulb.
Is 4000K good for flowering?
You should be fine with that kind of light, as long as you don't make it too bright, and as long as you're careful to protect your honey supers from overheating. In general, it's best to start out with the brightest lights you can afford, and if you find you need to dim them down a bit.
Is 3000K enough for plants?
If you are using only 3000K, your plants will be fine. 300k are requited for flowering.
What color light is best for buds?
The red light is best for buds.
If you're going to be growing indoors, then it's best to keep your plants away from direct sun. You can have them under a grow light (which usually look like a strip of fluorescent tubes) or under artificial lighting. You can find LED grow lights that are good for growing indoors, and they're generally much more efficient than fluorescent tubes. I'm using a T5HO, but there are many other types of grow lights out there. I wouldn't use any fluorescent tube light, because they have a high heat output and can damage your plants' leaves. LED lights are also great, and they don't give off that much heat (so they won't burn your plants).
What color LED is best for plants?
The different color temperatures are important and that it's better to have them in the red than blue spectrum.
Plants do not like bright lights. They need low-light conditions to grow. They get light from the sky and from the sun, which is reflected off of the ground and into the leaves. This is called photosynthesis. When you place your plant in bright lights, it will burn up all of the energy that it has stored in its leaves. This is why your plant is looking so yellow. If you want to give it a better environment, you should keep the lights on low. You should also make sure that your plant has plenty of water. There are two kinds of plants: those that have chlorophyll and those that don't. Chlorophyll absorbs the light energy from the sun and uses it to convert carbon dioxide into sugars. These sugars are stored as starch in the plant's cells. Plants without chlorophyll cannot convert sunlight into energy.
Eunice is an enthusiastic gardener with a passion for growing beautiful flowers. She loves nothing more than spending time in her garden, tending to her plants and enjoying the outdoors. Eunice has been gardening for over 15 years and has developed a unique style of landscaping that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. She is especially fond of growing roses and enjoys experimenting with different varieties and colors. Eunice takes great pride in her garden and often shares the fruits of her labor with friends and family. In her spare time, she enjoys reading gardening magazines and attending local horticulture events. Eunice is passionate about her hobby and is always eager to share her knowledge and experience with others.