It is a general knowledge that it is necessary for grow lights to give off a certain wavelength for plants to flourish adequately and grow. But apart from these light wavelengths, some growers have come to terms that UV can benefit plant growth. UV light for plants is one wavelength that has been highly contested.
Most of our knowledge about ultraviolet light has been non-appealing because we’ve been mostly told to avoid it in our day-to-day activities. However, a minimal dose of ultraviolet light can still be safe to be exposed to.
You can even assimilate a safe dose of UV light as it can give you a great tan without actually causing any damage to your skin.
So, if you’ve ever wondered about the importance of UV light to your plants then you can get some information about this here.
About UV Light
UV light also referred to as ultraviolet light is a type of light wavelength and also it’s a type of electromagnetic radiation. UV is a light that is invisible to the naked eye of humans and the light is measured in nanometers (nm).
Although humans can’t see UV light with their naked eyes, many other creatures including plants use it to survive.
Between 400 nm to 700 nm is where the visible spectrum of light falls under. Then the wavelength of UV light sits between 10 nm to 400 nm.
The 3 primary types of UV lights include UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C.
UV Light For Plants
Generally, grow lights need to generate a certain wavelength of light for plants to thrive well and develop.
Grow lights can generate red wavelengths which are necessary for the flowering stage of a plant. Then we have the blue light for the vegetative stage of the plant. And there are other colors or wavelengths of light that can enhance our plant perform photosynthesis and other necessary processes.
UV light for plants is also a type of wavelength that your plant can benefit from when supplied in a safe dose. Even though some have claimed they didn’t notice a difference in the usage of UV light for their plants: others have however claimed that UV rays can bring out the natural flavor and scent of a plant better than when UV isn’t used.
But the truth of the matter is that UV lights can be helpful to indoor grow room plants. However, you need to have a good knowledge of how to use these UV lights for your plants.
Let’s look into the types of UV lights and see how they can benefit our plants.
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The Types Of UV Light And Their Benefits To Plants
1. UV-A
UV-A is the most common or abundant type of ultraviolet light on earth that reaches or gets to us here from the sun. This type of UV makes up about 98.7 percent of all types of ultraviolet light that get down to earth. The electromagnetic wavelength of UV-B is between 400 nm to 315 nm.
Plants are generally exposed to some level of UV light in their natural environment. Hence, UV-A can’t cause harm to your indoor plants if it is included in the grow light you’re using for your plants.
UV-A light exposure to plants in a safe dose has been shown to enhance the production of CBD and THC.
2. UV-B – UV Light For Plants
UV-B is the second most common type of ultraviolet light to get to us here from the sun. The wavelength is between 314 to 280 nm. This type of ultraviolet ray makes up about 1.3 percent of what’s reaching the earth’s surface.
When you expose your indoor plants to UV-B in the appropriate dosage, it can benefit your plants this UV-B light spectrum encourages plants to manufacture their own sunscreen.
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3. UV-C – UV Light For Plants
UV-C light wavelength ranges between 280 nm to 0 nm. This type of ultraviolet light ray is absent in the light rays that reach the earth’s atmosphere. The ozone layer usually absorbs this light wavelength. Therefore, no UV-C wavelength usually penetrates the earth’s surface.
UV-C light rays can be pretty damaging to both plants and humans. This is why it is prevented by the ozone layers and it does not get to the earth’s atmosphere.
So, because UV-C wavelengths are not naturally present in the earth’s atmosphere, they are therefore not suitable to be exposed to plants. UV-C can be one pretty damaging light ray to plants if they are exposed to it.
Can You Use UV Light In Your Grow Room?
Even with the different drawbacks that we have heard UV light causes, there are still some good to them, especially to our plants.
UV light for plants can help enhance the quality of your plant’s yield. And you can use UV lights for a large, commercial operation or for smaller, private use.
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The Ideal UV Light For Plants
We can therefore see from the above that both UV-A and UV-B are the most ideal type of ultraviolet light to use for plants. No benefits whatsoever are seen from using UV-C light wavelengths.
Additional Say – UV Light For Plants
We have seen that some ultraviolet rays can be quite beneficial to plants. It can even encourage or improve canopy penetration. Thus, it encourages plants to produce more.
There are primarily three types of ultraviolet light you can find and they are UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. However, only two of them (UV-A and UV-B) are suitable for plant use.
Also, ultraviolet light has also been known to encourage different photomorphogenic responses in plants. Plants that are supplied with the appropriate dose of ultraviolet light tend to create a higher level of natural sunscreen compounds that include THC, CBD, antioxidants, flavonoids, terpenes, and vitamins.
Trichomes are another natural mechanism that can be used to supply protection from UV light. Therefore, plants tend to produce more trichomes that helps manufacture natural sunscreen compound when they are exposed to UV light rays.
You should also note that some grow lights can naturally emit UV-A light through the means of chemical exchange. Then other grow lights like LED can be built with specialized UV-B bulbs.
FAQ’s
Can you use a UV light to grow plants?
Yes, UV can offer some beneficial properties to your plants. But you need to use them in the correct dose so they don’t cause harm to your plants.
How to use uv light for plants?
UV light can be used to speed up germination process when it comes to starting seeds indoors.
How to make uv light for plants?
UV lights can be made by passing an electric current through a gas (usually vaporized mercury).
How long should plants be under UV light?
The duration of leaving UV lights under your plants will depend on the type of plants been grown and their needs.
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.
