Using LEDs to Grow Plants
Light Emitting Diodes are a good source of energy for plants that are being grown indoors, underground, in space, or other places where sunlight is not available.
Advantages of LEDs
- High energy efficiency
- Long lifespan
- Low heat output
- Choice of wavelength
- Choice of the angle at which the light hits the plants
Tricks
- Use the right wavelength during each cycle of plant
life. Many plants need a lot of red light when they are young. Blue LEDs may encourage a plant to flower.
- Don't leave the lights on all of the time.
- Don't use just one LED. Be sure that the plants get
enough light.
- Water the plants regularly and make sure that they are in the proper type of soil.
- Put plants that can have a symbiotic relationship near each other in the same container.
- Put the plants on a slow moving motor driven support to simulate the movement of the sun.
Possible Science Fair Project Topics
- Varying the amount of time that the LEDs are on between experimental and control groups.
- Varying the wavelength used between experimental and control groups.
- Determining what plants respond best to light from LEDs.