Why You Should Use LED Grow Lights for Your Dragon Fruit Plants
Artificial lights, in particular LED grow lights, are widely used in indoor vertical farms, greenhouses, and open-field cultivation. We have learned that many crops’ cultivation, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and cannabis, takes advantage of artificial lights. With the help of artificial lights, growers are able to provide sufficient lighting, and control the growth of plants, and achieve better quality and higher yields.
Did you know that artificial lights are also used for growing dragon fruits?
You probably know that dragon fruit is a light-loving plant and it is usually grown in open fields. It is obvious that artificial lights are advantageous for dragon fruit cultivation. But why LEDs?
Description of dragon fruits
Dragon fruits, also known as pitaya, are a type of cactus that produces sweet and colorful fruits with many health benefits. Dragon fruits have a bright pink, leathery skin with green scales and white or red flesh with tiny black seeds. They are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, and minerals.
However, dragon fruit plants have a short growing season, usually from May to October, which limits their productivity and profitability for farmers. Since dragon fruits are light-loving plants, they have special requirements for flowering and fruiting. If the light is not enough, the dragon fruit plants will not bloom or produce fruits.
Benefits of using LED grow lights for growing dragon fruit plants
LED grow lights are beneficial for the cultivation of dragon fruit plants. By supplementing light at night, LED grow lights are able to trigger flowering and fruiting, extend the growing season, boost the yields, and increase profits. Most importantly, LED grow lights are energy-efficient and cost-effective. They consume less energy and cut down on electricity bills while providing better light quality and a longer lifespan.
LED grow lights can trigger flowering and fruiting
Timing of the floral transition is an essential factor of reproductive success. It can be triggered by environmental factors. The length of daylight varies with the seasons. Dragon fruits are photoperiodic, which means they flower in response to changes in day length or photoperiod. Generally, dragon fruits produce flowers and bear fruits during the long-day months. Many growers turn on LED lights at night for several hours. LED grow lights provide supplemental light and prolong the “day length” for dragon fruit plants. Therefore, LED grow lights can trigger flowering and fruiting by controlling the day length, or photoperiod.
LED grow lights can extend the growing season of dragon fruit
The usual dragon fruit season runs when the duration of daylight is 12 hours or more per day. One way to extend the growing season and increase the yield of dragon fruits is to use LED grow lights during the evening. By using LED grow lights, farmers can make the daylight longer and trick the plants into thinking that it is still summer. This technique has been successfully applied by some farmers, who have been able to grow dragon fruits for at least nine months a year by using LED grow lights. They reported that their dragon fruit plants produced more flowers and fruits than before, and that their fruits were bigger and sweeter than those grown without LED lights.
LED grow lights can increase yields and profits
Most importantly, LEDs feature specific customizable wavelengths. With the optimal spectrum, LED grow lights satisfy the requirements of photosynthesis, perfectly fit the needs of dragon fruit plants. In addition, LED grow lights provide suitable light intensity and light duration, allowing the year-round production of dragon fruit plants. It means growers can yield more fruit in a year. Thanks to sufficient light, dragon fruit plants are able to generate the energy needed for their own growth and bear bigger and sweeter fruits. Growers can reap more profits with higher yields and better fruit quality.
LED grow lights are energy-efficient and cost-effective
You might think other light sources like CFL and HPS can also extend the day length. We don’t have to use LED grow lights. But LED grow lights have many advantages over other types of artificial lighting for growing plants. They are energy-efficient, durable, adjustable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. LED grow lights can deliver the same light output with less energy consumption. This saves electricity bills and effectively reduces carbon emissions. Meanwhile, LED grow lights have a longer lifespan and lower maintenance costs than other traditional light sources. It means they can last longer without needing replacements. Besides, LEDs generate less heat than other lights. Thus, they can be placed closer to dragon fruit plants without damaging them.
What are the best practices for using LED grow lights for dragon fruit planting
So, how do you use the LED grow lights for growing dragon fruit plants?
There are two lighting strategies. Both of them light dragon fruit plants at night. The first one is supplementing LED grow lights for dragon fruit plants from 4pm to 10pm during the winter. Normally, the plants will flower after 20 to 30 days, and bear fruit after another 20 to 25 days. The other strategy is to break up the dark period by supplementing LED grow lights in the middle of the night between 10 pm and 2 am. The night break can induce flowering and allow off-season production. But we should note that LED grow lights are not a magic solution. They also need to be combined with other factors to ensure plant growth and health during winter production.
