Lighting The Future for Modern Growers in 2025: Expert Tips Every Grower Should Know

Lighting is no longer just a tool or a trend, it’s a strategy to revolutionize the way we consume food. As controlled environment agriculture continues to evolve, growers are turning to advanced lighting systems to unlock better yields, stronger plants, and greater efficiency. Most of you are already familiar with the concept, so let’s take it a step further and break it down under an expert lens.

Smarter Growing Starts with Smarter Lighting

Controlled environment agriculture depends on precision. Light is one of the most powerful tools a grower can use. Whether you’re fine-tuning conditions in a greenhouse or vertical farm, understanding how your light works is the key to getting more from every square foot of your facility.  To get into detail, watch this clip about the ins and outs of LED efficiency in plant growth and development!

The Role of Light Spectra

Light quality really does matter! Red supports flowering and biomass production. Blue drives photosynthesis and compact growth, and far-red encourages stretching. With the right spectrum mixture, it will help you reach your target, whether you’re wanting speed, crop size, or other specific plant traits. To learn more, watch this clip about the impact on fresh produce quality with light intensity and spectrum adjustments!

Why LEDs Work Harder for You

While LEDs offer a longer lifespan, lower environmental impact, and stable output, tunable lighting strengthens plant health by adjusting throughout its crop cycle. With AI and IoT systems, tunable lighting gives growers the ability to respond to changing crop needs in real time but if you’re a new grower or looking to invest in indoor farming, a full-spectrum baseline is a smart foundation for most crops. From there, incorporating a more specific light recipe depends on goals, growth stages, and even attributes like flavour. Working with horticultural specialists can help determine the most effective light recipe for specific plant needs. You can check out our LED Grow Light Fixtures, as they are categorized to fit anyone’s growing needs!

Specific light spectra can enhance the production of sugars, antioxidants, and vitamins, ultimately improving the taste and overall health of the plant. By adjusting the spectrum, we can influence plant health, control plant height, and even optimize nutritional value.

– Saeid Mobini, Ph.D, Adj. Prof. and Phytotron Manager, Queen’s University

Vertical farming does in fact deliver productivity. They do often require a higher upfront cost but return greater productivity per acre and independence from external weather conditions compared to greenhouses, which need supplemental lighting for several months.

These insights were explored in one of our recent webinars, as part of the Aelius LED Dynamic Webinar Series 2025, on lighting strategies in controlled agriculture. The full session is still available to watch and includes expert insight, visual demonstrations, and practical takeaways for growers.