UK tomato growers reap the benefits of LED horticulture
Two of the largest British tomato cultivation industries have made the choice to shift to LED-based horticultural lighting. Their yields have then increased and energy consumption has decreased.
APS Salads and Flavor Fresh Solfresh Group have just finished their first cycle of cultivation of tomatoes under LED. APS Salads is Tesco largest tomatoes supplier. The horticultural company used a hybrid lighting system at its site on the Isle of Wight. Horticultural LEDs were combined with sodium vapor lamps (HPS).
Popular misconception, LED is meant to complete HPS…
« With the hybrid HPS / LED system, we could not get consistent crops at an affordable cost, and we were producing too much heat through our HPS lighting system in the winter, » says Phil Pearson, Group Development Director APS Salads.
« After 12 months 100% LED, we grow high quality tomatoes in winter that have the same taste as the summer ones. We also use only one third of the amount of energy to illuminate our greenhouses with HPS. And we can control crops better because we can adjust precisely lighting and heating, as well as our return on investment. The new system will be profit-making in three years. »
The Absolute Benefits of Tomato Cultivation under LED Horticulture
Tomato cultivation under LED lighting
Flavor Fresh Solfresh, have equipped their greenhouse with half an hectare of LED. Before, the lighting was natural therefore no tomatoes were growing in winter. From now on, the company is able to grow tomatoes during the entire year, with an increased yield of 30%.
The company perceive the arrival of LEDs in horticulture as the « greatest innovation since the invention of the tractor ».
« The installation of LED gardening gives us 100% control, » says Andy Roe, the head of production. « Lighting and heating work together to reduce the need for ventilation, which in turn reduces the required energy by 35%, which is also beneficial for the environment. »
While agriculture is the second largest producer of greenhouse gases after the energy industry, LED lighting for horticulture could prove to be an effective tool for reducing CO2 emissions and to have tasty tomatoes all year round.
The Horticoled team can accompany you in all your project culture. From simple greenhouse cultivation, to automated multi-layer cultivation according to your farming goals and budgets.
