LED lights prove to be a good stand-in for sunlight in Alaska professor’s research

Meriam Karlsson, a horticulture professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, got a surprise recently when she began experimenting with LED lights – it turns out that plants don't mind light-emitting diodes in place of other, more expensive lighting options.

According to NewsMiner.com, Karlsson placed half of a batch of Sunny Smile dwarf sunflowers under red or blue LED lights 14 days after planting, then applied the LEDs to the rest of the flowers at 24 days. To her surprise, all of the flowers bloomed at once.

“It’s not what I expected," she admitted, adding, “Everyone says it’s so critical to have the right light initially."

As it turns out, LED lighting may be the right light after all. In places like Alaska where natural sunlight can be scarce in the wintertime, LED lights – which mimic daylight – could be the solution that plants need to grow. And since they cost less than other lighting options to operate and maintain, that's good news for growers and gardeners everywhere.

You can use LEDs in your gardens at home, too! LED rope lighting is the perfect accent to both indoor and outdoor plants, giving your favorite flowers a special twinkle that's sure to win them the attention they deserve.