In Quebec, fall brings shorter days, grey mornings and, eventually, snow. Inside the greenhouse, however, vegetables keep growing. The secret? A controlled environment, a team that closely monitors each crop—and the right light at the right time. At Gen V, dynamic LED lighting now complements natural sunlight to support cucumbers, hydroponic lettuce and young plants at our Sainte-Clotilde greenhouse.
But how does this lighting actually help vegetables grow? Let’s shed some light on it. 💡
Why do plants need light?
Light is essential for photosynthesis. Through this process, plants use light, water and carbon dioxide to produce the energy they need to grow.
During spring and summer, long days provide plenty of natural sunlight. In fall and winter, the sun sets earlier and cloudy periods are more common. The amount of available light may no longer be enough to meet a crop’s needs.
Supplemental grow lighting helps make up the difference. It does not replace natural sunlight; instead, it gives plants a helping hand when Quebec’s shorter days provide less of it.
To learn more about sunlight’s role throughout the seasons, read Why Greenhouse Vegetables Are at Their Freshest in the Spring.
What is dynamic LED lighting?
A dynamic LED light does more than switch on and off. It can be adjusted precisely according to greenhouse conditions and the needs of the plants.
The technology selected by Gen V can adjust:
- the spectrum, meaning the different colours of light;
- light intensity;
- lighting timing and duration;
- the daily light integral, or the total amount of light a plant receives over one day.
These settings can be tailored to each crop, production zone and stage of growth. A young plant does not necessarily need the same conditions as a mature plant, just as lettuce and cucumber do not have exactly the same lighting needs.
In other words, the goal is not simply to give vegetables “more light.” It is to provide the right light at the right time.
Why does that level of precision matter?
Greenhouse growing conditions are closely monitored. Temperature, humidity, irrigation, ventilation and light all work together. Lighting that responds to real conditions can support the plants’ needs more precisely.
According to the announcement of Gen V’s project with Sollum Technologies, this approach supports early plant development while helping achieve uniformity and consistent quality.
It also provides more flexibility in a greenhouse growing several crops. Lighting strategies can be adjusted from one production zone to another instead of applying the exact same light recipe everywhere.
Do LEDs use less energy?
One of the main advantages of LED technology is energy efficiency. Hydro-Québec reports that horticultural LED lighting can support photosynthesis while delivering energy savings of 30% to 50%, depending on the technology being replaced and the type of crop.
A dynamic system also aims to use light more selectively. When a bright, sunny day already supplies much of what the plants need, the lighting can be adjusted accordingly. This helps avoid providing more artificial light than necessary while maintaining favourable growing conditions.
Local light for locally grown vegetables
Growing vegetables in Quebec twelve months a year means working with a climate all our own. Greenhouses protect crops from cold and harsh weather, while careful control of climate, irrigation and lighting helps create the right growing environment.
Dynamic LED lighting is one more tool our teams can use to grow locally and precisely—even as the days get shorter.
Because in the middle of January, Quebec vegetables deserve their little dose of sunshine too. ☀️
Learn more about why we choose greenhouse growing to produce fresh vegetables locally throughout the year.
