Philips to announce results from three floriculture customers with LED toplighting at Four Oaks Trade Show in UK

During the Four Oaks Trade Show 2015 set for September 8-9, Philips Horticulture LED Solutions, will announce results from LED toplighting that confirm its competitive advantages for growers. These will be presented at the Philips booth (#E62) as well as their local LED Horti Partner Cambridge HOK (booth #E27 A&B) during the Four Oaks Trade Show 2015 in Cheshire, UK. The results include dramatically higher propagation success rates for patio plant plugs, as well as 7-10 day faster rooting times and 10-14 day faster finishing times for perennials. 

Key benefits

• Dramatically higher propagation success rates for patio plant plugs
• 7-10 day faster rooting times and 10-14 day faster finish times for perennials
• Up to 46% energy savings compared to high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting, low installation costs, and maintenance costs

Begonias rooted one week faster
As the largest family-owned grower and retail garden center in Michigan, Bordine’s Farm propagates 10 million seedlings every year. It has been trialing its most popular annuals and perennials under Philips GreenPower LED toplighting and HID (high intensity discharge) lights. Considering that rooting is the slowest part of the propagation process, Dave Redoutey, Propagation Grower was impressed with the LED results. “The Begonias rooted one week faster – it was amazing.” Redoutey also noted more compact growth; increased basal, vegetative bud development without the use of PGRs (plant growth regulators); faster root development allowing for earlier transplanting; prominent pigmentation; and sturdier leaves.

Dramatically higher propagation success rates
Kernock Park Plants in Saltash, UK is an innovative wholesale nursery that supplies over 1,500 growers in the UK and Europe with young plugs to grow on for patio plants sold to retail outlets. The nursery has been comparing the results of plants propagated under Philips GreenPower LED toplighting versus conventional HPS lighting. With LED toplighting, Kernock Park Plants improved the propagation success rate for many of their crops; one variety almost tripled – going from 34% to 96%. Results also showed faster rooting and botrytis control was limited to one preventative spray. All using 30% less power compared to HPS lighting.

Dianthus and Hibiscus finished 10-14 days faster
Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, USA, is a market leader in the perennial industry and ships more than 18 million perennial liners annually. It has been comparing plant performance under the LED toplighting versus high HPS fixtures. Troy Shumaker, Chief Financial Officer of Walters Gardens says, “With Philips LED fixtures we have experienced greatly reduced crop times with an increase in overall plant quality while using less energy.” Finishing times for dianthus and hibiscus were reduced by as much as 10-14 days. Other results were better survival percentage and consistent growth of plants throughout the plug tray, as well as faster and better rooting with compact plant growth for specific cultivars.

Light recipes benefit every plant and phase
Since different crops, flowers, and plants require different light/temperature situations (alongside other climatic conditions) for optimal growth, Philips has invented specific light recipes for specific crops to help growers further enhance their crop results. A recipe combines the following elements: light spectrum, intensity, illumination moment, uniformity, and positioning. Using a recipe, a grower can steer specific plant characteristics, from compactness, color intensity, and branch development to flowering and more to improve results. Philips light recipe knowledge has been developed over many years of cooperation with growers, university, and research sites to enhance growth. CLICK HERE for more results from growers using Philips light recipes