HPS Bulbs

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

High pressure sodium bulbs are used for industrial, residential, and horticultural lighting. The bulbs are inexpensive and readily available. Discount building stores often carry 250 and 400 watt lamps. All HP sodium lamps will grow cannabis. Even though they are brighter, the spectrum contains little blue, and more yellow / orange. Lack f color balance makes plants stretch between internodes, but does not necessarily diminish overall harvest.

Philips designed and manufactures the 430-watt Son Agro specifically to augment natural sunlight and grow plants. The bulb produces a little more blue light in the spectrum. Adding a touch more blue light helps prevent most plants from becoming leggy. The other enhanced performance HP sodium bulb is the Hortilux by Eye (Iwasaki).

The 600-watt HP sodium increased the lumens-per-watt efficiency of high intensity bulbs by seven percent. The 600-watt HP sodium is the most efficient lamp on the market. The 430-watt Son Agro HP sodium bulbs have more blue in the spectrum and run a little hotter than their 400-watt counterpart. The Son Agro bulbs are the choice of European growers.