Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back.
Today’s article is a special one. This one isn’t just about learning it’s about watching something come alive. We’ve talked about LEDs before, and how they can be used to light up displays or function as signals. But this time, I took a leap. I wanted to explore what artificial light could do when it wasn’t just lighting the way but growing something. This blog is about the journey of testing, measuring, and adapting indoor grow lights, and how that slowly grew into something much bigger than I originally planned. The project started modest inside, in a dark room, with little more than a shelf setup and a few tubs of soil. The plan was simple enough: get a few bell pepper seedlings going using LED light bars I had picked up, powered via a spare power bank. Everything was set up with care. I mounted the lights above the trays, used reflective materials to push the light evenly across the canopy, and made sure there was good airflow. I didn’t have high expectations. At this point it was more about learning than harvesting. But the plants... they thrived.
Watching the seedlings respond was honestly amazing. The mix of red and blue light coming from the strips created this gentle purple glow that filled the whole space. Over time, each leaf started to stand stronger. It wasn’t long before I realised this wasn’t just working it was growing into something bigger. Now, while the lights looked great, it was the science behind them that started catching my attention. Growing plants indoors isn’t just about having “a bright light.” It’s about spectrum, balance, and keeping power stable. I began to explore the colour spectrum and how it directly affects plant growth. Red light encourages budding and flowering, while blue light supports strong root systems and leaf growth. Combining them? That’s where the sweet spot is and most full-spectrum LEDs offer this by mixing diodes tuned to different frequencies. But what really helped was understanding how to measure what I was seeing. I learned about LUX which tells you how much visible light is hitting a surface. Then there’s Kelvin, which tells you the temperature of the colour, from warm orange to cool blue. Indoor grow lights usually hover between 4000K and 6500K for general purpose growth. And then there was the Munsell system a really clever way of describing colours in three parts: hue (the colour itself), value (lightness or darkness), and chroma (the intensity). What this showed me is that colour isn’t just about what we see it’s data. And when used right, it can help simulate the kind of light that plants would naturally respond to outdoors.
Moving Outdoors: A Bigger Picture Emerges
With the indoor setup a success, I started thinking bigger. What if I moved it outside? What if I could continue the project through spring and summer and bring the lighting system with me supporting plants even when sunlight was fading? So I set up a raised bed. I took the same light bars, attached them under a canopy, and wired them to a combination of solar panels and stored power. It wasn’t perfect but it worked. The plants adapted brilliantly. At night, the purple glow filled the garden like something out of a sci-fi film. The lights helped balance out dark hours and kept the leaves photosynthesising for longer. Even under cold conditions, the structure and strength of the leaves was excellent. Strawberries, herbs, leafy greens all showed signs of consistent growth. This wasn’t just about light anymore it had become a real test of sustainability. How far could I stretch what little energy I had available? Could I grow food more responsibly? Could I integrate light into the core principles of Lunacare Cymru: Research & Rewilding?
Reflections: Crafting a Living System
Looking back, I started this with a few wires and a power bank. But what I built was a living system, powered by knowledge, patience, and light. This project became proof that small-scale indoor growing, when designed with intention, can lead to bigger outdoor adaptations. The seasons are changing, and with them, our tools, our spaces, and our potential to do more without waste, without massive cost, just with understanding and care. LOLACRAFT has always been about learning to fix, adapt, and grow. This project was all three. Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope this blog offered some light on how indoor technology can meet natural rhythm and how something as simple as an LED strip can lead to food, beauty, and resilience. Until the next time… Take care.
Michael “Druid” Thomas
Lunacare Cymru | Media - Blog
