What began as an entrepreneurial dream of George and Louise Lucas for a small greenhouse operation has, 40 years later, grown to more than 1.7 million square feet of glass greenhouse space. Lucas Greenhouses grows and sells vegetative liners to growers all over the U.S., and finished plants to garden center/retailers in eastern U.S.
Lucas Greenhouses
New Jersey, USA
“toplights have enabled us to be ahead of schedule for the season so they've removed that limiting factor, the thing that mother nature never gives you quite enough of in November, December, January”
The challenge
With HID lights failing, Lucas Greenhouses explored options to provide sustainable and efficient light levels to their vegetative liners.
In 2016, Lucas installed a trial of Philips GreenPower LED toplighting. The trial proved to be a success in that propagation time for some crops was reduced by up to one week, crops required less PGRs, and Lucas experienced more predictability in crop time.
Lucas Greenhouses switches on growth
Lucas and Tom Gunther, Lead Grower of Propagation, pursued an expansion of their LED toplighting installation for the 2018/2019 growing season. By replacing HID lights with Philips LED grow lights, Lucas was able to light an area 40% larger without increasing power consumption.
The results Lucas experienced with the trial were replicated on a larger scale:
- Propagation time reduced by 10-20%
- Reduced use of PGRs
- Improved plant quality
Philips GreenPower LED toplighting
Philips GreenPower LED toplighting opens up new opportunities for greenhouse growers to drive young plant propagation of liners as well as leafy greens, lettuces, high-wire food crops, and bio crops. Philips LED toplighting is the energy-efficient alternative to HPS.
Philips LED toplighting >
Lucas Greenhouses improves quality and speed of propagation
The team
Lucas Greenhouses
Horticulturalist
Fred C. Gloeckner
Certified Horti Partner
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