The process of photosynthesis is used by plants to produce sugars by absorbing light, according to coursework at Estrella Mountain Community College. Water and carbon dioxide enter a plant's leaf, photosynthesis occurs, and sugar as well as oxygen are released from the leaf.
The wavelength, or color, of light is referred to as the “quality” of light, according to the Oregon State University Extension Service. The quality of light a plant receives is vital to encouraging growth.
Plants photosynthesize better under certain qualities of light such as blue light and red light. The OSU Extension Service claims that red light promotes flowering while blue light promotes vegetative growth.
LED Light Bulbs.net claims that the best type of blue light for plants has a wavelength between 400 and 520 nanometers (one nanometer = one billionth of a meter) and the best type of red light has a wavelength between 610 and 720 nanometers. LEDs can be manufactured to emit light within these wavelengths.
There are LED grow lights on the market that are ideal for promoting growth across various stages of a plant's development. LEDs are considered to be “energy efficient,” which means that they do not require much energy to operate.