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With the continuous advancements in modern cannabis cultivation technology, the focus has shifted to achieving more precise and efficient light distribution to the critical areas of the plants, which has become a core topic in increasing yield and quality.
Especially in today’s environment where everyone is competing for unit output and fine-tuned management, the specifics of where and how light is applied have become increasingly important.
This article will discuss two common supplementary lighting methods—Intercanopy lighting ir Undercanopy lighting—drawing on practical project experience and grower feedback to explore their advantages, limitations, and which scenarios are best suited for each method.
While both of these lighting techniques aim to enhance light coverage in the interior and lower parts of the plants, their setup methods are distinctly different.
Intercanopy lighting refers to placing light sources within the plant’s central structure (between the branches and leaves), whereas Undercanopy lighting projects light from the bottom of the plant upwards, typically installed on the growing bed or ground.
Both methods aim to reduce shadowed areas, improve light penetration, and ensure that lower buds receive sufficient light energy, thereby enhancing overall quality and yield.
I often hear claims that increasing inter-canopy or under-canopy lighting will automatically lead to a significant increase in cannabis yield, with an increase of up to 20% or more.
Many studies compare “simple top lighting” VS” top + canopy supplementation,” and then conclude that canopy supplementation can significantly boost yields.
Simply put, adding more light to the crops will likely increase the yield, and that’s not surprising!
But if you’ve already optimized your lighting layout, and the plants are receiving enough photons, redistributing the light within the canopy might not bring the huge gains people expect.
Strategically distributing the light you already have, and ensuring that every beam is efficiently utilized by the plants, is what can truly lead to consistent quality and financial returns.
A key factor in choosing between Intercanopy or Undercanopy lighting is the plant’s structural form.
With dense branches and leaves, light struggles to penetrate → Under canopy lighting is more suitable, as it can illuminate the lower leaves, enhancing overall photosynthetic efficiency.
Some cannabis strains, like Sativa, have tall, branching plants with a more open structure, leaving spaces between the branches and a looser canopy. In such cases, Intercanopy lighting is more appropriate, as light can penetrate through the branches and reach the middle to lower parts, even the bud sites, creating significant potential for yield improvement.
However, for Indica strains or some hybrid short and stout varieties, the plant structure is compact with large, dense leaves, resulting in a thicker canopy.
In this case, Intercanopy lighting might not be as effective since light struggles to penetrate. It could be more efficient to use Under canopy lighting to illuminate the lower leaves, providing better results.
With gaps in the middle → Intercanopy lighting is more effective, allowing for precise light supplementation to the bud sites and fruiting areas.
Take tomatoes, for example. They generally grow in an upright manner with a vining structure, and due to their long growth cycle, they can reach significant heights. The branches and leaves spread out in layers, forming a more three-dimensional, stratified canopy structure.
In this case, Intercanopy lighting is highly valuable—you can embed the light source within the middle of the canopy, directly lighting up the middle and lower leaves, giving the entire tomato plant the energy needed for photosynthesis.
This is especially crucial in vertical hydroponic systems, where this mid-layer lighting is key during the fruit swelling phase.
For cucumbers, some fast-growing varieties with large leaves and short internodes tend to have a thicker canopy, with leaves overlapping and shading each other more severely.
In this case, light penetration is weaker, and relying only on top lighting or intercanopy lighting might result in the lower leaves effectively being deprived of light. This is where Undercanopy lighting becomes useful—lighting from below can supplement the lower leaves, extending their active period and increasing overall photosynthetic efficiency.
Of course, if cucumbers are grown on a single vine trellis system with more spread-out leaves, intercanopy lighting can still be useful, especially for targeting the flowers and fruit positions with precise light, which can also help improve quality.
Ultimately, every growing environment is different, so the most suitable lighting method depends on how your plants are arranged and how light is distributed and utilized in your system.
Intercanopy lighting sounds great in theory, but it requires physically placing lights within the branches. This makes tasks like pruning, tying branches, moving plants, and even harvesting much more complicated. Especially for growers who need to frequently adjust plant positions, this lighting setup can really create extra hassle in daily management.
In comparison, Undercanopy lighting is much simpler to install and maintain. The lights are typically concentrated at the bottom of the growing racks or along the edges of walkways, so they’re less likely to interfere with plant movement. However, you’ll need to ensure that the wiring is tidy, the lights stay clean, and they don’t disrupt the irrigation system or airflow in the grow space.
No matter which option you choose, it’s important to integrate the lighting plan with your cultivation method, management processes, and space layout. Selecting the right lighting is just one part of the equation—how well it works in harmony with your entire system is the key to achieving the best results.
From a Return on Investment (ROI) perspective, growers need to focus not only on whether the yield has increased but more importantly—whether the quality structure of the output has improved.
Whether using intercanopy lighting or undercanopy lighting, the real economic benefit often comes from enhancing the overall uniformity of the buds. When the lower parts of the plant also receive adequate light, those buds that would have typically been graded as C may “upgrade” to B-grade, or even A-grade.
This improvement in quality structure directly impacts how much you can sell for, rather than how many grams you harvested.
However, the value brought by lighting also depends on the market you’re in. In some regions, A-grade buds command a significantly higher price, making it worth the investment in supplementary lighting—improving quality directly leads to higher profits.
In other markets, the price difference between A, B, and C-grade buds may not be as significant, meaning the ROI on lighting investment might not be as impressive.
**Our Recommendations**
1. Assess the current light environment and output structure.
2. Define the lighting goals (whether to increase yield or improve quality structure).
3. Conduct small-scale trials and track data.
4. Scale up deployment based on the results.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing between intercanopy or undercanopy lighting. Ultimately, it depends on your growing system, target yield, crop characteristics, and the most practical factor—the economic feasibility.
While we see that most growers in North America find undercanopy lighting more suitable, this doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone.
Growing is inherently a science that requires adaptability to specific conditions, and no single lighting method is a perfect fit for all growing environments.
The most reliable approach involves thorough planning, data-driven analysis, and a deep understanding of the crop itself. Once you know exactly what you need, you can then decide on the best lighting layout. This way, your investment will be meaningful, and your results will be stable.
If you’re considering adding supplementary lighting to your growing system, feel free to reach out to VantenLED and start optimizing your lighting for more efficient growth.
Mūsų sodininkystės ekspertų komanda visada pasiruošusi padėti, pradedant individualiu apšvietimo planavimu, baigiant pritaikytomis citatomis ir viskuo, kas tarp jų.
Kumštinė LED
Guzhen, Zhongshan, Guangdong, Kinija
WhatsApp: +86 180 2409 6862
paštas: info @ vantenled.com
Esame profesionalus LED augalų šviestuvų gamintojas, įsipareigojęs naudoti technologijas, kad padidintume maksimalų lempos potencialą, nuolat didindami naudą augintojams ir taupydami energiją planetai.
