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When it comes to growing top-tier cannabis, lighting is everything. Every cultivator—whether you’re running a microgrow or a full-scale operation—knows that light equals energy, and energy equals better bud development. But here’s the real question: does adding lights under the canopy actually make a difference?
At VCC, we’re always tinkering, tweaking, and experimenting with new techniques to push our cultivars to their fullest potential. Undercanopy lighting has been on our radar for a while, and we’re currently running trials to see how it really stacks up. So far, the answer is classic grower talk: it depends.
Let’s break it down.
Traditional grow setups rely on overhead lighting, but this approach naturally creates a hierarchy—upper buds get the best light, while the lower ones get whatever filters through. This often leads to the familiar problem of “larf”—those underdeveloped, airy buds that don’t quite make the cut.
Undercanopy lighting is designed to solve this issue by bringing light directly to those lower bud sites. In theory, this means more even bud development, healthier lower foliage, and potentially higher yields. But, like everything in cannabis cultivation, the reality is a bit more complex.
In our trials, we’ve seen several advantages of undercanopy lighting—especially when it comes to optimizing light distribution and overall plant health. Here’s where it really shines:
By making sure those lower bud sites aren’t starving for light, you’re maximizing photosynthetic potential. More light coverage means more usable, high-quality flower instead of wasting energy on popcorn buds that end up in trim piles.
Overhead lighting creates shadows, plain and simple. If light can’t reach the lower parts of the plant, those branches won’t develop as well. Undercanopy lighting helps eliminate those inconsistencies, leading to more uniform bud structure.
When lower leaves don’t get enough light, they yellow, drop, and become a breeding ground for pests and mold. Keeping those areas illuminated reduces leaf senescence and keeps the plant’s energy focused on bud production.
Cannabis thrives on high light intensity, and if managed correctly, undercanopy lighting boosts overall plant vigor by ensuring that no leaves are just sitting in the dark doing nothing.
Before you start rigging up LED strips under your canopy, there are a few considerations. Undercanopy lighting isn’t a magic fix, and in some cases, it might do more harm than good.
More lights mean more power. If you’re running a commercial operation, that can quickly add up. The tradeoff? If the boost in yield outweighs the cost, it’s worth it. Otherwise, you’re just throwing money at extra lights with no real return.
Even with LEDs, extra light means extra heat, which can lead to higher transpiration rates and potential stress on your plants. Good airflow and temperature control are key.
Cannabis is a light-hungry plant, but there’s a limit. Overexposing lower bud sites to direct light can sometimes cause more harm than good, leading to bleaching, excessive drying, or just straight-up wasted energy.
Installing and maintaining undercanopy lights takes extra effort, extra wiring, and extra monitoring. You need to be precise about placement and intensity—too little light and it’s a waste, too much and you might fry your plants.
This is where things get interesting. We’ve been running our own trials at VCC, and the short answer is: it depends on the cultivar.
Cannabis genetics vary wildly, and what works for one cultivar might not work for another. Take two of our most popular:
That’s why our current trials are focused on redistributing excess light from the canopy to below—seeing if we can get the best of both worlds without causing stress.
We’ve also been keeping a close eye on Fluence’s research on undercanopy lighting. Their trials show that overall yield increases whether you add light from above or below, but the most significant results came from well-balanced, precisely managed lighting. In other words: yes, undercanopy lighting can be a game-changer—but only if used correctly.
Undercanopy lighting isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s a tool—one that, when used strategically, can improve yields, increase light efficiency, and reduce plant stress. But it requires careful strain selection (sorry, cultivar selection), proper setup, and a keen eye for plant response.
At VCC, we’re always experimenting. That’s the nature of craft cannabis—we push boundaries, question conventional wisdom, and test what actually works. This trial is just one piece of our ongoing mission to cultivate better cannabis, every single run.
We’ll keep you posted on our findings.
– By Taylor King, Master Grower
