Optimize Your Grow: Recommended PPFD Targets from Mammoth Lighting
To help growers achieve maximum quality and yield, Mammoth Lighting provides science-backed PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) targets based on rigorous testing in real-world grow environments.
Unlike most manufacturers who test in small 4' x 4' tents with highly reflective walls, we gather our data in a 5' x 5' tent to reduce artificial PPFD spikes caused by reflection. This gives you more accurate and realistic expectations—especially important when scaling to multi-light or commercial setups, where overlap boosts PPFD further.
PPFD Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation
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Vegetative Stage: 600–900 µmol/m²/s
Encourages dense, healthy structure without stretching. -
Flowering Stage: 1100–1800 µmol/m²/s
Push higher for yield, then taper intensity the last 2 weeks to preserve terpenes—mimicking the seasonal drop in natural sunlight. -
CO₂-Enhanced Environments:
1800 µmol/m²/s
Advanced growers using supplemental CO₂ can push beyond 1800 PPFD, approaching the intensity of peak midday sun (~2000 µmol/m²/s).
“If you want to maximize yield, you need to push it hard with light.” — Dr. Bruce Bugbee, Utah State University
Backed by Research, Proven by Results
Academic studies and in-house trials consistently show a linear relationship between light intensity and cannabis yield—up to ~1800 PPFD and potentially beyond, especially when paired with CO₂ enrichment and proper environmental control.
Key Studies Supporting High-PPFD Cultivation:
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Flower: Rodriguez-Morrison et al. (2021): Cannabis Yield, Potency, and Leaf Photosynthesis Respond Differently to Increasing Light Levels in an Indoor Environment
Read the full -
Veg: High Light Intensities Can Be Used to Grow Healthy and Robust Cannabis Plants During the Vegetative Stage of Indoor Production
Read the full -
Flower: The profitability of Growing Cannabis under High Light Intensities Agronomy Journal. 2020;
Why It Matters
Dialing in the right PPFD at each stage is essential for unlocking full plant expression—better structure, higher potency, and more robust terpene profiles. At Mammoth Lighting, our goal is to give you the tools, data, and spectrum to push your grow further—with confidence.
Explore our Nova Sun Series for the most advanced full-spectrum grow lights on the market.
Stay informed with grow tips, data, and spectrum science on the Mammoth Education Blog.
Grow smarter. Light stronger. Yield more.
The below measurements were taken using the Mammoth Par Meter + Spectrometer and measures 380nm -780nm
