July 25, 2025
One of the most common questions we get from growers is “How high should I hang my lights?”
It’s a great question. The distance between your light fixture and the plant canopy plays a big role in your grow’s performance because it impacts the light intensity, uniformity, and airflow.
When you hang your fixtures closer to the canopy, your plants are going to receive higher light intensity. That’s great for photosynthesis and pushing your plants to perform.
If lights are hung too close to plants, though, the light intensity might not be evenly spread across your canopy. You’ll often get concentrated pockets of light — which we call “hot spots” — that can lead to uneven growth and stressed plants if you’re not careful. With lights hung close to the canopy you may need to watch out for photo bleaching as well.
If you hang lights higher from the canopy, two things start to happen. First, light becomes more uniform, which means your canopy gets a smoother, more even spread of photons. No hot spots, no shaded corners; just clean, balanced light coverage.
Also, airflow improves because there’s more space for circulation between the fixture and your plants. That can help manage humidity and temperature across the canopy.
But going higher does reduce your overall light intensity on the canopy. So you’re trading some power for consistency and airflow.
So What’s the Right Height for Your Lights?
It all comes down to your goals and your facility. Are you aiming for maximum PPFD and yield per square foot? You might lean into a closer hanging height, but you’ll want precision optics or strategies to maintain uniformity. Are you prioritizing healthy airflow and even growth across your crop? Hanging your lights a bit higher might be the better move.
At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all number. It’s about balancing intensity, uniformity, and airflow to suit your specific growing environment.
It can be complicated. Feel free to reach out to the experts here at JumpLights. We’re always happy to help you dial in the perfect setup. You can also view the video below in which JumpLights’ Co-Founder Matteo del Ninno gives his thoughts on how to find the right height at which to hang your lights.
