Signify, the world leader in lighting, today announced that Thanet Earth, the UK’s largest glasshouse complex, will install a new Philips horticulture LED lighting system across approximately 26 hectares in the fourth quarter of 2026. Thanet Earth already grows tomatoes under Philips LED lighting all year round. The new installation will enable them to grow cucumbers through the full winter months for the first time, extending the ability to supply British-grown salad crops with consistent quality throughout the year.

Located in East Kent, Thanet Earth supplies premium tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers to UK retailers. The intelligent LED system will give growers the control needed to maintain crop balance and deliver the same taste, size and appearance, even during the darker winter months.

The glasshouses will be equipped with Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force fixtures and the Philips GrowWise control system. Growers can adjust light intensity and spectrum throughout the day in response to available daylight and crop needs. For cucumbers, far-red light supports the stretching response required for balanced crop development.

For retailers, the steerable system offers greater flexibility. Thanet Earth can adapt a glasshouse for tomatoes, cucumbers or other crops, helping the business respond to changing demand while maintaining the quality standards its customers expect.

“Year-round production is ultimately about giving customers confidence that they can rely on the same British-grown quality whenever they need it,” said Chris Butler, Managing Director at Thanet Earth. “It should feel as dependable as the best consumer brands: a cucumber or tomato picked in January should taste exactly like one picked in July. By extending cucumber production through the winter and improving our ability to plan, this technology helps us offer retailers greater predictability in both supply and quality.”

“With the new system, we can give the crop the light intensity and spectrum it needs at each point in the day,” said Addy Breugem, growing director tomatoes at Thanet Earth. “We can respond to the daylight available and steer the crop more precisely. For cucumbers, the far-red channel helps create the stretching response we need, while dimming helps us maintain the right crop balance throughout the lighting period.”

The installation builds on Thanet Earth’s existing experience with Philips LED lighting on its lit tomato crops, and on the results achieved by its Dutch partner, Bryte, in the Netherlands. Tebarex will support the installation, bringing technical expertise in greenhouse electrical and water systems to the project. Installation is planned for Q4 2026.

(Photo credit: Signify)

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