How do I reduce light hours w/o inducing budding???

[lotus101]

I have a bunch of nice plants in my greenhouse. When i got them as starts they had been grown under 24hr flouresant lights. I have taken them down to 20hrs/day flouresant light with very little problems (some of the "Flo" clones did show their sex). They are now about 15 inches tall and in 1 gal. pots. I would like to take them down to 16hrs/day light and then plant them outside this summer. does anyone out there know a good way to reduce the light hours w/o inducing budding.

 

[cadlakmike1]

They shouldn't go into flower if they are still getting 16 hours of light. People commonly keep their plants on 18/6 light schedule, you may want to only go that far.

 

[GuerillaGrower420]

1 gallon pots? Woulden't you want at least three?

 

[gmo]

1 gallon pots? Woulden't you want at least three?

Only if he wants 15ft trees come fall. I think putting them into 3 gallon pots now would make them uncontrollable when the are put outside.

Keep them in the 1gallon pots under 18/6 (that's as far as i'd go), harden them off for a week when you are ready to take them outside. When you put them outside transplant them and loosen up the roots and soil before planting them into the ground or into atleast 5 gallon pots and you'll be greatly rewarded.

 

[nvthis]

Only if he wants 15ft trees come fall. I think putting them into 3 gallon pots now would make them uncontrollable when the are put outside.

Not arguing with you there, bro. But... Isn't that the general idea? It's outdoor. Let 'em rip:hubba: I think if 15ft is too tall, pull 'em over. Why purposely stunt them?

 

[Trent45]

Yeahhhhhh, if you let them get root bound they could potetially hermie. If they are going outdoors, might as well let them get beefed up. Like nvthis said, they could always be pulled over or something.

 

[Bowl Destroyer]

they could always be pulled over or something.

That's a great idea. You can always tie them down so they recieve more sunlight all over the plant. The will always grow towards the sun, remember.

 

[Thorn]

you can go down to 16 hours without them budding anyway, but when you put them outside will they not then be getting more hours of daylight? If so, be careful, you don't want to mess them around too much and then have them hermie on you I would stick to 20/4 or 18/6

 

[Hick]

I have a bunch of nice plants in my greenhouse. When i got them as starts they had been grown under 24hr flouresant lights. I have taken them down to 20hrs/day flouresant light with very little problems (some of the "Flo" clones did show their sex). They are now about 15 inches tall and in 1 gal. pots. I would like to take them down to 16hrs/day light and then plant them outside this summer. does anyone out there know a good way to reduce the light hours w/o inducing budding.

Hmmm ..."in my greenhouse".. Are you utilizing the sunlight and supplementing with the flourescents?. for the additional hours..
The only problem that I forsee, is they are 15" tall now and in 1 gal pots, and depending on your location, you probably still have 2 1/2-3 months before light hours become "veg friendly" and/or last frost date. They should be monsters by then. But you're going to need bigger pots..IMO.
"I" would try to reduce the hours to 18 hours of light, and try to coordinate the outset date to within a couple of hours.(16 hours of daylight). IMO/E that will usually prevent them from premature flowering in the spring.
hXXp://www.sunrisesunset.com/

 

[Thorn]

hick's repeating himself again in his old age

just kiddin'

 

[Hick]

DOH!!!

 

[lotus101]

Thanks for all the great feedback! I do plan on putting them in larger pots next month. The roots are just now circleng the bottom of the gallon pots (With only flouresant and Winter sun they grow pretty slow). I think that I will only take them back to 18 hrs/day for now.
A person on another site said that feeding more nitrogen will help keep them from budding.
Any more Ideas out there?? I'd love to hear them all!!

 

[lotus101]

Spent all morning mixing soil and repotting about 50 of my "girls" from gallon to 3 gallon pots. The G13 and Mazar are by far the fasted growing plants. Next is Flo and the slowest, though not by much, is Sour Diesel.
Did a trade with some locals the other day. I traded some of my stock (G13, Flo, Mazar, Sour Diesel and Ridge Goo (a local favorite!)) for some more unusual genetics. I got some Himilayan Gold, Critical Mass, 2 phenotypes of Strawberry cough, Grand Daddy Purp, Purple Urkle and 515.
I tried to look them up and found all, but the 515. anyone out there know anything about this one or little know tidbits or personal experiance with the others.
More light roll-back info is always welcome.