Variations in light cycle

[Alasgun]

Been reading DJ Shorts grow book and find his opinion on shorter light cycles interesting. I dont know him and he might view me as a piss ant due to my lack of weed growing knowledge so i thought id open up a conversation with you guys and see what transpires. Im more interested in why you do what you do rather than just what you do, if that makes sense?

Ive got a batch of seedlings in the nursury so now would be a perfect time to try something other than 18/6, if it made good sense.

 

[orangesunshine]

i go 24/7 light for seedlings thru veg because it limits stretch and they do not need a dark period---many people before us have experimented with different light cycles and 24/7 thru veg and 12/12 on flowering IS the most efficient time frame to get from seed to your bong

 

[Locked]

i go 24/7 light for seedlings thru veg because it limits stretch and they do not need a dark period---many people before us have experimented with different light cycles and 24/7 thru veg and 12/12 on flowering IS the most efficient time frame to get from seed to your bong

Exactly.

 

[Hushpuppy]

yeah I must agree. I have never found a reason to shorten the light period during vegging as my plants have always grown like crazy under 24hrs of light. The key here is that MJ is NOT A HOUSE PLANT. MJ is a high energy plant that is a very "need specific" plant. It wants lots of high energy light and apparently doesn't need a dark period during veg. The only time I have dark during veg is when I am growing in the summer and heat becomes an issue. Then I turn off the lights for only 10min, once every hour, 8x a day (using a digital timer). I have a second light that stays on during that time so that they only experience similar light conditions as clouds passing over. But that allows my main light to cool some, without causing the plants to begin stretching. This drops my ambient temps about 5-8 degrees overall. Once the temps go down for fall and winter, I quit doing this and leave them on full 24hrs. Hope this helps.

 

[Alasgun]

Thanks Folks, the more i learn the more i realize how little i know!

Does this advice hold true for all strains and grow mediums?

Having started with 18/6 could i up the light to 24 with out issues? Plants are 3 weeks old and i plan to veg 5 / 6 more weeks.

 

[orangesunshine]

Thanks Folks, the more i learn the more i realize how little i know!

Does this advice hold true for all strains and grow mediums?

Having started with 18/6 could i up the light to 24 with out issues? Plants are 3 weeks old and i plan to veg 5 / 6 more weeks.

lol---yep---there are several people here that have forgotten more than i will ever know about growing---yes---all strains and mediums---flipping to 24 hour light while vegging now is no problem---you are likely to be flowering before your original estimate of 5/6 weeks---they will grow faster under 24 hr lighting---also---be prepared for possibility of the plant doubling in size when you move them to 12/12 flowering light---keep us posted

 

[Alasgun]

So, i had that screwed up which is probably why i read stuff over and over. This conversation got off to a poor start due to my not being specific enough.
All 5 strains in this grow are sativas and i did use the 18/6 during veg. Had i been more articulate and mentioned that my curiosity was for a flowering schedule id a been better off.
When i flipped them it was 12/12 for the first couple weeks then i went to 11/13 where they will remain. Seeing good results has kinda answered my original question.

 

[Locked]

Thanks Folks, the more i learn the more i realize how little i know!

Does this advice hold true for all strains and grow mediums?

Having started with 18/6 could i up the light to 24 with out issues? Plants are 3 weeks old and i plan to veg 5 / 6 more weeks.

You can switch to 24 on zero off with no problems. There really is no reason to not run a 24 hour light on schedule. Maybe 18 on 6 off if you are growing in the prime summer months and struggling with keeping your temps down. In that case, I could see running the 6 off during the hottest part of the day.

Just head Orange's advice, when you flip to 12 on 12 off expect them to stretch. I go with aggressive lst and pinching techniques to try and keep them under control.

 

[Alasgun]

Been there done that, were a month into flowering now.
Thanks

 

[QBCrocket]

I have heard of that you can go a flowering cycle of 8 and 8 gives an extra day light session in a 24 hr cycle havnt tried it myself has anyone tried it

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You might want to check out "Marijuana Botany" by Clarke. He found that running 11/13 light can drop your yield as much as 50% over running 12/12.

 

[Alasgun]

Thanks H.G, ill do some more reading, good ole Amazon has it and ive got one coming. Its nice to have someone actually comment on a good grow book. I have several, one about the size of a Miami phone book and am quite dissapointed in how little useful information it contained.

 

[burnin1]

24 hour light cycles will not harm your plants in veg. Root growth is however increased during dark periods. I turn mine off for 4 hours in veg because of this.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Alasgun, you may be disappointed with "Marijuana Botany", too--a dry dissertation that was hard for me to read.

 

[Riddleme]

Spent bout 10 years on these forums tryin to teach folks how to grow. Retired last year (yeah I'm old) and don't spend much time in forums (other than my own) these days. But I got the email and this thread interested me. So figured I'd drop some knowledge on ya

DJ's light timings are about genetic expression. Back when the book came out everyone was upset because he did not share his actual timing but the fact is that it varies within different environments. So ya gotta play with it to find your own sweet spot. I landed on 10:30/13:30 in my garden after bout 3 years of experimenting.

I'm the early amber guy ( http://growhappyplants.com/look.html ), most are unaware that early amber even exist lol but without UV and shorter light timing you'll never see it indoors as it is a genetic trait only found in sativas & sativa hybrids and it does not express under 12/12

There is so much info out there that is useless and the bulk of it is about growing for yield which is more about growing for $$$ than great herb. But it's the trics that get us high and so I have always taught folks to grow trics and I breed for early amber and tric production. Are you aware that different nutes feed different cannabinoids ? Tis iron that feeds CBD and manganese that feeds THC and the ratios considered standard or proper lean toward CBD production. So much to growin good herb that is never considered by most growers.

As for the stretch, you can practically get rid of it by using the Gas Lantern Routine for veg, since switching to it years ago the most stretch I've seen is 7 inches. It also shortens time to harvest, cutting as much as 7 to 10 days, I have several that finish in 7 weeks.

Here is a pic of my latest creation, named Fuc-N-Z she grows trics on the tops and bottoms of the leaves and makes amber in week 3
.

 

[Riddleme]

Here she is after drying and nope I don't trim her since all the leaves are covered in trics
.

 

[Alasgun]

Thanks for weighing in Riddleme, your knowledge is very welcome.
Since this is only my 4 th grow i probably dont even understand “genetic expression” but this and other tidbits resonated with me at that time. Quality is my highest priority and im not remotely concerned with quantity.
My goal is to develope great soil and to learn how to make it greater! By gathering up little gems like this i believe ive got a good shot at growing superlative weed!

Feel free to join any of my discussions.

 

[HerbWatcher]

Spent bout 10 years on these forums tryin to teach folks how to grow. Retired last year (yeah I'm old) and don't spend much time in forums (other than my own) these days. But I got the email and this thread interested me. So figured I'd drop some knowledge on ya

DJ's light timings are about genetic expression. Back when the book came out everyone was upset because he did not share his actual timing but the fact is that it varies within different environments. So ya gotta play with it to find your own sweet spot. I landed on 10:30/13:30 in my garden after bout 3 years of experimenting.

I'm the early amber guy ( http://growhappyplants.com/look.html ), most are unaware that early amber even exist lol but without UV and shorter light timing you'll never see it indoors as it is a genetic trait only found in sativas & sativa hybrids and it does not express under 12/12

There is so much info out there that is useless and the bulk of it is about growing for yield which is more about growing for $$$ than great herb. But it's the trics that get us high and so I have always taught folks to grow trics and I breed for early amber and tric production. Are you aware that different nutes feed different cannabinoids ? Tis iron that feeds CBD and manganese that feeds THC and the ratios considered standard or proper lean toward CBD production. So much to growin good herb that is never considered by most growers.

As for the stretch, you can practically get rid of it by using the Gas Lantern Routine for veg, since switching to it years ago the most stretch I've seen is 7 inches. It also shortens time to harvest, cutting as much as 7 to 10 days, I have several that finish in 7 weeks.

Here is a pic of my latest creation, named Fuc-N-Z she grows trics on the tops and bottoms of the leaves and makes amber in week 3
.
View attachment 250695

Riddleme, I was surprised to see you respond to this post. I have been studying and experimenting with your style of growing for the last 2 years. The reason being is I agree with you that its all about the trics. I don't care about big plants or big buds, if it doesn't have the trics it is not ****. Sure the big buds look nice, but if it does not have the trics you have to smoke more of it and then its a waste of time and money. Since I started experimenting with your style my tric production has more than tripled . I have gone to about 20 different dispensary and purchased about 40 different ( so called ) top shelve buds from them and brought the buds back to my shop and compared them to what I have grown. And NONE of them had even half as many trics. And believe it or not, ( this is going to sound impossible, cause I still can not believe it ) but some of the plants in my last 2 grows have produced trics on top of trics. I have not had time to study this at all. And both those grows were the same strain. All of my grows are 48 units and only 6 or 7 did this. But I will research this in the coming year. You state that you retired last year , that you are old. I just turned 60 this year and I do not for see ever stopping. Anyway the real reason I started experimenting with your method of growing is cause I agree with your logic in regards to early amber. The weed now a days is not even close as good as the weed back in the 60s and 70s. All those made up THC % for the last 20 years have been BS. But I must say I have a failing grade in regards to early amber. I have had NO success. Now I'm obsessed with it, so believe me I will keep trying. Anyway thanks for passing on all your knowledge and take care. A loyal student .......................................................................

 

[Alasgun]

THG, “marijuana botany” showed up and i can see the dry you mention. In my case its more of an over my head thing, which is why i’ll read certian sections over and over.
I also found the reduced production thing you mention. (That wasnt a huge mention either, you mist have great retentave skills)

At the end of the day(for me) knowledge is knowledge whether its from a bunch of stoners or folks with PHD’s. There are more take aways from M.B than others in my library, thanks for sharing !

I believe another poster on here uses the phrase “ The price for learning, is to pass it on”. I like that.

Science can only take us so far though and there are those dedicated souls who learn by doing, case in point is the above poster detailing the GLR. Which i’ll be trying next grow.

Only thing im real sure of is, im sure having fun .

 

[Riddleme]

Riddleme, I was surprised to see you respond to this post. I have been studying and experimenting with your style of growing for the last 2 years. The reason being is I agree with you that its all about the trics. I don't care about big plants or big buds, if it doesn't have the trics it is not ****. Sure the big buds look nice, but if it does not have the trics you have to smoke more of it and then its a waste of time and money. Since I started experimenting with your style my tric production has more than tripled . I have gone to about 20 different dispensary and purchased about 40 different ( so called ) top shelve buds from them and brought the buds back to my shop and compared them to what I have grown. And NONE of them had even half as many trics. And believe it or not, ( this is going to sound impossible, cause I still can not believe it ) but some of the plants in my last 2 grows have produced trics on top of trics. I have not had time to study this at all. And both those grows were the same strain. All of my grows are 48 units and only 6 or 7 did this. But I will research this in the coming year. You state that you retired last year , that you are old. I just turned 60 this year and I do not for see ever stopping. Anyway the real reason I started experimenting with your method of growing is cause I agree with your logic in regards to early amber. The weed now a days is not even close as good as the weed back in the 60s and 70s. All those made up THC % for the last 20 years have been **. But I must say I have a failing grade in regards to early amber. I have had NO success. Now I'm obsessed with it, so believe me I will keep trying. Anyway thanks for passing on all your knowledge and take care. A loyal student .......................................................................

Thanks for this !

hopefully some of my early amber genetics find their way to you

Ridfest 2019 perhaps ?