optimum sunlight

[killerchild]

Hey guys

 

Posted this question in another subforum, but i think it should be posted here.

 

New here. Just been doing a little searching of this site, and a few questions have come up. Firstly;

 

1. Whats the deal with sunlight? I keep hearing things like 'keep your babies, when theyre in vegetative state, at either 18/6 or 24/0', my question is, why? I understand it grows quicker, but on earth we only get, in winter roughly 12/12, spring 13/11, summer 14/10, autumn roughly 13/11. Unless im missing something, it really doesnt make sense to me. Not only that, can someone explain to me how 24/0 works? When are you actually supposed to turn the light off? Does that mean ive got a hps heating up my house for 3-4 weeks around the clock while plants finish vegetating?

 

2. Is there a certain time to put my plants in the ground where they will flower quicker? For example, if i plant in mid winter, what are the advantages/disadvantages as opposed to mid spring/autumn/summer? I was under the impression(personal belief), that no matter what time you planted, whenever the plant was ready to start budding, assuming it was female, it would bud. Maybe ive misinterrpeted what some people are saying on this website, but ive been reading a few subforums, and apparently if you want your plant to bud you must plant mid-spring, am i right?

 

In all, what im trying to say is, how important, and how strict , are these light requirements? Escpecially for outdoor growing?

 

Thanks for all your help in advance

 

Peace

[Frazz]

heya killer big welcomes to you ...

 

breifly,

1. indoors YOU are Mother Nature , to get the plants up to suitable size quickly 18-24 hrs light is great ... 24hrs light per day gives you extra 10 hrs compared to normal outdoor , its shorter time from seedling to flower by a lot ... it also works perfectly well by using the 14 hr light cycle indoors too .. choice is yours .. cause as i said indoors you are Mother Nature and you can manipulate the life-cycle ... but Cannabis needs decreasing light hours, preferably 12hrs total absolute darkness for a couple of weeks to induce flowering

 

2. outdoors if you plant mid-winter plants will go to flower very early , like when 3-6inches tall , no good ... so plant springtime like about now and plants naturally begin thier 'normal' life cycle .. this is how Cannabis grows in the wild from spring to late autumn ... some folk go by the rule, plant on Fathers Day .. harvest on Mothers Day .. it suits Cannabis pretty well

 

[killerchild]

breifly,

1. indoors YOU are Mother Nature , to get the plants up to suitable size quickly 18-24 hrs light is great ... 24hrs light per day gives you extra 10 hrs compared to normal outdoor , its shorter time from seedling to flower by a lot ... it also works perfectly well by using the 14 hr light cycle indoors too .. choice is yours .. cause as i said indoors you are Mother Nature and you can manipulate the life-cycle ... but Cannabis needs decreasing light hours, preferably 12hrs total absolute darkness for a couple of weeks to induce flowering

 

Excellent! Thank you. I think i understand now, thats how people get buds in 3 months instead of 6 correct? Because in nature it would take roughly double the time? One more question, When do you turn the light off if its 24/0? Am i correct in assuming the light stays on at all times until vegetative growth is complete?

 

2. outdoors if you plant mid-winter plants will go to flower very early , like when 3-6inches tall , no good ... so plant springtime like about now and plants naturally begin thier 'normal' life cycle .. this is how Cannabis grows in the wild from spring to late autumn ... some folk go by the rule, plant on Fathers Day .. harvest on Mothers Day .. it suits Cannabis pretty well

 

Great, thanks for the advice. I planted a few babies about 2 1/2 weeks back, they are shooting out their 3rd set of leaves. How specific is this fathers day guide? If i plant in say, 1 months time from today(getting another batch of seed around then) will that affect the flowering period? Shorten it? The reason i ask is because a friend will be doing some guerilla growing..

[Frazz]

thats how people get buds in 3 months instead of 6 correct? Because in nature it would take roughly double the time?

 

yep ...............

speaking generally you switch the light cycle down to 12hrs when the area you are growing in is half-full (this is variable and strain related)

 

plant on Fathers Day .. harvest on Mothers Day

once again this is a very general guide , but you can plant right up till Xmas day .. and beyond if so desired, though the latter you plant they dont grow as big before flowering cycle starts(approx. late Feb) flowering cycle can run for up to 12 weeks outdoors, again strain dependant

 

these are just rough timelines

[killerchild]

Thank you very much for your help. That clarifies things for me much better.

 

Peace