Lighting question.

[skankmaster]

Well i posted this first in Indoor lighting but after a few days, 8 views and no replies i am going to post here in hope of an answer.

If you have seedlings/clones on 24/24(fluros), what is the best way to change the light cycle to be able to put them outdoors? Will i freak them out putting them straight outdoors or should i gradually reduce light hours and then put them out? Advice appreciated....

[SweetJane]

I'm no expert here, but I think they would be ok to go straight outdoors but to put them somewhere slightly sheltered for a week or so rather than in full on sunlight. Or maybe just put them out for half the day to harden them off and get them used to the elements

[Luke Skywalker]

It's better to grow plants on a natural cycle... but if you wanted to minimise the stress on them when trasferred, aside from the obvious shading for the first week and hardening them off, you can find out the amount of day/light there is outdoors when you're planning to set them out and put the seedlings/clones in at a similar cycle. Of course some strains are not suitable for this, as they will be more sensitive to the light change, and probably auto flower if you're living in northern areas of oz, (as the light difference winter to summer is lessened the closer to the equator you are) but most should be fine.

 

So bring up the seedlings at a similar light/dark photoperiod to that outdoors where you plan to grow them and you shoud minimise problems of that nature. If you've already got these seedlings then they may well start to flower, coming down from the 24/0 light cycles to the "normal" outdoor sun levels at this time of year is going to shock them. We're getting closer and closer to the summer solstice too, where the daylight hours switch from increasing to decreasing... This is the mechanism which sets off mullies to flower, so if you're transplanting outdoors in hope of vegging then you may need to add some supplimental lighting, depending on where you live.

 

Hope that helps.

[lokm8]

luke, firstly mate nice avatar....i like the "dark" element of it. Luke looks ready for some action.

skankmaster...Luke speaks knowledge, greatly put into words...god bless him....

I was thinking the same thing reading the inital post but after reading lukes post i must kneel before sensai Luke'

now wheres that book....

Edited December 10, 2003 by lokm8