Light for clones and mother plants ?

[Husky]

Hi all.

 

I have zero experience with lights and indoors, so I need some help please.

 

Been doing much reading here and everywhere else, the more I read, the more I get side-tracked and I can't find information that covers my whole question.

 

Q. Can I get advice on suitable light(s) for 3 - 4  humidity cribs ( enough for 100 clones)  and I would like that same light(s) to be used later to Veg 8 - 10 mothers?

 

 

Just to expand, I have 100 outdoor seedlings, way to many to manage. I want to force sex by taking a clone of each when there a bit bigger ( when I first tip them, I'll take a clone off the top is what I'm thinking).

 

This will get rid of all the boys. I can then grow out the girls for full outdoor season.

 

Around February or just before/start to flower, I would like to take 2-3 cuttings of desired plants and create 1 Mother of my best example of each strain.

 I am guessing about 8-10 mothers. to be in veg over winter and get some clones for next season.

 

So I'm looking for a 1-2 lights that will do both jobs if possible. Grow a bunch of clones and keep 8 -10 mothers alive over winter.

 

Thanks

 

 

[merl1n]

Hey Husky,

You have some grand plans there, but.....

Q. Can I get advice on suitable light(s) for 3 - 4 humidity cribs ( enough for 100 clones) and I would like that same light(s) to be used later to Veg 8 - 10 mothers?

I would say NO

Your clones need to be nurtured when they are first taken, not beaten into submission HID can be too intense for freshly taken clones. When I first take clones they go under an incandescent light or a CFL, gentle. Once they are established then they can go under a HID. You could place them under CFL but the growth rate will be reduced heaps and if you're taking clones you need that growth to cut from.

As for your 8-10 mother plants. Why so many? A mother plant you take clones from. I can get approx. 20 clones from one plant, so that's 200 clones from 10 plants. Hope you don't get a visit from those horrible bastards in blue uniforms. With those numbers of plants you'll be looking at commercial supply and a big long holiday with a room mate called Bubba. Big plans are nice to have but as you say you have zero experience with lights, my advice would be to start small and LEARN, then expand if you feel the need.

Many moons ago I started with similar ideas, (well maybe not quite that grand ) Now, I grow one (1) plant in a 3x3x3m room, if I took your plan with 10 mothers ( including flowering plants) I'd be looking at a room the size of a football field I say this but know that this maybe just my style or my way of growing that would need that amount of space. But remember it isn't the number of plants that produces more, but the space in which they can grow. For example, I could put 10 plants in that space and reduce my veg time by filling my grow space quicker, but the flowering is still going to take the same amount of time. Having more tips for the buds to develop is optimal and this can be achieved by plucking the tips during the grow period. When the tips a plucked and allowed to regrow, each one splits and forms 2 growing tips. The other benefit of doing this rather than filling the space with 20 clones is air flow. One plant will allow air movement a hell of a lot easier than 20 and indoors, under lights airflow is a must.

My advice, start small, learn, then expand

 

This is all just my ideas, others may disagree, and that's fine. But my freedom means a lot to me

Good luck with it all, let us know what you decide

 

Hope it helps

Merl1n

[Husky]

Hey Thanks Merl1n

 

Just to clarify, I am never growing flowering plants indoors. All Outdoor, the 8 mothers are all different strains, 1 mother for 1 strain.

 

I need to cull the boys out, because I have way to many seedlings, I went from killing 80% on first seed raising run to 95% success with second run.

 

I just thought since I need to set up a cloning station to force sex,  maybe the light can double up and be used to keep some mothers alive over winter, clone again and plant outside.

 

Because they would be female and I would have a strong idea of possible yield ( being clone of previously grown plant)  can reduce  the numbers of plants I have outdoors next year to just 10-15 really nice big girls.

 

I was think like you Merl1n that the light needed for clones would be different from trying to veg 8 -10 mothers, but I'm not sure. Just looking for ideas and clarification from all the experience here.

 

Edit. I may decide after trying the strains I have now, that I only need 2-3 to deal with Day pain and Night pain, so its may just be 2-3 mothers

Edited September 24, 2014 by Husky

[Matanuska Thunder]

2x 18w fluro's would do the job, and work well for clones and seedlings.

[Husky]

Thanks Matanuska Thunder,

 2x 18w fluro's would work for clones for sure.  I didn't think that would be enough to keep the 8-10 mothers alive for 5 months through winter ? But that's why I here asking cause I don't know.

Appreciate the help. 

[Matanuska Thunder]

I used the 2x18w to do just that... Keep a mum going. Whilst the growth was minimal, there was growth. If you just want to keep the mums alive- that will work.

[Husky]

Excellent, that's the low cost solution I was looking for. Thank you very much MT.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Husky