Anyone take advantage of low daylight hours in spring ?

[313131]

Currently planning to veg some sativas indoors for the next few weeks, before switching 12/12 for 4-6 weeks. After this period, I'll move them to an unheated greenhouse around April 1st. The average low temperature of 37°F (3°C) in my area is done freezing. Mature mj can withstand cold temperatures, but the increase in light is what scares me since worst case scenario is reverting back to the vegetative stage due to lengthening days. Since some of these sativa strains require up to 14 weeks.
Aiming for harvest beginning of may would be ideal so faster flowering strains are no problem.Later might be pushing shade cloths.
How far into spring is too long ?

Depends where you are, variety growing and I assume how far into flower you already are. Hoping conversation can come into play.

 

[Oldchucky]

My guess would be, anytime after May 1 you will be playing with fire! Anytime after April 1 could go either way. Anytime after June 1. You will probably be harvesting them in October! Just a guess! Maybe only one way to find out.

 

[GNick55]

that cold for more than a week will definitely affect the plants processing and could even kill it,. especially sativa strains,.

 

[GNick55]

in case you don’t believe me

 

[313131]

That cold is just the average low temp without the green house. Add at-least another 10 degrees average even without a heat source.

 

[GNick55]

That cold is just the average low temp without the green house. Add at-least another 10 degrees average even without a heat source.

it’s your plants
do as you wish,..

 

[313131]

uhh yah

 

[Zill]

3(31),

In my area, 60 miles north of NY, city we hit 12/12 mid March. Consult the farmers almanac or something like that for day length. Last two years I’ve taken advantage of climate change and moved the seedlings to my garden beginning of April. That’s about one month earlier than the last frost date for this region.

Zill.

 

[313131]

Am I missing something? Or is this forum just a lot smaller and incestuous than I originally thought?
This is pretty common. I'm not making anything up here. Just looking to conversate with people that have done this a few times.
Gnick could have recommended a heater but instead dude just plasters some copy paste info like im asking to be spoon fed. "cold is bad" its okay if you dont have experience with the practice in question.-
g mix has nothing to add except an ego boost for the person who didnt help.
No offense zill but im not talking about putting seedlings out in April at all.

thannx old chuck- you are the only person to actually give me any sort conversation here for like 3 years in a row.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Am i missing something? Or is this forum just a lot smaller than I thought?

This is an excellent forum for seeking advice. I believe you're pursuing an unconventional growing method of dubious potential for success. No one wants to provide poor advice. I didn't reply because my best answers could only be guesses. I'll try it, though.

Currently planning to veg some sativas indoors for the next few weeks, before switching 12/12 for 4-6 weeks. After this period, I'll move them to an unheated greenhouse around April 1st. The average low temperature of 37°F (3°C) in my area is done freezing.

The duration of light could be a problem because it would gradually increase till the summer solstice in June. For my non-cannabis plants going outside, I usually plan to put them out late May or early June for a fall harvest.

Mature mj can withstand cold temperatures, but the increase in light is what scares me since worst case scenario is reverting back to the vegetative stage due to lengthening days. Since some of these sativa strains require up to 14 weeks.

The increasing duration of light along with stress from the temperature change could cause the plants to resume the vegetative stage. The cold temperature would be highly stressful for a plant that hasn't been "hardened off, " which is allowing a plant to transition from a protected environment to harsh conditions. The plants would sure show a stress response, such as release of anthocyanin.

Aiming for harvest beginning of may would be ideal so faster flowering strains are no problem.Later might be pushing shade cloths.
How far into spring is too long ?

It might work for auto-flower plants.

Depends where you are, variety growing and I assume how far into flower you already are.

Yes. Probably so.

 

[GNick55]

Am I missing something? Or is this forum just a lot smaller and incestuous than I originally thought?
This is pretty common. I'm not making anything up here. Just looking to conversate with people that have done this a few times.
Gnick could have recommended a heater but instead dude just plasters some copy paste info like im asking to be spoon fed. "cold is bad" its okay if you dont have experience with the practice in question.-
g mix has nothing to add except an ego boost for the person who didnt help.
No offense zill but im not talking about putting seedlings out in April at all.

thannx old chuck- you are the only person to actually give me any sort conversation here for like 3 years in a row.

 

[Zill]

Bang!!

 

[GreenNotYellow]

Currently planning to veg some sativas indoors for the next few weeks, before switching 12/12 for 4-6 weeks. After this period, I'll move them to an unheated greenhouse around April 1st. The average low temperature of 37°F (3°C) in my area is done freezing. Mature mj can withstand cold temperatures, but the increase in light is what scares me since worst case scenario is reverting back to the vegetative stage due to lengthening days. Since some of these sativa strains require up to 14 weeks.
Aiming for harvest beginning of may would be ideal so faster flowering strains are no problem.Later might be pushing shade cloths.
How far into spring is too long ?

Depends where you are, variety growing and I assume how far into flower you already are. Hoping conversation can come into play.

Hi! Advantage from the good sunlight can be taken by just placing the plants near big window. Surely it's not always possible and might be a little stressful to the plant. Certainly freezing them is a bad idea :)

But perhaps just indoor will save you nerves

 

[Natep]

It’s really simple if you start plants inside at 18 hours of light when you take them outside they will flip to flower unless you are very close to the summer solstice

 

[Oldchucky]

He is doing it in reverse! Kind of uncharted territory! But I would think the the plant still takes its cues from the hours of light and dark. If you’re going to do it, I would think you need a back up plan in case they don’t finish when you think they are going to finish. May have to go into light Depp mode. Hopefully it is a small greenhouse that you can throw a tarp over if you have to.

 

[Natep]

He is doing it in reverse! Kind of uncharted territory! But I would think the the plant still takes its cues from the hours of light and dark. If you’re going to do it, I would think you need a back up plan in case they don’t finish when you think they are going to finish. May have to go into light Depp mode. Hopefully it is a small greenhouse that you can throw a tarp over if you have to.

If you put it out there right after last frost it would be done in two months. It would want to re veg.

 

[313131]

Hey yo those plants went outside for like 4 weeks they were fine with 40 f nights....

 

[Oldchucky]

Right on! They can handle anything short of a hard frost, kind of depending on how big the plants are! Will be interesting to see how they react to the hours of light and dark if they are photos! Maybe they will do great! Maybe they will wonk the fuck out! Never know until you try! And it’s always fun trying. If they are fast strains, maybe they have enough ruderalis in them to keep them stable! Looking forward to seeing the results! Pulling for you! Just curious, are you growing here in the states? What area are you growing In that you need shade cloth? Where I grow it is over 100° much of the summer and part of the fall and I don’t use shade cloth just outside of red Bluff California!

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Hey yo those plants went outside for like 4 weeks they were fine with 40 f nights....

That's great news! Got pics?

I have a few clones I'm thinking of growing outside. Most gardeners here wait till the middle of May to put out their plants. So, it's still too early, at least for photos. Maybe @Oldchucky's right and the ruderalis genetics helped. I'll keep that in mind, because I have been thinking autos would be better in my climate.

 

[313131]

chop