Lighting questions

[snowmaners]

Iv been growing outdoors for years the last few years I wait to start my seeds mid to late April this year I want to get a jump on it so I can get a couple more weeks of vedge and give my plants a boost before I put them out side I have a 1000w led grow light and a 400w halide both set up for grow basicly the question is I want to put my plants out as soon as it gets warm enough a lot of people run 24/7 or 18/6 for the first couple weeks but I don't know if they are keeping there plants inside so I was wondering if I should just stay on a 12/12 untill I put them out in may with 13-14 hours of sun, these are not autos btw I don't know if they will start to flower at that age or not, I'm having trouble finding anyone that does this.

 

[GNick55]

careful with doing that i’ve seen some females showing sexual maturity at 3-4 weeks,..
i start mine early as well 2.5 months before putting outdoor in southern ontario
(june 1 ish).. more than 14 hours light,..

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I don't move plants outside, but I've thought it would be best to match the light duration to the sunlight duration. The daylight is still increasing in May, so the plants shouldn't be induced to flower. That happens for photos when the duration of the light decreases.

 

[snowmaners]

I honestly thought the same thing but I just wanted someone else to tell me what I already know. Thanks for the help. I have heard people running them 24/7 then cutting them back so I thought it might be similar. I'm getting an early jump. Last year I had trees 7' monsters I always just want them bigger,badder, greener...ECT....lol I just enjoy the triming the training. Just to see how big I can get them this year I'm going with 4 50 gallon bags and 2 120 gallon pots

 

[snowmaners]

I have always used the window start method. But I have the hps from a salt water tank and I want to use it, when should I switch over from the LEDs? And how should I go about it should I keep them a little farther away and slowly bring them closer?? When I move my plants out side I just stick them out there in direct sunlight.. never had a problem.

 

[snowmaners]

So I got them under the led and I have noticed a couple plants starting to stretch a little I got a small fan on them and I moved the light like 8" away and there still starting g to look leggy. I'm think of just sticking them under the hps at this point.. I leave room in the cups to add soil if this happends

 

[GNick55]

the hps is fine though they may stretch more because of the dominant red spectrum than you have the heat of the light itself,..
a 6 bulb T5 light fixture is all you need,..

 

[snowmaners]

I was think maybe because they are on a 13 hour schedule? I have a small fan on them now it's all good I'll figure it out. Thanks for the reply

 

[snowmaners]

Now I have them under a 300w mars I'll wait a day now that I moved it closer, see if If anything changes ill bury them deeper. It will work out

 

[orggrwr]

I have always started plants indoors about a month before I put them outside (early to mid May here in Virginia) and usually have them in a tent with autos or other photos that will be staying in. So they have all been started at 20/4 or 18/6 and gone right out to the greenhouse, never had any problems. They seem to adjust quickly and actually have a growth spurt which I attribute to the sun.

 

[snowmaners]

Never have any problems with them flowering early? I was thinking since they were so young it wouldn't matter either but I didn't want to take the chance

 

[snowmaners]

I'm in Frederick Maryland so I'm not far from you I bet

 

[snowmaners]

I was putting them in our green house we own a indoor tropical plant company and 4 plants outgrow it it's 12x16 by mid July I use 75-100 gallon fabric pots and try to tie them down but it's no use...I use our own blend of compost and nuts that just works.

 

[orggrwr]

We are pretty close, I'm in Fredericksburg VA. Have never had any problems with early flowering. On May 1 here we have 13 hours 49 minutes of light so shouldn't be a problem. I know what you mean about trying to fit trees in a greenhouse. I just have a 8× 12 polytunnel 6 1/2 tall and 4 plants in 7 gal. pots fill it up quick . Thinking of getting a bigger one next year.

 

[snowmaners]

I use 20-50 gallon pots this year I'm going 50-75s

 

[snowmaners]

I have always used natural methods for starting and last yet the dog ate like 5 plants out on my balcony and I saved 4 I don't know how they lived because they were no leaves left and as you can see they turned out fine but I wanted to start earlier so I can train the plants to get super wide I tried last year and they just kept fighting me and I kept braking branches. So I wanted to get an early start so I can focus more on training as well as yeild

 

[orggrwr]

Very nice. Unfortunately I have to keep my plants in the greenhouse. I only have 1 neighbor that can see my back yard and they're cool with it but have kids so to be a good neighbor I keep them out of sight. Looking forward to the outdoor season, can't get here soon enough. Good luck

 

[snowmaners]

I got a son he is 8 he has no clue what he is looking at but any way it's legal here now Honestly I don't even partake myself I do it for fun and family members. I look at it like brewing my own beer or anything else it's just a plant and if my son asked I think I would tell him it's medicine for people like grandpa that has problems from being in military. Or for people with pain..but thanks for the input I think I'm going to run the lights 16/6 and then it will only be maybe a 1.5 hour difference when I stick them in the sun.

 

[snowmaners]

Have you ever tried freakshow strain? We did it and you can't even tell it's a pot plant has a fruity smell during flower but it almost looks like evergreen leaves super cool if your trying to go inconspicuous we had a birthday party here and nobody had a clue and was standing withing feet of them ...lol

 

[orggrwr]

Have never grown freakshow but have seen them before. But between 2 tents going inside, the greenhouse, the veggie garden, and the rose/hummingbird garden I already have more than I can keep up with in summer.