[Metalman1]

Question ! Most growers seem to use 18 to 12 immediately, but do any of you think it's better to gradually drop from 18 to 12 ? Like 1 hour a day until you hit 12. Info appreciated.

 

[Sunin]

I don't. Trying to be as natural as possible with greed for buds tempered

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Question ! Most growers seem to use 18 to 12 immediately, but do any of you think it's better to gradually drop from 18 to 12 ? Like 1 hour a day until you hit 12. Info appreciated.

I experimented with gradual light duration decrease. I noticed less stretching, longer flowering time and less yield. So, from the results I've had, I think it's best to go directly from 18/6 to 12/12. My conclusion is that the stress of a sudden change is helpful for our purposes.

 

[Brotofsky]

I would think, theoretically, it would be less stressful to the plant to do it gradually. That being said, if your plants are mature (showing preflowers), I don’t think it really matters.

 

[RootFarmer]

Theories are great but always trust what you see in front of you and always listen to your gut. In growing, as in life, if I really can't decide what to do then sometimes doing nothing works out best in the long run. The answer comes on its own. That has saved me from making stupid mistakes many times when growing.

You can be a HAPHAZARD grower just winging it and hoping for the best (a buddy of mine is one), a REACTIONARY grower who doesn't fully think through their actions and potential consequences and quite often just make matters worse or you can grow with INTENT where everything you do has a purpose and goal. Which type of grower you are will show in the results. Nothing wrong with being anywhere on that spectrum. Do what suits you. You get out of life what you put into it.

 

[Stokes]

I dont see the point in tinkering with it when there no adverse effects of flipping to 12/12. I do add an extra hour of dark from time to time

 

[KeyFingerFlying]

Question ! Most growers seem to use 18 to 12 immediately, but do any of you think it's better to gradually drop from 18 to 12 ? Like 1 hour a day until you hit 12. Info appreciated.

Well, you can do that, you can even decrease like 10 minutes a day, that WILL work, but that will extend the time from seed to harvest and that's all. The point of flipping is to deliver a light stress and make plant "think" that winter is coming and it's time to flower. Ganja is a 1-year plant, so that's the trigger for them to get babies

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I would think, theoretically, it would be less stressful to the plant to do it gradually. That being said, if your plants are mature (showing preflowers), I don’t think it really matters.

I'm sure a gradual change is less stressful. It's important to consider the value of stress, however. It's known that introducing the right amount of stress at the right time can improve a plant's production. Hormesis is the term used to describe this adaptive response to stress. My thinking is that the light change is an excellent time in the plant's life to introduce stress.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I dont see the point in tinkering with it when there no adverse effects of flipping to 12/12. I do add an extra hour of dark from time to time

Yes. Changing from 12/12 to 11/13 in about the last month of flowering seems to help them finish.

 

[Metalman1]

I don't. Trying to be as natural as possible with greed for buds tempered

So, wouldn't gradual be more natural ?!

 

[Metalman1]

Yes. Changing from 12/12 to 11/13 in about the last month of flowering seems to help them finish.

You mean 13 dark right ?

 

[Metalman1]

I experimented with gradual light duration decrease. I noticed less stretching, longer flowering time and less yield. So, from the results I've had, I think it's best to go directly from 18/6 to 12/12. My conclusion is that the stress of a sudden change is helpful for our purposes.

Yes, I did it gradually last time, like a week to get to 12. Thanks for info. I'll try sudden this time.

 

[Metalman1]

I'm sure a gradual change is less stressful. It's important to consider the value of stress, however. It's known that introducing the right amount of stress at the right time can improve a plant's production. Hormesis is the term used to describe this adaptive response to stress. My thinking is that the light change is an excellent time in the plant's life to introduce stress.

That's very good info. Thanks a lot. I actually didn't even think of that. That's a very good point.

 

[Metalman1]

Theories are great but always trust what you see in front of you and always listen to your gut. In growing, as in life, if I really can't decide what to do then sometimes doing nothing works out best in the long run. The answer comes on its own. That has saved me from making stupid mistakes many times when growing.

You can be a HAPHAZARD grower just winging it and hoping for the best (a buddy of mine is one), a REACTIONARY grower who doesn't fully think through their actions and potential consequences and quite often just make matters worse or you can grow with INTENT where everything you do has a purpose and goal. Which type of grower you are will show in the results. Nothing wrong with being anywhere on that spectrum. Do what suits you. You get out of life what you put into it.

I've been gathering info since I was 5. The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask. You don't learn, if you don't ask for different viewpoints.

 

[RootFarmer]

@Metalman1

Well said! Learn as much as you, ask questions and be willing to make mistakes. Every failure is a learning opportunity, whether great or small.


"You'll never get it right unless you're willing get it wrong along the way.......a lot." ~ RootFarmer

 

[Metalman1]

@Metalman1

Well said! Learn as much as you, ask questions and be willing to make mistakes. Every failure is a learning opportunity, whether great or small.


"You'll never get it right unless you're willing get it wrong along the way.......a lot." ~ RootFarmer

I'm pretty good at growing.
My last gro Black Gorilla clocked in between 24 - 26 % thc. I was shooting 32 ! But, you guys seem to know a lot ! So, I appreciate any input I get ! Thanks

 

[RootFarmer]

I learn more every grow. Sometimes I have to unlearn some things that I picked up from others in the past. It amazes and yet doesn't surprise me at the same time that some of the myths going around 20 yrs ago are still circulating today. Maybe most importantly, I've learned to trust my own eyes/gut and to verify any new information for accuracy. I don't know if anyone else remembers the days when the closest thing to a grow guide was the Anarchist Cookbook.

 

[Galgrows]

To me it would seem to slow the flowering process down not going directly to 12/12. I've never seen any stress from doing it on my photos. Experiment away cause i'd like to see it work for you.

 

[Metalman1]

To me it would seem to slow the flowering process down not going directly to 12/12. I've never seen any stress from doing it on my photos. Experiment away cause i'd like to see it work for you.

Right now my main focus is should I veg longer, seeing how I have a 15 gal soil, and an indica- 14 inches so far. Plenty of room. Will a more mature female have a higher yield, and be more potent, than a 47 day female ?

 

[RootFarmer]

Flower maturation is a function of time. The individual plant's internal clock. A plant that is bigger will obviously have more flowering sites to work with and therefore a higher yield. I'm doing an experiment this year. A plant that has been intentionally stressed in specific ways to see how it performs. It's a little runt next to her sister who sprouted at the same time. Provided it doesn't herm on me I anticipate getting at least a little bit of good smoke. Also I've run SoG systems and occasionally had a cut that just doesn't want to do much. Ending up with a nug instead of a fat cola is not a good return on your investment.

Here is a pic of the plants I was talking about. The difference is crazy.

She's trying her best to catch up.