This question is for you more experienced growers. How does 8 hours of summer natural sunlight mixed with 6 to 10 hours of CLF or MH lights work? (Depending on veg or flowering stage). Will the MH only, out produce this light mixture? It would be great to know if moving plants in and out daily would be worth the effort.
sure any time you can use natural light is a good thing go look in outside grow journal section people do it all the time and get good results..nothing beats natural light any time you can use it you can even in the middle of the summer keep it out doors for 12 hours them but them in dark room and do the whole grow that way..If you wanting to keep them in VEG like you said 8 hours of natural light then 8-10 hours of your light will work but i recommened using as much natural light as you can and less of your CFL..
Thanks for your respnse. I thought this might be the best light you could provide (natural) plus save money on power. I am going to experiment and see how effective this is.
When I am preping my plants for the outdoor garden I put them outside for increasing hours daily. I can always see how much happier they are in natural light. Go for it won't hurt a thing
Mr.Budman, I tripled my container size and started putting my plants outside for direct sunlight, and I went from around 1andahalf to 2 ounces per plant under a 1000w light to a HALF POUND per plant under the combination. I leave them indoors under artificial from 7 am to 9 30 am when the sun is giving direct light. Then I put them back under artificial light at around 5pm. You are going to average 10,000 lumens per square meter from the sun, while only about 6,000 two feet away from a 1,000 watt light. -I went from 1 gallon veg to 3 gallon flower before, now I'm 3 gallon veg 10 gallon flower. I did increase the veg time by 30 days under 24 hour lighting. I think its worth it for 4 times the yield, and a way cheaper electricity bill. The only draw back is the monotony of bringing 10 gallon pots in and out every day, especially after a heavy feed. -Also, I would say that the quality of the bud has increase dramatically. At least aesthetically. All the buds are resin covered and brilliantly multi-colored. Compared to a unilateral coloring throughout the plant before. -Good post, I'm a big advocate of this.
Thanks for the reply. This is the kind of experience I was looking for. I couldn't see how the sunlight would not, out perform even the best MH. I think I will build a cart to run the plants in and out and have the grow lights go to floor level. I can just slide the cart under lights for artificle night lighting.
Make sure to leave them inside under your lights during cloudy days and unfavorable weather. Good artificial lighting is better than a cloudy day. (Note: it is a cloudy day when your plants don't throw a shadow. Sometimes clouds are thin and it will look cloudy but plants will be praying and throwing shadows.) You'll notice that the whole plant will finish at the same time. Every nug will be a good nug. (no flarf )As long as they don't get any heavy winds/rain this is a golden idea. CHECK wind reports EVERY day. Sometimes I have to leave them inside if the wind is going to be in the mid-high teens/20's+. I'be gone out in the morning with no wind, and come back in the evening to find a few plants knocked over and broken branches. Be vigilant and don't be lazy and you will have the heaviest dankest crop yet. GL
Great post. I just started putting my babies under a 400 watt hps then outdoor mini GH, then they shall go in the ground with holes.
Quick question for experienced outdoor or indoowers im a fairly new grower and new user of grasscity and my question is if i let my seedling grow to a certain height in natural sunlight durring its veg stage can i take it out of that environment and bring it inside under a cfl or led and force it into flowering or would the sudden change in light harm my lovely ladies? Also i heard just putting a trashcan or box around your plant for 12h could fake your plant into thinking it is dark but id just like to get it big and bring it inside if thats possible? Any advice guys?
Bringing plants in and out is a great way to introduce pests also. I would stay all in or all out. Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Thank you! I just started growing 2 plants and I’m trying this same method. Wasn’t sure if it was a great idea or not. I’m going to just keep some neem oil handy for bugs. But hope it turns out how you were saying it should.
In my opinion. Plants could careless about the light kelvin change . A lot of people put there plants outside then bring back inside to veg . Or flower outside bring back inside different light to finish 12/12 depending on sun available . Not to start a debate what is the best kelvin for stage of plant . This was not my point .