I have 6 plants about 2 1/2 weeks old under 2 cfls currently. I will be planting them outside and was wondering how old the plants should be to do so?
Well I usualy start my plants outdoors from clone or seed, but this year did what your doing, and from what I know/was told its best to put them out as young as possible, because the move is a little shocking for older plants, because the light period is a little different, and the sun has UV rays, that will burn your plants if growing under Compact Flourescents. So you have to Harden them off by putting them in shade for a couple days, then in direct sunlight for a day, and maybe moving back to shade for another day. so it will not get shocked/Sun burnt. It gets indirect sunlight in the shade so dont worry about it not getting light. And you should adjust your light schedule to outdoors for a week if you have not done so already. Here outdoors it is 15/9, and Outdoor light is way stronger then any indoor so im told whatever your lights are on indoors, its +1 or +2 outdoors. So this means your indoor lights should be on 16/8 or 17/7 if your outdoor light is 15. The plants might flower if your vegging on 24 hours light, because its a drastic change, so try to keep them on 16/8 or 17/7 for a week if you have not already been doing this, then put them outside and Harden them off like I said. Good Luck
Thanks for the info! I was considering letting them grow to about a foot tall with a 24hour light then taking them outside where they will start to flower. Then I could harvest early. I could also do it the way you said and have bigger yields. I might experiment a little with this because i have some more seed coming soon.
But ya for both posts... I wouldnt go from 24 hour light to outside, id go to 18/6 at the very leaqst for 2 weeks, then 16/8 for a day or two if you want, then put outside, and let them grow or force flower, but to flower they need 12-14 hours of sunlight at most.. So if your getting more then 14.5 hours of sunlight cover them with buckets for 2 hoursbefore sunset, then uncover when its dark(so they get a proper dark period) if you really wanna force flower them... im doing this with a couple of mine, and they r fine.
I'm in a very similar delema everything I thought about light cycles is turning out to be wrong. This is the thread I just made and got some very good insight from oldskool1010 Here's a link to it. It may help you understanding out a little bit: http://forum.grasscity.com/outdoor-...-indoor-winter-veg-feedback.html#post10588056
Idk about Florida but its still frost warning/advisory out here in CA... Snowing @ 3500 feet right now.....
I live in SF bay area and planted them in buckets in a greenhouse in march and now they are in holes outside and 3 feet tall
