Keeping outdoor plants in veg using artificial lights at night?

[Larry {the} Gardener]

It is really the length of the dark that triggers the flower impulse. If you run your lights from midnight until 0200 it will break the night up into two short dark periods and they will keep vegging.

 

[KreegDaddy]

I have 4 plants on 20/4 right now, sprouted March 1. My plan is to put them outdoors June 1. Do you think they'll go to flower right away? I hope not,I want them HUGE...

 

[KreegDaddy]

Maybe I'll just cut the light now to 14/10, and keep it there until they go out. That's the light ratio here in CO in June.

 

[KreegDaddy]

Larry the Gardner , do you think giving two short dark cycles increases chances of going herm?
KD

 

[Larry {the} Gardener]

Larry the Gardner , do you think giving two short dark cycles increases chances of going herm?
KD

Any light disruption increases the odds, but if you had them on a timer, and divided the night in half, I think you would be alright. That said, I have never done this myself. But it will work without trying to hit sunrise or sunset just right.

 

[KreegDaddy]

Any light disruption increases the odds, but if you had them on a timer, and divided the night in half, I think you would be alright. That said, I have never done this myself. But it will work without trying to hit sunrise or sunset just right.

What do you think about splitting the dark cycle for 1.5 month then putting out side to grow natural til harvest?
My goal is to grow really big plants. so I started them indoors with intentions to move outdoors June 1. Now this thread has me second guessing my tactics, because I really don't want them to start flowering June 1. Any thoughts?

 

[Larry {the} Gardener]

What do you think about splitting the dark cycle for 1.5 month then putting out side to grow natural til harvest?
My goal is to grow really big plants. so I started them indoors with intentions to move outdoors June 1. Now this thread has me second guessing my tactics, because I really don't want them to start flowering June 1. Any thoughts?

If you are starting indoors with lights and a timer there is no need to split the dark. Just run your lights as you normally would. 14-10 would be the light cycle I would use. By June 1 you should have some really big plants.

 

[KreegDaddy]

If you are starting indoors with lights and a timer there is no need to split the dark. Just run your lights as you normally would. 14-10 would be the light cycle I would use. By June 1 you should have some really big plants.

Thanks Larry!

 

[Ronmat1086]

Not always. Call me crazy but my first grow in 2011 I had 2 1000watt Cool Tube lights beaming very bright at least 100ft.
into the sky till midnight lighting up the tall trees all around the area with neighbors within a few feet all around my property and L.A. Sheriff Copters circling my grow several times throughout. For months I did this and had not 1 single problem with
anyone or anything. 17 years here and I got to know all the neighbors in front and in back of me all
up and down the blocks and it happens too be all of them are cool with whatever. They all mind their own business and not mine in other words. Cool neighborhood I live in
and It can't be the only one I would think.
View attachment 2976056

View attachment 2976059

My last grow I extended the greenhouse on two sides and I did tone it down a lot with only 1 tiny 150watt HPS and a few CFL's and my GSC's turned out just fine. In the pic below they are in veg still.
View attachment 2976070I’m doing something similar I have a 10 x 20 greenhouse and hust want to trick them into staying in veg. Iam currently using a 100watt Cobb work light and it’s doing a decent job at keeping half of the area in veg. I just bought a string light and want to do cfl or led

The only CFL's I had going are those few
you see in the pic up front and it was enough to
keep all my plants in veg outdoors.

 

[paradise1]

It is really the length of the dark that triggers the flower impulse. If you run your lights from midnight until 0200 it will break the night up into two short dark periods and they will keep vegging.

is this true because its how i will doing it soon?

 

[MrBeach]

is this true because its how i will doing it soon?

I'm doing this now; it seems to be working. Planted seeds in the greenhouse on Mar 1. Ran the lights in there from 6-11am, then 4-10pm. I transplanted them outside on May 19. I've been using a small LED floodlight (10w/1000 lumens/6500k) on each plant from 12:30-2am. My plan is to continue this for 1 more week, then cut the lights altogether.

 

[paradise1]

I'm doing this now; it seems to be working. Planted seeds in the greenhouse on Mar 1. Ran the lights in there from 6-11am, then 4-10pm. I transplanted them outside on May 19. I've been using a small LED floodlight (10w/1000 lumens/6500k) on each plant from 12:30-2am. My plan is to continue this for 1 more week, then cut the lights altogether.

LEt me know how it go... i will using Small led light on plant from 12:00 - 2AM... hope it can keep theme in veg

 

[Ronmat1086]

hey bro I’ll show you what im using in a bit. and it

 

[Ronmat1086]

i had to rearrange the garden that’s why so messy but yea man it works . All solar and one 30watt led for days of no sunpower

 

[Ronmat1086]

Some strains tho kinda flower and stretch without it being 24 hours on.
i have a blueberry doing that right now

 

[MrBeach]

LEt me know how it go... i will using Small led light on plant from 12:00 - 2AM... hope it can keep theme in veg

It worked well. I have repeated the procedure in another part of my yard and had success there as well. Like I said, I'm using 10w LEDs that are very directional and I can aim it on a specific area and not bother plants in flower in other parts of the yard.

 

[paradise1]

It worked well. I have repeated the procedure in another part of my yard and had success there as well. Like I said, I'm using 10w LEDs that are very directional and I can aim it on a specific area and not bother plants in flower in other parts of the yard.

Small led light on plant from 12:00 - 2AM is enough to keep theme in veg?
I cannot turn the light on at other times

 

[Farmer's Hat]

The plants will get huge! I hope your friendly with your neighbors.
When I did it I started clones indoors in March under 18hrs. Planted outside in May and kept 18hrs of light until June 21 solstice (longest day of the year). That kept them in veg until the longest day of the year. Then I turned the lights off & let nature take it's course.
For me, the plants got way to big, good luck

You sir are a legend. Amazing crop!

 

[MrBeach]

I sprouted these 2 on March 8 & 9 in the greenhouse. The lights in the greenhouse run from 6am-11am and then come on again at 4pm-10pm giving them a 16/8 light schedule. (The greenhouse only gets indirect sunlight in the back half where my plants are and it’s too hot to run the lights midday.)

This pic was taken on May 19 the day I transplanted them into the yard.

This pic was taken the following day.

You can see the lights mounted on the T-posts. Both are run off the timer below the light on the left T-post.

I ran these lights from 12:30am-2am for two weeks and then let nature take its course.

This is a week after turning the lights off.

They started flowering in mid July. (I’m in SoCal.)

This pic was taken a week ago.

The plant on the right is just under 9 feet tall including the pot height.

This post is for those that are like me and say, “Pics or it didn’t happen,” lol.

 

[doublejj]

Running lights at night works quite well....