Does 24hrs light make tight node spacing? Do tight nodes=more yield?

[SCARHOLE]

Its been my experience that under 24 hrs light (CFL REALY CLOSE) the nodes are super close, but I put some 3week old seedlings in for pre sexing an they double their size in a week?
The fem seeds are the same age an no stretching just unbielievably close leafs (you cant even see the stem lol).
The regs looked just like the fems tell the 12\12 started so i assume its the dark.
Ive heard that the tight nodes will quadruple the yield but takes longer an requires lots of side lighting.

Anyone else herd that about tight node spacing?
Is it the light cycle keeping em so close?

 

[homebrewer]

Your tight nodes are probably more of a function of spectrum and distance than it is your light cycle. 24 hours of sodium isn't going to give you the same growth pattern, nor will a 400 MH. A 1000MH will give you tighter nodes than a 400MH unless the 400MH is right on top of the plants, then they may be about equal.

I've always heard that there is a point of diminishing returns with a 24/0 cycle and 20/4 seemed to produce the same results while saving electricity.

More nodes certainly wont hurt yields but I've found that plant structure (branching and sturdiness) played a big role too. See what works best for your strain and run with it.

 

[cannatari]

I am the King of tight node spacing. My first couple of cab grows were made to finish under 2 feet. Ever since then I can't seem to grow them any other way. The pic is of a clone in my hydro garden under a T5 fixture. I believe the combo of flourescent light and hydro is the culprit. I can't seem to grow them any other way so I can't say that the yield is more or less than a tall plant. Light cycle has nothing to do with it in my garden.

This is Big Kahuna. 5-6 nodes, 1 1/2" tall:

 

[SCARHOLE]

I got a 2 FT box also so i love the tight nodes at first, but i want to clone my NL an AK48 fems an i would realy like em to stetch out.
If its the spectrum of the cfl bulbs should i add more red to increase the stretch?( I got 150 watt 5000 cfl, one 20 watt 7000, one 45 watt 3000 an a 20 watt 3000 i use at night when cause temps allow).
Im going to start keeping the fems away from the light an giving em a 4 hr dark cycle to see if i can get em to stretch a bit.

Any other ideas , I dont think i can clone a 5 in pant with 7-8 nodes.?

 

[mochadog70]

I have done both 24/24 and 20/24 for quite a while on both and can't tell a single difference. Like one of the other poster said that keep that bulbs right on top of them and that'll be the best. I also like have a dark period so the temps can drop so it's more like mother nature. Plus with this 4 hrs of lights off I added more lights because why not!! But seriously no difference that I have noticed and I have done both for a year each. More light = more nodes = more bud. I have even tried 18/24 and still didn't notice anything different, but I have read a lot of wasted light after 20hrs so I went back to the 20/24.

 

[SCARHOLE]

Well i got my first 2 clones going about 4 days ago, they pretty small on the stem side 3/4 inch.

I had to put some plastic wrap under the leaves to keep em from sitting on the soil, lol

But they are alive an kicken.

I will put the momas outdoor soon a keep these indoor in case the outdoor fails.

wooooot

 

[groove]

It's all about how close the light was. if u use CFl's, u can place them really close (1inch) then plant wont need to grow up to much. u can experience easily in veg state, even I can. (as a newbie)

 

[acellular]

I'm trying 24/0 lights on in veg for the first time and the nodes are insanely tight! When I ran 18/6 they definitely seemed a lot stretchier/leggier. This is with 400w MH. I'm switching to 23/1 today to hopefully get some stretch. If that's not enough i'll switch it to 22/2 or 21/3 so they're not abnormally tight.

 

[colonuggs]

no 24 hour doesn't make tight nodes ... a light source close to the plant will do that...plus a indica strain

 

[legallyflying]

Ok, I'm going to buck the heard and say that 24 hour light source actually DOES decrease node spacing. However, it's not because of the longer light cycle, it is because the day and night (even if there isn't a night, plants do eventually shift to more transpiration ...that is what homebrew we alluded to(this has been studied and proven) temperature Differential is less.

The lower your temperature diff, the better your node spacing is. This is why I bought an external thermostat for my
Mini split. Then the lights go off, 1 hour later the heater comes on.

You want compact plants? Yes, you do. Close lights and low diff. That's all you can really do. Well. There is the morning dip technique but a guy running CFL isn't going to have the gear to do that.

 

[Sativied]

Although I started out with compact plants (because of preveg CFLs just an inch above plants and 24 hrs light) I had some major stretch last round (under hps), so I've been reading up on ways to keep'm low and well, legallyflying summed it up already, besides keeping the lights close (which includes proper reflector and reflection on walls if any) the key really is the DIF. Makes all the difference. Then I realized why they stay compact under the CFLs, not (just/primarily) the constant light, but the near constant temp.

Here's another source from a test setup: http://www.hightimes.com/read/optimize-your-growing-environment

I don't use a heater (or A/C), I just switch day and night. I'm on 72-82 instead of 65-82.

(LST-ed, not entirely fair, just showing off ).

 

[legallyflying]

That should make a huge difference...the smaller difference that is.

 

[Sativied]

Based on what I read the photoperiodism effect far exceeds the influence of thermoperiodism when using high intensity light such as HPS, but still I wonder, can/does a lower DIF result in a longer transitioning to flowering, basically making it veg longer?

 

[PurpleBuz]

I am the King of tight node spacing. My first couple of cab grows were made to finish under 2 feet. Ever since then I can't seem to grow them any other way. The pic is of a clone in my hydro garden under a T5 fixture. I believe the combo of flourescent light and hydro is the culprit. I can't seem to grow them any other way so I can't say that the yield is more or less than a tall plant. Light cycle has nothing to do with it in my garden.

This is Big Kahuna. 5-6 nodes, 1 1/2" tall:

wowzer! cool plant ... but I'm wondering how do you get airflow underneath?>

 

[Uncle Ben]

I don't worry about stretching. I'm more concerned with plant health, vigor, etc. so I maintain that a 15F drop in temp from day to night is what plant's are genetically tuned too over millenium. They also need a night rest for best performance. Again, that's what they've been programmed to do.

If you must have short internodes you can start by growing only indicas and use lower P foods as higher P foods induce internode stretch. BUT, here's the science on it all with one trick pony:
A different, but easier approach to using DIF with similar results is to reduce the greenhouse temperature 5°F-10°F lower than the night temperature for two to three hours at dawn. Called a “cool morning pulse”, this technique reduces plant height as much as a negative DIF.

http://www.greenhousemanagementonline.com/gmpro-0410-preventing-plant-stretch.aspx

How high P foods induce stretch, which is what happens with this bloom food happy community. What really causes stretching:
http://www.gpnmag.com/what-really-causes-stretch

Cannabis forums are not the place to get your info. A quick Google that took me less than a minute got me this scientifically correct info based on facts not feelings and anecdotal evidence.

UB

 

[Uncle Ben]

Based on what I read the photoperiodism effect far exceeds the influence of thermoperiodism when using high intensity light such as HPS, but still I wonder, can/does a lower DIF result in a longer transitioning to flowering, basically making it veg longer?

No, at least not for me and here's the proof - https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/9114-spin-out-chemical-root-pruning.html I get a flowering response anywhere from 4 - 8 days, depends on the genetics. That's going immediately from 20/4 to 12/12.

UB

 

[HeartlandHank]

Yeah, I seem to get better yields with branchy genetics that often do not have tight node spacing.
When I get a plant with crazy tight compact growth (A few Bubba K and Deep Chunk crosses, others) I don't see very good yields.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Yeah, I seem to get better yields with branchy genetics that often do not have tight node spacing.
When I get a plant with crazy tight compact growth (A few Bubba K and Deep Chunk crosses, others) I don't see very good yields.

You hit on a point I was going to make but didn't bother. When are internodes too short? I have had plants where the internodes were too short for my style of growing. Take my avatar for instance. That cola was the densest, heaviest thing I've ever grown. It just kept on piling buds one on top of the other with NO air space such that I had some bud rot. Doesn't really matter, you have to deal with what mama nature hands you and a master gardener will have no problem with her in that regard.

Caveat - original haze I grew outdoors. If it wasn't for a few applications of bonzi, those 7' plants would have finished at 12'. Stuff is amazing. You can apply it and within days see the reaction.

UB

 

[Uncle Ben]

....Then I realized why they stay compact under the CFLs, not (just/primarily) the constant light, but the near constant temp.

What you may not understand is by maintaining a negative DIF you done compromised plant health, vigor, and production. You have to make a choice. We've had this discussion about DIF before. Freaked one guy out haha. Just call me one blasphemy mofo. Post #1584....read it and weep.

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/267989-uncle-bens-gardening-tweeks-pointers-80.html

 

[bushwickbill]

Whoa, rad looking plant. Just curious, what is your yield like on that, and what strain is it. I've grown some trans siberian that almost looks like that, only not so flat.

I am the King of tight node spacing. My first couple of cab grows were made to finish under 2 feet. Ever since then I can't seem to grow them any other way. The pic is of a clone in my hydro garden under a T5 fixture. I believe the combo of flourescent light and hydro is the culprit. I can't seem to grow them any other way so I can't say that the yield is more or less than a tall plant. Light cycle has nothing to do with it in my garden.

This is Big Kahuna. 5-6 nodes, 1 1/2" tall: