Tricomedome
Well-Known Member
Since I bought a beautiful light that covers the whole area was wondering if I could use one of the old lights for the sides of the plants or is it overkill?
Extra light?
- Thread starter Tricomedome
- Start date
The plants will find a space for the canopy from the overhead light anyway, so side light won't achieve much, if anything
- Thread starter
- #3
Tricomedome
Well-Known Member
I thought it would penetrate the sides of the canopy getting light where it normally would not. Also increase size and stickiness no?
Buds always grow upwards, that's how SCROG works
Sideways light skimming off the leaves is a waste of energy
If you added the old lamps side-by-side with the new lamp, your plan for bigger stickier buds would work, but they all need to be above the canopy to have any effect
Delps8
Well-Known Member
If you expose leaves to light, they will use the light for photosynthesis (assuming the light levels are at or below the light saturation point). The more leaves you can light, the higher the level of photosynthesis. The higher the level of photosynthesis, the greater the yield. Of course, there are limits but the limit will be the grow environment itself, not the plant (per Bugbee).
Except in extreme circumstances*, there is no usable PAR below the top level of the canopy due to photons penetrating the leaves of the canopy, unless, of course, your canopy is missing leaves. In addition to my testing, Shane a migrolight demonstrated this in a YouTube video.
I believe the commercial growers discuss penetration in terms of gas discharge lights being mounted high in the grow space and, with their widely difused light pattern (vs the much tighter light pattern of LED's) light from gas discharge lights is able to reach below the canopy.
The difference, I believe, is due to the lack of specificity of the term "penetration". Does that mean entering and exiting the leaves in the canopy or simply being able to get to the canopy by bouncing in from under the canopy somehow.
In contrast to a commercial environment with plants in large, open spaces and light mounted high that generate diffused light, in a tent environment the goal is to cover the entire grow area with canopy. If that goal is achieved, testing indicates that there is no usable PAR below the top level of the canopy because of light penetrating the leaves.
With that in mind, if you illuminate the leaves below the top level of the canopy you will tend to increase the amount of photosynthesis which will, in turn, tend to increase plant yield and quality as well as crop yield and quality.
I'm a "high light" grower and have had problems with my plants, all autos until my current grow, fitting in my 2' x 4' tent. One grow was particularly bad, so to speak, and the "front row" of one plant was falling out of the front of the tent. I used a spare Mars SP 3000 to illuminate that area. Yield for that grow was 24 ounces and my thinking is that the front row yield maybe 3 ounces, but I can't be sure. Grow in the other photo used a Vipar Spectra XS 1500 as a fill light. That grow, also, got hit by thrips but did more damage. Yield was 18 ounces, in that case.
There's a direct, almost linear relationship between light and yield. I don't know what my yield would have been had I not added extra lights but I do know the cost of electricity, even here in California where I pay about 45¢ per KwH is a pittance compared to the value of the crop.
All in all, if you can get a light shining on leaves, do so. If you can't, not to worry — cannabis is a prodigious yielder when grown in a good environment.
*it's a bit involved. Details on request.
Except in extreme circumstances*, there is no usable PAR below the top level of the canopy due to photons penetrating the leaves of the canopy, unless, of course, your canopy is missing leaves. In addition to my testing, Shane a migrolight demonstrated this in a YouTube video.
I believe the commercial growers discuss penetration in terms of gas discharge lights being mounted high in the grow space and, with their widely difused light pattern (vs the much tighter light pattern of LED's) light from gas discharge lights is able to reach below the canopy.
The difference, I believe, is due to the lack of specificity of the term "penetration". Does that mean entering and exiting the leaves in the canopy or simply being able to get to the canopy by bouncing in from under the canopy somehow.
In contrast to a commercial environment with plants in large, open spaces and light mounted high that generate diffused light, in a tent environment the goal is to cover the entire grow area with canopy. If that goal is achieved, testing indicates that there is no usable PAR below the top level of the canopy because of light penetrating the leaves.
With that in mind, if you illuminate the leaves below the top level of the canopy you will tend to increase the amount of photosynthesis which will, in turn, tend to increase plant yield and quality as well as crop yield and quality.
I'm a "high light" grower and have had problems with my plants, all autos until my current grow, fitting in my 2' x 4' tent. One grow was particularly bad, so to speak, and the "front row" of one plant was falling out of the front of the tent. I used a spare Mars SP 3000 to illuminate that area. Yield for that grow was 24 ounces and my thinking is that the front row yield maybe 3 ounces, but I can't be sure. Grow in the other photo used a Vipar Spectra XS 1500 as a fill light. That grow, also, got hit by thrips but did more damage. Yield was 18 ounces, in that case.
There's a direct, almost linear relationship between light and yield. I don't know what my yield would have been had I not added extra lights but I do know the cost of electricity, even here in California where I pay about 45¢ per KwH is a pittance compared to the value of the crop.
All in all, if you can get a light shining on leaves, do so. If you can't, not to worry — cannabis is a prodigious yielder when grown in a good environment.
*it's a bit involved. Details on request.
Chrondocious
Well-Known Member
Yes, if you use it as supplemental lighting, it will help. Smh....some of the advice on here. It will make your lower and middle buds much denser. Photons only penetrate so far, and they can penetrate in any direction. So of your plants are 6 ft tall, side lighting would almost be necessary to make the lower 4 ft usable. Under wouldnt help, but side lighting definitely will.
Delps8
Well-Known Member
How come it took me 300 words and two pictures to say that? ;-)
Nice and succinct.
side lighting is always a good thing if you can fit it in. it used to be a standard practice when we had to grow under t5s and other crappy rigs during the 'dark ages' lol
If it is green then supplemental lighting will be a good thing for the plant. Increase the photosynthesis taking place in all those shady areas has to be a better way to go.
