Kalimaki420
New Member
Hi rory
Tape every light or control LED in your bloom or it will cause problems.
Especially if they are red.
I had a tiny light leak at my door only visible after I stayed 5 min in the dark and since I fixed it I got 20% more yield and better quality.
This is the best place to learn look at all the how to do´s and journals that match your grow style.
Tape every light or control LED in your bloom or it will cause problems.
Especially if they are red.
I had a tiny light leak at my door only visible after I stayed 5 min in the dark and since I fixed it I got 20% more yield and better quality.
This is the best place to learn look at all the how to do´s and journals that match your grow style.
- Thread starter
- #3
I suggest use electrical tape and tape them up, especially red ones.
I had a regular power strip with the red on/off switch. I kept getting hermies and couldn't figure out why until I taped over the switch one day, and no more hermies.
Definitely tape over them
Thunderbrain
New Member
I've been growing for 14 years now, I've never taped up those red lights, and I've never had a hermie.
You're going to hear a lot of opinions from a lot of people, but those lights never caused me any problems. Outdoor plants are constantly getting light at night, even when the moon is down, and if marijuana plants were so sensitive that even a power switch light will hermie them, then nobody would ever have anything to smoke.
I'm not saying those other folks didn't get hermies, but I seriously doubt if it's because of a power switch light.
These plants are weeds. They're not as sensitive as some people might think.
Let the arguments begin!
You're going to hear a lot of opinions from a lot of people, but those lights never caused me any problems. Outdoor plants are constantly getting light at night, even when the moon is down, and if marijuana plants were so sensitive that even a power switch light will hermie them, then nobody would ever have anything to smoke.
I'm not saying those other folks didn't get hermies, but I seriously doubt if it's because of a power switch light.
These plants are weeds. They're not as sensitive as some people might think.
Let the arguments begin!
- Thread starter
- #6
Thunderbrain
New Member
You've got nothing to lose by taping them. I'm just relating my experience over the years. Never taped, never had a hermie. I had one grow in the basement after I got a new water heater, and it was a month before I realized that the heater had an led temperature control that was bright enough to see in the dark with. Still no hermie.
Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've found these plants can take a lot of abuse and still love you back.
Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've found these plants can take a lot of abuse and still love you back.
Yeah you'll hear both sides of this, and some people have had very different experiences. There are a few factors that go into it, and probably the biggest one is that some plants are just more stable than others.
Some, such as bagseed originally caused by hermies, and some landrace sativas, will hermie pretty much every time you flower them. Other strains can take a lot of abuse and stay true. Most of the strains I grow seem to be somewhere in between.
I can connect pretty well all my outbreaks of nanners directly to light leaks, and yes- very much including those red indicator lights. It wasn't something I figured out by reading about it. It's something I figured out on my own over years of observing the plants. I'd get some nanners- start investigating, and find the tape was fallen off of one of those red lights, or the door wasn't closing properly, or a timer had screwed up.
Green led lights are fine. Green isn't a visible spectrum for plants. I use a green led headlamp for working in the dark.
Another factor seems to be that some small light leaks don't usually disturb the plants if they're constant- so the plants are used to them.
I'm also growing mostly pure sativas, which seem a bit more prone to a few hermie flowers late in harvest. And for a couple years I grew a bagseed strain that was especially sensitive.
Generally the hermies come in the form of 'nanners' - showing up in the second half of flowering. They're not the end of the world and don't produce a ton of pollen, though they do result in seeds- it's not nearly as bad as having male flowers in the room.
You'll probably have people come along and tell you that they have parties and watch movies at night in their flower room with no problems. I wouldn't argue with them. It's just never worked like that at all for me.
Some, such as bagseed originally caused by hermies, and some landrace sativas, will hermie pretty much every time you flower them. Other strains can take a lot of abuse and stay true. Most of the strains I grow seem to be somewhere in between.
I can connect pretty well all my outbreaks of nanners directly to light leaks, and yes- very much including those red indicator lights. It wasn't something I figured out by reading about it. It's something I figured out on my own over years of observing the plants. I'd get some nanners- start investigating, and find the tape was fallen off of one of those red lights, or the door wasn't closing properly, or a timer had screwed up.
Green led lights are fine. Green isn't a visible spectrum for plants. I use a green led headlamp for working in the dark.
Another factor seems to be that some small light leaks don't usually disturb the plants if they're constant- so the plants are used to them.
I'm also growing mostly pure sativas, which seem a bit more prone to a few hermie flowers late in harvest. And for a couple years I grew a bagseed strain that was especially sensitive.
Generally the hermies come in the form of 'nanners' - showing up in the second half of flowering. They're not the end of the world and don't produce a ton of pollen, though they do result in seeds- it's not nearly as bad as having male flowers in the room.
You'll probably have people come along and tell you that they have parties and watch movies at night in their flower room with no problems. I wouldn't argue with them. It's just never worked like that at all for me.
- Thread starter
- #9
Red is the most important as its the color/wavelength that controlls flowering triggers. In experiments even just a millisecond flash of red light could keep a blooming plant in veg. Doesn't take much...
other colors like green don't influence flowering (that science knows of currently) and blue have very little influence on flowering (but does regulate circadian rhythm)so those colors wouldn't be as important or influencial to tape up... Red is the culprit.
It does depend though on how close to your plants it is... a tiny led 20' away most likely won't effect anything, however, a red light on a powerstrip only inches away from your plants (like my situation) did cause hermies so brightness distance also can come into play...
As most things in life, its better to be prepared than to be sorry.
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
With autoflowering plants I have never had any problem with light intrusions, even a red power strip light or turning on the ceiling lights for a few minutes in my grow room! That's part of what makes them so easy and attractive to grow. Nothing seems to stop them from their genetic coded mission to bud! However, with photo plants occasional problems have come up with light intrusions. I agree, some varieties are probably more prone to these problems than others. I have never had a problem from a couple of pin hole leaks like some seem to worry so much about. But careless regular intrusions of larger light sources have created hermies and slowed bud development/growth, I believe. I had some plants outside near a barn with an outside light that was sporadically turned on and occasionally left on by family going out to do chores, etc. that turned hermies. maybe that was a fluke, maybe it was genetics, maybe a bit of both.. I would use the tape if I was growing photo plants!
- Thread starter
- #12
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
Always better to err slightly in favor of caution! Some photo plants seem to be very tricky indoors! Regarding outside grows, Autos grown without pruning naturally blend real well into the landscape. The compact growth of many varieties help to keep them from sticking out so much. My brother had some in his landscape that even I didn't notice, until he pointed them out! I am way to paranoid these days to do that in my state! The early spring (April 15-30) planted auto plants (transplants of started seedlings) do best in our hot southern climate, maturing before it gets too awful hot or as well, the fall crop, planted about August 20- September 1st to be harvested late October or early November ! They seem to thrive, in particular, on the cool nights of early fall while maturing! CKS Northern Lights Autos have purpled up really nice, maturing them outdoors at temps falling to the mid 40's with day temps running in the sixties. Anyway, if you must grow or desire to grow outside and want or need a quick crop that is compact and more discreet than most photos, Autos are there! In my present indoor grows, I am doing exclusively autos , due primarily to being the cheapest and easiest for me currently. I get enough to keep me happy with a minimum of time, trouble and expense. I think many people yet to try autos, will find, autos have a place growing in their gardens and indoors! 
QUOTE=rory;3119694]We are growing photo plants so will be taping and really interested in the autoflowering plants too. Maybe grow a couple outdoors when time comes.[/QUOTE]- Thread starter
- #14
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
Absolutely, part of the blast of growing is the experimenting, tweaking things, diagnosis and solutions to issues! Engagement with your plants is a mutually beneficial pastime. Lucky Guy! Enjoy!
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
BTW. Remember to try a apple cider Vinegar Gnat trap. Suspend a pull out fly paper ribbon, hanging it, above/over the top! Catches two - three times more gnats than with the trap alone! I have controlled serious infestations continuously using a couple of these. Of course, compost/soil grows seldom have ph grow problems, as good compost acts as a natural buffer allowing the plants to take up what it needs. Different grow methods , often different issues. Fun anyway you do it!Similar threads
