Switching in to flowering and got stucked

[cufix]

Hey folks, I'm new to this forum and I would appreciate if anyone of you would please be able to help me with my dilema.

It's about switching from vegetative stage 18/6 to flowering 12/12 and I have fallen in to some kind of a dilema. If my light schedule in vegetative stage is from 11am to 5am next morning (18h) is it important for flowering stage where do I cut the light? So how will affect my flowers if I set my light schedule from 3pm to 3am? or from 9am to 9pm?/Based on my previous vegetative schedule/
Does it matter (depending on my current light schedule), how do I switch my light cycle?
I hope I was clear enough about my problem and looking forward for your answers. Thanks!

 

[Weaselcracker]

I'm sure you'll get a more educated answer to this than mine- but I can say that I've always just flipped to whatever 12/12 times work out best for me. Usually I'd use the same on time and go 12 from there but never had ill effects if I didn't. Once in that schedule best to stick with it though or if you change, do it by 15 minute intervals.

 

[cufix]

Thank you Weaselcracker for your opinion. I also thought that there should be no harm for the plants on whatever schedule you choose to stick after veg. My current start schedule just doesn't fit me to be the start schedule for flowering, so I'll just flipp it and will see what happens.

 

[MassMedMan]

I've not done this, but I hear some people give them 24 hours of darkness before flower. That window might provide an opportunity for you to adjust.

Good luck, either way as long as you're not switching back and forth a one time change won't be that bad....

 

[cufix]

Haven't heard about that yet, but like you said Petergreen, I'm going to use this window as an advantage and will adjust the light as my needs requier.

Thank you, I hope it won't be that stressful for the ladies. Besides, I have to change change my cycle from veg. to flow. so if that doesn't do any harm, either should adjusting the schedule a bit.

 

[MassMedMan]

Transition from veg to flowering

Total darkness period before flowering

Check them out.

Good luck

 

[MassMedMan]

I've never done it, but like I said I have read people talking about it.

Personally, when I have the ability to control it, I like to wind down my plants for a smoother transition. Worked well for me this time, I saw signs of flowering a day or two after my flip. But I was winding them down the entire time.

Started 24/7
Went to 20/4
Then 18/6
Then 16/8
14/10
12/12
11/13
And now I am at 10.5/13.5

Next week they go 10/14

And the final week to ten days 9/15

But that's me, with one tent to worry about with a couple of plants.

Good luck

 

[Antics]

Me personally, I just go into the grow, and knock 6 hours off my timer, bringing it to a total of 12 hours. I've never had an issue with this simple caveman method

 

[cufix]

I've never done it, but like I said I have read people talking about it.

Personally, when I have the ability to control it, I like to wind down my plants for a smoother transition. Worked well for me this time, I saw signs of flowering a day or two after my flip. But I was winding them down the entire time.

Started 24/7
Went to 20/4
Then 18/6
Then 16/8
14/10
12/12
11/13
And now I am at 10.5/13.5

Next week they go 10/14

And the final week to ten days 9/15

But that's me, with one tent to worry about with a couple of plants.

Good luck

Why is it good to lower the light irradiation eaven below 12 hours? Will it flower better or do you have any specific reason to do that? Thanks

Me personally, I just go into the grow, and knock 6 hours off my timer, bringing it to a total of 12 hours. I've never had an issue with this simple caveman method

Yeah I believe that this simple caveman method should do its job, it always did but I have normally cuted off 6 hours at the end of my light schedule, so if light turns off at 10pm on 18/6, then it should turn off at 4pm when switched to 12/12 and now I'm trying to figure out how much stressful would it be if I completly mess up the light schedule when switching from veg. to flo.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I really don't think it will cause any problems to just change the schedule to whatever time slot is convenient for you. It's really important that it's convenient so you can work with things. It always worked for me anyway. Never saw any issues. I have two rooms. Right now veg is on 12 noon to 6am and flower is 8pm to 8am and I'm transferring plants regularly. There may be a subtle difference in growth rate the first few days between this drastic change and something more gradual and natural I don't know- but problems?- no.

 

[MassMedMan]

I think you're stressing more then the plants will. Just think ahead next time and this matter never happens. So easy even a caveman can do it

And the reason I reduce my lights the way I do is because I'm trying to replicate nature. When they are planted outside, the amount of light is reduced each day, they don't get 18 hours late in fall. Not even close. Or at least when I've planted them outside around here they have not. Plus it saves some electricity. And they grow more/better with lights out at this point. Most people think plants grow only lights on, they do, but really they are building energy for lights off when they really grow.

 

[cufix]

I really don't think it will cause any problems to just change the schedule to whatever time slot is convenient for you. It's really important that it's convenient so you can work with things. It always worked for me anyway. Never saw any issues. I have two rooms. Right now veg is on 12 noon to 6am and flower is 8pm to 8am and I'm transferring plants regularly. There may be a subtle difference in growth rate the first few days between this drastic change and something more gradual and natural I don't know- but problems?- no.

Why do you think that lightning schedule is important? Because you can't work around plants when it supposed to be dark and you cannot work in dark neither turn the light on, becasuse it would interrupt their night cycle (I heard you can use green light, which is not interrupting their night phase). Or is something else standing behind that and I'm not seeing?

I think you're stressing more then the plants will. Just think ahead next time and this matter never happens. So easy even a caveman can do it

And the reason I reduce my lights the way I do is because I'm trying to replicate nature. When they are planted outside, the amount of light is reduced each day, they don't get 18 hours late in fall. Not even close. Or at least when I've planted them outside around here they have not. Plus it saves some electricity. And they grow more/better with lights out at this point. Most people think plants grow only lights on, they do, but really they are building energy for lights off when they really grow.

Nobody ever said it's not easy it was just my curiosity. And I'm really trying to give them as less stress as possible. So since I've been wondering about flipping light cycle for a while now, I decided to ask some more expirienced growers than me.

This slow light reducing method is not bad at all. The only thing that would bother me is that you can't ever know when the 1st day of flowering officially begin. You can clearly see when it starts to flower but I think you cannot determine when the 1st day trully started.
Besides that I think your grow is 100% more nature like when you're trying to replicate the same conditions that are normally recieved outside and are good or must for the plant and when you eliminate all the bad things that can happen outside, you get a perfect harvest.


I appreciate everybodys help

 

[MassMedMan]

No worries mate, it's all a journey for all of us. I read a lot, but what I read and comprehend might be different than you, or the next guy. But when we come here and share experiences and thoughts we can all increase the odds of achieving good end results. I'm not sure if I'm right in all I do, cause I can find five examples all the time of people that do it differently, But, I can also find the same number that agree, usually. Not all subjects, but one like this is very fluid and dynamic.

What works for one might not work for another, different growing conditions,,,, blah, blah, blah.

So, don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small.

Read, do, read, do.

Good luck man

 

[Weaselcracker]

Why do you think that lightning schedule is important? Because you can't work around plants when it supposed to be dark and you cannot work in dark neither turn the light on, becasuse it would interrupt their night cycle (I heard you can use green light, which is not interrupting their night phase). Or is something else standing behind that and I'm not seeing?


Hi cufix. During the plants "night time" don't let any daylight in- not even a glimmer. BUT- Yes you can use a green light. I just don't like doing it. Part of the reason is just my situation - that to get into my flower room I have to go through the veg room. So unless it's at the time when they are both lit up (currently at between 8pm-8am) it's just not very good. Once in a while I have to go in there during the day for some reason. If it's before noon when the veg room light comes on it's little bit easier. Otherwise I have to flip the veg light off, which I hate to do, and bumble around in the flower room with my green light. I don't like it, I feels like I'm creeping around in a crowded room full of sleeping people. It's only an emergency thing for me