How much light is just enough for a mother plant?

[tonski]

Hi all,
can anyone advise me how much light is the minimum required for a mother plant to grow well? Can I keep it with my unrooted clones under 2x60W CFL or she needs more light? Thanks.

[daihashi]

I was wondering the same thing for my next grow.

I was thinking about 2 23 watt cfls' for each mother. To me this seems like enough lighting to maintain a mother. Assuming you are taking clones about once every 6-8 weeks.

However I've never kept a mother so I'll be anxiously awaiting for someone else to chime in. I need a definitive answer for myself as well.

[Weedhound]

I want an answer on this as well......I'm just starting my first clone mom......topped her today and so far I'm using 2 daylight cfl's myself. I read a couple things about people putting their moms under some much stronger light to get them ready for taking cuttings but don't really know anything about it. :cool:

[daihashi]

I want an answer on this as well......I'm just starting my first clone mom......topped her today and so far I'm using 2 daylight cfl's myself. I read a couple things about people putting their moms under some much stronger light to get them ready for taking cuttings but don't really know anything about it. :cool:

I personally will probably only take about 4-6 cuttings once every 6 weeks.

I think 2 cfls would be enough to make 4 clone worthy shoots in 6 weeks but hopefully we'll all get a definite answer here soon :thumbsup:

[tonski]

And maybe nobody is sure about it? So I will try to put some stoned logic :)
If I have 16 plants in my main box under 2 x 400W HID (~100 lumens per watt) that is 80K lumens or 5K lumens per plant. Fluorescent lamps produce 68 lumens per watt, so 2x60W CFL or 120W total will produce 8160 lumens.
Conclusion is that this 2x60W cfl will be more than enough, maybe even too much for the clones if you keep them at the same spot.
WOW I even amazed myself with this lol. I will give it a try.

[FlyGuyOU]

I heard that CFL's lose about half their lumonisity 6months into their life cycle. so that could pose a problem

[tonski]

I heard that CFL's lose about half their lumonisity 6months into their life cycle. so that could pose a problem

R U sure about this? Very interesting to know. And still - I found cfls 50W for 8 bucks and if they last 6 months its not such a waste if you look at them as consumables.

[Help_Needed]

I think it depends on how often you want to be able to take cuttings. If you take cuttings frequently, then the plant will need more light to support faster growth.

I've got two bonsai mothers under a single 32watt cfl. I don't need cuttings very often, so I basically treat them like house plants. I have to trim them back about once very 10 weeks or so to keep them as small as I want them.

[stinkyattic]

Mothers need significantly more light than rooting clones.
I keep my mothers in two groups:
One group lives under a pair of T12 shop lights, each with 2x 4 foot 40w cool white bulbs. I recently unplugged one of the fixtures because they were growing too fast. These mothers are meant to just chill out until I need them. If you intend to take clones once a month, this setup is enough light to keep up to 16 mothers in quart pots happy. Remember that they should be kept SHORT under flouros.
The other group are mothers that are being grown aggressively to give maximum cuttings in minimum time. They are also in fairly small pots, but spread across a 5x5 square of floor about 4' from a MH400 with a hortilux daylight blue bulb. It's amazing how fast they grow.
There are many ways to keep mothers. Just watch your mom, and keep adding light until she gives cloneable shoots as fast as you need them.

[FlyGuyOU]

R U sure about this? Very interesting to know. And still - I found cfls 50W for 8 bucks and if they last 6 months its not such a waste if you look at them as consumables.

Def not sure, idk if i believe it or not either....anyone know anything more???

[tonski]

Mothers need significantly more light than rooting clones...
Nice setup stinky, but I am kinda short of space :( What do you think about 2 moms under ~ 100W cfl in a small cabinet coated from the inside with alluminum foil? Will this be enough to produce 15 - 30 clones per 3 months. I read what you said about watching them and adding light, but what do you think?

[tonski]

Def not sure, idk if i believe it or not either....anyone know anything more???
I asked yesterday about the life of cfl and YES THEY DO LOOSE luninousity after 6 months. It is important NOT TO switch them on and off very often because this is what shortens their life, but if you use them on 24h for long periods its no problem.

[stinkyattic]

No tinfoil- use flat white paint or mylar.
You will need more light than that for clone production I think. A 24" T5 fixture over a pair of small moms trained to grow with a flat canopy would be a good choice, or add more CFLs to your cabinet.

[tonski]

OK. Now Ive got 2 x 55W + 3 x 27W cfls. I think this will do the work, plus I accommodated one chest that was for pillows and blankets :) in addition to the cabinet. So now I got 3 separate spaces - for the moms - the chest (2x55W+1x27W) for the clones the cabinet (2x27W) and the big grow&flowerbox(1x400WMH+1x400WHPS). Bloody arsenal :)