Gradual light change rather than abrupt 12/12?

Is there any benefit to doing a gradual change from 18/6 to 12/12? I have been wondering about these things lately. It seems like if you wanted to imitate nature a graded light switch would be more natural and possibly stress the plant less. Also maybe it would elongate flowering sites before flower set lending to larger buds overall? I know it would probably set harvest back but I wonder bout the overall potency and yield differences.

Has anyone tried this?

I was thinking about how a photoresistor mounted outside controlling an array of indoor lights would work. It would follow the natural seasonal day length change. Do you think there would there be any advantage to this sort of experiment or has anyone done any?

I think if you did a gradual change it would add a few weeks to the flowering stage.

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Originally Posted by killerweed420

I think if you did a gradual change it would add a few weeks to the flowering stage.

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I agree. It seems the plant might stretch more too. I could be wrong.

I was just standing outside thinking about this very thing. My next round which will be introduced into flower will be in 6 weeks or so, I just cloned. I run my veg 24/0. The next time I will cut back and slowly introduce 12/12 in about a week, counting that week as the last week of veg, not the first week of flower, which you can only do when they have 12+ hours of night. I will cut 1.5 hours a day until the last cycle on day seven which they will be on 13.5/10.5, then darkness for about 24 hours and on to 12/12. I think it will be less stressful and maby help the hormones in the plant to switch over to flower as it will sense the diminishing days, I think... And if that is true, then I should get flowers earilier and less of a stretch. Seems almost more natural to spread it out longer, but I know I would lose some growth due to increased night hours, but it could be possible that your babies might thank you for the ease into flower with a larger yeild??? Looks like I'll do a grow log and compare my notes.

I would like to see the results.

they'll be in the tray for another week, then on to veg for 3-4 weeks. i'll run 24/0 to start, once they get about 12"-16" i'll start the cycle and post before and after pics. 6-4 to 6-11 when i should do the gradual switch... stay tuned for all those interested.

I know somebody who did experiment with this a little bit, and I paid attention because free knowledge is never a bad thing.

He took 2 groups (G1 and G2) of identical clones. They rooted them in a bubbler, 24 hour lights on with some weeny CFL's, then when they rooted (all of the strong ones within a couple days of each other), he transplanted them to FF soil.

G1 received 18/6 for 3 weeks, then switched to 12/12 on week 4
G2 received, 18/6 for week1, 16/8 for week 2, 14/10 week 3, then 12/12 on week 4.

There was no obvious difference in each group. G2's slightly changing cycle did not trigger earlier vigorous bloom growth.

He is running 2 1000w lights, contained, about a meter from the plant tops, SOG.

Now, I think to get a more accurate understanding of whether a slowly changing light cycle or a sudden change is better to trigger vigorous growth, you'd have to stretch the veg cycle out much longer, maybe even upwards of 2 months!

But, what is cool about his experiment, is that we both learned that you can save a bit of electricity by slowly cutting back on light usage with no obvious negative side-effects (if you're doing a 1 month veg or less, can't speak for anything longer than that).

So if nothing else, you get an extra ten bucks to go to the movies or something each month.

I actually prefer a 24hr dark period before the lights come on at 12/12. Seems to give the plants a strong hint.

-C

1 week

It is not neccassary to mimic nature exactly ... it would add months to the veg/flower times

Move the pins on your auto timers about an hour a day for a week to transition from veg to flower.

It eases the transition and wont set you back time wise ... and technicly it gives you another week to feed it flower bud booster ferts. its a win win

I go straight from 18/6 to 12/12. I have no problem with mimicking nature, but I'll be damned if I'm going to have an anal schedule that requires me to remove 3 minutes a day from day length, and takes 6 months to flower.

I'm not at all convinced that 24 hours of darkness is going to do anything except lose photosynthesis for a day. (sorry FC-C) Mature plants (ones with pre flowers) catch on real quick once you change the lighting, nutrients and schedule. Immature plants will decide when they are ready to actually start flowering. I've put immature plants in flower, and waited 2-3 weeks before they'd even show calyxs and pistils.

Keep it simple. (it's easier that way) :jointsmile: