When to lower light

HydroKid239

Well-Known Member
You are wrong. They will be superb colas! I'm using 580w actual draw of led in a 4ft x4ft tent. I have the lights that high so the colas stretch and it gives me a great even amount of light. They still have a fair bit stretching to do. Been growing with led for over 10 years pal. This ain't my 1st rodeo.
I didn't suggest you do anything different, but you been growing over 10+ years and your canopy is still uneven.. but you're talking to me about maximizing? I've been growing 9 months... You want to maximize... get an even canopy with good lighting. Didn't take me long to figure it out.
Hence why I am training my current plant the way I am.
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anexgrower

Well-Known Member
580W of efficient LED is definitely enough light for 4x4
I'm from the old school of get them as close as you can to the light without hurting them, with Auto's you are on a tight schedule to pump them with as many photons, fresh air and food as you can before they finish. Before LED's I had never heard of light bleaching, because infra red would kill the growth tip before bleaching it, even with cfl's, the infra red must have been causing more stretch than LED's do.
 

Fevs.

Well-Known Member
Took these photo's yesterday. There are 2 uk cheese clones and 2 tangerine dream clones. 3 ft tent. No extraction set up. Just leave the door and vents open with a clip on fan in there. Cobs are between 4 and 5 ft away. Do you think they are lacking in light?

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Even this tangie clone under a 250w 6500k halide and a 250w hps, I still make the plant stretch up to the light. I'm going to scrog her, so want a bit of stretch here too. This tent is set up to be a heater in the dark period for my four 4ft x 4ft tents.

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HydroKid239

Well-Known Member
That's what I was trying to tell you. Stop giving them too much light. Let them tops stretch up, or have growth which is too bushy later in the grow that then blocks the light and air getting through the plants. Raise them, if they stretch too much, lower them to your liking.

Try it, you'll never look back. People are so afraid to follow the advice of the minority :lol:

After the plant has finished growing up, then start worrying about led heights. Mine are always at the top, coz in flowering I want them there too.

I even use my carbon filter on the outside of the tent with my led grows, pushing the air through the filter, so I can have no restrictions height wise. I don't do this with my gavita 750's though, they have filters set up normally. Though the 750's do stay at the top the entire time too. So many people are so concerned about stacking the nodes too close, then get bud rot because of bad airflow etc. I like some stretch, gaps between buds, then defoliate at various stages in the grow so the light can get to all the buds. Years of growing has taught me to grow this way for ease, enjoyment and solid yields whilst having a great environment.
You are giving us your preference on how to grow.. you like stretch.. you like space and more air flow than actually needed. That's not necessarily what the next grower wants. If you have "Proper" air flow.. you don't have to worry about rot. You just have to worry about supporting branches from being heavy.. not because they are stretched and unstable.
Either way.. I'll take my colas like this all day over a 3ft stick with a nug every 4"
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anexgrower

Well-Known Member
I didn't suggest you do anything different, but you been growing over 10+ years and your canopy is still uneven.. but you're talking to me about maximizing? I've been growing 9 months... You want to maximize... get an even canopy with good lighting. Didn't take me long to figure it out.
Hence why I am training my current plant the way I am.
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That stalk reminds me of a Blueberry I grew from http://www.peakseedsbc.com/ the size of your thumb in a little over a week ;-)
 

Fevs.

Well-Known Member
I didn't suggest you do anything different, but you been growing over 10+ years and your canopy is still uneven.. but you're talking to me about maximizing? I've been growing 9 months... You want to maximize... get an even canopy with good lighting. Didn't take me long to figure it out.
Hence why I am training my current plant the way I am.
View attachment 4807721View attachment 4807722
:lol: I'm amused by your reply. Lots off effort that to grow that plant. For me supercropping is far better than tying the plant down. I'm not obsessive like you obviously. This plant canopy in below pic is pretty even to be fair though dude! Plus maximising. I maximise the area without obsessively caring about maximising the area. I just have 1 plant in each flowering area and grow it. I think once growers mature they realise it's just easier to supercrop the plants than tie them down. Unless you are mainlining because of lack of height doing that to each plant.. that would be a real ball ache. I used to do stuff like that all the time when I was a noob too.

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Fevs.

Well-Known Member
You are giving us your preference on how to grow.. you like stretch.. you like space and more air flow than actually needed. That's not necessarily what the next grower wants. If you have "Proper" air flow.. you don't have to worry about rot. You just have to worry about supporting branches from being heavy.. not because they are stretched and unstable.
Either way.. I'll take my colas like this all day over a 3ft stick with a nug every 4"
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Yes, I think it's good advice in the op's grow to let them stretch up. It will stop them being so squat. Like I have said if there is too much stretch you can lower the leds. You also get to find out where the sweet spot is in flowering.

Nice plant by the way.
 

Wattzzup

Well-Known Member
Yes, I think it's good advice in the op's grow to let them stretch up. It will stop them being so squat. Like I have said if there is too much stretch you can lower the leds. You also get to find out where the sweet spot is in flowering.

Nice plant by the way.
So I agree with you about light height. I think a lot of people run theirs closer than optimal. However, I also see the logic in what hydro is saying. If my “canopy” is 10-12 inches deep because that’s what is optimal for my light, then why would you want more spacing?
 

Fevs.

Well-Known Member
So I agree with you about light height. I think a lot of people run theirs closer than optimal. However, I also see the logic in what hydro is saying. If my “canopy” is 10-12 inches deep because that’s what is optimal for my light, then why would you want more spacing?
I understand that too and I used to grow like that. Many stunted autos over the years and even plants like the op's are now without growing anymore, they could produce 28-42 grams of squat bud.

I however see led growing slightly differently these days. I'd rather grow them taller, leave on more lower buds, then slightly defoliate. Maybe shoot for 18''-24'' canopy, then sometimes I stagger the harvest too. Take the colas, then feed the plant again for 2 or 3 days, then plain water for 7-10 days. The beauty of growing just 1 plant is when you defoliate you leave all the leaves on the outside alone. No plants growing into each other etc. So, because of this you can remove every fan leave pointing towards the centre of the plant. This then opens the whole inner plant up and greatly increases yield.
 

Herb potman

Well-Known Member
So I agree with you about light height. I think a lot of people run theirs closer than optimal. However, I also see the logic in what hydro is saying. If my “canopy” is 10-12 inches deep because that’s what is optimal for my light, then why would you want more spacing?
Hey whattzup
Can u lend me some advice. If u scroll up u will see my pics. When shud I lower light to flower power strength. I was told both lights at 100 power at 18 inch But pre flower by looks of it just started Any advice Wud be awesome I do like what hydro and fev saying but Iam a bit confused cuz there advices contradict
 

Wattzzup

Well-Known Member
I understand that too and I used to grow like that. Many stunted autos over the years and even plants like the op's are now without growing anymore, they could produce 28-42 grams of squat bud.

I however see led growing slightly differently these days. I'd rather grow them taller, leave on more lower buds, then slightly defoliate. Maybe shoot for 18''-24'' canopy, then sometimes I stagger the harvest too. Take the colas, then feed the plant again for 2 or 3 days, then plain water for 7-10 days. The beauty of growing just 1 plant is when you defoliate you leave all the leaves on the outside alone. No plants growing into each other etc. So, because of this you can remove every fan leave pointing towards the centre of the plant. This then opens the whole inner plant up and greatly increases yield.
You’re only growing one plant?
 

Wattzzup

Well-Known Member
Hey whattzup
Can u lend me some advice. If u scroll up u will see my pics. When shud I lower light to flower power strength. I was told both lights at 100 power at 18 inch But pre flower by looks of it just started Any advice Wud be awesome I do like what hydro and fev saying but Iam a bit confused cuz there advices contradict
I would keep the light as close as recommended for this grow. 100% and 18”. That being said that should be your goal. Work down to that number. If you’re at 18” and you’re in stretch you will have to move the light daily. So I like to leave it a little high and let it grow into it.
 

Fevs.

Well-Known Member
You’re only growing one plant?
In each flowering set up yes just 1 plant. I'm a real lazy grower. I set up a passive veg tent, grow them to a decent size, very cheaply, in 3 gallon coco perlite hempy buckets... These have a few weeks to go... Then just flip them when the other flowering plants finish. They go straight into 12/12 from this tent. The big led plant I'm growing is a lemon skunk, so mostly sativa. She will grow at least 4 times bigger than when she was flipped.

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Lemon skunk mother plant right. 2 that were transplanted into hempys last night, left. They are tangie clones. I have 1 uk cheese mother, 1 lemon skunk mother and 3 tangerine dream mothers in total at one time. Then just clone and start a new mother.

Here is the smaller veg tent. 200w passive air also, so just leave the door open.

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