How dark is dark?

[curley wurley]

Curious, just started the flowering stage and was wondering about the 12 hours of darkness.
Is there any research on how dark it has to be?
Obvious you don't want any direct light but how about indirect light?
Or how about those green night lights you plug into the wall?

 

[Backlipslide]

Hey welcome, just think about it this way, plants that are grown outside always have the moon shining bright at it all night so obviously you want it dark as you can but outside plants always have light to deal with at night

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Big difference with ambient outdoor light, a plant has grown up with for months

Vs

Stray indoor lights that are not a constant in their life

Dark means dark, 100%, but yer call ultimately

 

[Backlipslide]

Big difference with ambient outdoor light, a plant has grown up with for months

Vs

Stray indoor lights that are not a constant in their life

Dark means dark, 100%, but yer call ultimately

Your absolutely right

 

[Scottsquatch]

Ok, here is my only question about that. Up here in rural northern MN, the full moon is insanely bright. You can sometimes even read by it. I shit you not. Would that make a plant hermie?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Like I said... outdoor plants grow up everyday and night with the natural changing light, moon etc.

They are used to it

Now say you leave the patio light on for 3 weeks and yer plant is right there... probably hose it up

Make sense....

Controlled vs natural

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Ok, here is my only question about that. Up here in rural northern MN, the full moon is insanely bright. You can sometimes even read by it. I shit you not. Would that make a plant hermie?

I'm at 3700 feet in MT and grow outdoor without problem. You can get a moon burn here.

 

[Scottsquatch]

Ok so in theory only, say their was a faint ambient glow from whatever source, but it was constant from the time a plant was a seedling. Would a plant be ok with that because it had always been a constant? If so that's crazy. This has really got me fascinated.

 

[Emilya Green]

The key is knowing the inverse square law. Knowing that the measurable light energy will halve every time you double the distance, even a small indicator light inside a tent 2' from a plant can really annoy that plant, where I have seen people not even concerned with blocking lights in a basement grow that emanate from across the room. Again, the moon example comes into play. A faint glow from up close is bad, one from across the room or one blocked from direct rays will oftentimes not be noticed.

 

[Scottsquatch]

Interesting. That's kind of what I was thinking, but in speculation only. I dont know anything about the topic except that it is intriguing to me.

 

[BeanTownFan420]

Curious, just started the flowering stage and was wondering about the 12 hours of darkness.
Is there any research on how dark it has to be?
Obvious you don't want any direct light but how about indirect light?
Or how about those green night lights you plug into the wall?

Any light stronger than full moon light will prevent proper flowering of cannabis that are photos.

 

[Scottsquatch]

Curley, sorry to have hijacked your thread. It's just that it's an interesting topic. When I get interested, I get chatty. Lol

 

[Virgin Ground]

Direct sun is 32,000 lux. Full moon is only 0.3 lux.
If your light is over 0.3 lux it is to bright for them.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I have zero light in the room my plants are growing in but I have to keep the door to that room cracked at least 4 to 5" so that I can control my humidity.
The other room gets morning light even though I have thick dark curtains over the windows a lot of light still gets through in the morning.
My lights out is from 9pm to 9am, from about 6:30am they start getting that morning glow coming through that 5" crack in the door.
That's never bothered them at all.

The biggest trigger for hermaphroditing a plant is stress.
Like defoliating the hell out of them, extreme heat, extreme under watering.
Basically about anything that puts stress on the plant.

 

[jimbobdaz]

Interesting thread... ref the green lights, i have a green led just for when the lights are off and i need to do something in the room. It hasn't effected the plants at all and I've used it a fair bit, just make sure its a true green spectrum and not a painted bulb

 

[curley wurley]

I'm assuming it's a direct light or penetrating light (light bouncing off the plant) that would be an issue.
A crack of light off to the side of the room or a green night light might be okay?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

What's yer reasons?

Do you not have the ability to keep it completely dark?

What is yer challenge

 

[curley wurley]

I've got a bit of a circus going on.
I started 2 plants 10 weeks ago and then I was gifted 2 clones 4 weeks ago.
Space is limited, so I'm flowering and vegging in the same room.
The flowering plants are in a tent and veggers are against the wall under light.
Then depending on the weather, I stick them both outside for the day.
Plus my work schedule is different everyday so it's a challenge for a 12/12 regiment.
Wife is helping out but she thinks I'm crazy.

 

[Backlipslide]

Do you have light timers for your separate grow areas?

You can buy some blackout (not cardboard, close to to cardboard material) at dollarama that comes in 30” inch by 24” sheets. You should buy some of those and build your self a bit of a wall separating them from each other. Will it help? It might? Up to you to figure out a way my friend!!

 

[curley wurley]

When my schedule is whacked I've got timers going.
The wall idea is great...I'll work on that for sure.
Thanks...