Most efficient veg time or size before flip?

[lymp]

Have mode a voting poll, lets get voting!

I am trying to find out when its best to flip to 12/12 on photos. I have done a search and found many different answers which is confusing. Some of the answers I found are:

It is best to veg for 4 weeks
It is best to veg for 6 weeks
It is best to veg for 2 months
It is best to try and get the plant to reach the top of your tent/light, so flip at around half height of tent.
It is best to veg until 4-6 nodes
It is best to veg until alternate branching happens
It is best to veg until the plant shows early signs of sex



Which do you think is the most efficient middle ground before you start to get diminishing returns on time and light etc?

 

[KbCobra]

Re: most efficient veg time.size before flip?

Your plant can still up to triple in size when you switch to 12/12 so if your grow area size is a concern get a tape measure and ballpark. I don't have a set time, just until I think it's suffiant size

 

[Pigeons420]

Well if I may Lymp,

I think your question depends a lot on your needs. I veg and flip my plants at all different stages based on my situation.

A plant will grow to about twice its size during the flowering time.

I veg some plants for weeks. Sometimes as long as 9 to 15 weeks. That could be considered average or long. I know some folks here that veg some plants for months to train them to their desired height or size.

I like to train my girls so I can maximize yield. If I didn't train them I would veg them until they were about 12inches high then switch them to 12/12

Typically, when I train my girls I veg them until I have a solid 5-15 tops for buds to form. Then it's flip time.

I don't think you'll find a single answer for a specific time for veg. But keep things in mind like:

How big do you want them?
How much herb are you looking for?
How much room do you have to veg AND flower?

These questions will help you answer your questions. All the best my friend!

 

[lymp]

Your plant can still up to triple in size when you switch to 12/12 so if your grow area size is a concern get a tape measure and ballpark. I don't have a set time, just until I think it's suffiant size

thanks for reply, so you think top of tent is best? How do you judge a sufficient size

Well if I may Lymp,

I think your question depends a lot on your needs. I veg and flip my plants at all different stages based on my situation.

A plant will grow to about twice its size during the flowering time.

I veg some plants for weeks. Sometimes as long as 9 to 15 weeks. That could be considered average or long. I know some folks here that veg some plants for months to train them to their desired height or size.

I like to train my girls so I can maximize yield. If I didn't train them I would veg them until they were about 12inches high then switch them to 12/12

Typically, when I train my girls I veg them until I have a solid 5-15 tops for buds to form. Then it's flip time.

I don't think you'll find a single answer for a specific time for veg. But keep things in mind like:

How big do you want them?
How much herb are you looking for?
How much room do you have to veg AND flower?

These questions will help you answer your questions. All the best my friend!

yep exactly, maximizing yeild is what i'm sure most people are after just looking for the most efficient use of time really, so looking for a middle ground for instance if your choice was

get 1 ounce in 2 months
4 ounces in 4 months
4.5 ounces in 6 months

4 months topping and training would be most efficient middle ground of grow time.

I know there are many variables such as space, strain breed, wattage etc. I just find it interesting to compare peoples views and variations in methodology.

I'm sure experience growers go in with a plan and evolved methods.

 

[KbCobra]

Put your light at the highest you can in your tent. Measure FROM 2-24in (depending on lamp wattage) then measure to the floor. That is how much grow area you'll have. So a 1/3 of that space will be your desired height when you switch

 

[Pigeons420]

thanks for reply, so you think top of tent is best? How do you judge a sufficient size



yep exactly, maximizing yeild is what i'm sure most people are after just looking for the most efficient use of time really, so looking for a middle ground for instance if your choice was

get 1 ounce in 2 months
4 ounces in 4 months
4.5 ounces in 6 months

4 months topping and training would be most efficient middle ground of grow time.

I know there are many variables such as space, strain breed, wattage etc. I just find it interesting to compare peoples views and variations in methodology.

I'm sure experience growers go in with a plan and evolved methods.

It's a beautiful thing to be able to compare and contrast with other people. That's the beautiful thing about this website!! Love this place!

 

[Emilya Green]

I find in my 4x4 bloom tent, the law of diminishing returns kicks in if I veg longer than 2 months because they get too tall, and at 9 plants, because they start running into each other and airflow becomes harder to accomplish between and through the plants. Vegging longer also adds electricity costs, reducing again the amount of return per time investment. Lastly, efficiency... if I take clones right before going to bloom, this gives my clones 2 months to be trained into the next round, so just matching what I do to the lifecycle of the plants, vegging 2 months and then blooming 2 months (approximately) does not waste any time... but while vegging longer, the bloom tent would go unused for a period of time between each round, again over time, diminishing my return.

 

[Rifleman]

Wise words from TheCapn.

How To: Bend and top your way to a 1 pound monster

 

[AKgramma]

I find in my 4x4 bloom tent, the law of diminishing returns kicks in if I veg longer than 2 months because they get too tall, and at 9 plants, because they start running into each other and airflow becomes harder to accomplish between and through the plants. Vegging longer also adds electricity costs, reducing again the amount of return per time investment. Lastly, efficiency... if I take clones right before going to bloom, this gives my clones 2 months to be trained into the next round, so just matching what I do to the lifecycle of the plants, vegging 2 months and then blooming 2 months (approximately) does not waste any time... but while vegging longer, the bloom tent would go unused for a period of time between each round, again over time, diminishing my return.

OMG! You get 9 plants in a 4x4 space? I just put ONE of my ladies to flower in a 2 x 4 (1/2 of the closet) and I barely had room to slide the door shut! With the other lady already in there, I have just enough room for the 6" desk fan, and that's it! Both ladies are approx 30" tall, having been topped twice and tied down while in veg. Yes, they do overlap, but were well thinned before going to flower, so am able to move branches around a bit.

 

[Emilya Green]

OMG! You get 9 plants in a 4x4 space? I just put ONE of my ladies to flower in a 2 x 4 (1/2 of the closet) and I barely had room to slide the door shut! With the other lady already in there, I have just enough room for the 6" desk fan, and that's it! Both ladies are approx 30" tall, having been topped twice and tied down while in veg. Yes, they do overlap, but were well thinned before going to flower, so am able to move branches around a bit.

Last year I ran a perpetual in there and at one time had 16 plants going, of course in smaller containers though. Again, the law of diminishing returns kicked in and proved to me that with the smaller containers and the overcrowding of the plants, output did in fact go down over what I could do with more reasonable numbers. 9 plants is just about right for my lights and fans and I can spread them out in 3 rows of 3 pretty reasonably. My big Raptor hood can handle the footprint, and my airflow is such that all the plants are moving and air is definitely able to move around in the tent. 9 plants is just about perfect to get 2-3 oz per plant and maybe more this time under the 1260w lights. I also have a 2x4 tent, and there is no way this could happen in there... maybe 3 plants this size, max.

 

[OlderGrower]

thanks for reply, so you think top of tent is best? How do you judge a sufficient size



yep exactly, maximizing yeild is what i'm sure most people are after just looking for the most efficient use of time really, so looking for a middle ground for instance if your choice was

get 1 ounce in 2 months
4 ounces in 4 months
4.5 ounces in 6 months

4 months topping and training would be most efficient middle ground of grow time.

I know there are many variables such as space, strain breed, wattage etc. I just find it interesting to compare peoples views and variations in methodology.

I'm sure experience growers go in with a plan and evolved methods.

I am the exception to your rule my friend. I could care less about yield. Until they change the pre-employment/random drug testing in America I am screwed for at least 7 more years. I am pretty sure I can grow enough in 7 years to get me through the 1st 4 months after retirement. That being said, even if I could medicate now, I still think I would put quality above yield any day, but hey thats my weird line of thinking. I veg for 3 months but I do not plan on having any down time, I am on week 4 in flower and grow #2 and grow #3 are already growing in my veg tent. Already planning grow #4 just need to narrow down to 3 strains that will fit the bill for that one. Though if I was strictly looking for yield above all else I think I would just load both tents full of autos and run my lights 21/3 and go to town. Which ever way you decide I hope it works out for you,
Sorry about not voting but there really was not the choice I would have chosen as an option

 

[Rifleman]

Some more words on veg length.


How vegetative growth time exponentially affects yield

 

[AKgramma]

Last year I ran a perpetual in there and at one time had 16 plants going, of course in smaller containers though. Again, the law of diminishing returns kicked in and proved to me that with the smaller containers and the overcrowding of the plants, output did in fact go down over what I could do with more reasonable numbers. 9 plants is just about right for my lights and fans and I can spread them out in 3 rows of 3 pretty reasonably. My big Raptor hood can handle the footprint, and my airflow is such that all the plants are moving and air is definitely able to move around in the tent. 9 plants is just about perfect to get 2-3 oz per plant and maybe more this time under the 1260w lights. I also have a 2x4 tent, and there is no way this could happen in there... maybe 3 plants this size, max.

With all the novel ideas you're tossing our way, I just HAD to go check out your Latest Grow Log. Then I subbed. It's the only way short of copying it all into Word I can access all your experiments! I already see some things that I might be able to use. I'm going to have to make room for a larger flower room, however. The closet just isn't going to work anymore, working with larger plants. (Limited to 6 by law)

 

[lymp]

I find in my 4x4 bloom tent, the law of diminishing returns kicks in if I veg longer than 2 months because they get too tall, and at 9 plants, because they start running into each other and airflow becomes harder to accomplish between and through the plants. Vegging longer also adds electricity costs, reducing again the amount of return per time investment. Lastly, efficiency... if I take clones right before going to bloom, this gives my clones 2 months to be trained into the next round, so just matching what I do to the lifecycle of the plants, vegging 2 months and then blooming 2 months (approximately) does not waste any time... but while vegging longer, the bloom tent would go unused for a period of time between each round, again over time, diminishing my return.

thanks! excellent reply, A great insight into your science and makes perfect sense, well thought out

Some more words on veg length.


How vegetative growth time exponentially affects yield

that covers a lot and the details are very thorough indeed, good find my friend, thank you. Gonna bookmark that one.

 

[Otot1029]

Quick question here! I love the article! I am currently at about week 6 of veg. Currently Manifolding the plant. I have just reached the point of new growth on all 8 of my new/topped mains. And they are all at the same height, should i send to flower now? Or should i let growth of all my mew tied down mains grow vertically for a few inches before flipping? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for all your info! I know this thread is old but im shooting in the dark here lol

 

[Jonathan420weed]

Most important is not how Long veg time but quality of environment and light coverage

 

[mikevolz]

Have mode a voting poll, lets get voting!

I am trying to find out when its best to flip to 12/12 on photos. I have done a search and found many different answers which is confusing. Some of the answers I found are:

It is best to veg for 4 weeks
It is best to veg for 6 weeks
It is best to veg for 2 months
It is best to try and get the plant to reach the top of your tent/light, so flip at around half height of tent.
It is best to veg until 4-6 nodes
It is best to veg until alternate branching happens
It is best to veg until the plant shows early signs of sex



Which do you think is the most efficient middle ground before you start to get diminishing returns on time and light etc?

Veg when half distance to your light