Light setup options -- Tall plants and shorter plants.

[KarlJay]

I have about 1/2 my plants near 5' and about 1/2 are about 4'. I have 2 HPS 600W lights setup near the center area to spread out the light. [pics in my grow journal in my signature]

I had the taller ones in the center.

I just did a watering and moved the plants around. I moved the taller ones to the outside and the shorter ones to the center.

Then I moved the lights lower so that the shorter ones would have closer HPS light (about 18")

The issue is that the taller ones are not getting much light on the top 1' of the plant.

So, is having not much light on the very top going to matter much? They actually get great light at the rest of the plant, just not as much at the top.

Would I be better to move all the shorter ones to one side, the taller ones to the other side, then adjust the two lights over them?

I really don't want to raise 1/2 of them by 1', but I guess that would be the best option. It's just that I'm getting close to the time I'd put up the netting and they won't be movable after that.

BTW, they were/are growing fine before, I just wanted the shorter plants to get some close up HPS time.

These are older pics, but the lights are still the same mounting points, only lower and the plants have been moved.

 

[KarlJay]

The more I look at this, the more I think I need to move the short ones under 1 light and the tall ones under the other lights.

Although the taller ones are getting light at the top, I just don't think it's near enough.

 

[Hamster]

I try to make them the same, but i really did'nt see mutch difference when some were shorter, i think i read about an inch, thats not a hole lot...

 

[OG1969]

From what I have seen you will want the bigger plants on the outside and smaller ones on the isde so they get better light, if you reverse the process the outer or smaller plants will get less light so the smaller plants need to come to the inside of the circle so to speak and the taler to the outside and keep the light just aboce the taller outside girls so to give the smaller inner girls more light, but at the same time the taller ones wiil still get light. Peace OG.

 

[KarlJay]

Ok, I somewhat fixed it. I have the tall ones on one side and the short ones on the other side. I have one light about 12" lower than the other.

Part of the problem (what a great problem to have?) is that I have too many tall ones.

I think I need to move the lights again. What I really need to do is to take a PVC pipe and space it 1" off the ceiling. That way I can move the lights anywhere I want.

The other problem is that some of these plants are getting WIDE! Some have branches that stick WAY out there. They look like they'll really produce, but that does make the spacing a bit of an issue.

Given the quantity (25) of the upcoming plants, I'm really going to need yet another light. I think I'll end up with 3 600W lights, at least that'll give me some more options.

I'm pressed right now to find room to keep the 25 in good sized pots. I'm still in the 18oz cups and they are over 12" tall, so I really need to get the 2nd room setup.

 

[KarlJay]

From what I have seen you will want the bigger plants on the outside and smaller ones on the isde so they get better light, if you reverse the process the outer or smaller plants will get less light so the smaller plants need to come to the inside of the circle so to speak and the taler to the outside and keep the light just aboce the taller outside girls so to give the smaller inner girls more light, but at the same time the taller ones wiil still get light. Peace OG.

That's what I had setup when I had the 1 light. I think it worked well, but now with the 2nd light, I think the tall under 1, short under the other might be best.

 

[JJ Bones]

Would I be better to move all the shorter ones to one side, the taller ones to the other side, then adjust the two lights over them?

You got it.

 

[KarlJay]

Ok, the prior plan was not good.

This is the newer layout and I'll still move the lights apart more. The light height difference is about 1' so the shorter plants should be getting better light.

 

[mountaingoat]

Karl, Have you considered doing some defoliation? This can help getting light to all the plants plus if you are running out of space keep in mind you are smoking the buds not the leaves. Leaves can however be great for cooking, juicing and contain many great nutrients. They wont get you high but it will make you more healthy!

Looks great by the way!

 

[KarlJay]

I have defoliated before, but not during flowering. I'm getting mixed info on it. I'm just past the 21 day of flowering mark, some say that's the right time to do it.

Some say it puts more energy into the buds and gets more light to the lower areas. The lights do seem to get pretty low.

Others say every leaf contributes to the growth of the plant.

I really don't know which is best.

It might be that keeping the leaves and figuring out how to get the lights down low or on the side.

Someone suggested a partial defoliation, which might be best, I really just don't know.