Using lights at night to speed up flowering

lisap

New Member
I need to get my plants done by the end of Sept. They haven't started flowering yet, so I'm now looking for a way to speed things up. I have a shed I could put them (2 plants in pots) in at night with lighting, but I don't want to spend a bunch on lights. Does anyone know if this would work, and what inexpensive lighting should I use? Thanks
 
I need to get my plants done by the end of Sept. They haven't started flowering yet, so I'm now looking for a way to speed things up. I have a shed I could put them (2 plants in pots) in at night with lighting, but I don't want to spend a bunch on lights. Does anyone know if this would work, and what inexpensive lighting should I use? Thanks


LED's tent to slightly decrease the flowering time over HID but only by about a week at max... and if you are running a hydro system, then usually they will finish quicker than soil buds, but the plants will finish when they are ready so other than LED and Hydro there isn't much to be done.

Even with LED's and Hydro, you still are looking at a minimum of around 60 days from the start of flowering to get the plants/buds mature, so I would highly suggest you flip them to a flowering schedule ASAP, as in tonight if you havent already.

Also remember that you have about 5-7 days or more for drying too after you harvest.
 
I need to get my plants done by the end of Sept. They haven't started flowering yet, so I'm now looking for a way to speed things up. I have a shed I could put them (2 plants in pots) in at night with lighting, but I don't want to spend a bunch on lights. Does anyone know if this would work, and what inexpensive lighting should I use? Thanks



Unfortunatley they are outside plants. I have read that it's 8-11 weeks from bud to finish. I grew a different strain a year ago, and it was done by the end of Sept. I think I'm going to have change my travel plans.

I'm wondering if I can change them at this point to indoor grow.
 
The 8-11 weeks is dictated by genetics. "When" they start to flower is the length of daylight. You can bring them in your shed at night, but you definitely don't want to add light. Bring them in at 8pm and back out in the morning at 9. Keep it dark in there and they should start flowering. In another month, you can probably just leave them out depending on your latitude.
 
The 8-11 weeks is dictated by genetics. "When" they start to flower is the length of daylight. You can bring them in your shed at night, but you definitely don't want to add light. Bring them in at 8pm and back out in the morning at 9. Keep it dark in there and they should start flowering. In another month, you can probably just leave them out depending on your latitude.


Thanks so much, I live inland in northern California. It's really hot here, all summer. I was going to ask if I should keep putting them in the dark once they're blooming. You said a month, but if I continue with it, will it help to speed it along? It's no trouble to move them, they're on a convertable hand truck. I move them into the sun all day as the shade moves in.
The plants are Blueberry, I got the seeds from the Netherlands. My last plant was Pineapple Punch, it was so easy! I got a pound from it knowing nothing, and just feeding Tiger Bloom and picking off the worms daily.
I was unable to find more seeds for it though. I don't know what to expect from these Bluberries. If anyone knows of a source for Pineapple Punch seeds, I'd love to have it. I'm learning as I go, this is such a help.
 
Yeah it's gonna be almost impossible to get them done before they're ready
Hope things work out for ya and worst case maybe they're a lil immature but still worthy
Sorry I don't know magic tricks lol


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Ye need to mimic 12/12 bud :thumb:

I slight hassle tho but need too stick em in the shed at set time like 8pm then out in the morning at 8am etc or a suitable time scale that works for you.

A friend does this it works ! mainly to escape higher RH in the autumn months where we live to avoid bud rot issues.
 
Ye need to mimic 12/12 bud :thumb:

I slight hassle tho but need too stick em in the shed at set time like 8pm then out in the morning at 8am etc or a suitable time scale that works for you.

A friend does this it works ! mainly to escape higher RH in the autumn months where we live to avoid bud rot issues.

I put them in last night, hoping for the best. So I'm wondering if the time is off by 30 mins or so, will they notice? It may be difficult to get them in and out at exactly 12 hours. And should I do this for the rest of the grow? Bud rot isn't normaly an issue here. It's pretty dry.
 
I don't think 30 min or so will hurt a great deal... 12/12 is just a standard photo period time frame, i've heard some may begin to flower around 14 hours of day light.

Ye it will be a daily chore in till the end of flowering or when you expect to harvest.
 
You seem to know your stuff, I saw your post on PH meters, I just ordered one. I really need some advice on feeding. My last plant was in the ground, these ones are in pots with Fox Farm potting soil, can't recall the name off hand. I'm using Fox Farm Big Bloom and VF 11. I have no idea what I'm doing really. Anything you can recommend as far as feeding schedule and organic fertilizer, would be greatly appreciated. They're about 2 months old, give or take a week or two,(the seeds took forever to sprout). I am putting them in the dark every night, hoping to see some buds anytime now.
 
FF Big bloom is 0, 0.5, 0.7 NPK value that is very low ! the VF 11 is more of a strength & health boost with trace nutrients these nutrients will not totally support you in till harvest day.

You may need to get FF Tiger Bloom NPK 2, 8, 4 which would be more beneficial for flowering you can use the other nutrients as well with a main feed once week & perhaps back it up with a 2nd feed half rate mid week etc if you see any defs show up.



PH meter ah... scratch's meh head, Mmm soil PH probe might of seen some thing mentioned on the self buffering nature of soil ?
 
OK, I used Tiger Bloom last year, a big success. This year, I thought maybe Tiger Bloom isn't organic, so I switched to Big Bloom which is.
I'll get some Tiger Bloom today,, and hope for the best. 3 nights in the shed, no action yet. But they are covered from head to toe with new leaf clusters, I'm assuming buds will be next. I'm wondering if the PH is off and that's slowing them down..... Thanks again.
 
If no pre flowers are present at the mo it will take a couple of weeks on average for the plant to adjust to the change of light cycle which will induce flowering in matter of time.
 
If no pre flowers are present at the mo it will take a couple of weeks on average for the plant to adjust to the change of light cycle which will induce flowering in matter of time.

Great news, yesterday I was pretty sure there where pre flower buds, and today they all have the hairs coming out.:cheer:: So no doubt about it now. How long after this will the buds appear? I'm feeling positive.
 
Good news indeed & every think appears favourable :thumb:


Well those little pre flowers will multiply over the next few weeks & i may just say it will take about perhaps 3 to 4 weeks for early bud to form maybe longer if it is a sativa dominate strain by mid flowering ya have bud.

So ye it is a big question on what you have growing if you know the name of strain or dominate genetic's, just need to work that out ?

I mean like indica are general shorter flowering time when compared sativa then just to makes things tricky we have our hybrids which most strains are these days are but favour a stronger dominate genetic line over the other most of the times for various purpose's.
 
Well we're now starting to flower, but I don't know what kind of feeding schedule they should be on. I gave them a big dose of tiger bloom last week. Maybe too big, since one of the plants has some leaves that are discolored. I flushed it good a couple of times just in case, and I'm removing those leaves. They should be ready for more food soon I would imagine.
Also, one pot has a lower PH, right on 6, so I'm wondering if I should amend it with something. I know I can look it up, but I end up spending hours reading everyone's method and opinion, and end up totally confused. If you can just give me the short version I'd really appreciate. it. Onward and upward.
 
OK, I used Tiger Bloom last year, a big success. This year, I thought maybe Tiger Bloom isn't organic, so I switched to Big Bloom which is.

Just realize that Tiger Bloom and Big Bloom are two different products (as opposed to two different versions of the same product). It has been a few years since I've looked at their labels, so I might have it backwards... But, IIRC, Tiger Bloom is a flowering nutrient with a high PK ratio - and Big Bloom is a (mainly) micronutrient package with relatively little NPK which can be used throughout the grow. Or... something, lol. My point is, they are generally used for two different purposes.

BtW, as has been mentioned, having your lighting schedule 1/2 hour off is not that big of an issue - but being, err, consistently inconsistent with that schedule is what I would consider a stress to the plants. (IOW, 12 hours 30 minutes of darkness each "night" is no big deal.)

Also, you can reach your plants' harvest time quicker by going with even less light hours (technically, even more dark hours). This will decrease your yield, though (often, markedly so). But if your need for an early harvest is great...
 
I would just follow the listed amount of nutrients per measurement of water for flowering feed once a week should be ok for the time being & perhaps a 2nd feed mid week when you half way through flowering.

Normally i don't bother to much about removing discoloured leafs at first as if it is a defeciency problem which you are trying to monitor or sort it out helps to gauge how well you are doing as by spread of it etc or not progressing any further...



How are you testing the PH ?
 
The type is Blueberry, they're short plants. I just measured the Ph with the probe, and it's at 7 on all of them today. (I also have a clone I got from cutting the top off of one of them). It's just one plant that has the leaf discoloring problem. The only thing different in their treatment is the pot it's in. The food and soil is the same. The leaves turn almost a copper color, then yellow and dry up. It's only the fan leaves so far. All the small ones and the flowers look fine. I can't figure it out. I started using Cha Ching yesterday, and I'm following the Fox Farm feeding schedule. I could repot that one, but I don't think it would like that at this point. If I can get a picture I'll post it. Thanks
 
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