In indoor cannabis cultivation, the degraded light/dark time (also called photoperiod) is very important. The first question to ask is that I am growing cannabis plants? This is because there are two types of cannabis plants: light-dependent plants and self-flowering plants. Cannabis levels that rely on light require reduced light time, while self-flowering tree species with any sun/dark time will automatically bloom after 25-30 days. Below we will explain how to set up two cannabis light/dark cycles.
Indoor cannabis glow time
How much light must I provide for light-dependent plants that grow indoors?
Photoperiod-dependent cannabis plants need 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness per day during the vegetative stage to simulate the long days of summer. This stage lasts about 25-35 days. During this period, MH or Agro lamps are suitable. To induce flowering, the light cycle should be switched to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness, mimicking autumn conditions. This shift will prompt the plants to start flowering approximately ten days later.
For the flowering stage, HPS or Agro lights are recommended. The key advantage of growing photoperiod-dependent cannabis indoors is the ability to control the light cycle artificially. This control allows for the optimization of plant height and the timing of the flowering phase by adjusting the light from 18 to 12 hours daily.
How much light do indoor automatic flowering plants need
Auto-flowering cannabis plants do not require a change in light hours between growth and flowering stages. These plants thrive on 18 to 20 hours of light per day throughout their lifecycle. For optimal growth and flowering, an 18-hour light and 6-hour dark cycle is recommended.
For auto-flowering plants, different types of lights can be used: MH or Agro lamps during the growth phase and HPS or Agro lamps during the flowering phase.
How to keep the light time stable in indoor cultivation
To maintain a consistent light cycle, it is essential to use either an analog or digital timer for controlling the lighting. Manual switching of lights can lead to significant issues for plants, including hermaphroditism, delayed growth, and potentially even death. Therefore, we strongly advise against manually operating the lights.
Timer
How does the light cycle behave during cannabis growth
In summer crops, because we cannot control the time of light, we are completely dependent on the cycle of natural light, which changes with the seasons. There are more and more days after the summer solstice. These days continue until the summer solstice in June. From that moment on, the days began to shorten again.
Therefore, we recommend growing cannabis in early spring, when the mild temperature rise allows the plant to germinate and grow for a few hours. Plants are usually wasted at the beginning of the flowering period in late summer, which is when they think the day begins to shorten and the night to extend.
At the same time, if we plant automatic flowering plants outdoors, we can start planting in spring, and if the latitude and climate permitting, we can even complete 3 cycles. This is because cannabis plants do not need to reduce flowering time. It is understandable that from mid-May to mid-August, the output of self-flowered hemp will reach the best effect, and the daylighting time will reach the maximum at this time.
Note: The above content is transferred from VANQ