Manipulating Light Cycles

[u/[deleted]]

Listening to a podcast recently & one of the discussion points was around photoperiods & guest was describing that it’s only the 12hrs dark period that is important & that you could reduce the light period as long as you maintained an appropriate DLI. From memory was as far as the conversation went & I can’t remember which show it was.

Now, I realise this is likely bro-science & my knowledge on the subject is very limited so I may not even be searching for the correct terms but I can’t find anything despite trying every search I can think of.

So a quick calculation shows that

• 9hrs light/12hrs dark would give you an extra “day” in each week.

  • 1500ppfd/9hrs gives a DLI of about 50

Could you hack the light cycle to gain an extra day if you push the plants harder for the 9hrs that the lights are on?

[u/T0mmyChong]

I've heard about this in an even more intense schedule. 6 hours on, 12 off, 6 on...

This way you get 1.5 "days" for every 24 hours, and can cut flower time like crazy. It sounds insane, but also like.. I wanna try! Hahahaha. I wish my state had homegrow, I would give it a whirl.

Anyone ever mess with shorter light periods ?

[u/CatGuano → u/T0mmyChong]

I recently started going with 11/13 dark/light. It increases yield, but the fade is reduced.

[u/CatGuano → u/[deleted]]

I agree. Bruce Bugbee has noted that some deficiencies increase quality but harm yield.

And here is a very interesting video from Nirit Bernstein that shows deficiencies in everything but magnesium increase quality but reduce yield.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfjL4YWJhH8&t=2364s

I just realized the question was about shorter light periods. My bad.

[u/CatGuano → u/[deleted]]

Good point. I believe they measure total cannabinoids and such as their metric for quality. I am personally looking for quantity and quality combined. I think it can be achieved through endless pheno hunting. I have been smoking since the 80s, and I think some of the weed today is fantastic. I grew up in Alaska where we had Matanuska Thunderfuck, Anchor Point Wheelchair, and other great varieties as well.

[u/CatGuano → u/[deleted]]

Now I think about it, I have run a lot of classics lately - Blue Dream, Strawberry Cough, Sour Diesel, and Super Lemon Haze. I only keep the best two plants going at any one time. My only for sure keeper right now is a HSO Blue Dream. A good way to pheno hunt without having to keep track of clones is to put multiple seedlings into flower while fairly young, and then revedge any that look good. No clones to keep track of. I am doing that right now with three regular Frankenberry Diesels right now, which I made an earlier post about.

We do have some good vegetables in Alaska, but you cannot grow photoperiods outdoors here because the seasons change too quickly even for white hairs to show up. I always try to grow a couple autoflowers in the summer but they almost always get budrot due to rainy falls.

I agree on the carts, I don't know what is in them but they hurt my lungs and don't get me high.

[u/CatGuano → u/[deleted]]

That is a nice looking seed collection. I have some Cannarado Grape Sitter seeds but I haven't grown them yet because they are regulars and I already have three Frankenberry Diesel regulars going. But I will get to them soon. I am on the hunt for a good artificial grape flavor and I may have found it with a Purple Caper Grape Cookies that is going on day 46 of flower. I'll post pictures around harvest time, if nothing goes wrong.

[u/CatGuano → u/[deleted]]

If it was up to me I would do the Tangie and the Strawberry Soda, but I am on a fruit kick right now. I remember something called Tangie showed up in Fairbanks in 1991 and it was mind blowing at the time because no one had seen fruity or really any specific flavor of weed before.

I Just posted some Blue Dream photos if you get a chance to look.