Basics
Light Cycles: What is Vegging, what is Vegetative, what are Buds, what are flowers?
What are light cycles and how do I use them? Captain Sunshine will answer the marijuana light cycle and how to grow marijuana. Further, Captain Sunshine will talk about why light cycles matter for indoor cannabis production. Learning the light schedules for indoor cannabis production is easy. As easy as the sun shines on the Earth growing marijuana indoors is the same.
Budding Light 101
Cannabis is commonly known as a short day plant or long light plant. In order to trigger hormones cannabis requires a long period of darkness. More so, a long period of darkness triggers hormones which stimulate the plant to transition from vegetative growth to flowering. Light receptor Phytochrome Red (PR) and Phytochrome Far Red (PFR) increase in the Earth’s light spectrum as we approach the autumn equinox. Phytochrome Red absorbs in a wavelength of 660 and 760 nanometers and Phytochrome Far Red absorbs light wavelengths of 760 and 800 nanometers. These two styles of increase in red wavelengths communicate to cannabis in order to trigger budding/ flowering.
Light Schedule One A Vegetative Cycle
Indoor Cannabis Light Schedule One is known as 24/7 twenty four seven. Therefore, the light(s) are on for 24 hours a day and 7 days of the week. The light schedule for the vegetative schedule will continue for however many weeks cannabis needs to mature to flower, to the appropriate height for transplant, and to your desire. Captain Sunshine and friends do not use this method for the vegging cycle or the vegetative cycle. Cannabis needs to sweat and like a person’s sleeps cannabis sleeps when the lights are off. When the lights are off cannabis will sweat or perspire whereby increasing humidity in the room and releases oxygen from the leaves. In conclusion, Captain Sunshine believes the 24/7 schedule is ok for sprouting seedlings, however, is not appropriate for the vegetative cycle or flowering cycle.
Light Schedule One B Vegetative Cycle
Indoor Cannabis Light Schedule One B is known as 18/6 eighteen six. Therefore, the light(s) are on for 18 hours a day and off for 6 hours a day. The light schedule for the vegetative schedule will continue for however many weeks cannabis needs to mature to flower, to the appropriate height for transplant, and to your desire. Captain Sunshine and friends garden and cultivate indoor cannabis using the Light Schedule One B Vegetative Cycle. In addition, the unit cost for production increases with an increase in light use. An increase in light use also increases heat. Therefore, the ultimate goal of the cannabis gardener is to use the least amount of light as appropriate for successful cultivation.
Light Schedule Two Budding Cycle, Flowering Cycle
Indoor Cannabis Light Schedule Two is the marijuana budding cycle or the marijuana flowering cycle. In order to successfully cultivate cannabis you will use the 12/12 twelve twelve light cycle. Therefore, the light(s) are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. The budding cycle or the flowering cycle imitate the amount of light that shines upon the Earth during winter. The female cannabis plant will bud or flower in the hopes of receiving pollen from a male. Hence, cannabis produces seeds with pollen. Removing male cannabis plants from the garden removes pollination of female cannabis. Successful removal of female fertilization creates “sensemilla/ sensimilla” which are seedless buds.
Furthermore, many indoor cannabis growers use the 12/12 grow cycle starting at 9:00 pm each evening till 9:00 am each morning. Gardeners often use this schedule to reduce heat in the grow room and to use less energy during peak electricity use hours. Captain sunshine and friends recommend finding a schedule that works for your personal life. If the grow schedule does not fit your lifestyle then tending to the garden becomes work rather than fun. More so, we recommend reducing your carbon footprint if available to your life style and grow during off peak hours with your local energy provider. If you have solar available use the best schedule for sunlight absorption. Captain Sunshine will have a solar garden often run from 7am to 7pm during the summer. In conclusion, we consider costs, carbon foot print, and creating a light schedule that works with our life style.
Cannabis Bud and Cannabis Flowering 101
Mother Nature and cannabis excluding ruderalis flower in late Summer and early Fall. Cannabis begins to bud or flower as we approach the autumn equinox. Many amateur marijuana growers do not understand the cycle of the Earth, the cycle of the Moon, and do not understand how plants and humanity are woven in a nexus of expansion and contraction. A matrix of birth and death, repetitive cycles, which are easy to observe, alter, recreate, and enhance. When daytime becomes shorter and night’s longer budding and flowering signals trigger with photoperiodism. Importantly, an increase in hours of darkness triggers cannabis because the autumn equinox approaches. The female cannabis plant transitions energy away from vegetative growth in order to bud or produce flowers. The buds/ flowers we enjoy develop in order to attract pollen and produce seeds. The sticky yummy deliciousness of our green mother mimics the ovulation and cycle of females. Alteration in the hours of darkness allows for control of the vegetative and budding cycles. When a cannabis gardener wants to have a mother to clone they will keep a plant in the vegetative phase and not enter into flowering. Likewise, gardeners also increase the flowering cycle using auto flower genetics, as well as, the Sea of Green method, or Screen of Green method.