Best Light Cycle for Flowering

The main part of growing cannabis is getting an excellent yield that brings smiles and benefits when it is an ideal opportunity to harvest. Growing cannabis can be very challenging for amateurs. The success of your yield often relies upon one very important factor: Lighting.

Lighting is imperative when you are growing your cannabis, regardless of whether indoors or outdoors. The light cycle you use for blooming cannabis is directly related to a harvest’s quality and overall yield. Indeed, it would be best if you had a proper light setup to grow your weed, and we have got you a guide on Best Light Cycle for Flowering.

There are two phases of cannabis growth where it is very imperative to screen your light cycles. These are: 

The vegetative stage 

The blooming stage

But before getting on it, let us revise the basics of lighting and why it is essential for you to check the lighting schedules.

What is a Light Cycle?

best light cycle for flowering stage

This term refers to the cycle of darkness and light which a plant receives during the growth stage. There are different techniques regarding light cycles, which affects the yield and flowering of the plant. 

Also, the light cycle is imperative for indoor and hydroponic growers with negligible access to the light cycle.

Like every living being, plants have a specific light cycle, which comprises specific lengths of darkness and light. Throughout the winter, the evergreen plants will go through long durations of darkness and a brief period of light. 

Be that as it may, as the spring season gets through, the number of hours the plant is exposed to light increases while the darkness decreases. Moreover, in summer, plants will, in

General experience more extended hours of light, with a brief period of darkness.

The favoured lighting schedule may be 24 hours of light for other plant species, which prevents flowering. The season is a significant factor to take into account when it comes to the flowering of plants. For example, rosemary plants may bloom in the spring but might deliver buds in fall or during early winter. 

Thus, discoursing the blooming process might require conditions that are somewhat similar to winter and summer, but not identical to that of the spring season. 

The light cycle is just one of the few elements that are essential for plant growth and flowering. Different elements are also are possibly the most important factors, like water and temperature.

An absence of water can make plants flower rashly, which applies to increased or decreased temperatures. In the event that a plant is inclined to bolting in hot conditions, you may require colder conditions to prevent the flowering process.

All things considered, if the plant does not get sufficient water for blooming and growth, it will move the available energy into reproduction. Now, the plant sees this as a looming drought, and reproduction is critical.

The Vegetative Stage Light Cycle 

flowering light schedule
Source: seedzlighting.com

This is the stage where your plants are growing. This stage is highly crucial to the success and strength of your cannabis plant. At this stage, the stems and leaves of the plants begin growing bigger and taller.

Notwithstanding, also, at this stage, the cannabis plant does not deliver any buds, and you should control the shape and size of your plant. That is the place where the cannabis light cycle comes in: the light for your plants can be controlled at this stage to yield better growth. The more light your cannabis plant gets, the better its growth and future yield.

At the point when your marijuana plants are in the vegetative stage, keep them under at least 18 hours of growing light (otherwise called 18/6). Yet, in case you are one of those growers that might want their plant to grow as large as possible, then keep them under 24 hour (24/0) indoor light.

Cannabis plants do not start creating flowers until they begin getting 12 hours of constant darkness. Else, they will continue thriving in the vegetative stage. However, as long as your cannabis plants are regularly getting around 13 hours of light (or more), you can keep your plants in this stage until the harvest.

The vegetative cycle can also be grouped into two significant classifications. They are: 

Indoor Vegetative Stage 

flowering light cycle

Now, you should take note of that the plants require different things for ideal growth. If you grow your weed plants indoors, you need to get a good grow room with all the necessary plant health resources. Furthermore, it is essential to note that a few plant varieties are potent and will probably create a high-quality yield.

Outdoor Vegetative Stage 

light cycle for weed

Usually, most growers would begin with growing their cannabis plants indoors under lights before moving them outside to grow under the sun. Most growers would typically begin either cutting clones or starting seeds during March or April and would keep them under 18 to 24 hours of consistent light before moving them outdoors in the early May or June.

Assuming you want to grow your marijuana plants outdoors, you will profit from keeping them inside until issues like winter or harsh climate pass away. Any change in the temperature or increased humidity will probably have an adverse effect on the yield. 

In any case, when these issues are resolved, the plants will grow in the vegetative stage outdoors from late spring to summer.

The Flowering Stage Light Cycle 

advanced flowering light cycle

For your plants to move from their vegetative stage to the flowering stage, they need to regularly be exposed to at least 12 hours of darkness to begin blossoming.

Here are some other essential things to know about flowering, both indoors and outdoors: 

Flowering Indoors

Most growers that cultivate plants indoors use the 12-hour light cycle once the plants come at the ideal size and shape level in the vegetative stage. 

Besides, the commonly used technique is to keep the plants indoors in the vegetative stage and use the 24/0 and 18/6 light cycles.

To grow cannabis indoors, you need to imitate the natural growth cycle. When you grow your cannabis outdoors, they begin to foster buds (blossoms) as the days get shorter, and they get at least 12 hours of complete darkness. To do this, simply change your light exposure from 18 to 24 hours of sunlight daily to 12 hours of light, followed by 12 hours of darkness for the cannabis life cycle.

Flowering Outdoors 

Considering that you need to grow plants outdoors, you have practically no power over a lot of things. Therefore, pick an appropriate growing area to get the best yield. Now, most plants should begin blooming naturally, which usually happens late in June, as the length of a day reduces. 

Be that as it may, the plants will continue to grow and creating flowers as the days pass. A lot of times, the plants will begin growing in size as they enter the blooming phase. It applies to both indoor and outdoor plants. You might want to ensure that the plant remains in total darkness to keep away from any light cycle that may negatively affect the plant’s growth.

Planning Your Light Cycles for Maximum Yield 

Are you hoping to grow your weed indoors or outdoors? It is imperative for you to understand the light cycles for cannabis seedlings so you can figure out the best light timetable for your harvest. If you can come back to a solid lighting plan, you will get maximum yield during harvest.

In case you are growing your cannabis plant indoors, and you do not have any issue with the room’s height or area, then, at that point, you might want your marijuana plants to stay under 24/0 or 18/6 light schedule during the vegetative phase. It should keep going for around 6 to 8 weeks. It genuinely will give you the best yield.

Then again, if you plan to cultivate your cannabis, your light cycle for flowering cannabis needs to be scheduled for 18/6 or 24/0. However, you will need to initially keep them indoors until all adverse conditions like frigid temperatures and snow have passed. 

And then, you can safely bring them out and let them grow and blossom naturally under the open air, depending on the sun’s usual schedule. 

From the second you have successfully passed the vegetative phase of your cannabis plants, get prepped for three to six months to get an abundant yield from your seedling efforts.

Does Light Pollution Have Any Impact On Flowering?

Light pollution is perhaps the biggest issue when you need to grow a lot of plants. Your grow room needs to be sealed appropriately to ensure the plants get an appropriate light and dark condition. Neglecting a proper light schedule can compromise the quality of your yield.

There are different natural hindrances to the natural growth of plants, like fog. Plants, for example, cannabis, can deal with this. Be that as it may, any conditions with no light pollution during this time will be adequate for some plant strains.

Any light that leaks into the growing area is probably going to stress the plants and compromise the growth cycle. This can even lead to stress on the female plant, which may make it bisexual. Resources, for example, street lights, can also affect the photoperiod of certain plants and hinder the blooming process.

Any light that leaks into the growing area will probably stress the plants and compromise the growth cycle. This can even lead to stress on the female plant, which may make it bisexual. Resources, for example, street lights, can also affect the photoperiod of certain plants and hinder the blooming process. Therefore, you can use a green bulb if you want to monitor the plants or the nursery’s dark cycle.

You also need to screen the grow tents and grow rooms regularly for tears and cracks. You can also cover the nursery to ensure that plants never experience any darkness during the night time schedule. Any hindrances to the light cycle of the plants could influence your whole harvest.

Flowering 12-12 for Indoor Growing 

The equal split of 12 hours of light and darkness usually occurs in places that are near the equator. The indoor growers need to use clocks and timers to understand this light and dark cycle. During the day, different light receptors are in balance, and these are fundamental for plant growth. 

During the dark period, the receptors change to adjust the lighting conditions. Any adjustment of the receptors prompts flowering. Most growers place their plants in the night for a day and a half prior to beginning the 12-12 ratio. Using this methodology gives the best plant health and growth.

That being said, regardless of whether you grow a plant strain using a seed got from the 12-12 cycle, it may require at least two weeks for you to get any buds. This is due to the photoperiod plant groups as yearly plants. However, cannabis can get by with just 8 hours of light each day.

Flower Cycles and Light Cycles 

As an indoor grower, you can also accelerate the flowering cycle of your selected plant by changing the amount of light you expose to the plant. Most growers consider the short light cycle technique, which gives plants a specific period of rest. 

Every hour that is deducted from the light cycle converts into a decrease in the floral cycle length. This, the plants can take during winters, and they need to finish the process quickly. The biggest challenge with this technique is a critical decrease in plant yield.

However, the extended light cycle technique reduces the light cycle length without compromising the bud’s weight. This way, the best long light cycle class is the 24 on 12 cycles. 

Using this technique will reduce the flowering cycle of cannabis plants by six days to seven days every month. Consequently, a plant that has a typical flower cycle of 60 days can get done with the process 14 days ahead of schedule. 

Likewise, a plant with a flowering cycle of 90 days can finish the interaction 21 days earlier. The tools needed to bring the long light cycle is termed programmable clock. It is a device that permits the grower to be preset on and off cycles throughout a particular cycle. It helps in delivering a top-notch yield.

There are different approaches with respect to this method, and each of the results is fantastic. Out of the 170 hours weekly stretch of the primary 12 to 12 light cycle, plants will experience a basic of 80 hours of light.

The extended 24 on 12 off period offers plants with more than 110 hours of light at regular intervals. At the point when processed in about a month, the plants get more than 510 hours of light, as compared to 350 hours of light. The 150-hour benefit along these lines implies the plant gets over six days added of growth time.

Lastly, let us also discuss the Photosynthesis and Respiration Process and how it is affected by your Light Cycle. 

Photosynthesis and Respiration

When plants are exposed to light, they perform photosynthesis. This process allows the plants to transform the light energy to deliver oxygen. The plants in this stage also go through respiration. 

Unlike the common belief, plants, like other aerobic organisms, experience respiration regularly. The cycle stops when they die.

During the dark cycle, plants rest and keep on breathing at a consistent rate and will not respire when you turn off the lights. 

The Calvin cycle, which is subject to light, does well to handle all the stored sunlight into carbohydrates. The roots also experience respiration, which makes it essential to growing the plants in a well-ventilated place. You can also use air pots to keep the plants in an oxygen-rich area.

Flowering is probably one of the most basic growth phases of any plant. Having the capacity to give the plant ideal resources for the flowering stage is pretty basic. To be specific, having a well-planned light cycle for your plant is very imperative. There are different sorts of light cycles, each with its own sets of benefits for plant development. You will also have to remember that various plants r in fly differently to different light cycles.

Besides light cycles, plants also require different sets of other resources to get an ideal growth. These different resources include darkness, temperature, ventilation, and a lot more. The light cycle is significant because it is the asset that controls fundamental processes like photosynthesis And respiration. Hence, take care of your plants like babies.

Leave a Comment