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Viewed from Centre of Eternity 615.552.5747
-+- The Merry Pranksters from Menlo Park -+-
10.1990.01.01.19
Marijuana Grower's Handbook - part 19 of 33
by pH Imbalance
"When to Plant"
from
Marijuana Grower's Handbook
[Indoor/Greenhouse Edition]
Ed Rosenthal
Marijuana growers using only artificial light can start at any time since
the grower determines the plant's environment and stimulates seasonal
variations by adjusting the light/darkness periods.
Gardeners using natural light either as a primary or secondary source
must take the seasons into account. They plant in the spring - from April
through June. These plants will be harvested between September and November
and no artificial light may be needed as long as there is plenty of direct
sunshine. Supplemental artificial light may help the plants to maturity in
the fall, when the sun's intensity declines and there are overcast days.
The angle of the sun's path changes over the season too. Areas may receive
indirect sun during part of the growing season. In overcast areas, and even
sunny places receiving direct sunlight, 4-6 hours of supplemental metal
halide light during the brightest part of the day is all that is needed
during September/October to help the buds mature. One lamp will cover about
100 square feet or an area 10 by 10 feet.
Growers using natural light are not restricted to one season. It is
feasible to grow 3 or 4 crops a year using supplemental light. In early
October, before the plants are harvested, seeds are started in a seperate
area. Since little room is needed for the first few weeks, they can be
germinated on a shelf. In addition to natural light, the plants should get
a minimum of 6 hours of artificial light per day at the rate of about 10
watts per square foot.
For fastest growth, the plants should receive 24 hours of light a day.
Seedlings may receive light only during normal day light hours except that
they require an interruption of the night cycle so they do not go into the
flowering stage prematurely. If metal halide lamps are being used, a
seperate light system should be installed with incandescent or fluorescent
lights on a timer so that the seedlings do not have a long period of
uninterrupted darkness. One 60 watt incandescent bulb or one 22 watt
fluorescent tube is used per square yard (3 by 3 feet). The bulbs can be
flashed on for a few minutes using a multi-cycle timer during the middle of
the dark period. Gardeners with large spaces sometimes stagger the timing
of the night lights.
Incandescent bulbs are not very effecient, but they provide enough light
to prevent flowering, they are easy and inexpensive to set up and maintain,
and they light up almost immediately. In addition, they emit a high
percentage of red light, which is part of the spectrum used by plants to
regulate photoperiod responses.. Metal halides require about 10 minutes to
attain full brightness. Metal halide ballasts wear out faster when they are
turned on and off a lot, so it is cheaper to flash incandescents.
In late December, the incandescents are turned off so that they no longer
interrupt the night cycle. Within a week or two the plants will begin to
flower. They will be ready to harvest in 6 or 8 weeks.
At the same time that the incandescents are turned off the winter crop,
seeds are started for the spring crop. They are kept on the interrupted
night regimen until late winter, around March 1-10. The plants will begin
to flower and be ready in late May and early June. The spring crop should
be planted with short season plants so that they do not revert back to
vegetative growth as the days get longer. Long season varieties are more
likely to revert.
After the flowers are formed, the spring crop plants will revert back to
vegetative growth. New leaves will appear and the plant will show renewed
vigor. The plant can be harvested again in the fall, or new seds can be
germinated for the fall crop.
One grower reported that he makes full use of his greenhouse. He starts
his plants indoors in late November and starts the flowering cycle in the
beginning of Februaru. The plants are ripe by the end of April, then he
lets the plants go back into vegetative growth for a month and a half. Then
he starts to shade them again and harvests in late August. Next he puts out
new, month-old, foot-high plants. He lets them grow under natural light,
but breaks the darkness cycle using incandescent lights. In mid-September
he shuts the lights off, and the plants mature in early November.