Help with lighting schedule (a bit of a crisis)

[SamHeinous]

Ok so I have a bit of a crisis on my hands. My A/C in the house went out, and the ambient temperature in the house is about 87 degrees during the day. Inside my grow cabinet, it's reaching upwards of 90 during the day, with the lights on. I live in New Mexico - current daytime temps down here are nearing 100+ outside.

I have four small babies in veg, and 3 that are about 2 weeks into the flowering stage. Currently, I have the lights on in there when the sun is up outside, and turning off at night. I wanted to be double sure the flowering plants weren't getting any light during the dark period, so I scheduled it to be off at night as an extra precaution.

But with the AC out.... can I switch those schedules? It's considerably cooler in the house at night - meaning the cabinet is much cooler as well. Will I screw up my plants if I try to switch the schedules, and then switch it back in a few days when the AC repairman does his thing? Or should I just do my best to keep them watered with cool water and hope for the best?

I'm not sure what to do, so I'm open to any suggestions you guys have.

[DW2]

Howdy SamHeinous, I do not think that it would be advisable to try to change the lighting schedule that much, but I have never tried to do it either. If possible go get a 'portable' A/C unit (WalMart has a 8000 BTU unit for around $240.00). The units hook up to a window to exhaust out the hot air. Other stores like Lowe's and Home Depot carry them as well. You could also place some ice bottles in front of the air circulation fan(s) in the grow space to help cool down the air.
Good luck with the A/C, I know the problem, here we are supposed to have the next week to ten days of 100° to 102° F!

[Redwasp]

During the veg stage mine doubled in size when they had to go from 73 degrees to 97 degrees. In 2 days. Depends on strains though. I think your safe with the ones in the veg stage. They do triple what they drink though.

[Redwasp]

People always say that they need cool temps always. But they do just fine outside in mexico, India, south America etc etc where it never drops below 80.


Editors comment lmao "let the arguments start!"

[SamHeinous]

So, that was kind of my thought too. I know people grow outdoors here in New Mexico all the time. It's so hard to decide what's right when it comes to finding information online it seems. I've always seen "keep it between 70-85 degrees" but seriously, it gets to be 105+ out here in the summer, and people grow it outdoors at that temp so....

I'm hoping keeping the roots nice and damp will limp me through until Wednesday. They were pretty limp when I got home last night, but they were also due for watering, and were pretty dry. They were nice and perky this morning!

[Canuck147]

Yeah, I agree with DW2 - too much changing. You can switch it one way, but going back a few days later totally crazy - two switches would probably hermaphrodite the flowering plants.
If you do switch it once - best way not to upset your plants is 24 hours of darkness.
Myself - I would leave your cabinet door open and have an oscillating fan blowing air on them. Like DW2 said, put something cool or frozen in the blowing air. But my temps in my tent go up to 85 - 90 degrees and my girls love the tropical air, humidity is up there 60 + as I live near Pacific Northwest - 3 miles north of the US/Can border and the humidity rarely goes below 40.
Can you take your plants out of your cabinet and have a fan airing them?

[SamHeinous]

I could definitely take them out of there, or leave the doors open and leave a fan on them. It's difficult though, because my three dogs and the cats have a real hankering for my plants. I lost the very first one I ever grew before I had the cabinet built because one of the cats decided it would be delicious and stripped it bare, lol. I was not pleased.

I won't switch the lights. As much as I want to cool it down in there, I think it would be detrimental to do so too. I'll probably limp them through.

[DW2]

A friend of mine had to get rid (gave it away) of a cat. It developed a bad habit of digging the 'roaches' out of the ash trays and eating them! He would also come running into the room when He heard the sound of a Zippo lighter being lit, waiting for a 'shot gun' blown his way. lol

[Redwasp]

I wouldnt worry about 90 degrees.

[Campesino]

For veg it should be fine. More of a prob for flowering girls. For both I would suggest lowering EC (dilute nutrient solution).
If you switch, I would extend darkness to 14 hours for 6 days. Keeping lights on at 12 hours. This will be much less stressful than 24 hours dark at once.

[VtGrower]

I feel your pain but usually when I loose power my plants get too cold! Never a heat issue in Vermont. If you cannot get the a.c. back on line I would say 24 hrs darkness then do the switch as suggested. Things are only going to get hotter as summer progresses. Wish you the best.

[Redwasp]

I had a grow in my basement and had issues beyond my control. Plants frequently hit low 40 degree range for weeks at a time. Hit 36 at the lowest (almost 0 Celsius for non americans.) They took weeks longer but came out stronger than their warmer siblings from upstairs.

[Chefbjy]

I know supplementing co2 you can flower in very high temps. Your veg plants will be fine. Hope you figure it out.