Light schedules for starting indoors and moving outdoors

[morehawes]

I will soon be starting some plants indoors (photo period, from seed) which I will then move outdoors late May, when there will be 15-16 hours of daylight.

I was curious about how careful I need to be with the light schedule in order for a smooth transition (i.e. avoid early flowering/re-vegging). I was under the impression that as long as the light hours are kept above 12 that it would be OK, so I had considered vegging them for 18/6 (or 24/0) the whole time while indoors.

However I have been warned about trigger flowering prematurely when they go outside. I read that some people match the outdoor light schedule, so I thought I could start off 18/6 or 24/0, then transition down to match outdoors ready for transplant.

Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

[Bowhunterwoody]

I did it last year and it worked out great. I did 16/8 from the begining and moved outdoors in late May. Not as big but you still get two months of veg after moving outside. Did three plants in pots and over three lbs dried.

[Bowhunterwoody]

Also started early March.

[morehawes]

Sweet, thanks for sharing

[Bowhunterwoody]

July 14. End of veg.

[morehawes]

Woah! They look happy. What strain(s) and what sort of a yield did you get?

[Bowhunterwoody]

Not sure the strain. Gift from a friend. Definitely feminized photo. Popped six . All girls. Gave two away. Two in the ground. Two in pots. Lost one in the ground to deer. Ended up with three lbs cured. First grow. Learned everything here on this site. Love these people. Listen and learn.

[morehawes]

Great gift and good haul! :0)

[Cali]

morehawes go on you tube there is a grower by the name of Kaligrownbudz he is doing a grow along he starts his seeds indoors and takes them out in may. He gives light schedules that mimic the current outdoor sun basically just give it 18/6 or 16/8 should be fine.

[morehawes]

Looks good, thanks

[Bowhunterwoody]

Yea. They got huge by October. I just do it for fun. Don't indulge. Gave it all to friends. Wife got pissed I gave all our Mason jars for pickling away. They said it was unreal. Didn't know anything about milky tricromes or how to cure bud or even how to sex plants till I found this site. Now I'm addicted to reading here. Like I said before. These people are great.

[morehawes]

Lol about the mason jars.

[Bowhunterwoody]

I was a little afraid of 18/6. Going into flower in May then increasing daylight till June 21 with a chance of re-veg. 16/8 worked great for me.

[SoOrbudgal]

Are you all in the states? I maybe missed where you all are talking about when to place outdoors. Where I live can't do it unless you got a greenhouse of some sort to protect from spring rains/cold. But that idea about 16/8 sounds feasible thanks for the tip

[morehawes]

SoOrbudgal I'm in PNW Canada. I have a greenhouse and late May is usually when I move outdoors. This is my first year of having a proper indoor growing setup, so I want to use it to give my girls a good start... but I don't want to confuse them.

[Bowhunterwoody]

I'm in Connecticut. Kinda near the coast. Weather usually mellows out by mid May. I'll put the potted ones back under light if cold crappy weather is forcast.

[SoOrbudgal]

morehawes OK i'm doing the same as you I had not enough time last outdoor grow had to harvest early total bummer. I got heavy into cloning my plants so i'm going to get big ones going into a unheated grow tent outdoors but won't put them out there till late May. Hence the reason for doing indoor and having fresh bud don't hurt neither Good Luck to you all !

[SoOrbudgal]

BTW i'm in Oregon outlaw for 35yrs now legal for last 5? LOL ain't life grand

[Bowhunterwoody]

Recreational getting close here in CT. State wants the $. Probably this year.

[SoOrbudgal]

Don't they all and then mismanage it like we did to begin with, just legalize it for shits sake let folks grow a few plants for personal use.