SOIL 24hours dark before 12/12 ?

[Sylvester]

Greetings growers! 🙂 About to put plants to 12/12 > They told me by stretching & showing it's time now. Oops!
Does anyone else give 24hours dark first to help boost flowering? I read it helps.
☆ Would it do them any harm to wait 28hours dark until the time I want to start @ 6pm Friday?
Only just changed to Flora food. They enjoy a foliar spray in the dark. Any comments welcome.

[MeEasy]

I've been hearing about that dark period before 12s but haven't heard anyone yelling it did anything but on the other side haven't heard anyone crying it hurt em either, I haven't tried it. Just a little info on foliar feeding during flower, it's risky to spray anything on buds especially as they get bigger. They tend to hold moisture which can cause mold, the only time i spray anything on my plants during flower is when I have to for a problem. I'll add an extra fan and shake off any excess moisture from the buds.

[9fingerleafs]

I’ve done it all kinds of ways. A long dark period signals it’s flowering time, most plants don’t even react well to it. Specially if you run more than 18 hours of light a day in veg. They just don’t need it. But some sativas react well specially when vegging 18/6. Most plant freak out and grow without pulling nutrients so The new growth it’s yellow and by the time lights go on those leaves don’t have chlorophyll to start making food. This delays growth for a couple of days but it’s not a big deal either. I guess try it yourself and see if it does anything different than a normal switch to flower.

[Sylvester]

Thanks for answer MeEasy ,🙂 my first post , I hope I'm doing this right so you will see reply.
No buds yet , just started showing pistils, yay! Excited!
Thanks for reminder about that , I wouldn't spray once buds come. They told me they like a lil spray on the leaves , only.🤗
I always make sure any water is shaken off, well before lights on, as that can burn too.
Now going to 12/12 will stop foliar feeding.. 🌻
In your opinion, would it do them any harm waiting 24hours , lights just went off now @15.15. I want light to start at 5 or 6pm.
Should I give a few extra hours light now? Or wait another day? Thanks for your help.

[MeEasy]

I'm old school and I hear all this funny stuff and unless it's pretty unanimous I won't even bother trying so I'm probably the worst person to ask. I even quit the end of grow flush with a taste test no one could pick the buds I didn't flush. Im growing organic now so that doesn't even apply to me anymore anyway

[Sylvester]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge 9fingerleafs 👍🏻
The more I learn the better from you all. They were on 18/6 & light is just off now.
Either I wait another day & give extra few hours light , or let them sleep for 24hours now. Decisions, decisions.. 🌻🙂

[Sylvester]

I consider myself 'old school' too MeEasy Good of you to help , this my first day & post anywhere.
That's good you growing organic, then no need for flushing. The taste is superior. Nice selection of plants you have.
My first grow in 20years ~ catching up on alot. Wish I had joined forum 2months ago, let the veg go a bit long.
I'm curious about the use of molasses ; is that something you feed your ladies when flowering?
If it makes plants happy & sweet I would try it. Is it too soon at start of flowers? Happy growing!

[MeEasy]

What are you feeding em now?
I apologize ahead of time if I take awhile to answer I just had surgery yesterday and I'm still fading in and out lol

[Sylvester]

No apologies necessary MeEasy , hope you healing well after surgery.
We probably on different time zones too !
Food >trying out the Canna Terra range for soil , now the Canna Flora & the Boost supplement only.
Also bought their PK13/14 to use for 1week in early flower.
The NPK on both seem low ratio, I'm impressed with growth so far.

[MeEasy]

I've heard alot of people using canna which normally means it's good but I haven't. Like I said I'm a creature of habit and I found fox farm saw it was made up in my old stomping grounds in Ca so I bought it and it did what I needed it to so I didn't change until going live. All I could really find in a quick search is this link to canna it says feeding schedule but most of what I saw was for coco and hydro but I'm sure if you dig a little you could find soil

https://www.cannagardening.com/search/node/Feeding%20schedule

[Sylvester]

Thanks MeEasy I will try not to worry about what you said about nobody using the Canna range.lol!
It was recommended & I researched a few before deciding.
Yes, that's the website - thanks for looking >Printed out a grow schedule for the soil/Terra range.
They seem a good company - excellent results will tell! 🤞 This is like a test run , will change next time if necessary.
☆ About molasses - it sounds like a logical sweet idea ; I'm guessing you don't use molasses in organic? If they like it for flowering I will buy some.
My previous grows now seem so simple compared to now with so much ideas to access! This is a handy forum - found it using the GWE site.
Hope your feeling better every day. 🙂

[MeEasy]

I said alot of people are using canna because I hear alot of them talking about it so it must be good stuff. Yes I still use molasses careful not to over do it and melt it in a little warm water then in your mix. Canna might have molasses in the boost 🤔 9fingers said it's top then it probably is he/she seems to be a pretty advanced grower

[9fingerleafs]

Thanks You meeasy. I'm a him, The reason not many people use it because its super expensive compared to american brands that are also top notch like botanicare or Advanced nutrients. The dutch are masters of the hydroponic technologies and practices.

[Sylvester]

Hi MeEasy , sorry, I took you wrongly thinking nobody had ever used Canna when you said 'but nobody has'.!lol
It's good to see 9fingerleaf come in with his comment. How lucky am I that you both have commented!🙂

☆ Thanks for answer my query about molasses , chances are Boost may have some in already.
I'd still like to try it on a few ; not sure to start it now , or wait until buds start to grow.
Would once weekly be enough ? I appreciate your help.
Even thought about collecting seaweed as plenty access - need to learn about that.
Hope the "fading in & out" has gone now & your recovering well. You made me think of that Street Spirit song by Radiohead , a great band.

[Sylvester]

That's good to see 9fingerleafs. Years ago I used another Dutch range , House something & it was great.
Canna price slightly more compared to some, should last me a while, there are many different supplements now.
Just bought the main foods - Terra for Veg & the Flora. 2 supplements - the Boost & Pk13/14. The range has another 3 or 4 extras I hope I won't need!
All are growing well, they seem happy. This is an exciting time going into 12/12. Thank you for taking an interest, it's great to talk to others.

[Sylvester]

Glad to say the extra 18 hours of dark didn't do them any harm MeEasy , 9fingerleafs , ADSL , & anyone else reading!
If anything it gave them a boost ! The stretch had already begun, but what alot of growth the first 2weeks.
Been on 12/12 for 16days now feeding CannaTerra Flora , Canna Boost supplement & about to begin the extra Canna PK 13/14 supplement as per their growing schedule , >for only a week.
Seems a short time for extra PK , a crucial week supposedly. The stems are budding nicely with many stars & sure I saw a hint of sparkle on a leaf today!
The pleasures of being a midnight gardener in Winter. 🙂

[ADSL]

Hi Sylvester, I never heard about those 24 hrs of darkness before flowering, I should try since you had nice results with it. I too am usin canna products because I read nice things about it but it's the coco range. Is it true that I should feed only half the ammount of nutes they recommend though? In their schedule it says that in early vegging the right EC value should be 0.7 to 1.1. That seems so high to me...
Thanks my man 👊

[Sylvester]

Cheers ADSL , my first question here was a little late. You have started at right time.👍🏻
Switching to 12/12, wanted "sun rise" when the veg time was stopping.
Nice input from people above ; I find it's worth reading answers to others questions in these forums as you find out things you hadn't thought of.
Gave extra 4hrs light last day of veg. until 10pm >then darkness until 6pm ' our new Sun rise' next day! >So 20hours dark, not 18.
~ Good to know your also using Canna range , but for Coco. I've only grown in soil so far (old school!)
I been following the Canna grow guide on their site, but I didn't feed the babies until 2weeks old, only water.
Half strength may be strong for 6day olds , but I don't know about a coco grow (no nutrients in?).
If that's what they recommend, I would go with just a touch less, just me! EC I haven't measured.