14 - 10 vs 12 - 12

[JCD]

Hi all, I wonder what would happen if I change my light cycle from 18 - 6 to 14 (light) - 10 (dark) in order to trigger flowering. This would allow me to start some auto while my indica will flower.

[9fingerleafs]

the Question is for how long. For a week or two they may be fine but once flower start forming those extra hours will probably affect shape and structure of the bud themselves, making them looser more airy and sparse. Another ugly side effect is a bunch of weird long leaves with few fingers or even a single one all around the buds. Some get so leafy that really mess up with the calyx to leaf ratio changing the taste and potency of the bud. Similar to a reveging plant.

[9fingerleafs]

Also temperature is a big variable. If it cold enough maybe they don’t loose so much density. Hot enough maybe doesn’t get very leafy

[JC180]

I've also read that if the light is too much or too strong on a flowering plant you can get too much new growth at the tip of the bud. I was watching some trimming videos where they were complaining about that...

On the other hand though I've heard people will flower plants with a 14/10 for the entire flowering process hah..

If you're goal is to start the photo plant flowering and then keep it in flower while still having enough light for an auto in the same tent.. I think is your goals?

You'll probably have other issues over light times and that will be light distance from plant. Light distance from plant and intensity almost seem more important that the times, from my researching.

I'm only 90% through my first grow with my second crop starting in a separate tent, so pretty new myself. If you look at my grow post I'm having issues myself lol 😆

[JCD]

What I want to do is to get an indica to start flowering, which will take about 10 weeks, and during that time I want to start 2 auto, so that in 10 weeks or so I will harvest the Indica and the auto. But is seems bad for the Indica (that is a photo) this will put buds at risk.... So I will live with the Auto with 12 - 12 that is not ideal but...

[CaptainWiese91]

You can make fine autos with a 12/12 schedule. Not as fine as 20/4 or 24/0 but it will still be a good plant. I’m doing 2 autos right now in my feminized tent with 12/12. They look good and fine.

[SoOrbudgal]

Hey CaptainWiese91 me too. And JCD I'm doing autos and photos in same tent. What works best for my growing this way is to start autos first a month or so ahead of photo and veg that photo 18/6 with the autos. Here is a pic of my tent. below. I wanted the autos to be in flower 6wks prior to the flip but my photos got to big in veg. so i flipped 3 days ago. Theres 4 photos 2 autos.

[SoOrbudgal]

[PeterMatanzas]

Some growers (ex., DJ Short) flower under 10/14.

[9fingerleafs]

No he means 14 hours of light. You talking about 14 hours of darknes

[Rwise]

What works on one strain may not work so well with another. All of my outdoor girls flowered at 14/10s last year, never reveged and I got 2 harvests from some of them, pick whats ripe and leave the rest until done. I have ran 13/11s on some as well.

[lalaland]

I know that other growers have had autos do just fine on shorter light schedules. My experience wasn’t the same. I started a few autos in my blooming room at 12/12 for about a month before increasing their light to 18/6. It totally messed them up in every way 9fingerleafs mentioned. Attached is pics of the 2 weirdest ones, which got used for hash. I’ve grown out the same strain beautifully since on 18/6 so I don’t feel I can blame the genetics.
The first and 3rd pic are the same plant before trim and after.
( I only trimmed it because I just had to know what exactly was under that massive hat of 1 finger leaves)
The middle pic is the queen mutant of the bunch, which grew calyx almost like a sheaf of wheat, with the odd little bunch of pistils here and there

[9fingerleafs]

Yes that sort of stuff. Frankistein buds

[lalaland]

Unbelievable how jacked up they were! In hindsight I should have just let them go. They were using up valuable space I didn’t have. I was just too fascinated by them to do it. Had to see how it turned out!😂