So what about the Moon?

[TOKABIGONE]

So in Nebula's tutorials and elsewhere we are cautioned about allowing absolutely no light for our plants during the 12 hour dark period. Not even so much as the small indicator light on power strips or devices. Does this apply only to indoor plants or to outdoor as well? What about moonlight? Or a streetlight? I'm very cautious about making sure my cabinet is light tight and never open it during 12 hours dark but how do outdoor plants deal with this? Obviously I'm not growing outdoors right now but plan to as soon as weather permits so I'm just curious. Comments please.

[Farmbuck]

I'm an indoor grower so I'm not the type of grower to give you a good explanation but I'm sure our indoor/outdoor growers would gladly give you some explanations. Oh by the way, wife said there is more birth during a full moon. What do I know eh ??

[ChadWestport]

I believe it is a matter of intensity and spectrum. There is currently a test going on right now with cannabis. Basically, answering the age old question of how much of a light leak (intensity, spectrum, duration, frequency) it takes to cause a plant to herm. you're absolutely right, the moon doesn't cause all outdoor cannabis plants to become a herm. But we also know that light leaks and a genetic that is prone to herm tendencies can be a recipe for trouble.

[crucialbunny]

I've always grown outdoors and none of those issues have affected my grows. I have a street light and an apartment building with many lights directly across the street and come October I usually have a respectable harvest. It's possible that the proximity of the light source may play a role.

[dphipps1020]

No issues here. Only herms I've had I'm pretty sure were from genetics.

[CaptainWiese91]

If you have a constant light in the 12 hours of darkness they will herm. But the moon isn’t there every night. If you have a light leak in the tent and every day the in the 12 hours of darkness I believe you have a chance for them going hermie.
the plant knows it’s the moon.
about street light - if you’re street light i the color of amber and reduced, nothing will happen as long it doesn’t get the light directly upon it.
the only thing that fucked my outdoor plants up was white light, from the big light from a soccer field for example. Mt experience

[dilvish]

Mine has some light leakage but the photos are doing fine. I think it MIGHT disrupt their cycle a bit but honestly i doubt even Nebula has been able to successfully prove that the tiniest light has an affect on the way they grow...then again who really knows for sure. I think the idea is to try to get the grow area as dark as possible, like it would be out in nature...no electric lights, just the moon and the stars...

[TOKABIGONE]

Thanks to those of you who have responded to my curious question! Especially ChadWestport whose comments on intensity, duration and frequency led me to my friend google where I found an article that he may have referred to in answering. Also several other articles regarding light leaks and their effect on flowering plants. There I learned about a hormone called Florigen produced by flowering plants during the dark cycle only. Without this hormone, plants will not produce buds. The article was written for Today's Gardener by Paul Woodall, who happens to be an Amazon associate and grower, and suggests that the 12 hours dark in the 12/12 cycle is actually a minimum of dark time for flowering plants to produce the hormone. In the case of light provided he says less is more at this stage.

Outdoors, increasing dark time in the fall starts the flowering stage in plants. Indoors we are told to switch to 12 on, 12 off, to start flowering and that's where we stay. Mr. Woodall says that plants can do well with as little as 6 hours on and 18 off which is just the reverse of the veg cycle. This is an extreme I am unwilling to subject my ladies to at this time as this is my first indoor grow and I can't take the risk as they are doing very well at almost 2 weeks into flower stage. Pics to follow. These are an 80% Indica strain called Critical Mass so are not a tall growing plant and my manifolding has made them even shorter. I am seriously considering starting an incremental decrease of light this weekend to 11 hours on, 13 off and then after 2 more weeks going to 10 on, 14 off to observe the effect. After 2 more weeks at the 6 week point, if things still look promising, I may go to 9 on, 15 off but that is as far as I'm willing to go on this grow. I believe this may mimic the natural shortening of daylight in the fall when plants bud. The downside could be that if this causes distress to my ladies, returning to a longer light cycle may well cause more stress which could mean revegging and/or herming. I'm wondering if any of you here have experimented with this idea in any way?

I will continue to post pics as this progresses....

[dilvish]

Paul Woodall recommends many lights that have no safety certifications...a real problem on Amazon. I did an investigation into their policies regarding electrical items and shockingly the policies that they have in place, for selling electrical items on the marketplace, are not reviewed or regularly enforced. Anyone can sell on Amazon because nobody checks their safety certification!!! Buyer beware.

[Rwise]

I have to disagree on 12 hours dark to flower, all of mine flowered last year at 14/10s, I think this is going to vary per strain.
If you do the short light cycles do report on it.

[ChadWestport]

That is awesome that you have gone down the rabbit hole. Always so much to learn, I love gardening Thanks for sharing what you've found. I know I will be using google too

[billyboy]

Moonlight is nice and red, like the HPS I switch to for the 12-12 after I run them under the MH 19-5 for the Veg.

[TOKABIGONE]

SoOrbudgal , yes it is interesting, and I'm a single old man whose needs are small. One small bowl a day gets me by just fine, lol! I just can't resist the adventure and challenge this presents, I do remember hearing long ago about folk doing this with pot and other crops too. Just don't remember the result so I have to try. If I get so much as a half a pound from this grow, If I get as much as a half pound from this, I'll be good till my next finishes. I'm confident there will be more than that even if this screws up some.

dilvish , I agree about Amazon even tho I do buy a lot from them including my lighting. Nor do I consider Woodall to be an expert. If I had never heard of this before, I don't think I would attempt it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as the saying goes. Maybe the Marine in me...NO FEAR, lol!

[TOKABIGONE]

So I made my decision to commit to a shorter light schedule. Last nite I took a half hour off both pm and am schedule so I'm now at 11 0n, 13 Off. Wish me luck, I'll be reporting on progress.