Pay attention that growing marijuana may be subject to special restrictions and regulation in your country or state. Please contact your attorney to obtain advice before cultivating cannabis.
Disclaimer
Pay attention that growing marijuana may be subject to special restrictions and regulation in your country or state. Please contact your attorney to obtain advice before cultivating cannabis.
Like any other plant, cannabis needs lighting. However, unlike many other plants, for marijuana light is a key aspect for successful future harvesting so you should choose the most suitable light possible for your plants.
Why Is Lighting So Important?
Plants’ life, and therefore the future harvest, is based on the process of photosynthesis (conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2)). It is impossible without the participation of light. It is believed that the amount of harvest depends on the amount of carbon dioxide converted inside of the plant. For these purposes, growers always need to experiment with light, temperature, and other factors that determine the growth of cannabis.
Besides, cannabis is a "photoperiod" plant. Simply put, the amount of light that a plant receives affects when it begins to bloom and, accordingly, it can be harvested. This is why grow lighting is a determining factor in the whole growing process. Therefore, this article is devoted to choosing the type of lighting, its quantity, so it will help you pick the right option for you.
How Much Lighting Does Cannabis Need?
The amount of light the plant needs depends on the stage of its cultivation. There are two of them: vegetative and flowering.
The vegetative stage is the period when the plant is actively growing and does not give buds. The basic principle of lighting at this stage is as follows: the more light your cannabis plant receives, the better its growth and future harvest. However, there may be too much light too in some cases. At this stage, the most common mode is 18/6 mode, ie a minimum of 18 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. If you want the cannabis plant to be taller and bigger, you should increase the regimen to 24 hours.
To move to the flowering stage, you need to increase the time the plant is in the dark. This requires at least 12 hours of darkness. As long as cannabis is exposed to light for 13 or more hours a day, it will be in a vegetative state. This rule applies to indoor as well as outdoor growing.
Speaking about how many grow lights do you need, it depends on how much weed you are going to grow and your budget. In most cases, you need one or two lights for 8-15 plants.
Different Types Of Lighting: Pros And Cons
While outdoors growers are using sunlight, indoors growers need to find out the best option for cannabis lighting. There are several different types of grow lights for cannabis growing.
Fluorescent Grow Lights.
This type of light is used both at home and for growing cannabis. Usually there are CFL grow lights (twisty-looking bulbs) and T5 grow lights (part of a panel).
The advantages of fluorescent lighting are that it is cheap and can be purchased almost anywhere. Also, it does not use much electricity, and therefore is economical to use. It can also be used in confined spaces close to plants so that they are almost impossible to damage plants as it doesn’t get hot.
The disadvantage of this type of light is that it should be used to grow a small amount of cannabis or low-growing cannabis. That is, you can only count on a small harvest (nearly 0.3 grams per watt).
So, fluorescent light is best suited for small home cannabis cultivation, is cheap, affordable, and good for beginners.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Grow Lights.
HID lamps are considered the most effective for growing cannabis. Compared to fluorescent lighting, you get a better ratio of yield and watts used. Another advantage of HIDs is that they are easy to use. You do not have to constantly adjust the light or change the distance to the plants. These lamps have a long lifespan - about 1 year, which is an advantage over other types of lights.
On the other hand, there are drawbacks. HID lamps produce a lot of heat, so it is important to have very good ventilation while using them. HID lamps should have about two feet of space above the canopy to avoid burning the plants. Also, even though the equipment will be quite cheap ($150 or more), your electricity bills will increase significantly, because these lamps are energy efficient.
All in all, they are reliable and consistent.
LED Grow Lights.
LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are becoming increasingly popular among growers. LEDs are used very often because they have several advantages over other types of light. First of all, they are more environmentally friendly because they consume much less electricity. Therefore, despite the relatively high cost of equipment compared to other types of lighting, the purchase of LED light will not affect the electricity bill. Another advantage includes the fact that they can be placed closer to the plants because they do not emit so much heat that can damage the plant. Full-spectrum LED lights can have 2 settings. The blue parameter will support the vegetative growth of hemp, and the red - flowering. Besides, LEDs almost always have built-in cooling, which dissipates heat and prevents damage to plants.
The disadvantage is that the yield is smaller compared to HID lighting. Also, the LED lamp is a non-budget option and also requires a high space for growth to ensure a sufficient distance between the lamp and the plant.
Cannabis Lighting Problems
The problem of excessive lighting of cannabis is common. This can cause the plants to burn out or bleach. Cannabis leaves lose their green color, which slows down the process of photosynthesis necessary for a plant’s life. This can be caused by excessive light intensity, incorrect light regime, placing the lamp too close to the plant, and so on.
How Can You Tell If Cannabis Is Getting Too Much Light?
Lucky for you, there are some clear signs of lighting problems. All you need is your own two eyes and some information. Here are your three visual hints:
- Yellow and brown leaves
- Bleaching of top leaves or buds
- Stunted growth
Look out for these signs, and you will not let the lighting issues catch you by surprise.
FAQ
Does Cannabis Need More Light During Flowering?
Even though some strains of cannabis are auto-flowering and not reliant on the cycle, most cannabis plants are photoperiodic. It means that, for flowering to begin, a 12/12 light cycle is required. Generally, during the flowering phase, abundant lighting is needed to support intense growth. If needed, supplemental light (from the top) can be given. Outdoors cannabis will flower naturally, on its own.
Does Cannabis Need Complete Darkness?
Cannabis plants need both the right amount of light and the right amount of darkness to thrive. Both house- and outdoor-grown cannabis plants need a balanced light-dark cycle to flourish while in the vegetative state.
Does More Light Mean More Yield Cannabis?
Research shows that the more light you give your plants, the higher the yield. So if you're looking to up your growing game, it might be worth experimenting with increasing the lighting for your little green friends.
In conclusion, lighting is an essential aspect of cultivating cannabis and can greatly affect the health and yield of your plants. Whether you're growing indoors or outdoors, it's essential to understand the different types of lighting, their effects on plants, and how to maintain the right amount of light and darkness to ensure optimal growth. The tips outlined in this article are a great way to help your cannabis plants thrive and produce a bountiful harvest. Remember to look on the bright side!
