420 with CNW — How to Use Supplemental Lighting
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Posted On: 08/17/2021 5:57:34 PM
420 with CNW — How to Use Supplemental Lighting While Growing Cannabis Outdoors
Cannabis is an interesting crop to cultivate. The crop is part of a group of plants that use photoperiodism to determine their biological calendar, which means they rely on the length of days and nights to initiate physiological changes. Simply put, a certain number of daylight hours will induce a specific developmental stage, with most cannabis growers applying more than 18 hours of light every day to keep their plants in the vegetative stage and 12 hours of light to induce flowering.
When you mention supplementary lighting, most growers think of indoor grows that have no access to sunlight. However, did you know that you could also apply supplemental lights to an outdoor cannabis farm? Efficient use of outdoor lights can allow growers to take advantage of their real estate for larger yields without having to resort to greenhouses and blackout clothes. To understand how, let’s take a quick look at cannabis history.
Since cannabis has been illegal for decades, we don’t know a lot about it. This isn’t just restricted to its effects but regarding genetics as well. Most of the cannabis genetics currently on the market were bred for the states that first allowed cannabis cultivation. Including Colorado, Washington and Oregon, these Northern states have longer summer days that allow for a longer vegetative state (as much as seven weeks) and large yields. In Southern states with shorter summer days, these cannabis breeds with the same genetics would have a short vegetative stage (around one to two weeks), leading to stunted growth and smaller yields.
That’s where supplemental outdoor lights come in. If you are growing cannabis that is dependent on longer days to vegetate in a region with shorter days, say fourteen hours per day, you will have to trick the plants into thinking the days are longer. Called “night interruption,” this process involves shining low lighting to plants during the night to make the days longer, at least from the plants’ perspective. This can be done from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. using stadium lights or floodlights. Ensure you use several lights on multiple sides of your farm to ensure all the plants receive sufficient light. If any of them are shaded, they can still begin flowering.
Some farmers use string lights, which can be pricey when applied to an outdoor grow. LEDs will also work, and they are easier on the pocket. You may also want to look into different cannabis genetics to find the ones bred for your latitude. If you cannot find a variety that’s suited for your location, strategic use of night interruption could ensure your cannabis stays in the vegetative stage for longer and produces a large yield.
The cannabis sector is evolving quickly, and established companies such as Chalice Brands Ltd. (CSE: CHAL) (OTCQB: CHALF) are constantly on the hunt for new techniques that can give them an advantage in terms of superior yields and high-quality products.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Chalice Brands Ltd. (CSE: CHAL) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/CHALF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
Cannabis is an interesting crop to cultivate. The crop is part of a group of plants that use photoperiodism to determine their biological calendar, which means they rely on the length of days and nights to initiate physiological changes. Simply put, a certain number of daylight hours will induce a specific developmental stage, with most cannabis growers applying more than 18 hours of light every day to keep their plants in the vegetative stage and 12 hours of light to induce flowering.
When you mention supplementary lighting, most growers think of indoor grows that have no access to sunlight. However, did you know that you could also apply supplemental lights to an outdoor cannabis farm? Efficient use of outdoor lights can allow growers to take advantage of their real estate for larger yields without having to resort to greenhouses and blackout clothes. To understand how, let’s take a quick look at cannabis history.
Since cannabis has been illegal for decades, we don’t know a lot about it. This isn’t just restricted to its effects but regarding genetics as well. Most of the cannabis genetics currently on the market were bred for the states that first allowed cannabis cultivation. Including Colorado, Washington and Oregon, these Northern states have longer summer days that allow for a longer vegetative state (as much as seven weeks) and large yields. In Southern states with shorter summer days, these cannabis breeds with the same genetics would have a short vegetative stage (around one to two weeks), leading to stunted growth and smaller yields.
That’s where supplemental outdoor lights come in. If you are growing cannabis that is dependent on longer days to vegetate in a region with shorter days, say fourteen hours per day, you will have to trick the plants into thinking the days are longer. Called “night interruption,” this process involves shining low lighting to plants during the night to make the days longer, at least from the plants’ perspective. This can be done from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. using stadium lights or floodlights. Ensure you use several lights on multiple sides of your farm to ensure all the plants receive sufficient light. If any of them are shaded, they can still begin flowering.
Some farmers use string lights, which can be pricey when applied to an outdoor grow. LEDs will also work, and they are easier on the pocket. You may also want to look into different cannabis genetics to find the ones bred for your latitude. If you cannot find a variety that’s suited for your location, strategic use of night interruption could ensure your cannabis stays in the vegetative stage for longer and produces a large yield.
The cannabis sector is evolving quickly, and established companies such as Chalice Brands Ltd. (CSE: CHAL) (OTCQB: CHALF) are constantly on the hunt for new techniques that can give them an advantage in terms of superior yields and high-quality products.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Chalice Brands Ltd. (CSE: CHAL) (OTCQB: GLDFF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/CHALF
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW420, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer
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