Light recipe for keeping colas tighter

[Hairybuds]

After seeing my plants grow and getting crazy amount of stretch I was interested in next grow to change the light recipe up. I notice on the colas the lower you go the longer the branches, then at the midway height of the cola the buds start stacking one on top of another.

In light of the way it grows was thinking of changing the light recipe. Veg 4800 K, first two weeks of flower 4000 K to tighten up the lowers and then last two weeks of stretch give it 3300K.

Anyone have any experience doing it like this?

 

[Billy the Mountain]

No, most use the same ~3.5-4K lights from start to finish, plenty of blue to keep plants happy.

Your light spectrum is not causing your stretch or poor bud structure.

Check out Dr. Bugbee for more info regarding the importance (or lack thereof) of spectrum.

 

[visajoe1]

amount of stretch is mostly genetic. next cause is low light, as plants stretch to get into better light. what spectrum are you currently using?

 

[cobshopgrow]

 

[Frank Nitty]

No, most use the same ~3.5-4K lights from start to finish, plenty of blue to keep plants happy.

Your light spectrum is not causing your stretch or poor bud structure.

Check out Dr. Bugbee for more info regarding the importance (or lack thereof) of spectrum.

Dr.Bugbee is the truth!!!

 

[Hairybuds]

amount of stretch is mostly genetic. next cause is low light, as plants stretch to get into better light. what spectrum are you currently using?

I can change my spectrum to some degree, I have both 2700 k and 5000 k channels that are independently controlled. I’d have to say that light does make a difference in stretch, but I can’t substantiate it with any evidence. Thanks for posting the video, I watched it, he says light spectrum changes plant morphology

 

[Rocket Soul]

One fairly sure fire way of getting more stacked lowers is to use cold white, 4000-5000k, as sidelighting for lower down section. Decreases the node spacing for more stacking but generally a bit smaller buds on lowers.

 

[Hairybuds]

One fairly sure fire way of getting more stacked lowers is to use cold white, 4000-5000k, as sidelighting for lower down section. Decreases the node spacing for more stacking but generally a bit smaller buds on lowers.

makes sense, could bulk them up once stretch is done byusing side lighting at 2700-3500k, I like that concept

 

[visajoe1]

I can change my spectrum to some degree, I have both 2700 k and 5000 k channels that are independently controlled. I’d have to say that light does make a difference in stretch, but I can’t substantiate it with any evidence. Thanks for posting the video, I watched it, he says light spectrum changes plant morphology

ya i realized i stop short of adding spectrum will affect stretch and only vaguely implied it

Meant to be: genetics, low light, spectrum

Was a great video from @cobshopgrow !

 

[PadawanWarrior]

I can change my spectrum to some degree, I have both 2700 k and 5000 k channels that are independently controlled. I’d have to say that light does make a difference in stretch, but I can’t substantiate it with any evidence. Thanks for posting the video, I watched it, he says light spectrum changes plant morphology

The higher Kelvin rating the more compact they'll be in general. I veg with 5000K. I've never tried using them during stretch though.

Genetics matter the most. Then there's always negative temperature differential. That will reduce the stretch a little.

What you're saying makes sense though, so why not try it and let us know. I think I know someone who has done or does that. I'll try to remember to ask him.

 

[myke]

I kinda like the farther apart node spacing,it not so thick with leaves by week 4 then.Everything is just more open.Light travels farther down too.

 

[Hairybuds]

ya i realized i stop short of adding spectrum will affect stretch and only vaguely implied it

Meant to be: genetics, low light, spectrum

Was a great video from @cobshopgrow !

No worries, just tossing ideas. I agree, I learned a lot in that video.

 

[Hairybuds]

I kinda like the farther apart node spacing,it not so thick with leaves by week 4 then.Everything is just more open.Light travels farther down too.

Good points, also air flow is better and less chance of bud rot

 

[GoatSoup]

I recently bought a cheap 150 watt LED light, because I'm broke. The ad said it was pretty good, and for $47 it was in my realm. It's most desireable feature, for me was it's rectangular shape fits my grow shape. It gives a optimum footprint, compared to most LED Panel lights.
However the interesting thing is it lacks 730 spectrum and that concerned me after seeig the effect that my 100 watt BestVa light had done. Other wise their spectrums are similar. However the150 Watt one does putout more photons.

Cutting to the chase, the extra photons do matter as the good Dr. says.
Yeah the 150 watter is less effecient, perhaps, 1-4% less umols/J, but it makes up for it in photon flux and footprint.

Just my humble oberservations and opinion.

 

[Hairybuds]

I hear ya. I wanted to do side lighting at one point but I can’t fit it in. I did see someone laying their light on the floor pointing up in between plants, it filled out his lowers as I recall. That’s a cheap option, I like cheap, lol

 

[myke]

I added two larf lights into one plant.There completely buried now,buds below them are doing well.

 

[Hairybuds]

Slick I like the framework too!

 

[Prawn Connery]

UV

UVA prevents stretch more than blue and it also counters Far Red shade avoidance (which is reponsible for stem internode elongation but also produces bigger leaves).

@Grow Lights Australia has an Instagram account with many customer photos and you won't see any excessive stretch under those lights – and they have 10% Far Red in them and are 3000K. The secret sauce is the UVA. I know, because I designed them.

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[Rurumo]

Given the appropriate wattage for your footprint, any of these modern LEDs with samsung diodes will provide adequate light to prevent excess stretch, you just need to dial in the % and distance for your grow. Stretch is genetic to a great degree, and the way a plant stacks a huge cola, or gives you golfballs or tennis ball buds is also genetic. Your light won't have much of an impact on the calyx to leaf ratio. A par meter might actually be what you are looking for, to make the most of any light you get.

 

[Hairybuds]

I used to run my light at 18”, now on some strains I can run it down to 14”. It’s mainly the gangly lower branches that I’d want tightened up and stronger. Next run I’ll run 4500 K for the first 10-14 days of flip and see how those lowers end up strength wise. The lowers are a pain when they start to add weight they just sag down well below the canopy by about 8/9 week. I had done 3400K approximately right from flip. You can see the internodal spacing changes as you get into week 3/4/5