Forcing Flower with black sheets

[ttumaddawg]

I have my ladies outdoors and every night I put black cotton sheets over them to force flowering early. After the sun goes down at night I uncover the ladies so the sun can greet them the next morning. (i cover them at 6:18pm...sun rises at 6:18am)

I used this method last year with no problems and it worked out great.

My question is this. I have heard through research that if you use this method to force early flowering, then you only need to cover them for about the first 4-6 weeks of flowering and then they will finish flowering on their own and you would not need to cover them for the last 2-4 weeks. Is this correct?

The reason I ask is that if I only had to cover them for the first few weeks and then did not have to cover them anymore, obviously it would be more stealth to not have black sheets covering plants in my backyard.

Anyone who has experience directly with this technique I would love to hear from.

Thanks and good luck to all

 

[Perfextionist420]

havent heard of people forcing early outdoor flowering, if you used the method last year and it worked my saying is always

if it aint broke dont fix it

 

[lehua96734]

i did this but i used a cover for my grill. it worked fine, but i took it off too early and it started to reveg. i think the trick is to get it to at least 3/4 of the way before you uncover it. good luck.

 

[aladdin2685]

no. you will have to keep them covered or have the risk of them reveg and abandon the flowers already started.

 

[s.c.mtn.hillbilly]

you can probably do it- in late june start baggin' em'; and stop baggin' the last week of july( at least here on the central coast) when everything uncovered starts to flower...otherwise they're bound to revert...especially the more sativa they are.

 

[aladdin2685]

how many hours of light do you excpect them to keep flowering (full proof) without covering them?

 

[Space Angel]

I have my ladies outdoors and every night I put black cotton sheets over them to force flowering early. After the sun goes down at night I uncover the ladies so the sun can greet them the next morning. (i cover them at 6:18pm...sun rises at 6:18am)

I used this method last year with no problems and it worked out great.

My question is this. I have heard through research that if you use this method to force early flowering, then you only need to cover them for about the first 4-6 weeks of flowering and then they will finish flowering on their own and you would not need to cover them for the last 2-4 weeks. Is this correct?

The reason I ask is that if I only had to cover them for the first few weeks and then did not have to cover them anymore, obviously it would be more stealth to not have black sheets covering plants in my backyard.

Anyone who has experience directly with this technique I would love to hear from.

Thanks and good luck to all

if you wait till the sun goes down, then you're getting more than 12 hours of daylight aren't ya? here where I'm at, daylight starts about 5:30 am and sun will set about 8:15 pm. and is dark a little after 9 pm.

 

[Space Angel]

if you wait till the sun goes down, then you're getting more than 12 hours of daylight aren't ya? here where I'm at, daylight starts about 5:30 am and sun will set about 8:15 pm. and is dark a little after 9 pm.

sorry, I seen where you said at 6:18 pm you cover them. where are you located at?

 

[ttumaddawg]

I know I'm not the only person who has ever thought of this idea.

Someone out there has to have done this before right?

 

[madcow]

I have done this many times before but i always covered them all the way till the end,I'd like to know if this works as well.

 

[s.c.mtn.hillbilly]

I have noticed that the more indica, the longer they'll stay in flower in light over 13 hrs. this may be an over generalization, but that's what I'm seeing right now in the garden.

 

[ttumaddawg]

hillbilly, thanks for your observation. Any help is much appreciated.

I covered them for the whole 8-10 weeks last year, but just figured if I could get away with covering them for say 4-6 weeks and then not have to cover them anymore it would be more stealth.

Even if I didn't have to cover them for the last 2 weeks, it would be more stealth as long as they stay in flower.

Sunlight here in texas now (June) is around 14 hrs and 15 minutes a day.

 

[Space Angel]

I have noticed that the more indica, the longer they'll stay in flower in light over 13 hrs. this may be an over generalization, but that's what I'm seeing right now in the garden.

I use to do the tent thing too with a pvc framework covered with black plastic, but it got to be such a hassle everyday, so I changed my seed strains so I can harvest before a hard frost comes.

 

[caliboy80]

im force flowering some plants aswell, i made a box covered wit black plastic, its is a hassel alright having to b there twice a day at the same time, and mine are away from my place... im doing it about 10 days and theya are very slow to show 1 or 2 have shown sex none other?? did ye fing them slow compared to indoor sexin..

id say it would b fine to let them out witout theplastic the last 2 weeks thats 2 far gone for them to turn back...

gl

 

[ttumaddawg]

im force flowering some plants aswell, i made a box covered wit black plastic, its is a hassel alright having to b there twice a day at the same time, and mine are away from my place... im doing it about 10 days and theya are very slow to show 1 or 2 have shown sex none other?? did ye fing them slow compared to indoor sexin..

id say it would b fine to let them out witout theplastic the last 2 weeks thats 2 far gone for them to turn back...

gl

yeah, i figure i'm at least safe for the last 2 weeks...hopefully it can be even longer.

 

[s.c.mtn.hillbilly]

I wouldn't go past 10 days personally.

 

[grow space]

but, when you but a dark plastic bag over your plants, dont you worry that i would be too hot for the plant and that they get pleanty of O2???

 

[ttumaddawg]

but, when you but a dark plastic bag over your plants, dont you worry that i would be too hot for the plant and that they get pleanty of O2???

I agree with you on that brother, that's why I use cotton sheets.

 

[ttumaddawg]

I agree with you on that brother, that's why I use cotton sheets.

bump...I could use some more opinions from seasoned vets.

Would the last 2 weeks be fine to stop covering them?

 

[coffeeman]

Hey brother, if you have your plant(s) flowering why would you want to threaten your resin production. The quality of your finished plant is more important than an early harvest. The best advice is stay with what has worked for you. Look for them crystal formations... that's what you're after.