Cannabis growers who want to grow plants inside their home or greenhouse must consider the best way to manage the lighting. It is among the most important steps when growing cannabis if you don’t want your high-quality cannabis seeds to go to waste. Indoor lighting must be positioned at the right distance from the plants and provide the appropriate amount of light each day. When cultivating their crop, the growers must follow vital tips to keep the plants healthy.
1. Use a Timer for the Grow Lights
Growers must use a timer for their grow lights to ensure that the plants get the correct amount of light each day and during each phase of growth. For the first two weeks of the growth process, the plants must receive 24 hours of light.
During the vegetative stage, the plants need 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness. While the plants are flowering, the plants need 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. The flowering phase lasts between 7 to 10 weeks. Growers must review tips for growing cannabis indoors to optimize their results.
2. Follow Distance Guides for Distance Based on Bulb Wattage
The bulb wattage defines how far the plants should be from the grow lights for maximum growth and health of the plants. For 150 watt bulbs, the lights should be about 11 inches from the plants.
For 250 watt bulbs, the lights should be 13 inches from plants. For 400 watt bulbs, the lights should be 19 inches from the plants. For 600 watt bulbs, the light should be 25 inches from the plants. For 1000 watt bulbs, the lights should be 31 inches from the plants.
3. Follow the Optimal Lighting Intensity
The optimal lighting intensity for the vegetative state is 40,000 lux. The optimal lighting intensity for the flowering state is 60,000 lux. The grower must measure the lux of the lights to ensure that they do not exceed the maximum and damage their plants. When choosing lighting for their grow room, the growers must review the packaging information before making a final selection.
4. Choose the Right Color
Growers should use MH blue lighting for the seeding and vegetative state and use HPS red spectrum lights during the flowering stage. The cannabis strain the grower chooses must determine what grow lights are best for each strain. They can set up the lighting and make changes according to the different stages of growth.
5. Use Natural Light When Possible
Sunlight is the ideal form of light for cannabis plants. If the grower can expose the plants to natural light according to the light schedule, this could be incredibly beneficial to the plants. The grower can follow the same schedule according to the growth process or phase. They will need to set up automatic blinds and a timer that closes the blinds after the plants have received the appropriate amount of light.
It is recommended that they review their budget to determine whether natural light or grow lights are their best choice. They could decrease their power costs by using a combination of sunlight and artificial light. The grower could use timers to manage the amount of exposure the plants receive each day.
Cannabis growers need to review tips for lighting within their grow room, and they can grow healthy plants throughout the year. When it comes to different strains of cannabis, the grower must determine how much light each plant will require during each phase of growth. For example, they need to set up a timer to control light exposure, and the bulb wattage defines the distance between the plants and the lights. By following the tips, the growers keep their plants healthy.
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