"40/60 Phenomena"

[bud_me]

I've been reading up on something called the 40/60 Phenomena, and I wanted to know what growers can't comment on about it.

I'm thinking if you can use lower wattage in the early stage, the first "40%" or the duration of stretch, to help minimize vertical growth of the plants.
Then switch to higher wattage for the latter 60% of growth, or the "days spent in flower", to help fatten up the buds, maximize the potential yeild.

Unfortunately this is only theory, I have yet to see anything experimental to back this up. This knowledge might be particularly helpful to micro growers or anyone doing SOG set ups where having an even canopy is helpful.

I'm currently measuring my plants' height above the top of the container and seeing if I find a time when they straight up switch from vertical growth to fattening up (if there is one or if there's actually more of a power growth curve between the two which I expect).

If anyone has any links to it too that'd be great

What I found on CannaStats

 

[FreezerBoy]

My concern would be that low lighting is a known cause of stretching.

 

[bud_me]

I'd always been under the impression they stretched more the farther away they were, hadn't heard that before though thanks FreezerBoy.

 

[FreezerBoy]

You know, I may have had a brainfreeze there (no pun intended) When plants can tell there's stronger light available, they'll stretch to find it. If they feel they have all the light that's available they should grow "normally". Otherwise all these smaller CFL grows would be nothing but long strings of popcorn.

Boot to the head for me.

 

[Aaronponic]

If you are still looking for techniques to aid in the stop of the early flower stretch, try placing the plants into a period of 72 hours of darkness just prior to entering flower. It is a fairly well known way to help, "kick the plant into flowering", and some say it reduces stretch significantly. I tried it, but don't find it is worth the hassle, your mileage may vary....I'm pretty lazy sometimes.

 

[Maj.PotHead]

amount of light
distance light is from plants
envroment mainly temps
strain

all the above have alot to do with stretch during 1st 2-3 wks of stretch also how much Nitrogen ya continue to feed them during this stage. when i flip to flower lighting i continue plants on thier normal veg feeding strength pluss bloom ferts 1st wk. 2nd wk flower i drop N ferts to half dossage and continue with bloom ferts, by end of 2nd wk i normally drop N fet all together from the feeding. this helps to keep plants healthy during the stretch phase and upto pre harvest flush should be no premi yellowing of leaves.

me i veg with as much as 420w in cfl's the night they go into 12/12 they spend total 24hr light that day, i grow alot from clone but i do seed plants this way also. they go from cfl to 400w hps 400w mh n stay whole run my indica dom strains stretch 1.5-2 times size when flower is started. but sativa dom strains can and most will stretch 3-5 times size when flower starts

hit them with the amount of light they'll be getting during the 60% end of flowern ya had in mind, i can forsee what your describing adding unessary stretch because of reduced lighting during the begining of flowering. maybe even prolonging the stretch just give them all the light from day 1 flower as long ya have the temps under control you'll be fine. and have a nicer harvest

 

[CelebrityKush]

I would say keep your temperatures in as tight of a range as possible...this will help to reduce stretching.

 

[Guest]

Im an outdoors guy now but my past indoor experiences have led me to say this.....keep your temps like 65 night and 75 day with good air movement, have as much watts per SF as possible, hit it hard with flowing nutes (pref no nitrogen), and use the 72 hr "shock into flowering" mentioned above (i used 48 hrs my self). last but not least MH prevents stretching compared to HPS. also a big increase in light intensity helps prevent stretching....like going from vegging under cfl's to a 1000w in a cooltube 10 inches away blasting on her. holla!

 

[Maj.PotHead]

amount of light
distance light is from plants
envroment mainly temps
strain
size of plant
is all that matters in controling stretch during 1st 2-3wks of flower. ya need some nitrogen during this time because the plants use alot of N. if its not recieving any N during this time you'll have premiture yellowing of your leaves on all plants concerned.


i'll say this i have 1 strain
MemoryLoss - urkel x strawberry desiel {strawberry desiel pheno} is what i run in clone some time it seems like she dont even stretch others i notice maybe 1 times her size.
i have Grandaddy Purple stretch 1.5 - 2 times it's size.
i just ran Kaua'i kush {abussive og kush x maui waui} from seed 1 plant stayed approx 3.5ft tall other 2 girls went from 1ft at onset flower finished at almost 6ft
sugar shack 1ft plant finishs at 24-30 inch
grape krush maybe 2 times size
i flower mainly in 1 gal grow bags under 400w hps in cooltube 400w mh in air cooled hood, my closet is dialed in pretty good. my home is in the mohave desert currently at 9:30am we have outside temps of 100 todays projected outside temps in the 1teens 110+. inside house temps set to 73 house will achieve max temp of 76 around 6-7pm. my lights out temps are what house is running, 1 hr after lights on they max out at 82-83. i run veg in main part of master bedroom bathroom from 6am-12midnight flower in closet runs 6pm-6am

the more indica dominate a plants traits are the less stretch
i give no dark period before flowering matter of fact they get 24 hrs of light 1st day of flowering my clones produce buds 10-14 days into onward.

and why i say

amount of light = the most you can run and keep cool
distance light is from plants as close to plants tops and still cover whole canopy
envroment mainly temps try n stay w/in 10 degree temp swing from light out to light on
strain indica dominate stretch less then sativa
size of plant a 1 ft indica can and will finish 2-3ft tall a sativa can and will finish 3-5ft+.

is all that really matters

 

[Guest]

maj pothead is right on about the nitrogen...i should clarify above i meant a one time fertigation with a high dose of p and k with no n right when they switch from veg to flower......a normal fertigation schedule with a balanced macro and micro nute dose should be maintained before and after the switch of course. My intention is not to deny the plant N to make it short, stunting growth through hunger wasnt the intention at all. rather, a one time dose of just p and k combined with the shock of switching to 12/12 is sort of a way to say "start flowering right now" and it kinda helps the transition from veg to flower go quicker, thus less time to stretch. sorry if i might have led anyone down the wrong path there with my vague-ass post

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

more light at the begining will decrease strech, not increase it. as the plant has to strech less to get to the light. keeping the same, high wattage early-mid flower increases all the lower growth; late-flower, and ripening stage is best to lower wattage as the plant is no longer growing, less wattage also mimics the fall sky with low light and u can even cut an hour off the day to stimulate final ripening of the buds/trichombes.

 

[bud_me]

Yeah I had a feeling nutrient doses might have a hand in things but didn't know specifics. I was foolish enough to get a HPS over a MH and I've heard several times about the fact that MH doesn't make the plants stretch as much due to the light spectrum.

Maj.PotHead I've got an almost identical light schedule and thus my clones get the same dose, around 26 hours of straight light.

Temps for me are a little high due to outside temps of 100+ with high humidity but a small range with High:89 Low:82

Both strands are unknown however clones are thrown in 12/12 when they're about 1" tall and tallest plant is a now towering 14" tall.

 

[Guest]

dude i think 89 to 82 is just a tad on the hot side but youre straight. regarding nutrient doses to help kick in flowering....im not sure if it really works, ive never done side-by-sides or taken measurements or anything ive just always done it cuz someone reputable from overgrow rec'd the tech. i cant recall who but it wasnt some fly-by-nighter. I think the hps mh switchables are the ticket....you can even throw in a lil veg under the mh to get some added size right before the flip.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Hmmm...do I want a plant that didn't stretch with leafy, lesser quality buddage? (MH)
Or do I want a stretchy plant with better buds? (HPS)

Hmmm.....maybe I'll use a CMH!