CFL versus spring sunshine, what is the break even point?

[de145]

I'm thinking of taking my microcab plants outside now that the weather is improving and doing a manual 12/12 by putting them out and taking them inside on schedule.

I know if it was summer there'd be no contest but it's early spring and often overcast and cloudy as well.

I'm wondering though if it's overcast or cloudy if they're not better off under my 10 23watt cfl's up close almost touching than they are outdoors with spring filtered sunlight.

Is even cloudy 50-ish degree north latitude spring sunlight better than almost touching a 23watt cfl in blanket coverage over the plants?

Or direct blue sky sunshine at minimum for this time of the year?

 

[FreezerBoy]

If you were vegging, I'd go with the sun. Manual 12/12 is begging for trouble. Keep them indoors with a timer.

 

[de145]

If you were vegging, I'd go with the sun. Manual 12/12 is begging for trouble. Keep them indoors with a timer.

Trouble how?

 

[FreezerBoy]

Plants don't know much but, they know light and what it's supposed to do.

A solid switch to permanent 12/12 isn't what they expect but, it's constant and they can deal with it. The suns daily shift of sunrise, light duration and sunset changes every single day but, in a dependable, predictable manner that only changes twice a year at solstice.

Manual 12/12 means sunrise, duration and sunset change erratically and unpredictably. The plant knows this is impossible unless the universe is broken, now all bets are off and it's time for self defense, aka hermaphrodites and self pollination.

Further, you introduce the possibility of pests, predators, molds, fungi the plant was promised it would never encounter and may not be equipped to deal with. Not to mention a plant raised on cfls could simply burn to a crisp if dumped under the sun without adequate preparation, weaning etc.

 

[de145]

I'm familiar with the dangers of pests and necessity for hardening off plants; I start my own veggie garden plants indoors from saved seeds every year.

They do sell devices to get 12/12 outdoors automatically. Are you saying that potential for human error is what confuses the plant?

 

[mad librettist]

CFL versus spring sunshine, what is the break even point?

floating row covers baby!

 

[303hydro]

I'm familiar with the dangers of pests and necessity for hardening off plants; I start my own veggie garden plants indoors from saved seeds every year.

They do sell devices to get 12/12 outdoors automatically. Are you saying that potential for human error is what confuses the plant?

I would say the INEVITABILITY of human error is what confuses the plant.

Good friend did this last year during the summer..., and he pulled it off with no major issues (except low yield/quality)..If you have a life things can (and will )come up that will prevent you from doing your thing at the exact same time every single day, seven days a week for 8-9 weeks.

The other thing that will confuse the girls in spring is that height of the sun is going to be increasing everyday until June 21st. If there first hour of light is 2X intense in week 6 that it was in week 1, some strains may have adverse reactions.

If your set on using the sun I would say you have two options that are best.

1) Greenhouse, tarp pull photo-period. Dutch have been doing that shit for years.

2) Autoflower strains. If there was ever a situation to run AF's wouldn't it be this one? There's some Sour 60 and Blue Streak on the bay right now.

 

[Greenheart]

Manual 12/12 is possible but alot of work and dedication. I had six of them last summer. It was no fun.

I had to consistantly wake up early every day and could not leave until they were all outside. Then If I did leave I had all my work sitting in buckets waiting to be carried away. If I did leave I had to be home at a certain time every day to make sure I didn't miss "lights out". Grasshoppers, Aphids, spiders, mites...many other hitchers catch free rides into the house and head for the veg room. Big bushes and narrow doors or hallways don't mix well so be sure to walk backwards allowing the branches to bend the right way rather than snap off. Don't step on the dog. I didn't get any hermies. I did wake up or put to bed a few times early or late but was consistant for weeks in a row between oopsies. The fun part was walking around all day guarding them from insects and looking for sunny patches. My wife got plenty of laughs last summer and at one point was afraid to wake me from my slumber to tell me a big gust of wind blew my plant off it's sunlit perch and now it is more like half a plant. Yep lots of work and any number of things can go wrong. The coolest part was waving to the cop driving by with may ear to ear grin. I was almost disappointed that he didn't even stop to see if I had a card. Not that disappointed but now the wife no longer was worried about me having six plants randomly moving to sunny spots in the yard all day everyday.

-GH-

 

[Supernatural]

Regarding the amount of light I think temperatures are going to play a bigger factor. Even if you get more light outside, if it is still too cold then growth will be stunted anyway. I brought a seedling in after little growth outside for 10 days even with a few really sunny days. Under 4No. 23W bulbs in a constant comfortable temperature she is now underway again.

 

[Krull]

Sun is better but harden the plants slowly before moving outdoors
As for forced blooming you'd better use a greenhouse of sort and tarp, moving plants in & out for weeks is a pita.
Check this great thread by Silverback for all your force flowering doubts:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=86345

GL

=K

 

[Lazyman]

Unless you can keep the plants at 60-70*F minimum every night, plants will veg much faster indoors under artificial light. I proved this last year with a bunch of small plants, the ones under the sun grew much slower than the same plants indoors under halides. All the light in the world during the day doesnt mean shit if they slam on the brakes every night cuz it drops below 50*F.

 

[de145]

Good points everyone, thank you!