fredcdobbs
Member
thanks. tryin to cut down on electricity.
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how much light do cuttings in cloner really need?
- Thread starter fredcdobbs
- Start date
Until rooted, not much at all.
A single 2 foot T12 bulb would be fine from experience.
I imagine a single 13 watt cfl would work too although I've never tried one.
A single 2 foot T12 bulb would be fine from experience.
I imagine a single 13 watt cfl would work too although I've never tried one.
Not really a ton at all bro. Some small flourescent should do the job.....even some ambient light shared by your veggie area. I used to not even actively illuminate my clones....and had them off to the side of my moms/veggies....not directly under their light (which has been at times a 100w CFL, other times a 150wCFL). That was always enough to get them rooted.
Nowadays I have a 62w LED over the clones specifically. I don't use it at first, but if they linger in my EZ-cloner for awhile (like more than a few weeks), I give them a bit of the LED to support extra growth.
I often find I have to let the clones hang on in the cloner longer than it takes to develop roots. I've got a 4-5 week cycle....and honestly they stay in there for that duration (in spite of manufacturer recommendations).....primarily because I've got no place else to put them until the cycle rolls around.
At times in the past, when my clones couldn't share the same location as the veggie/moms....I put a 30w straight flourescent tube above or near them....and even that was practically overkill.
Bottom line: you don't need exceptionally strong light to encourage rooting and to maintain clones. Beyond that level of cultivation you of course are going to need more substantial lighting.
Nowadays I have a 62w LED over the clones specifically. I don't use it at first, but if they linger in my EZ-cloner for awhile (like more than a few weeks), I give them a bit of the LED to support extra growth.
I often find I have to let the clones hang on in the cloner longer than it takes to develop roots. I've got a 4-5 week cycle....and honestly they stay in there for that duration (in spite of manufacturer recommendations).....primarily because I've got no place else to put them until the cycle rolls around.
At times in the past, when my clones couldn't share the same location as the veggie/moms....I put a 30w straight flourescent tube above or near them....and even that was practically overkill.
Bottom line: you don't need exceptionally strong light to encourage rooting and to maintain clones. Beyond that level of cultivation you of course are going to need more substantial lighting.
fredcdobbs
Member
what about 6 hrs light and 6 hrs dark cycle?. would they try to flower?
If you're THAT concerned with the electric usage, I'd try 24 hours dark......and.........
Good luck with that.
fredcdobbs
Member
no i didn't say that...
use what ever daylight u have available in U'r home... preferable a south facing window...
use the daylight.... ALL day then @ night put e'm in the bathroom and leave the light on...
skip the whole 6/on .. 6/off thing....
the plant need @ least 12 hrs of light to NOT flower....
even more.... to root... 18minimum...
better to just provide light 24/7.... til they root
then start there VEG cycle @ what ever is U'r norm......
use what ever daylight u have available in U'r home... preferable a south facing window...
use the daylight.... ALL day then @ night put e'm in the bathroom and leave the light on...
skip the whole 6/on .. 6/off thing....
the plant need @ least 12 hrs of light to NOT flower....
even more.... to root... 18minimum...
better to just provide light 24/7.... til they root
then start there VEG cycle @ what ever is U'r norm......
S
SeaMaiden
Yup! In fact, in my experience less is more. The clones I put under the mother plants root faster than those that are directly being hit with light, even fluoro from T8s or T12s. The ends of the bulbs have lower light output, so if you have a veg-box or similar then put the clones at the ends/edges, and/or under larger plants. I've even used one of those cheap under-cabinet fluorescent deals in the beginning, and those work fine, too. My methods back then were a little rough, I was using soil stuffed into toilet paper roll tubes.
I'm always tryin' to save a little money. Damn if it didn't work, too.
very little . just about any weak light will work. i thinks my floros are like 20 watts for 23 clones.
near the window not in direct sunlight or they will cook just saying
S
SeaMaiden
A north-facing window is perfect, but I've found that if you want them to get back into a re-veg state faster it's easier to add light for at least an 18/6. JME.
i bet you could clone with candle light
15 watts, so not much is needed, ambient light would work as long as it's long enough.
fredcdobbs
Member
i didnt say 12 hrs of dark i said 6. what is wrong with 6 on and 6 off? please explain yerself.
TheNewGuy2012
Member
there is a hormone that builds during the dark cycle that tells a plant to trigger flowering. while a plant is in the light this hormone degrades. the plant is triggered to flower when enough of the dark cycle is reached (roughly 12 hours).
the reason yortbogey says it won't root is because there isn't enough photosynthesis happening to create the cell division to produce roots. in theory, it would take you 4 times as long which isn't saving you any time.
the reason yortbogey says it won't root is because there isn't enough photosynthesis happening to create the cell division to produce roots. in theory, it would take you 4 times as long which isn't saving you any time.
S
s00thsayer
clones need around 300 foot candles of light for 16 to 20 hours a day
