I may end up at indoor grows for this question but I always like to hear OD growers first. Our growing is different.

I have had seedlings outdoors during the day since 4/1. According to the weather forcast, the next 7 days or more are going to be cloudy but warm, (70) with rainy periods. Thats worrysome as the 2nd and 3 weeks determine sex and I always hope for cool, sunny days. Not this year.

Here is my question.

What will bring me more growth at the end of the 7 day period. Indoors under 2-400w Metal Halides, or outdoors under the cloudy, obscured sun?

[fishheadbob]

My 2 cents. Outdoors would still give more light by a narrow margin, but if you're bringing them in at night, turn the lights on them then. I guess it depends on how heavy the cloud cover.

High fisheadbob, I tend to agree about the outdoors. There is one question that keeps hitting me. I have never seen a plant outdoors stretch even under cloudy conditions. If i pull the plants away from the lights even 6" to far, ill see the seedlings stretch. That may be telling.

[fishheadbob]

If you're talking a few days, I don't think they'd stretch. Must be something about the more natural environment and natural light that keeps them from reaching too far like they might do with a hid.
But if you're talking season long, I've had them get real leggy back before I knew about fimming/shearing/topping/pinching whatever you want to call it . Also too much N; I was dumb and thought if a little is good, a lot must be better.

[tokinjoe]

Sb, it's interesting, but my experience is quite different. I use femmed seeds so sex isn't a question, but typically here we can get rain/clouds for a week at a time around the first of April. I've definitely noticed my seedlings stretch as they don't get the direct sunlight and it seems the fact that it IS daylight makes them stretch a hell of a lot more. I don't like to, but I've replanted some of my seedlings deeper due to stretching/falling over. I'm wondering if the change in environment would have more to do with the sex issue. Simply an observation...

Hey joe. These are femmed seeds and i want them to stay that way. While my experience with them is limited, ive yet to see a male flower on any plant. I believe the reason for that is that ive tried to make conditions favorable for female selection like the strong blue spring sun and cool temps. Im going to be missing that sun for a week or more now because of clouds and mostly clouds so Im wondering what to do, put them inside or go for the clouds.
Are you saying you think they should go under the lights? I think your right about the stretch outdoors. They look like they stretched some today because it was so cloudy..

[tokinjoe]

It's hard for me to say, SB. I've started a lot of plants in the windowsill due to the temps and weather and moved them out to a mini-greenhouse in mid April and have never had a problem. I'm at 36 deg North and it works here. They aren't exposed to the temps but as far as sunlight or lack of it due to the sometimes week long early spring rains, it never affected the sex of the plant. Still all females. One week of cloud cover makes them stretch a bit but once they get the third or fourth set of leaves it seems not to be as bad even with cloudy/rainy weather that tends to linger through the week.

IMHO I would honestly be more worried about changing the lighting and environment from natural sun and natural temps to the indoor environment and back outside again. Just my .02 bro but I do think that would be more risky. These plants were started in the windowsill for 2-3 weeks and moved to my mini greenhouse and behind a shed outdoors. Same light schedule as it is all natural sunlight:

[tokinjoe]

All turned out to be females with no male flowers. Good luck either way my friend.

[Chitownstoner]

thank you guys some info i also needed myself

Hi chitownstoner. Good to see you. Ive wondered about this question for years and finally decided to ask it. What we all really need is someone with a light meter to measure their indoor light and then go outside on a cloudy day and tell us which one produces more useful light.

Hey joe, that is my real worry, setting them in and out of natural and artificial, especially at that time when the plant is making big decisions like " am I going to be female like I'm supposed to be or something else". There outside to be left there Ive decided. Ive made some notes to pay attention to these plants and record there sexual expressions. We'll see down the road. If i have the same results as you had, we may have learned the answer to this question.
sb