Trouble reading today's article? Click
here: Issue
#222 - Sunday, July 17, 2016 Dear Fellow Grower,
In today's issue... - Learn the differences between each of the most common cannabis grow lights!
- Learn how to get your cannabis to produce high-CBD levels - perfect for many types of medical marijuana patients!
- This week's trophy pic features a beautiful young outdoor seedling!
Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com) "What you have outside you counts less than what you have inside you."
~ B.C. Forbes
Complete Grow Light Breakdown by Nebula Haze |
For the many growers who are unable to cultivate cannabis outside in the free abundant sunshine, grow lights are necessary to successfully grow cannabis indoors. Grow lights take the place of the sun, and power the growth of your plants and their buds. Light is like "food" for your plants, so without a lot of
bright light, even a healthy cannabis plant won't produce much bud at all.
More Light = Bigger Yields!
(up to a point, it is possible to give your plant too much light!)
|
There are lots of options for grow lights that work well for growing cannabis indoors but in the end they boil down to 3 major
types:
- (LEDs come in a huge variety of sizes and form factors. There aren't really any "standard" types yet, though some lamps get better results than others.)
Note: Some growers may have heard of "Induction" grow lights, which are pretty rare these days but still pop up from
time to time. There are two types: "Magnetic Induction" grow lights do okay for growing cannabis but they're pretty much glorified fluorescent lights. "Plasma Induction" grow lights actually perform pretty poorly at growing cannabis.
Some types of induction lights are well suited to stadium lighting but honestly they just
aren't that great for growing cannabis and they come with huge price tags. Even a lot of LEDs are cheaper and you'll get better results with them. You can learn more about induction grow lights here.
Compare the Pros and Cons of Each Grow Light
1.) Fluorescent Grow
Lights
Fluorescent grow lights come in many different shapes and sizes, from twisty bulbs to long tubes. Fluorescents are popular because they make efficient and pleasant lighting for humans, and also work great for herb gardens and other types of low-key indoor gardening without using a lot of
electricity. CFL Grow Lights
CFL grow lights are the twisty-looking bulbs you can find anywhere you normally buy light bulbs. They produce a great spectrum for growing cannabis and can be used in tiny spaces where no other grow light would fit such as the inside of a cabinet.
Keeping CFLs close results in the best yields and
growth
T5 Grow Lights
T5 grow lights are one of the most easily available types of grow lights and
are used to grow many different types of plants. As a result, they're available in many garden and home improvement stores.
T5s are much bigger/wider than CFLs and usually come as part of a panel, but they can still be kept mere inches away from your plants without worrying about burning them.
These cannabis plants are thriving under T5 grow lights Pros of Fluorescents
- Cheap to buy
- They don't use a lot of electricity or make a lot of heat unless you have a lot of them packed together in a small space
- Great light spectrum for growing
cannabis
- Since lights can safely be kept just a few inches away from plants, they're a good choice for short spaces
- One of the best lights for clones, seedlings and young plants. Big lights must be kept far away from young plants to avoid
burning them, which ends up wasting a lot of light and energy. By using smaller lights like fluorescents while plants are still short, you can save quite a bit of money on electricity during those first few weeks compared to using a high-powered grow light.
Cannabis plants under a T5 grow light - when plants are trained (like these ones in a Scrog setup) you can get pretty decent yields from fluorescents. Cons of Fluorescents
- Fluorescent grow lights get smaller yields per watt than the other types of grow lights if you use them in the flowering stage while buds are forming. With fluorescents you can expect about 0.25 grams of buds for every watt of electricity (using the true watts out the wall, not any type of "equivalent" watts), while LEDs and HPS get 2-4 times as much yield per watt of electricity.
- The light from a fluorescent lamp doesn't penetrate far down into the plant so they are best suited to plants that have been trained to grow short and flat; they aren't powerful enough to support tall plants in the
flowering stage.
Fluorescents are a great choice for clones, young plants, supplemental lighting and can save you money on electricity in the vegetative stage compared to using high power lights when plants are too young
to use it all anyway. They can also be used to flower plants in spaces that are shorter than what's possible with other grow lights (aka 'stealth growing').
That being said, when it comes to the flowering/budding stage, if you can fit a bigger light you will get significantly better yields/watt by using an HID or LED grow light!
2.) High Intensity Discharge (HID) Grow Lights
HID grow lights are much more efficient than fluorescent lights and are powered by
large, oddly-shaped bulbs. They are usually screwed into a reflector or hood to reflect more light down onto the plants. HIDs are great at growing cannabis, but they also get very hot and are usually hooked up to an exhaust to help vent out heat.
Metal Halide (MH) Grow Lights
Metal Halide grow lights are generally used for the vegetative
stage because they produce a bluish light that vegetative plants love, though this type of light can also be used all the way to harvest.
The light from a Metal Halide appears a little bluish, and is well suited to growing cannabis plants in the vegetative stage High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Grow Lights
High Pressure Sodium grow lights are often used during
the flowering stage because they are very efficient and their yellow light stimulates bud production. HPS grow lights in the flowering stage get better yields per watt of electricity than any other type of grow light available today, which is a big part of why they are so popular.
The light from an HPS appears yellow, and is great for flowering plants because the light
spectrum stimulates bud production
Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) & Light Emitting Ceramic (LEC) Grow Lights
These are actually
just two names for the same thing. This type of metal halide bulb uses ceramic as part of the lamp just like an HPS. As a result, CMH bulbs are more efficient than regular MH lights (though still not as efficient as HPS bulbs).
Lately I've been seeing CMH grow lights these labeled as "LEC" lights, which stands for "Light Emitting Ceramic." Since LECs are the same thing as CMH lights, personally I
think the term "LEC" is used to make this seem like some new type of light, and in order to ride on the popularity of LEDs....
"LEC" and "CMH" both refer to Ceramic Metal Halide grow lights, which is a type of HID light that is a bit more efficient than a regular Metal Halide light
Pros
- HIDs are the most efficient type of grow light (gets the highest yields/watt).
- Of all the HIDs, HPS grow lights are the most efficient and the best for the flowering stage. When using HPS grow lights in the flowering stage,
you can expect about 0.5-1 gram/watt if all goes well.
- HID lights are simple to use because they can be hung the right distance from the plants with no guesswork on your part (unlike LEDs), and no need to adjust the lights all the time (like fluorescents).
Cons
- HID bulbs get really
hot and generate a lot of heat. Because of the concentrated heat production, you will almost always want to put the bulb in a hood and also provide some sort of cooling to prevent heat from beaming down onto your plants and driving up the ambient temperature of your tent/grow room. This is especially important for the bigger lights with power above 250W.
- Additional
setup - As a result of the heat mentioned above, most growers use an exhaust fan with ducting to vent out heat. Unfortunately, the prospect of having to deal with the fan and ducting scares off many growers from HID lighting.
- More parts - HID lighting means a few more parts than other types of lighting. Fluorescents are just the bulb and a fixture and most LEDs are just
the light itself. But most HID setups have at least a bulb, fixture, an external ballast and an extra cable if you don't count the exhaust systems parts, too.
Example of MH/HPS Setups That Yield 1-5 Ounces/Month
- 1-2 oz per month
- Electricity: $69/month (including electricity for
fans)
- Initial Setup Cost: $605.00
- 1.5 - 3.5 oz per month
- Electricity: $96/month (including electricity for fans)
- Initial Setup Cost: $744.00
- 2.5 - 5 oz per month
- Electricity: $128/month (including electricity for fans)
- Initial Setup Cost: $780.00
There is a larger size MH/HPS grow light available (1000W), but at that size it starts going outside the scope of a "hobbyist" grower as far as ease and yields. In
addition to needing a lot of extra cooling which costs electricity, a 1000W HPS grow light is less efficient compared to a 600W grow light (as far as how much light is put out for electricity used). I think most hobbyist growers would be happier with a 600W, or even two 600W lights, over a 1000W :)
HIDs are very well
suited to growing cannabis and very easy to use once they're set up. If your main goal is to get the highest yields possible, then HIDs are the way to go! However, they do require extra setup compared to the other grow lights because chances are you will need a fan to vent out heat from your grow space.
3.) LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights are very popular among cannabis growers as an alternative to HPS grow lights. They tend to run cooler and also usually come with built-in cooling. They can often be
plugged into a wall and simply hung over plants which is definitely easier than setting up an HID grow light. LEDs also have great penetration so they don't need to be moved frequently like fluorescents.
Simply hang an LED light over your plants and start
growing! Pros - LEDs almost always have built-in cooling that pushes heat up and away from the plants (unlike HID bulbs which beam heat down on your plants and need to be cooled separately). As a result LEDs run very cool and many growers are able to get away without venting heat at all.
- The smaller size LEDs can be plugged directly into the wall and hung
up over your plant, without needing to do anything else. You can just plug them in and start growing!
- Some growers believe LEDs produce more resinous bud. Combining LEDs with HPS grow lights seems to be getting some growers really great results, though more testing is needed.
Cons - Although the LED lamp itself usually does run a lot cooler than a similar wattage HPS bulb, they still produce heat and the bigger sizes like 300W+ may need to be vented with an exhaust fan to prevent the grow space from getting too warm.
- Despite what some sellers may tell you, LEDs get slightly smaller yields per watt than HPS grow lights on
average (LEDs commonly yield about 0.5g/watt, though some growers and lamps get better results than others!). There is a learning curve when it comes to getting the best yields from your LEDs, partly because each lamp is different and there are no "standards" to go by yet. A little experience with a specific lamp can improve your yields by a lot!
- LED grow lights
tend to need a lot of space between the lamp and your plants, which means you need a tall grow space to get the best results. This is actually the main thing holding me back from trying LEDs more. Smaller LED panels should be kept 18" or more away during the second half of the flowering stage to avoid light burning your buds (buds can be burned from too much light even if the temperature is cool), and some of the bigger models need to be kept 30" or more away from the buds. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer!
If you get very high-wattage LEDs, you may need to vent out heat to keep the grow space cool For growers who are looking to harvest 1/2 to 1 ounce of cannabis a month, LEDs may be your best choice. At this size, they are super low on electricity, run cool and need almost no setup! They get better
yields than fluorescents but don't run as hot as an HPS of similar wattage.
Note: When shopping for LEDs, make sure they contain some amount of green or white (full spectrum) light. If you see an LED lamp that only has diodes for red and
blue light (which was very common in older models), don't get it! Plants grown without at least a tiny amount of green or white light are very prone to nutrient deficiencies and simply don't grow as well. Learn more about how light spectrums affect cannabis growth!
Now that you are familiar with all the most common cannabis grow lights I hope your choice is a little easier. I wish I'd had this information when I first started growing indoors :) Happy
growing!!!
~Nebula Haze
How to Increase CBD Levels |
The fact is, you can never make a
cannabis plant produce more CBD than the amount limited by its genetics. Many of the popular adult-use cannabis strains available today can only produce miniscule amounts of CBD, often 0.5% or lower.
Older cannabis strains tend to have higher CBD levels, especially those from before the year 2000, but many modern strains were bred over several generations exclusively for high THC levels, and CBD
levels dwindled over time. It's interesting that now we are going back to producing high-CBD strains. As cannabis becomes more popular, it has become obvious to me that each person is looking for something different.
Example of "Thai Stick" Buds From 1976 - older strains like this one usually have higher levels of CBD than most modern strains
|
|
|
Benefits of CBD
- Lots of evidence that it provides relief
for a variety of symptoms including seizures, anxiety, spasms and nausea. It can also provide some people relief from multiple sclerosis, IBS, PTSD, cancer treatments and many other conditions. We are learning more every day!
- Higher levels of CBD in
cannabis will mute the psychoactive effects of THC, so that it has less of an effect on your thinking, while still providing the same benefits
- More of a relaxing and less of a "speedy" or "racing" effect with buds.
There are a few things you can do while growing which help maximize the CBD content with the
genetics you have, but first lets discuss strains, since that is hands-down the most important part of producing CBD!
What is Considered a "High CBD" Strain?
Generally, strains with 2% or more of CBD is considered to be "high CBD." However, for a lot of patients, the ratio between
CBD and THC is more important than the individual percentages. For example, a 1:1 ratio of CBD to THC would mute the effects of THC but the effects would still be there. But once you start getting to the point where you have 2:1 or 3:1 CBD to THC, the buds may not have any noticeable psychoactive effects at all. So something with 12% CBD and 4% THC would not have a whole lot of psychoactive effect even though there's a significant amount of THC there.
|
It's hard to quantify how much I learned during this grow and practically all from the GWE forum and GrowWeedEasy.com. Great website, great forum. My buds are currently heading for the jar. Your descriptions about jars and curing make it pretty clear.
-Buz |
|
Two weeks. Freshly transplanted to a larger pot from a Solo cup
~Pakman
|
We encourage you to forward this email to a friend in need!
Who Runs This
Newsletter? |
Nebula Haze:
I'll be honest with you, when I first started growing, I struggled. Now, it is my mission to make it easier for new growers to
get started as well as help advanced growers get bigger, better yields with less time and money. We are updating and adding articles every single week and our goal is to eventually build a comprehensive growing resource so anyone and everyone can grow if they want to! If we all share the knowledge there's more buds in the world for everyone :)
|
|
Learn which seed sources are personally recommended by Nebula Haze |
Sirius Fourside:
Sirius Fourside is a hobbyist grower who has gained the bulk of his experience growing in water as a medium (deep water culture,
bubbleponics).
"Growing cannabis is a relaxing hobby in and of itself, but it also saves you money and keeps you from having to deal with shady characters. Cannabis is much
easier to grow than people give it credit for, and growing in water doesn't increase the difficulty much, if any. But whether you want to grow in water, coco, or a different medium, we'll show you how easy it can be!"
Get Your Seeds Delivered
Safely! |
|
GrowWeedEasy.com has put together a hand-picked list of all the available SEED BANKS including what type of payment they accept and where they ship in the world!
List of trusted seed sources:
http://www.growweedeasy.com/seeds Get Seeds!
|
Copyright (c) 2016 GrowWeedEasy.com
Disclaimer: Grow Weed Easy only recommends products that we've either personally checked out ourselves, or that come from people we know
and trust. For doing so, we may receive a commission. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial, Legal, or Medical Advice. The contributors to this magazine grow legally under their local laws but are not lawyers or medical professionals. Any decision to grow marijuana should only
be made after consulting with an experienced lawyer or other legal adviser. Any medical decisions should only be made after speaking with a doctor or other medical professional. Be safe!
How Did I Sign Up For This Newsletter?
Our records indicate that requested to be added to the GrowWeedEasy.com weekly newsletter at
.
Date:
To unsubscribe: |
|
