Why is 24 hrs light preferred over 16? Clones

a mongo frog said:

Have you tested the repair and growth times of mother plants on those different light schedules. Like for instance if one takes a 50 flat of cuts and wants to make another flat as soon as that mother plant grows back. Do you think 18/6 or 24/0 gets the mother back any faster or any slower?

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18/6 in my experience. Clones are the only thing I run 24/0


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kmog33 said:

18/6 in my experience. Clones are the only thing I run 24/0


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So it takes me 21 days to make new cuts off that same mother plant on 24/0. Are you around the same time frame or is 18/6 a little faster?

a mongo frog said:

So it takes me 21 days to make new cuts off that same mother plant on 24/0. Are you around the same time frame or is 18/6 a little faster?

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I don't take cuts that often ATM so I do t have a good answer. I think the difference I've notice between 24/0 and 18/6 with my moms is that with 24/0 they seem to grow a little bit, all the time. While with 18/6 it seems like they stall for a few days then explode with growth. I'll look for pics of my veg cycle this run. I mutilated my plants every two weeks or so and they'd bounce back and then some before i pulled more growth off.

I think the amount of light on your moms also plays a huge factor.


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I do 18/6 for clones / veg and then 12/12,for flower.

I flower in a tent, but I clone/veg/mother in my cupboard, which I can't fully close, so can't guarantee an absence of light leaks.
So I go 24/0 instead of giving them leaky night periods.

hyroot said:

They won't use that energy unless they sleep aka phytochrome state.

Read the link I posted up above. There's a section on day and night for plants

If you run 24/0 when your plants go into flower they will be stressed out.

I have done 18/6, 20/4 , 22/2 and 24/0. Other than the stress , The only difference I ever saw was 18 /6 stretched more on indica doms. 24/0 had too close of nodes.

You can manipulate stretch with light utilizing 730nm IR and 660 nm deep red light.

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How are they stressed out when you run 24 because I've never ran them any other way and I've never stressed or hermied a plant, so what are you talking about what stress could they get, if the plants did need a dark period they would show it like problems but they don't, I like it also because you don't have to fool with timers and light leaks and also is constant heat

kmog33 said:

That's them sleeping and using the energy they've built up all day for other processes. So they energy used reaching towards the light is essentially useless. When he lights come on, they go back into collect and store mode and reach back for the lights. They're not droopy in the same sense as over/under watering when it's dark. It's not a bad thing.


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Bingo

I did an experiment a cpl yrs ago where I took some cuttings and put 1/2 in a humidome inside under cfl's with 24/0 light schedule.
I took the other 1/2 placed in a humidome outside in an area that received filtered sunlight.
The cuttings were taken from an outdoor plant. The cutiings outside rooted on average about 2 dys sooner than the indoor cuttings. Was it a fluke, did the difference in light make any difference I have no idea. Gonna try again when the night temps warm up and see what happens.

MedicalMike420 said:

I've heard that some people do go with 16. I just built a 2x4x4 box so I have a veg area, was gunna chop a plant down that's not doing great and use it for clones. I already have a 16/8 room going but it's going to 12/12 this week. What does no darkness do for the clones to grow roots? Does it make a difference

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The duration of light is important but there are many other factors affecting rooting. Light intensity for the first 5-12 days should be 600-1000 foot candles (one can buy a cheap light meter at nurseries or on amazon). High relative humidity should be maintained, consistent air temperatures of 77-80f and air flow around foliage needs to be limited. Gradually increase light intensity over time.

russ668 said:

I did an experiment a cpl yrs ago where I took some cuttings and put 1/2 in a humidome inside under cfl's with 24/0 light schedule.
I took the other 1/2 placed in a humidome outside in an area that received filtered sunlight.
The cuttings were taken from an outdoor plant. The cutiings outside rooted on average about 2 dys sooner than the indoor cuttings. Was it a fluke, did the difference in light make any difference I have no idea. Gonna try again when the night temps warm up and see what happens.

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Good idea, but you need to refine the experiment to give them more similar conditions, so that the only difference is the light schedule.
You've got different light sources conflating those results
As well as perhaps more subtle things.

ISK said:

It can be stressful on the young seedlings if the temp drops too low at night, so I prefer to run 24/0 until they are established, just to maintain that consistent temp, then I introduce a dark cycle.... typically after a week or so.

I's a minor cost to run a few CFL's or T5's an extra 6 hours/day

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I agree. Clones dont have rootstock and will likely die so 24 or 23/1 light schedule would be prudent.

MedicalMike420 said:

I've heard that some people do go with 16. I just built a 2x4x4 box so I have a veg area, was gunna chop a plant down that's not doing great and use it for clones. I already have a 16/8 room going but it's going to 12/12 this week. What does no darkness do for the clones to grow roots? Does it make a difference

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Why would you use a plant that isnt doing great? The clones are exact replicas? They will turn out just like the mother 'that isnt doing well' correct??

I wouldn't waste money on buying a timer for clones personally.

Henny2times said:

Why would you use a plant that isnt doing great? The clones are exact replicas? They will turn out just like the mother 'that isnt doing well' correct??

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Not a lot of options when all the breeders put out weak sensitive suceptible snowflake product.

When roots develop they need darkness to promote the flow of sugars to the roots.

James22v said:

I agree. Clones dont have rootstock and will likely die so 24 or 23/1 light schedule would be prudent.

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Pretty sure people are discussing rooted clones. As for freshly cut clones that haven't rooted, they don't need 24 hours or direct light. In fact clones will root out of direct light and much less than 24 hours of any light. They don't need much light to root and I've found they root faster and stay healthier while rooting when they are not in direct light.

24/0 in the cloner tent (aerocloner), through the veg tent until they go into the flower tent. Haven't changed my approach in seven years.

240W LED in the clone tent, 400W in veg, 600W & 1000W in the flower tents. LED is stationed off to the side of the tent so it's not directly above the cloner.

I cut and root clones every three weeks, plant them two weeks later, veg for eight weeks and flower for 10.

Lights on continuously for stability of temperature and humidity. I have never had an issue whatsoever during any growth phase.

LinguaPeel said:

When roots develop they need darkness to promote the flow of sugars to the roots.

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nope

I just put my clone dome in the veg room off to the side. I use the same light schedule (18/6) for clones to reduce variables/shock. I've had decent results.

spek9 said:

24/0 in the cloner tent (aerocloner), through the veg tent until they go into the flower tent. Haven't changed my approach in seven years.

240W LED in the clone tent, 400W in veg, 600W & 1000W in the flower tents. LED is stationed off to the side of the tent so it's not directly above the cloner.

I cut and root clones every three weeks, plant them two weeks later, veg for eight weeks and flower for 10.

Lights on continuously for stability of temperature and humidity. I have never had an issue whatsoever during any growth phase.

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I don't clone that often as I'm mostly a from seed grower but the last few times I've taken clones I just cut them, put them in coco, and set them in the corner without any direct light. They all rooted. 24/0 or 18/6 I don't think it really matters. In the room with my veg tent sometimes the main light gets left on so they are getting 24 hrs of ambient light. I also have the window blacked out so sometimes they sit in darkness all day. I just wait until I see roots coming out of the holes of the small nursery pots I use and then stick them in the veg tent under the T5's where they take off immediately. It's rare that I clone anymore but I just do it like I have for years as well.

I think cloning is one of those things that some people are successful with and others struggle with. Just like germinating seeds. I don't think it makes a difference whether the lights are 24/0 or 18/6, or 16/8, etc... Many other variables are more important than the difference between light hours. But as they say "If it's not broke then don't fix it". You seem to have a routine that you're comfortable with and works. Stick with it.

My last batch was from a cross I made that was showing before putting in to 12/12 so I took some clones for a buddy that grows outdoors and needs female plants. I cut them 3-2-20 and they've rooted and tripled in size since then. I've had to top them to slow down the vertical growth. I need my friend to pick them up but he's an older guy with health issues and is afraid to leave the house with the Covaid. He's got a light so I'm going to have to make a road trip and get them to him within the week.