Sun Vs. Soil

Hi all,

It is not my intention to open up the age old indoor vs. outdoor quality of weed debate with this, yet invariably it will come up due to lighting conditions. As both an indoor/outdoor grower(sun room), I have found some very interesting results over time. Last Summer I grew out some beans from the exact same stock. The first set were grown in my sun room. The glass in this room is originally from 1905, they didn't even invent sunglasses until the 1920's so it isn't UV block. These plants were grown in organic soil from own garden and well cared for. The second set of beans were planted in *un-amended clay soil*, a true guerrilla grow....these plants had full sun all day with zero shade. The indoor plants had several hours less sun daily, but were much better cared for.

I'll post some comparison pics of the finished products later today. The outdoor grown in shitty soil is better in every respect than the indoor, yet the indoor is much lighter in color. And of course, the outdoor is much denser.

This happens every year, and I'd like to know why along with how much indoor light it really takes to replicate Mr. Sun.

Thanks all!

Biz

The closest technology we have to compare with the sun is Plasma Lighting which is still very much in its infancy.
But to maybe add an answer to your question. I live about the 44th parallel. At the peak of summer light, late June through July, about 7000 lumens is max that I have ever measured. So its not the lumens of course that matters. Its the strength of the spectrum across the bandwidths, especially far right and left that matters most. Plus at different angles during the day different bandwidths are more dominant. Mixed spectrum natures way.......

We can certainly match and exceed the lumens our plants receive vs. the sun. But plants do not use lumens as we know. They use photosynthetically active radiation, which is our limiting factor when creating the outdoors indoors. Thats why we need to tweak and tune our own individual gardens to get the most out of what we have to work with.

watchhowIdoit said:

The closest technology we have to compare with the sun is Plasma Lighting which is still very much in its infancy.
But to maybe add an answer to your question. I live about the 44th parallel. At the peak of summer light, late June through July, about 7000 lumens is max that I have ever measured. So its not the lumens of course that matters. Its the strength of the spectrum across the bandwidths, especially far right and left that matters most. Plus at different angles during the day different bandwidths are more dominant. Mixed spectrum natures way.......

We can certainly match and exceed the lumens our plants receive vs. the sun. But plants do not use lumens as we know. They use photosynthetically active radiation, which is our limiting factor when creating the outdoors indoors. Thats why we need to tweak and tune our own individual gardens to get the most out of what we have to work with.

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I have no choice but to tweak indoors during this time of year, if I don't use supplemental lighting they will stretch(and obviously flower immediately). Lighting spectrums I need to research further. I do realize they change during the day and, in particular from season to season....more red in Fall etc. I tend to gravitate towards the max intensity of 10A-3PM, which could be depriving them of some proper spectrum. However, it isn't enough to explain the huge variation of results. Unless, it really isn't the quality of soil that matters as much as light intensity/color spectrum.

That's sort of my point as well, it really appears as though I can take anyone's average back yard soil(coupled with a minimal amount of amending)and pretty much get the same results as the expensive bagged products.

I think its more about the light and less about the soil. And the 10am-3pm period is really hitting them with what little UVB our portion of the planet actually receives. Its hard to dismiss the serious lack of far right and left spectrums of HID bulbs. Now this is where LED have a chance, and sooner or later will, fill part of those gaps. And if you got the extra cash there are some very serious players now on the LED market..........

I would bet if u switched your old glass out for some polycarbonate you would have some great result indoors. refraction its great.

Agreed Grape. The new diffusing panels are awesome. Amazing results in the greenhouse........

Less sunlight is needed IMHO with the new panels.

some of the bitches really love that UVb

Our first grow under the new panels were Poinsettias. The difference in vigor and health not to mention color was amazing compared to past grows....

usually when you smoke outdoors and not your own, its massproduced (which severly lowers the quality)

and even when its your own, its something that you had to grow guerrilla style somewhere and couldnt give it the proper attention.

and even when you could, the quality depends alot on the conditions outside, is it a good summer for growing or not?

so, its alot easier creating ok conditions inside, even good.

less risk of bugs and animals too.

grapeoptimo said:

I would bet if u switched your old glass out for some polycarbonate you would have some great result indoors. refraction its great.

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That would cost me a lot more than a plasma set-up, this is a restored historical home with original rope pulley lift assists and putty glazed glass/oak window frames etc...not happening here..lol!. My indoors actually veg outdoors during Summer months, just have to bring them into flower due to neighbor ripper potential during the Fall.

Now I'm wondering what the best supplemental lighting would be to augment Winter spectum...that should be some dull reading for later. Meanwhile, I'm bagging up my garden soil to be sold for half the cost FF...kidding but I bet it would sell.

sso said:

usually when you smoke outdoors and not your own, its massproduced (which severly lowers the quality)

and even when its your own, its something that you had to grow guerrilla style somewhere and couldnt give it the proper attention.

and even when you could, the quality depends alot on the conditions outside, is it a good summer for growing or not?

so, its alot easier creating ok conditions inside, even good.

less risk of bugs and animals too.

Click to expand...

I almost failed to mention, those outdoor plants of mine almost were killed by insects in the first 2 weeks...and still got better smoke. I planted just a bit too close to a swamp, which I like to do b/c the bugs keep people out. Yes, we had a LOT more sunny days than normal this year...preceded by a ton of rain. Even droughts don't seem to affect the quality of the herb, only the yield.

Sunbiz1 said:

I almost failed to mention, those outdoor plants of mine almost were killed by insects in the first 2 weeks...and still got better smoke. I planted just a bit too close to a swamp, which I like to do b/c the bugs keep people out. Yes, we had a LOT more sunny days than normal this year...preceded by a ton of rain. Even droughts don't seem to affect the quality of the herb, only the yield.

Click to expand...

yeah..

i hear that, outdoors is always better than indoors.

but ive never tried it (unless some of the imported hash ive tried was so)

but ive no reason to doubt it either, rather find it probable.

btw, mj plants grow much more natural looking under mh and hps combined (with t5 sidelighting it even looks properly like tropical sunlight in there)

so maybe one can approximate it somewhat close to it indoors. but dunno,.