how long should i be leaving my grow light on ?

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figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427400304	Reply with quote #1

I just bought a eletronic timer for my griw lights. I have been just leaving them on which cant be good. What should i set them to run per day. They are in 16 oz cups and have 5 or six leaves on them. They are in a 6 foot long fish tank covered with glass fish tank lid. Lights are 4 4 foot tubelights . thanks richie __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

vito12831

Registered:1256950611
Posts: 840

Posted 1427414455	Reply with quote #2

Hi Richard. I have my lights on 12 hours and 12 hours off. Good luck. Vito

figherder

Registered:1378804761
Posts: 237

Posted 1427416228	Reply with quote #3

16 hrs for vegetative growth, 12 hrs for fruiting __________________ Jeff in zone 5b Wish list St rita,Vista,Sal's G,De la Reina, preto, Sport and pops purple red from Bellaclare, Planera Malta Black, Navid Unk Dark Greek,

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427419393	Reply with quote #4

i thank yall for your response. I will set it for 16 on. Will give it a go __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

philos

Registered:1349018083
Posts: 122

Posted 1427422729	Reply with quote #5

Yes, I usually do 16 hours on a day. I have often heard it is better to have the extra time than plants that require more light. Have not studied much why, just kind f followed the advice... and it has worked thus far! Good luck. __________________ Jerry - Zone 6B Westchester, New York. 2015 Wish List: Florea, White Greek, Italian 258, Galicia Negra and any M. Pons varieties.

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427423622	Reply with quote #6

Thanks. I have been lazy and did not turn the lots off. 24 7. Thats why i bought a timer !!! They are nice and green. Think they will grow faster with less light. They have massive roots compaired to the amount of leaves __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

drphil69

Registered:1390113240
Posts: 803

Posted 1427424465	Reply with quote #7

More light = more growth but there are diminishing returns above 14 or 16 hours per day. i.e. the extra 8 hours won't get you much more growth. __________________ Phil - Zone 7A - Newark, DE Newbie fig lover just trying to learn.

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427469247	Reply with quote #8

Quote: Originally Posted by drphil69 More light = more growth but there are diminishing returns above 14 or 16 hours per day. i.e. the extra 8 hours won't get you much more growth. Thanks i figured the darkness has to be needed for heathy growing __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,727

Posted 1427730211	Reply with quote #9

Only the youngest of plants can get by on 10 hrs/day. I generally give 12-14. Once you get to 16 they grow so fast that you have to water them daily. If you're like me and miss a day they'll wilt and drop leaves and they'll be worse off than they were at 12 hrs/day. In LA you can put them out now so it may not matter how fast they grow and 24 hrs/day of light is fine if you can keep up with the watering or have the space to put them in pots big enough so they don't have to be watered daily. Here, they still can't go out so I don't want them out growing their space and lighting capacity. The bigger the plants get the more they shade themselves and others. You end up needing more light to compensate. Here's what plants produce when under 24 hrs/day of sunlight. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Registered:1352993559
Posts: 412

Posted 1427803863	Reply with quote #10

I run mine 14 - 18 hours depending on how much wine I drink in the evening :)

RobSter010

Registered:1398968149
Posts: 64

Posted 1427810780	Reply with quote #11

16 hrs on / 8 hrs off. In fact most growth is done in the dark hours so thing will really improve for you now you bought a timer. __________________ Rotterdam / Holland - Zone 8

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427843497	Reply with quote #12

Wow i figured the dark had to be important thanks. I have it set to 16 hours. __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1427874338 · Edited	Reply with quote #13

Hi, IMO, the problem with leaving the lights on, is that the air gets drier as your lights are drying the air . The more lighting time, the more the air gets drier . So if like me you have a hard time keeping some humidity, you want less lighting especially when the air gets drier - typically during daytime. I now (10 days ago) switched off the lights as day-time duration is long enough here now IMO (lights on from February to mid-March ). Last month, I started lighting during the night time. The reason for this was that at night we get naturally more humidity in the air here at least. So I thought it was better to light at night and dry the air during that more humid time laps than drying the drier air at day-time. The leaves that were drying on my young trees stopped the process of drying from the edges to their inner center . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1427936093	Reply with quote #14

Thanks everyone for your opinions and help. Since i statred this thread its got so damm hot here i cant run the lights as they will cook. I have started sliding the lid open a little each day to get them ready for louisiana's 100 percent humidity. They are doing fine so far. They are in green house so they get filtered sun light going to sun harden them. I thought i would be able to use me lighting system for faster growth but sun light will have to work because of the heat issue. I know sun is best but for starting cutting i like the fish tank. I will go back to sticking the cuttings in soil mix in shade like last summer. __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

TerranceDevor

Registered:1440123331
Posts: 28

Posted 1447556764	Reply with quote #15

Hello KK, What kind of lights are your running here? Thanks. Quote: Originally Posted by KK I run mine 14 - 18 hours depending on how much wine I drink in the evening :)

Smyfigs

Registered:1443660141
Posts: 1,658

Posted 1447557026	Reply with quote #16

Great thread! __________________ Meg-Hardiness Zone 10a Looking for... Socorro Blk Wuhan Jolly Tiger Lamperia Preta Herschtetten St. Jean Black Ischia "The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy." ~ Mother Teresa "Do not pass by a man in need for you may be the hand of God to him." ~Proverbs 3:27~ "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." ~Job 5:4

Smyfigs

Registered:1443660141
Posts: 1,658

Posted 1447557098	Reply with quote #17

Great setup, Terrance! __________________ Meg-Hardiness Zone 10a Looking for... Socorro Blk Wuhan Jolly Tiger Lamperia Preta Herschtetten St. Jean Black Ischia "The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy." ~ Mother Teresa "Do not pass by a man in need for you may be the hand of God to him." ~Proverbs 3:27~ "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." ~Job 5:4

figpig_66

Registered:1416870358
Posts: 2,678

Posted 1447598121	Reply with quote #18

Quote: Originally Posted by Smyfigs Great thread! Your all over this forum digging up information. .. thats what i do too. Its got something for everyone thats for sure. I use my grow light all year long. Always starting new varieties in different ways __________________ RICHIE BONI HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity Wish list. Col de dame blanc Col de rimada Lsu numbered figs

Smyfigs

Registered:1443660141
Posts: 1,658

Posted 1447670486	Reply with quote #19

Lol...yes, I am all over this forum:like you :-). Its great info!!! I am so into figs I just want to read everything! __________________ Meg-Hardiness Zone 10a Looking for... Socorro Blk Wuhan Jolly Tiger Lamperia Preta Herschtetten St. Jean Black Ischia "The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy." ~ Mother Teresa "Do not pass by a man in need for you may be the hand of God to him." ~Proverbs 3:27~ "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." ~Job 5:4

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