A common debate within the grow room; does a 24 hour light cycle in veg provide benefits exceeding those of 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness?
This has always interested me so this morning I thought what the hell, lets write about light cycles. I have personally experimented quite a bit with the two different techniques and experienced greater success using 24 hours light in veg. Many other cultivators I have discussed the topic with tend to lean towards 18/6 for the simple reason of saving energy as 6 extra hours of light can prove to be quite pricey.
Both techniques seem to have their ups and downs so I put in a little research. A common argument in favor of 18/6 surrounds the fact that plants need darkness to complete the photosynthesis cycle. This however is not true. Plants can be classified into the groups c3 and c4. Cannabis is classified as a c3; these plants gather and use the co2 during the day and do NOT need a dark cycle. c4 plants require periods of darkness.
So what are the benefits of using 24 hours of light in your veg cycle? Mainly a faster grow. The Cannabis Culture web site suggests up to 33% faster development. Other testimonials claim your plant will not stretch as much on 24 hours of light along with a bushier tighter end product. Personally, I think that in each instance controlling the height of your light will combat stretching regardless of rest periods. Give the technique a shot and see if it works for you! Let us know how you like it!