Light-Dep | The Grower’s Secret to Increasing Harvests

Light Deprivation has been one of the best kept secrets among growers in the industry around the world. Like humans, plants too work on a day/night rhythm where they flower during the night. This period of completely uninterrupted darkness is what causes the flowers to bud. It is recommended that plants receive at least 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness for maximum flowering potential. Any interruption during this period can stress the plants, causing them to go into a fight or flight mode which results in the female plants producing seeds (causing the dreaded hermaphrodite). These hermaphrodite plants must then be removed, resulting in lost crop. Avoid this by simply implementing light deprivation. On addition, using light dep can allow you to harvest two or even three harvests each summer, if used properly – meaning more profits for you!

Take The Time to Research Your Plant(s)

Carefully study the strain of crop(s) you are trying to cultivate to see which light dep cycle works best, as there are several you can use throughout the year. Using light-dep, or “depping” gives YOU the power to control when your plants will flower, much like an indoor grower can choose when to turn the lights on or off. Tricking your plants into longer nights will cause them to flower more – 100% naturally! Growers that methodically use light-deprivation techniques have doubled, even tripled their harvests with BOLD. Once you understand the cycle your specific strain(s) require, stick to the cycle – it will be a lot of work, but will pay off in the end. If you have the luxury of a mechanical greenhouse, simply set the times and let nature do the rest!

Know The Seasons, & Mark Your Calendar!

Ready to make a plan of action? Track the seasons and mark your calendar with the ideal light-depping times based on the sun’s positioning throughout the year. Growers say that Fall is the best season for plants, as days are relatively short and bright, and the nights are long and dark – with BOLD, you can simulate these conditions in an outdoor greenhouse. You can see an example of a grower’s successful harvest calendar here. The chart below shows some suggested times that work well for depping. Always remember, you want to shoot for at least 12 hours of completely uninterrupted darkness for best results.

Data Source: The Ganjier

Why Use Bold?

BOLD is the only 8 mil reinforced light-dep greenhouse cover on the market that offers total darkness. The reflective white outer layer and carbon black inner layer has absolutely no holes or perforations, meaning that you truly get a total “blackout” environment. Keep in mind that any light that may seep in may disrupt your plants cycle. Some of these penetrating UV rays cannot be seen to the naked eye, so cheaper lookalike covers may actually be disrupting your plant’s abilities to flower properly! In addition, BOLD is made with virgin resins, making it FDA Compliant and USDA Organic! The heavy-duty scrim reinforcement makes this cover ultra durable, ideal for the daily wear and tear of covering and uncovering your greenhouse. Great for both manual and automatic greenhouses! Call us today for more information, or if you have any more questions regarding best practices for light deprivation methods.

Disclaimer:  The article above is for informational purposes only, we cannot guarantee the results of any method you choose.  We can only assure you that BOLD has been one of the most successful films used for light deprivation and it is manufactured with the top quality resins and materials.