Fact Checked by Doctor NameWhat is Light Deprivation?
Light deprivation is a technique cannabis cultivators use to manipulate the flowering cycle of marijuana plants grown outdoors. It tricks the plants into flowering early by limiting light exposure to less than 12 hours per day.
Outdoor cannabis follows natural photoperiods dictated by seasonal changes.
Long summer days keep marijuana plants vegetative, focusing energy on foliage growth. As daily sunlight drops below ~12 hours in early fall, plants begin to flower.
With light deprivation, covers are used to block light from reaching plants for set periods. This simulates the shorter days of fall that induce flowering.
Light deprivation can make outdoor plants flower 2-4 weeks earlier than normal.
The most common method involves placing opaque tarps or curtains over plants in the afternoon or evening to maintain 12 hours or less of light.
Automated systems are available, but simple manual covers can work well.
Starting light deprivation in mid-summer means earlier harvests, possibly multiple outdoor crops per season.
Extra planning is required to ensure flowering finishes before fall rains and frosts set in. However, the technique can boost yields from outdoor cultivation.
