Questions questions questions

So whats up guys? I'm new here, and to growing. Right now I've got 9 plants going strong, all between 3 to 6 inches tall, growing a week, abouts. Right now I'm hitting them with 12,0000 lms (approx.) of lights for 24 hours a day from 4 fluorescent tubes. The growth rate is astonishing to me, and I've lived on a farm all my life.

I was wondering about what time (days, weeks, months, whatever unit of time) will thy be ready to force to flower? Also, I've read about some 11-13 and 13-11 cycles, instead of the 12/12. The one with the extra hour of light (supposedly) will have heavier yield, yet take a little more time before being ready to harvest, and the one with the extra hour of dark, matures faster, with a lighter yield. Is there any credibility to this?

Also, height is an issue once they get to the 12+ inch mark, possibly going up to maybe 18-20 inches without problem. I was wonderin can I use LST and bend the plant, tye them down, grow a week bent, then grow a week upright, then bend in the opposite direction for a week, then up right, ect. I would follow a pattern in this, for expressing my point, I'll describe it like this: Tye the plant down facing East for a week, then upright, then West, upright, North, upright, South, ect. I've heard this will produce a bushier shorter plant since it still grows "up." I will also combine this with topping (possibly rooting the first batch of large tops, then cutting where it would grow back once every week or two, for about 2 or 3 cuts total) and pruning to make my space efficent. If they absolutly must grow more, and no height remains, I'll resort to scrog. So, at approximately what age, AND/OR height should I swith to flowering, and will my shaping/training techniques work efficently to produce shorter, bushier plants, without damage to them?

Thank a bunch. I really appricate all help, I know yall have to hear shit from people that don't bother to read anything at all. I know a (very) little from reading, so hopefully I have a firm foundation of knowledge that can be built on from your experience, and, in time, mine. Thanks again.

 

Sounds like you already know enough to get along fine without help. But to answer your main point; You CAN grow plants from seed under 12/12 all the way through and they'll start flowering as soon as they are able to... usually after a couple of weeks growth. Most seed producers suggest growing the plant under 18/6 for at least two weeks before force flowering under 12/12.
The difference between 13/12, 12/13, is negligible .... can you see that 12/12 is a happy medium between the two? Just stick to the tried and trusted formula. I don't agree with vegging under constant light either ... it's stressful to the plant and all plants need to 'sleep'. It's no wonder people complain about hermaphrodites these days with all these bizarre things people stress their plants with. Keep it simple.

Training your plant horizontally is fine if you want to increase the yield from such young plants and if headroom is a problem. Don't expect large yields though from plants grown with such a short vegging period.

 

Thanks alot. Alright, yeah, matter of fact, the other day, as I was falling asleep, I was thinking, hey, do my plants need to sleep? So yeah, based on the overwhelming popularity of the 18/6, I'll go with that now, to be safe.

I wasn't going to flower as soon as possible, I was just wondering when it would be possible. I was thinking 1.5-3 months of vegatative growth (alot depends on how tall they grow and how fast) before switching to the 12/12. Thanks alot, you really helped. Any miscellanous "tips" or anything that wouldn't be read in a standerd grow guide? I've read tons tons of guides, but they're all similar and basic. I want to get Jorge Cervantes (sp?) Bible of Growing (I know the names longer, stoner too lazy to go get magizine and find out full name) so I can get indepth and advanced. I want to learn as much as I can. I have always enjoyed growing things (before herb) and now that I grow herb, it seems like a great choice for a career. I'm prepared to move out of the country (eventually, still in my senior year of high school) and start breeding and growing and experimenting hardcore heavy duty as much as I can. So...I'm trying to learn EVERYTHING I can now, every little nit-picking detail, even if its not neccissary for a beginner grower, or wouldn't be in a guide, or summary. Know what I mean? Anything (literally) about ganja (even if I already knew it, it still only confirms what I knew to be true) is welcomed, and all adviced and stories appreciated. Thanks agan, and especially to you, Liquid.