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lighting when to switch lights

I'm not sure if there is a hard and fast rule for peppers, but I would recommend switching the spectrum when either: (a) the plant is near its maximum height, or (b) you feel there are enough flowers to focus on growing peppers, or (c) really, whenever you want...
 
I never use metal halide, the few times I did my plants would stretch too much and were lanky. From then on I only used hps throughout the entire cycle. I don't see a need for metal halide in my setups. With an hps light its keeps my plants short and bushy, tight inter node spacing as well. I do use fluorescent's for cloning. Most people switch when they are flowering their plants.
 
I haven't really had the stretching problem w/metal halides, but to each his own...

This thread got me thinking that it might just be easier (i.e. no light spectrum switching) if you use a full-spectrum bulb...they are a little more expensive that straight-up MH or HPS, but they are effective. Just make sure to check the lumens output...
 
meluvhabanero86 said:
I never use metal halide, the few times I did my plants would stretch too much and were lanky. From then on I only used hps throughout the entire cycle. I don't see a need for metal halide in my setups. With an hps light its keeps my plants short and bushy, tight inter node spacing as well. I do use fluorescent's for cloning. Most people switch when they are flowering their plants.
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The blue light from the metal halide makes plants grow out not up.

The red light from the hps makes plants grow "up" and stretch. I grew with a blue spectrum hps bulp so it helped keep plants short.

Metal halide it the BEST light to use all the way through. HPS gets a little more lumens per what then metal halide but does not have blue light.

I have grown cherry tomatoes with a blue spectrum hps the whole way from seed.
 
I would switch right when you want to focus on fruiting. I typically use the eye hortilux full spectrum HPS bulbs. They have a good focused spectrum for fruiting, but enough light to also help with vegging. You also want to change your ferts so your not giving the plant any nitrogen.
 
Pepper plants are not cannabis. There are very few things that will hold true between the two. One of the main things I read people doing on here with their peppers is treating them like cannabis. A healthy pepper plant that is getting the correct nutrients all across the board will branch and flower at the same time. There are no reasons to ever withold N from a pepper plant, or any other nutrient. It doesnt work like that. Pepper plants arent a veg and bloom type of thing. They arent affected by photoperiod. They are perrenials. We just grow em in their unatural habitats and climates. So they die when it gets cold at the end of the season. The only time you should withold any nutrients from a pepper plant is when it comes inside for the winter and you dont have the sun anymore to sustain all that plant material. How does apply to lighting? Same thing, they arent cannabis. Choose whichever light you like. There is no "switch". Only remeber this: MH is bluer/whiter. HPS, more red. A mixture of both would be ideal for peppers. Even add a little flouro if you like. The point is there is no switch :P
 
awsome info thank you very much. more question how much light should they get do i need to cut back when they start to flower and is there a majic number for humidity
 
im running hps 400 watt and my plant are doing fine. i feed mine the General Organics Go Box. My larger plants are now flowering under an 18 hr light cycle. Seems to work fine for me. I water when they are dry. I feed my plants once a week and i let them dry out a little before feeding them. My roots are growing remarkable since using their products. I highly recommend using the GO BoX! Veganics all the way for me. No animal bi products in my chiles.

Pepper-Guru said:
Pepper plants are not cannabis. There are very few things that will hold true between the two. One of the main things I read people doing on here with their peppers is treating them like cannabis. A healthy pepper plant that is getting the correct nutrients all across the board will branch and flower at the same time. There are no reasons to ever withold N from a pepper plant, or any other nutrient. It doesnt work like that. Pepper plants arent a veg and bloom type of thing. They arent affected by photoperiod. They are perrenials. We just grow em in their unatural habitats and climates. So they die when it gets cold at the end of the season. The only time you should withold any nutrients from a pepper plant is when it comes inside for the winter and you dont have the sun anymore to sustain all that plant material. How does apply to lighting? Same thing, they arent cannabis. Choose whichever light you like. There is no "switch". Only remeber this: MH is bluer/whiter. HPS, more red. A mixture of both would be ideal for peppers. Even add a little flouro if you like. The point is there is no switch :P
Click to expand...
Well said! I'm not growing pot so why spend more $ on another bulb for flowering when my larger plants are flowering fine already under the blue spectrum! I learn more everyday on here and in my own time growing in my attic grow room. Also helps that i live in sw Co in a valley so the night temps are around 60 or less all summer long. Works better to run my lights at night.
 
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