Grow more crops with 12/12 from seed

This type of technique is ideal for both beginners and experienced growers, as well as those who have little space to grow.

What is 12/12 cultivation from seed?

The 12/12 from seed growing method is a technique that eliminates the vegetative phase and forces cannabis plants to go straight into flowering in a fully automatic way. Instead of following the common 18/6 light cycle (18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness), 12/12 from seed involves exposing the plants to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness from the start.

Basically, we are tricking the plants into believing that the growing season is coming to an end and they need to produce flowers as soon as possible.

Advantages of growing 12/12 from seed

Some of the advantages of this type of growing are as follows:

• • Space saving: By eliminating the vegetative phase, the plants do not grow as tall and branchy, which is ideal for limited space.
  • Saving resources: The 12/12 light cycle requires less energy and resources than the 18/6 cycle, which can be beneficial for your electricity bill.
  • Faster harvests: Plants grown on 12/12 from seed enter flowering around the 5th week of cultivation, instead of the longer time needed with the vegetative phase. They start flowering on their own as soon as they reach sexual maturity.
  • Less maintenance: By avoiding the vegetative phase, there is less care and less risk of pests or diseases. In any case, it is advisable to use some preventive treatment until pre-flowering so that they are healthy until harvest.
  • Easier manicuring: With this method the plants develop much less foliage, therefore, at harvest time it will be easier to manicure them.
  • Suitable for small spaces: It is a system that adapts well to low-power LED or 250w sodium equipment. I have carried out this type of cultivation in 60×60 or 80×80 cabinets with excellent results.
  • Ideal for beginners: It is ideal for beginners because they do not have to be aware of the change of photoperiod at the time of switching to flowering. With this system they automatically enter flowering like autoflowering plants.

Frequently asked questions about growing 12 12 from seed

Here we leave you with a series of recommendations for successfully growing cannabis seeds at 12 hours:

When will the plants start flowering?

The first signs of flowering when growing 12/12 cannabis from seed are the appearance of the flowers themselves. Watch as the plants develop small buds and pistils. As flowering progresses, the buds will become larger and more resinous.

How to fertilise?

During the 12/12 cultivation from seed we will fertilize with growth fertilizers until the 5th week approximately. When we see that the plant begins to sprout its first flowers we will change to the fertilizers of the flowering phase, here you can see a table of Top Crop where they explain what fertilizers to use and at each moment of the life of the plant.

What lighting to use and how much does it cost?

To grow cannabis at 12/12 from seed, you will need a suitable light source. LED or high-pressure sodium lights are excellent options. Make sure your plants get 12 hours of intense light and 12 hours of complete darkness.

The cost is much lower than with traditional cultivation at 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness for the entire growing phase.

What is the best technique for this type of growing?

The SOG growing method is perfect for growing 12/12 from seed. It plants several seeds together and allows them to grow in a small space. This maximises bud production and speeds up the process.

What are the best strains for this technique?

Some cannabis strains are ideal for growing 12/12 from seed. Look for those that have a shorter flowering cycle and are well suited to this method. Sativa-dominant hybrids with a relatively short flowering period are well suited to this type of growing.

Is it advisable to grow autoflowering plants at 12/12?

In the case of autoflowering strains we do not recommend it simply because these varieties develop and produce more in brighter conditions. You will get a better harvest by growing photodependent strains.

We hope you liked it and can learn something new, on the other hand, if you want to contribute some more information about growing 12/12 from seed, you can do it below in the comments.