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The Sea of Green Explained. When growing cannabis indoors, it’s critical to do so as effectively as possible. Indoor plants usually work with limited grow areas, and the additional expense of artificial light compels cultivators to maximize their resources. Growers face this challenge with every plant. But how do you make the best use of limited space while ensuring every marijuana receives as much light as it requires? As marijuana cultivators moved indoors in the 1980s and 1990s, they experimented with methods to maximize yields with limited resources. One such method outperformed the others and spread through the cultivation community over the years: the Sea of Green (SOG) method.
Understanding the Sea of Green method
Sea of Green is a marijuana growing method in which numerous little plants are produced in close proximity per square meter of area. The advantage of developing this way is that plants spend less time in the vegetation stage while still creating as many bud sites per area volume. Buds mature faster in SOG, resulting in an additional yield yearly.
Furthermore, clones are typically used in SOG. This guarantees that all of the plants have the same characteristics (growing speed and height.) and that your SOG grows to have a lovely even canopy. You can also grow weed seeds for sale; however, only seeds from the same strain should be used. Avoid tall, lanky Sativa if possible. Also, keep your plants at the same level beneath your grow lights to maintain consistent development.
How many plants can you expect to grow per square foot with SOG?
The size of your growing space determines the number of cannabis plants per square foot that SOG can cultivate. After that, you can determine how many plants you want and the size of the containers. Most experts, however, advise growing up to one plant per square foot or two at most. Cultivating one SOG plant per square foot equals 10-11 plants per square meter (1 square meter = roughly 10.75 square feet). You should also avoid using pots with capacities of less than three liters.
Additionally, ensure each plant has enough soil to build a strong root system. If you intend to grow 10-12 plants per square meter, use pots with a 7-11 liters capacity, or around 2-3 gallons. If you choose two plants per square foot, it equates to 20-22 per square meter. In this instance, you must shorten the vegetative period to achieve a faster harvest. Also, pots larger than 5 gallons are not required.
How much can a Sea of Green yield?
To see the difference, many growers evaluate their specific setup before and after SOG. With a Sea of Green setup, a SOG grower often produces larger yields. Various circumstances will determine the actual degree of growth, but most organized SOG farmers say that their grow room production rises by 30% or more with each harvest. Those that manage a Sea of Green permanent harvest would be hard-pressed to discover any production system capable of competing with such huge harvests in such short periods. This implies that a new Sea of Green cycle begins soon after the previous one is finished.
Many commercial farmers would refuse to consider alternative techniques of cultivation. Whereas the home grower actively likes cultivating their plants and gives each one individual care, the commercial SOG grower has a different philosophy. Growing in the Sea of Green provides higher yields that are impossible to match with any other approach. Nevertheless, it adds complexity and may necessitate separate veg and bloom grow chambers. To determine if the Sea of Green is right, you must analyze the relative benefits and downsides of the sea of green and determine how they relate to you.
How long should you veg for the best yield?
It all depends on the resources you have at your disposal and how much time you have to devote to growing your plant. Most cultivators will veg for four to six weeks or when their crops reach ten inches in height. Some farmers switch to the flowering light regimen when the cannabis plants are only about six inches tall or 2-3 weeks into their development.
Other SOG technique producers who can invest in larger pots and don’t have to cram as many marijuana plants per square foot can enable more extended vegging states, up to seven or eight weeks. The larger pots offer more room for roots to spread. Adjust based on your growing situation, space, and the cannabis strain you’re growing, and know that practice makes perfect. Successful SOG involves finding the ideal balance between yield, growing conditions, and fast harvest time.
Using a Sea of Green in Hydroponics
The Sea of Green growth method in the soil is the simplest way to get started. However, many hydroponics (soil-free) growth experts employ a Sea of Green hydroponics. This has the advantage of rapid development, but it may add complication when you try to set up many ebb and flow systems, for example, in a tight location with restricted access around your plants. If you can handle the extra demands of a hydroponic Sea of Green setup, you will profit from possible quicker harvest cycles and higher yields.
When you produce cannabis using the SOG technique, you will get larger yields per square meter and faster harvesting. You can compel your plants to blossom in a few weeks. You also get top-quality buds before someone who grows marijuana naturally. Initially, it is a labor-intensive growth strategy, but it should be easier after the plants reach the blooming stage.
Let’s say you’re growing a Banana Runtz crop – what better way to get more of these beautiful buds than with a SOG?
Further Reading:
How to Build Your Indoor Cannabis Grow Space
Mainlining And Manifolding Your Cannabis in 2023
