The Sea of Green Method

The average period for a Cannabis plant to grow and mature is three to four months, the longest is seven months. The Sea of Green method is used to enable harvest after only a shorter period by cutting down the vegetative phase of the plant and making use of light distribution. It is utilizing the number of small plants grown and times of harvest instead of waiting for the maturity of a full grown plant. A constant harvest for the whole year is done by planting one crop while waiting for the others to mature. The drawback is that it affects the yield which is what the grower should concentrate on when employing the SOG method.

This practice is valuable only to the growers who have indoor plants as it was developed because of the restraints in height of the location where Cannabis is cultivated. It is advised to have four seedlings for every square meter of space to enable to plant to extend without tangling with another. The branches at the bottom of the plant are not as productive since it does not get enough light and space and so the attention is focused on the top branches of the plant. It is important to note that there are instances when support is needed as the bottom part of the plant will be weak and may droop due to the heavier weight of the top branches. Trellis, fences or stakes may be used as support to keep the plants vertical depending on the space availability. Be careful in putting up these supports as the plants may be damaged in the process. It is also better to trim the branches on the side and just leave the top branch for harvest. This will provide each plant with the most air flow and no intrusion from the other plants. The trimmings are then saved and used as clones which in turn will save the grower from the cost of more seeds with the added benefit of knowing the gender and the quality of the new batch.

There are three parts of the SOG system and each one has a specific function. The first one is the nursery where the seedlings stay and are nurtured. It is best to employ a fluorescent bulb as a light source in this part of the growing process. The intermediate area is where the plants are moved once they reach the vegetative state and a metal halide bulb will aid the plants to grow fast. The finish room where the plants are allowed to flower and a high pressure sodium bulb is needed for this stage. A steady harvest becomes likely because of the transfer between sections. Once a part of the process is finished like the nursery and the plants are transferred to the intermediate area, another batch can be started following the same procedure.

The growth rate of the chosen variety to use for SOG should be the same. Since the principle is to get the most harvest in the shortest possible time, the yield could be low but the number of harvest more than makes up for it. There are certain strains that can provide a yield within thirty to sixty days so it in fact provides up to twice the yield of the large plants if counted over the equal amount of time.

Sea of Green technique is just the efficient allocation of space and resources while working under certain limitations. If there is a demand for constant supply of harvest, it is better to employ this method as it will provide regular yield versus waiting for a plant to mature and get only one big yield. Expertise on the Sea of Green method comes with time and experience. Although it is favored mostly by experienced growers, even beginners can learn it as long as the concept is understood properly. The idea is very simple and easy for anyone to follow and there are no exact requisites as it varies from every strain used. The ideas mentioned above are the general conditions that may be used as a guide when beginning the process but the exact moves on the procedure will be determined by the grower and adjustments can be made as he goes along.