By Luke Sumpter


Do you want to start marijuana seeds? A faster, space saving and economical way to grow is the no veg, seed to flower, 12-12 light cycle method.

Growing with a 12-12 photoperiod is a solution to space and resource problems. This method eliminates the vegetation phase of growth and forces the plant to go straight into flower from a seedling. Yields are lower than that of a regularly grown cannabis plant, but results are obtained much faster, with a few advantages.

The 12-12 lighting technique makes the grow cycle 7-9 weeks in general, rather than the much longer time needed when giving plants a vegetative phase. For the space constrained, and those willing to experiment and give it ago, it can be a dream come true.

12-12 Cannabis Light Cycle

What Is 12/12 From Seed?

12-12 simply refers to the hours of light and darkness a cannabis plant is exposed to – 12 of each. Normally, a cannabis plant is exposed to an 18-6 light cycle. This tells the cannabis plant conditions are good for growth, and it focuses on building up size and foliage. When light cycle is changed to 12-12 (either naturally or through human intervention), it tells the cannabis the seasons are changing, and it is time to flower. By forcing a 12-12 light period from the start, the cannabis plant goes directly into flowering, in a bid to reproduce. You are essentially tricking the plant into thinking the growing season is coming to an end, so it needs to produce flowers ASAP.

Know the Signs of Flowering

The first signs of flowering when growing cannabis 12/12 from seed are the flowers themselves. During the early stages of growth, your photoperiod cannabis strain of choice will start putting out leaves so it can create the energy needed for growth. Soon after, it’ll get the message based on the limited light cycle that it needs to start sending out flowers. These will occur at the nodes—the points at which the branches and main stem intersect. They start out as “pre-flowers”, a single bract equipped with small hairs called stigmas. These small structures are surefire signs that your plant has already moved past the vegetative phase. From this point, you can expect your plant to stretch slightly, and for the pre-flowers to develop into larger buds.

Signs of cannabis flowering

The Best Nutrient Strategy for 12/12 From Seed

Under normal lighting circumstances, growers focus primarily on feeding their plants plenty of nitrogen during the vegetative phase to fuel leafy growth. After switching to bloom, they transition to formulas higher in phosphorus and potassium to drive flower development. Growing 12/12 from seed skips the vegetative phase almost entirely, but cannabis plants still need some amount of nitrogen to support healthy growth and metabolism. For the best results, select a product such as the RQS Bio-Grow Fertiliser with a balanced NPK ratio of 3-3-3 to provide an initial balance of all three macronutrients. After 2–3 weeks, switch over to a product with an NPK ratio of 0-5-5, such as Bio-Bloom Fertiliser, to drive flower development in the final weeks of the growing cycle.

How to Grow Cannabis 12/12 From Seed

Growing 12-12 is as simple as changing the timing on your light cycles, giving your plants equal amounts of day and night right from when they sprout. The plants will look different to a cannabis plant that goes through vegetative growth. Photosensitive hormones in cannabis make the highest point the largest cola. This method all but guarantees only main bud growth on every small plant. Essentially you will be growing a cola with a few short, budded side branches – with the plant basically being a bud in itself. Be sure to stake your plants.

Everything to which you would pay attention in a normal grow remains unchanged and are still just as important. pH and water quality, nutrient mixing, pest control, grow medium conditions, EC and ppm all still play their major roles in the dankness and weight of your finished product.

Growing this way still requires all the knowledge that would be needed to flower plants with any other method, and maintenance routines still remain unchanged. After diluted nutrients, while still young, treat your plants as you would during a normal bud cycle. However, flush more often, every ten days at most, so as to avoid salt build-up in the smaller pots.

Done with expert practice and a willing strain of cannabis seeds, it is not unknown to produce 1 gram of ganja per watt of lighting. That’s an impressive 250g in 7-9 weeks for a 250W light in a small cupboard!

The Advantages of Growing Cannabis 12/12 From Seed

Growing cannabis 12/12 from seed offers a wealth of benefits to growers of all experience levels. Check out the main advantages below:

  • Speed: Growing 12/12 from seed skips the vast majority of the vegetative phase. This cuts weeks off of the growing cycle as a whole. You can expect to harvest buds in around 7–10 weeks after your seeds sprout.
  • Maintenance: Plants grown under 12/12 from seed are much easier to take care of than their larger counterparts, which have spent weeks in the vegetative phase. Their small canopies mean growers spend much less time defoliating and training.
  • Size: Building on the above, plants grown 12/12 from seed are much smaller, making them ideal for small grow tents, tiny gardens, and balconies. They’re particularly helpful for growers who prioritise stealth above all else.
  • Cost: Because these plants finish the growing cycle so quickly, cultivators don’t have to run lights as long, which dramatically reduces energy bills.
12-12 Cannabis Light Cycle advantages

Growing 12/12 From Seed to Harvest Saves Space

Plants with less side branching and canopy spread need less space between them, increasing efficiency. As an example: 1x 15-litre pot produces one plant with a large volume and difficult maintenance issues in a cramped space. 4x 3.5-litre pots in the same sized space can produce just as much dried material with the benefit of being easier to rotate, so the whole plant gets 360-degree light. The entire crop is less hassle during maintenance as each plant is 100% accessible and physically easier to move about. There is no need for a separate sprouting and veg space or time wasted on 18-6 vegetation. The seeds can be sprouted under the 12-12 growing lights providing continual flowering plants.

Save on Resources With a 12/12 Light Cycle

There is a lesser demand for resources across the boards.
You will experience only half the water consumption with less moisture loss due to evaporation, and a third less nutrients are used. CO₂ and electricity use including most peripherals are reduced by a staggering 650 grow hours annually.
Taking hours to accomplish, tipping, fimming, branch control, and mainlining are now unnecessary freeing up your most precious resource, time.

Why You Should Keep Things Clean During 12/12

Always be sure to re-sterilize your grow space after each crop.

Keep a keen eye out for moulds and mildews as the grow space will be getting less light with more moulding opportunity in warm dark corners and creases.

Key Tips for Growing 12/12 From Seed

There are some haters of this method, but many love it. Those who hate on it often have not actually tried it. It is all about giving it a go and seeing what works for you. Even if you decide against it after trying it, it all helps expand your knowledge as a grower.

Some sativas will still stretch to 1.2 metres using this method, so species selection right at the very start is key. Indicas are the obvious choice for maximum space saving. They are generally smaller, and 12-12 will keep them very manageable. You will enjoy small pots full of colas, like a miniature stinky forest. Buds grown this way are indistinguishable from vegetated plants in flavour and effects, and at the end of the day, getting buds in the jar quicker and more often is a good thing right?

Using SOG When Growing 12/12 From Seed

SOG, or sea of green, is an ideal technique for those working with small spaces. The idea is to grow many small plants per square metre, optimising yields over a given area rather than per plant. While some SOG growers start plants under a 12/12 schedule from seed, others allow the plants to veg for 2–3 weeks (under 18 hours of light or more) in order to gain a little bit of mass, and hopefully develop more abundant canopies, before switching to bloom.

Cannabis SOG technique

Cannabis 12/12 From Seed: Lighting and Cost 

A 12/12 light cycle from seed cuts down on energy costs considerably. The cost of a 12/12 grow will vary depending on the power of the light you choose to use and the surface area you need your lamp to cover. You can use the simple formulas below to calculate how much you can expect to spend on this type of grow. First, we need to figure out the running costs of your grow light by pinpointing the number of kilowatt-hours using the following equation:

Numbers of hours running × (watts/1000) = kilowatt-hours

For example, let’s say you choose to use a 200W lamp for a single plant and run it for 12 hours a day for 8 weeks. This gives us the following equation:

672 × (200/1000) = 134.4kWh

Next, you’ll need to multiply your kilowatt-hour figure by the local cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour. For this example, we’ll go off the European average of €0.2 per kilowatt-hour, giving us the following equation:

134.4 × 0.2 = €26.88

Clearly, growing 12/12 from seed will save you a bunch of money compared to the standard price of running your plants through the vegetative phase beforehand. Keep in mind, though, that costs will vary widely depending on the size of the space you need to light and the power of the lights you use.

12-12 cannabis light cycle cost

The Best Cannabis Varieties When Growing 12/12 From Seed 

There are hundreds of different strains available that are perfectly compatible with growing 12/12 from seed. Those that belong to the following categories are the best for this style of cultivation:

  • Photoperiod indicas: These strains have a compact structure, deliver potent buds, and boast brief flowering times. They bolt through the growing cycle while remaining easier to manage than their sativa counterparts.
  • Autoflowers: 12/12 lighting won’t change how quickly autoflowers begin to bloom, as they’re not sensitive to light in the same way as photoperiods. However, the 12/12 light cycle for autoflowers will drastically reduce running costs. Their compact nature makes them ideal for tight spaces.
  • F1 hybrids: These strains are new to the world of weed and have won the hearts of many growers with their rapid growing times, high THC concentrations, and pest and disease resistance. Most F1 hybrids available are autoflowering and therefore won’t flower straight away under 12/12 conditions. However, this method will make growing some of the best strains out there much cheaper.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: