Should I Veg My Pot Plants Under 24 Hours of Light?

Dear Dan,
I’m a beginner grower, and don’t know much about it. Just started my set up. What I wanted to know was, what’s the best schedule as far as lighting goes? It’s currently on a 21 hour a day schedule. Should I leave as is, or what would you recommend? — Jay

Dear Jay,
I usually recommend an 18-hour-on/6-hour-off schedule for indoor growers during their vegetative stage. This keeps the plants in their vegetative stage without breaking the bank on electricity costs. If electrical usage isn’t an issue, you can do 20 or even 22 hours of light during this stage. I don’t advise a full 24 hours of light per day because I believe that plants need some downtime in the dark to rest, recover and use up their stored energy to grow more leaves and shoots. To initiate the flowering stage, and throughout that stage, you must set your timer so that your lights are on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. Never interrupt the dark period with any light.