SoG Growing Method
‘Sea of Green’, or ‘SoG’, is a popular and efficient cannabis cultivation method for indoor growers that allows them to quickly grow a number of large, dense buds using a minimal amount of space. This technique originated from the realization that the best buds in a plant are those that are closest to the light – the lower part of a plant tends to yield a sizeable amount of smaller, airy flowers that don’t get the chance to fully develop. While there’s nothing wrong with these, they don’t compare to those found closer to the top of the plant. The purpose of SoG is to create a flat canopy of tops, since growing lots of small plants is better than fewer big plants.
Pros And Cons
While there are range of advanced cultivation options out there such as lollipopping and monster cropping, no technique can replicate the yields and quality of cannabis associated with SoG grows. This technique is for growers wanting to get as much as possible from an often small indoor growing space. Whether this is a closet, a tent or an entire room, SoG allows growers to stretch each square foot further! Here are some pros and cons of SoG:
Pros
- A short grow cycle
- Improved quality of harvest (more plants means more tops)
- More efficient use of lighting and space
Cons
- If the legality of cannabis is an issue where you reside, it may not be a good idea to have lots of cannabis plants
- Pests and diseases can spread easily and quickly
- Cannot mix strains without complications
How To Make Your Own Sea Of Green?
SoG grows can be done with multiple plants grown from multiple seeds, or by taking clones from a mother and taking these forward to flower.
Growing From Clone
Cannabis strains have variations between seeds that cause differences in the smell, taste, appearance and growth of the plant (known as phenotypes). When growing using Sea of Green, it’s important that all plants are of the same height and have predicable grow patterns, and the best way to achieve this is to take clones from a promising mother and grow these for 12-16 days before flowering.
Growing From Seed
Growing from seed is the most straightforward of the two methods. Kicking off your SoG grow this way involves germinating a seed and planting as you normally would, although in greater number. One of the downsides to this is the high cost of cannabis seeds. However, there’s also a lot of time saved in not having to grow a mother plant and waiting for clones to mature.
Once your plants/clones are ready, transfer them into larger pots (5-11 L is the sweet spot) and grow them for a further two weeks before switching to a shorter photoperiod and inducing flowering.
Which Strains Are Best For SoG?
The ideal strains for SoG growing are those that remain relatively short, respond well to pruning and have a predictable growth pattern. When creating a Sea of Green, it’s important to get this right from the start! While the strains listed below all have a very steady and predictable growth pattern, each have their own strengths too. So, what is the best cannabis for SoG?
Gorilla Glue Auto feminized strain
Gorilla Glue Auto is a fantastic autoflowering cannabis strain by Fast Buds. Known for its excellent yields and rapid growth cycle, Gorilla Glue Auto is an excellent candidate for SoG grows, although its autoflowering genetics mean it won’t be possible to take clones from her, so multiple seeds will be needed. That being said, once everything is in place, growers using a 600 W HPS/LED grow light can expect to bring in between 400-600g/m2 in less than 70 days from seed to harvest!
Bruce Banner #3 Fast feminized strain
Bruce Banner #3 Fast is a photoperiod cannabis strain offered by Original Sensible Seeds. A cross between two amazing Indica-dominant parents, this strain almost guarantees indoor yields of 600+ g/m2, with SoG grows delivering as 750g/m2 after only 55 days of flowering. As she’s a photoperiod strain, it’s best to grow Bruce Banner #3 Fast as a mother to take clones from rather than growing multiple plants from seed. As this strain grows fairly tall, some training will be necessary to keep it short.
A.M.S feminized strain
A.M.S. is a photoperiod cannabis strain offered in feminized form by Green House Seeds as a cross between two Swiss landrace strains, creating an Indica-dominant hybrid with excellent growth properties and attributes. With yields of up to 700 g/m2 of dense, flowers containing 19% THC already, an SoG grow will take A.M.S to the next level.
We’re always keen to learn about the latest and greatest, so let us know your favourite SoG strain in the comments!
Grow Size, Plant Numbers And Vegetation Time
As the goal with SoG is a large number of small plants rather than a smaller number of large plants, it’s important to get the number of plants per square foot right from the start! You don’t want to overcrowd your grow space but at the same time, it’s essential to maximize the usage of light. As cannabis strains don’t all grow the same, there is no single correct number of plants for an effective SoG. Depending on how much space you have to work with, you might be able to get away with more, although 1 plant/sq ft is a good rule of thumb. SoG grows tend to have a quicker vegetative period than traditional growing methods; one of the biggest benefits of this style of growth.
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This cannabis SoG guide covers all the basics of SoG growing and should contain everything you need to get started in the world of indoor cannabis cultivation using advanced techniques. It can be a little tricky to coordinate a SoG grow if you’re new to cannabis cultivation, but with the right know-how and attention to detail, even the most novice growers can have their own Sea of Green!
