Sea of Green (SOG) Tutorial — Cannabis Training Techniques for Massive Yield
Have you ever visited an indoor cannabis farm or greenhouses? If you did, you might have witnessed hundreds of tightly packed cannabis buds on the growing area.
In cannabis farming, this technique is known as the Sea of Green Method (SOG).
SOG technique is one of the most widely used techniques among cannabis growers.
Cannabis Sea of Green method has some other benefits like producing high yield, quicker harvest, making use of space, and efficient use of resources.
This article is all about exploring more about SOG and how this method can help growers to optimize their production with less investment. We’ve prepared detailed step-by-step guidance on applying the cannabis Sea of Green method to your crops.
We assure you these five minutes will be worth reading. To explore more about SOG, follow the lead of this article.
What is a Sea of Green (SOG)?
Many of you literally know about the purpose of SOG method. But for new growers, still, it’s a new thing.
So, if you’ve already known about the Sea of Green method but still have some questions regarding it, we have got a list of frequently asked questions by the growers. We hope you’ll find your answers at the end of this article.
So, what exactly is SOG?
Sea of Green is a method used by cannabis growers to grow many small cannabis plants instead of a few large plants. Using the cannabis Sea of Green method can maximize the productivity of cannabis quickly and efficiently.
How do SOG works?
Well, growers who use SOG technique don’t let the plant reach the top. As each plant needs to grow half as big, the buds form faster means more harvest in less time than usual.
If someone’s business relies on the consistent production of huge yields, the cannabis Sea of Green method is perfect for constant harvesting.
The idea of using the term Sea of Green refers to the “sea” of cannabis plants, setting them for harvesting when they are still small.
How Much Does a Sea of Green Plant Yield?
Every single cannabis plant may produce different results. SOG methods come with vast numbers of cannabis plants, so it’s challenging to measure every plant’s production.
Gladly, some experienced cannabis growers shared their experiences.
The production of cannabis plants may differ with the conditions also. Indoor and outdoor cannabis farming or gardening may generate different results.
Let’s discuss about the outdoor production of cannabis plants;
In outdoor conditions, a single cannabis plant can yield up to 500 grams or 17.5 oz. Again, we remind you that these statistics only give you an idea of how much a cannabis plant can yield.
Other factors may affect the production of cannabis plants, like weather conditions, training techniques, and experience. Perhaps, the weather is the most crucial aspect for outdoor growers.
Well, that was all about outdoor farming. So, what can we expect from indoor gardening if we follow the cannabis Sea of Green method?
Just like outdoor farming, some factors can affect the Sea of Green yield. The explanation of growing cannabis sea of green for indoor can be tricky for initial growers. We’ll try our best to explain you with ease.
Here’s the thing, what precisely a cannabis plant needs to grow in an artificial environment? Source of light, water, growing medium, nutrients, and other accessories, right?
A good light source that determines the growth of your plant. A plant with incredible growth will definitely produce good yields.
So, all of your focus should be on the light source to expect some good results. Make sure to place LED grow lights on your tents or greenlight houses. Not just regular LED bulbs, use LED grow lights to enhance your productivity. Plus, LEDs are more energy-efficient than other bulbs.
If you’re still worried about the lights, here you can find different LED grow lights to empower your corps.
Back to our topic, how much a SOG plant can yield? Let’s calculate the average of the cannabis plants with lights:
If your growing is going well, you can expect to gain a gram of weed of every watt of light. Many experienced growers use HPS and CFL grow lights because these lights produce more heat than other lights.
SOG method may require more heat than usual. Due to the dense population of cannabis plants, the heat of regular bulbs doesn’t reach the bottom of the plant.
So, it’s ideal to use CFL or HPS grow lights if you follow the cannabis Sea of Green method.
If an experienced grower using 400 watts of HPS grow light, he got out 14 oz. If you think it’s not enough, you can increase the number of lights. With 1200 watts can lead to yield 42 oz.
The lights are not the only things to take care of; you’ll also need the proper nutrients and controlled humidity, the right place, the right equipment, etc.
Pros and Cons of Sea of Green Method
Following are some quick and short pros and cons.
Pros.
Let’s start with some benefits of the cannabis Sea of Green method:
● Since the growth of the plants remains small, the average yield is higher.
● You can also harvest multiple times in a single year.
● SOG takes less to mature, and it also reduces the risks of pests and diseases.
● Take less space to start.
● Trimming for the harvest is easier.
● Less organic waste as there are fewer leaves to remove.
Cons.
● There is a less likely chance of your plant to get infected if it does, your entire farm would wipe out.
● You will need to get rid of the used growing medium after each harvest.
● You can only use a particular sea of green strain.
● You have to be careful with the cannabis SOG growing limit. Since SOG grows and expands very fast, there’s a chance you’ll end up breaking the law.
● More time-consuming as you have to take care of more plants.
How to Do a Sea of Green for Cannabis — Step-by-Step Guide
So far, you’ve well understood the cannabis Sea of Green method with its pros and cons. But don’t know how to implement this technique in your nursery. It can be a difficult task for some growers, especially for those who just stepped into this field.
Just follow the step-by-step guide and apply them on your farm:
Remember, the idea of the SOG method is to produce more yield in a short period. Before starting to use the Sea of Green method to your corps, you’ll want to consider the following:
● The SOG method is ideal for cannabis genetics that is compact, and you’ll put the plants close to each other.
● The height of the cannabis plants should be the same to create a uniform canopy. To do so, you can use the cutting propagation method.
Now, you’ve considered the above tips and chosen the particular cannabis strains you want to work with. It’s time to get things growing:
1.once your planted cannabis plants are ready, transfer them to another place for the vegetative stage. In the Sea of Green case, the time cycle of the vegetative stage is 2 to 3 weeks maximum.
2. After two to three weeks, you can change the light schedule and expose the plants to 12 hours in light and 12 hours in the dark.
After exposing the light 12 hours on and 12 hours off, your plants will enter the flowering stage.
3. Now, you’ll be noticing the canopy become dense, and branches of plants become thicker and thicker. This is the stage where you should trim the lower branches to make them for airflow and top growth.
Once you see a dense canopy of buds farming, cut them and use them as clones. Now, wait for the pistils to turn brown or trichomes to become dark before harvesting.
4. When you feel comfortable or happy with your results, you can now start the harvest anytime.
5. Repeat this process as far as your cannabis providing the best results.
Since you’re using SOG method, an average of SOG to yield is likely to be less than the other form of growth, but on the more fantastic side, your yield per square also increases tremendously.
You are not limiting yourself with a Hydroponic system when using Sea of Green. Many experienced growers also follow the topping method while using SOG technique. They remove the tips of the seedlings when they 4 to 6 pairs of leaves. This way, they can increase the number of site buds.
As for the grower’s concern, SOG is beneficial for them as they force the plant to move to the vegetative stage within few weeks.
So far, it seems simple and easy, isn’t it?
The tricky part comes when you need to adjust the environment to improve the yield. As for the lighting perspective, you must consider the following for good results:
1. When you see your clones finally coming out, just light them with 150–200 micromoles. As the days pass, you can slightly increase the micromoles up to 550 micromoles.
2. For the vegetative stage, set your lights 18 hours on and 12 hours off.
3. Slowly change the light density from 550 to 800 as the plant transition from the vegetative to flowering stage.
4. After all the steps, setting the light to 12 hours on and 12 hours off will give rise to the flowering stage.
Common Questions
Here are some common and most frequently asked by the growers when they use the cannabis Sea of Green method:
1. When and how to start the Sea of Green Grow?
We’ve already answered this question above in the article. But again, we’ll guide you here:
the height of the cannabis plant should be in a uniform manner. And it works better if the plants are compact and close to each other.
So that’s when you should start SOG method to grow. Now, how to start the SOG growth?
Since the SOG method forces the cannabis plants in the vegetative stage by giving them 12 hours light on and 12 hours off. As the canopy gets thicker, cut the lower branches for better airflow and growth.
2. How many plants should I use for the Sea of Green method?
Usually, we recommend using 1 plant per square foot. One plant in a square foot is ideal, but you can also go for 2 plants within a square foot, but not more than 2.
3. What size of pots is recommended for SOG grow?
The size of a pot for SOG method should be 15 cm. Your plant grows at 43% percent of your pot size. The ideal height of a cannabis plant is 30 to 50 cm. So, 15 cm pots would be suitable for SOG.
4. How long does Sea of Green take?
Well, it depends on the light cycle you’re providing. It also depends on which strain you’re using. Some growers may stick with the light schedule for the vegetative stage for up to two weeks.
5. Can you SOG from seed?
Yes, you can do the cannabis Sea of Green method with seeds. But cloning is a lot easier than preparing your crop from scratch.
6. Which type of strain is better for SOG growing?
In short, Indica strains work best for Sea of Green grow. SOG aims to produce smaller plants with thick branches, and Indica contains the same qualities.
