The SOG or the Sea of Green method is – Fast Bud Development – Huge Yields Quick Harvests. Grow Many small plants instead of a FEW big ones – Gro Indoor
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Sea of Green Method

by 09 Apr 2023

Sea of Green Method

Do you know that bigger plants don't necessarily mean better yields? If not, then let us introduce you to the sea of green method. The SOG focuses primarily on growing lots of small plants rather than a few big ones and using their growth cycle to your advantage for quick and successive harvesting. It is a highly effective method of generating more yields quickly. This style is unique, and expert growers consider it a plant training. If you're looking for better results, we recommend setting up a perpetual harvest grow room equipped with multiple chambers. You might be needing separate light schedules for different plant types.

Let's look at how you can set up your grow room and then walk you through the sample grow cycle. However, before moving forward, let's try to understand what the sea of green actually is.

What Is the Sea of Green Method?

The sea of green method does precisely as the name suggests the strategy creates a vast canopy of plants. Instead of going for a few big plants, the technique offers to grow a ton of small ones. The SOG method's purpose is to get fast results as you flip the plants to flower when they are still very young. Even though the yield per plant will not be huge but considering the number of plants you harvest and how frequently, the numbers add up.

For instance, you might be able to fit six large plants in your grow room. Rather than taking this approach, why not grow 12-18 small plants in that same space where each producing smaller yields. Sound interesting? Let's dive into the benefits of this style.

Benefits of Sea of Green Method

The SOG method has several benefits for amateur growers. One of the unique benefits and a major reason why many growers consider this training method is quick harvests. Once you get your cadence flowing, you can harvest the plants every 45 days. If you are a large-scale, commercial grower, that means you have to sell your products more frequently (every 45 days on average). So, instead, why not invest in the SOG method, which can offer you better and quicker ROI. Also, helping you build up more cash to keep your business operations running. But what if you're a hobby grower? In that case, you also need access to fresh flowers for yourself. Using the SOG method, you don't have to continually worry about harvesting the plants and work on the same buds until they grow. SOG makes yield production faster, making your process less high-maintenance.

Another benefit of going with the SOG approach is not having to deal with the small popcorn nugs. Each of your little plants has only 1-2 huge colas, which is what you want! In the sea of green method, the average yield per square is usually higher than a traditional garden. It means that you get more out of your space and save a ton of money, especially if your growth takes place in a warehouse. Still not convinced? Here are a few pros you need to consider:

Perfect for short grow spaces as plants' size is small, a small room will do the job. Small plants are easy to trim than bigger plants, as the bud to lead ratio is higher and fewer fan leaves. You can grow multiple different strains annually, rather than a couple. There are fewer chances of disease or pest development issues because your plants spend less time sitting in a grow room.

What is the Sea of Green yield per plant?

' As we already mentioned, yield per square foot is higher in the sea of green approach, but how much yield can you generate exactly? The answer is obviously based on how many plants you grow and what type of equipment you're using to speed up the process, and most importantly, your genetics.

If you don't skimp on genetics and equipment such as lighting, you can expect a half-ounce yield per plant or, in some cases, an ounce. Keep in mind that the most significant factor is still genetics and lighting and whether you have supplemented with CO2

Possible Drawbacks of Using Sea of Green Method

There are a few drawbacks to using the SOG approach, and you must be aware of it. While there are undoubtedly many fruits to this labor, after a few grow cycles and harvesting after every 45 days, a ton of work awaits you in the future. You will need to find suitable mother plants, and those plants take time before clones are made from them.

While disease and pest issues are not a significant problem, they are still a factor you need to consider to prevent your plants from being damaged. This is mainly because all the plants are placed close to each other, making any disease easier to spread. You'll also utilize a lot of grow media, and have to repot plants continuously. As there is not much trimming involved in this style, you will have minimal amounts of shake and trim to produce edibles or extracts. You will also need to adhere to local laws that govern plant count. Some states in the US differentiate between young and mature plants, while others have a strict limit on the number of plants you grow. With the SOG method, you can quickly go over this limit. Based on our experience, we can say that the benefits of the SOG method outweigh the drawbacks. Therefore, there is a lot more to gain using this approach. With that out of the way, let's discuss some of the steps you need to consider before moving forward with the process.

How to Grow with The Sea of Green Method?

It can get a bit overwhelming at times working with the SOG methods, given different timing factors you need to be aware of. We are going to try the process is easy and simple for you. Let's assume this is your first attempt at using the SOG method we need to begin with the equipment you need:garden pots

What Equipment Do You Need for The SOG Method?

Let's start with something simple. If you are starting from scratch here is a list of supplies you need:

• Grow lights (if you have multiple grow room chambers, in that case, you will need multiple lights)
• Grow Tent (we recommend separate tents for growing one for veg and one for flowers)
•Harvest supplies
• Pots/Soil
•Ventilation systems
•Nutrients
You can use fluorescent light and a lower-powered light to keep the mother plans and the clones. These lights will save a ton of energy and get your plants tall enough to be moved into the lower chamber. Your flower chamber must have powerful lighting to help you get the best possible yields. If you're considering buying fluorescent lights, we recommend going for HPS's, CMH's, or LEDs.

Best Pot Sizes for A SOG Grow

If you're a new grower, your first question probably is, what size garden pots are more suitable for a SOG grow? The experts at Groindoor.com recommend just one pot through the entire process, all the way from cloning to harvest. Remember, the SOG'S idea is to have a quick harvest; therefore, rapid flowering and transplanting plants into separate containers will add stress and time to grow.

If you are looking to get great results, we suggest using a 2-3-gallon pot. Of course, this is based on how many plants you're looking to accommodate in your growth. The recommended size will be perfect for getting plants tall up to 12 inches, and that's the exact height where you want to start flowering.

Using Multiple Grow Tents for Best Results

As a new grower, you need to learn how to optimize your growth and get the most out of it. To optimize your SOG growth, we recommend using different chambers or rooms. Why? Because that way, you will have different schedules for lights in all sections. Here are a few details you might want to remember:

• Flower Room This chamber/room needs to be the biggest as the growth mainly takes place.
• Mother/Veg Room This room needs to be big enough to hold all the mother plants
• Drying Room When the plants are chopped down, they are placed in a dark room with a controlled environment to help them dry before the curing process begins. This room can also be like a closet.
It's not a problem if you don't have three separate rooms for your grow. Most beginner growers don't have it, and you can still achieve similar results with a few grow tents.

Want to know how? Our multi-chamber grows tents are ideal for a SOG grow. These tents have different chambers, which means you can use each chamber differently. However, if you're aiming for bigger yields, you should always go for separate tents. Remember to reserve the largest chamber for the mother plants if you have a multi-chamber set-up. If you decide to use the second chamber for drying, removing the shelf will give you extra space to dry your plants. You can also add a second standard Grow tent to veg/flower your plants.

Choosing the Right Genetics for the Sea of Green Method

Before you do anything, be sure to do some research to determine what you are looking to grow. We recommend you opt for Indica varieties, and they short growing cycle and are compact and stout, which suits the SOG method. Sativas are not ideal, as they grow taller and require a lot more space. Once you have decided on the genetics, you can simply get started.

Start By Cultivating Large Mother Plants for Cloning

Ok, so before you start your grow, your first step is to produce large mother plants. These plants will keep you amply supplied with clones that you can continue to bring into your flower chamber. Please note that it can nearly 30 days or more of vegging before the mother plants are ready to be stripped for cloning. So, bear in mind that you will not be harvesting the first batch for nearly 45 days.

Number of Plants that Can Be Grown With SOG

Experts growers recommend growing one plant per square to get maximum yield. Bringing in too many plants, causes overcrowding, making your grow space more susceptible to environmental issues. In addition, your plants might also not receive enough light. On the other side, if you're not bringing in enough plants, it will not be worth your while. All in all, you need to find the right balance. Once your mother plant has an adequate number of growth shoots, youre off to the races

Bring Your Clones Into The Flower Chamber

Take your clones, pack them in the flower chamber, and leave them to harden and grow up at least 12 inches before the flowering process begins. Once you are satisfied with the growth, the lightning cycle can be flipped to 12/12 and leave them to flower. There is no need for you to get a big cola per plant; you can simply prune the smaller ones underneath the main cola.

Bringing in Fresh Clones and Harvesting New Plants

By this time, your plants must be ready for harvest. You can either choose to trim or chop them down entirely. If the plants are wet, you can hang them to try and then trim them. Your flower chamber will be vacant at this stage, and 6-8 weeks would already have passed since the moment you cloned the mother plants. It's ready again to be stripped. Now you repeat the process take new clones and put them in the flowering chamber. By now, we guarantee you'll be doing faster, harvest, and consistently producing exceptional yields. From this point onwards, it's a simple rinse and repeat process.

Additional Tips for The SOG Method

If you think the Sea of Green method is complicated, it doesn't have to be. It's one of the most basic ways; all you need to do is collect ample clones from the mother plants and put them in the chamber to start the flowering process. Start harvesting, bring fresh clones, continue the process, and this is everything. For better success, here are some additional tips:

Using a Trellis Net for Huge Colas

Since most of your focus will be on the growth shoot, keep in mind that it will be cumbersome and fat. Your plants can be prevented from drooping over by setting a trellis net all over the canopy to provide additional support. Not only will the branches be prevented from snapping and costing you valuable yield, but it will also assure the plants always stay upright, and all the buds can get equal lighting

CO2 For Fatter and Denser Colas

What if you have unbelievably strong growth, and the yields are still not how you wanted them to be? Chances are your plants aren't getting enough CO2. It also implies that your plants cannot utilize the light energy provided to them, which is disappointing and wasteful. You can always supplement it with a CO2 Tank & Regulator Kit to ensure the yield is more up to your desired level. The plants are making full use of the lighting and undergo photosynthesis far more efficiently.

You will observe a dramatic increase in the growth rate, stems will get thicker, and buds will be heavier. Need to learn more? Check out our complete guide on supplementing with CO2.

Plants Defoliating for Lead on Leaf Prevention

When implementing the SOG approach, you're going to have to deal with the leaf on leaf issue a lot more. If the problem is not addressed on time, it could lead to the risk of powdery mildew. Leaf on a leaf can ruin your crop, and all your efforts can go down to waste. Therefore, you need to take some time to defoliate the leaves. You can more about the defoliating process and the best practices in our complete walkthrough of plant training. Sea of Green Method Final Thoughts

Now you should be more equipped with how the SOG method can work in your favor. At this point, all you need is to grab the necessary supplies and get to work. There is questioning that the SOG approach is fun and gives you more yields if you have more time and space in your grow space.

May 10th 2021
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