Growing cannabis with the SOG technique

31.07.2023

The essentials:

Efficient use of space The Sea of Green (SOG) method makes it possible to achieve high yields in limited space through dense planting and short vegetative phases.
Faster harvests : The early transition to the flowering phase allows several harvests per year, which speeds up production cycles.
Optimal use of light A uniform canopy ensures effective light distribution, maximizing plant growth and flowering.

The guide to Sea of Green (SOG), for massive yields

If you've ever seen cannabis grown indoors or in a greenhouse, then you most likely remember a densely packed canopy. Cannabis growers call this the Sea-of-Green method (SOG) . The advantage of growing cannabis using the SOG technique is to speed up flower development to achieve large yields as quickly as possible. This growing method requires more plants per square foot and a short vegetative phase. The most popular benefits of SOG cultivation include

high yields
faster harvests
efficient use of space
efficient use of resources

If you plants with SOG you get buds quickly because you don't have to "overtrain" the plants. The faster the flowers form, the more harvests you can fit into one year. For cannabis companies or anyone else whose goals are based on consistent harvests with large yields, SOG is an important way to speed up their harvest cycles for consistently high yields.

Brief history of the Sea of Green (SOG) method

When the marijuana industry first switched to indoor cultivation, growers began using artificial light to control flowering times. This meant that you could increase yields and shorten harvest times by growing more plants in a smaller space, a method now known as Sea of Green. But this wasn't always a popular growing method .

The traditional way of growing used large marijuana plants that originated from the outdoor growing methods practiced in Northern California and Humboldt. In the region known as the "Emerald Triangle," growers had all summer to produce large vegetative cannabis plants before fall flowering. Some of these trees could produce 800 - 1300 grams or more.

Photo of an outdoor cannabis farm in Humboldt

So as the marijuana industry began transitioning to indoor cultivation, farmers began increasing the density of their grow rooms to make efficient use of light and space. Over time, these growers realized that by growing smaller plants using the SOG method, they could produce more harvests while saving on HVAC, water, fertilizer, labor and other costs.

Determine how many plants per square meter with a Sea of Green

The number of plants per square meter should be determined based on how much space you have available. With the SOG growing method, we generally recommend 1 plant per square meter with no more than 2 plants per square meter max.

It's easy to start growing in a Sea of Green in just a few simple steps, but first you should consider the following:

The SOG method works best with cannabis genetics that are more compact as the plants are placed close together
The cannabis plants should all be the same height to create a uniform canopy. For this reason, we recommend pre-sorting your starter plants well. Here you can find suitable feminized Cannabis seeds for the SOG method

Sea of Green per square meter

Now that you have selected the plants you want to work with, it's time to start growing with these basic rules of thumb:

Once your cannabis plants are ready, bring them into the vegetative phase for 2-3 weeks, instead of the 2-6 weeks used in other methods
After 2-3 weeks, you can change the lighting and environment for the flowering phase
As the canopy closes, the lower branches can be trimmed for better air circulation and growth
Harvest when you are happy with the results
Repeat
SOG lights-on

Sea of Green setup LED

It seems simple, right? Well, for the most part it is. The difficulty arises when you need to adjust environmental parameters and genetics to improve flower yields .

It seems simple, right? Well, for the most part it is. The difficulty arises when you have to adjust environmental parameters and genetics.

Below is an example of a lighting scheme:

When cannabis plants start out, growers light them at 150-200 micromoles and carefully increase it to 550 micromoles for the vegetative stage
Lighting is set to a vegetative setting (18 hours on and 12 hours off) for the duration of the vegetative cycle.
The plants are slowly transitioned from the vegetative to the flowering stage by gently increasing from 550 to 800 micromoles or more. In general, more light equals a better Sea of Green yield per square meter, with 1% light equaling 1% yield up to a threshold level
Change lighting to a setting of 12 hours on and 12 hours off. Lighting at 12 hours initiates the flowering phase

Disclaimer

We make no medical claims. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research, scientific articles and research gathered from external sources.

Before planning your own project, it's important to find out about the local laws and regulations in your area. In some countries, the cultivation of cannabis may be restricted or even prohibited. It is important to follow the laws and regulations to protect yourself and others. Violating the laws can lead to criminal prosecution. Make sure you are aware of the applicable laws before you start growing cannabis.

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