Cannabis SOG: The Sea Of Green grow technique

Here we are in a new article of our “Cannabis cultivation manual”, written by the Annibale Seedshop Team for you! In the last article we saw how to cure Cannabis in order to preserve it at its best. Today we will begin to deal with the various cultivation techniques, starting with the famous SOG (Sea Of Green).

What is Sea Of Green cultivation technique?

The SOG technique, or Sea Of Green (“Sea of ​​Green”), precisely because once this Cannabis cultivation technique is carried out correctly, you will no longer be able to see the floor due to the many plants that will occupy the space! In fact, this technique is one of the most used by Cannabis growers in the world (given the simplicity of its implementation and its proven effectiveness).

The Sea Of Green Technique is the opposite technique to the SCROG Technique (SCReen Of Green). In fact, if in the SCROG technique it is necessary to have at most a couple of well-branched plants by pruning, in the SOG technique it is necessary to fill the entire space with Cannabis plants, giving a very short (if not non-existent) vegetative. If you buy more seeds, you will save on cultivation times and electricity bills.

Personally, it is the cultivation technique that we prefer to use the most, given the high savings in money and time in each cycle. Highly recommended for those who use cloning and not seeds!

If done correctly, the SOG technique allows you to exceed g/w, drastically increasing the quantity of flowers at harvest time!

Why do Sea of Green in a Cannabis growing?

In addition to the aforementioned savings in electricity bills and cultivation times, the Sea Of Green technique is mainly used to maximize the final result. In fact, if normally in a classic cultivation with a 600W HPS lamp it is possible to obtain about 500g of Cannabis, in a SOG cultivation we have seen yields higher than 700g / m2.

Sea Of Green is probably the simplest cultivation technique in its application, as it only requires setting up an intensive cultivation in a confined space such as that of the growbox (but also the growroom). However, in most cases you will have to opt for the purchase of an automated irrigation system, precisely because the cramped space will not allow you to move freely to irrigate. If you do not intend to spend money on an automated irrigation system, the option of temporarily removing some plants from within the grow space remains the only option.

So considering the cost (or the effort) to irrigate in a Sea Of Green crop, does it really make sense to grow cannabis with this technique? the answer can only be one, loud and clear … certainly yes!

How to do correctly SOG in Cannabis growing

The first thing to think about when starting a Cannabis cultivation in Sea Of Green is to purchase a sufficient number of pots and seeds, as well as prepare the space where you have decided to grow.

The cleanliness of the environment in a SOG crop plays a fundamental factor, as given the high density of foliage and flowers present within the space, mold or infestations can quickly settle and destroy the crop before you know it in time!

A good quantity and quality of substrate will then be needed in order to start the SOG correctly. In this regard, we recommend a mix of coconut fiber and perlite, such as “Biobizz Light”, the cornerstone of quality cannabis cultivation.

As a grow light we recommend a 315w CMH per square meter. This type of grow lamp allows you to administer a high range of rays designed for the needs of Cannabis plants, including the important UV-B. A 315w LEC (CMH) is equivalent in light intensity to a 600w HID, but consumes and heats much less. Together with LEDs, they are the ideal grow lights to start a Sea Of Green Marijuana grow.

It will be preferable to buy square pots, in order to properly fill the entire cultivation surface. For this type of cultivation we strongly recommend feminized seeds (or at least, autoflowering seeds), in order to decide the size that the plants must have before bringing them into bloom, thus avoiding the risk of overcrowding.

Regarding this, we recommend changing the light cycle to flowering (12/12) when the plants have occupied about 3/4 of the available space!

8 SOG Tips and recommendations

If you are inexperienced, or are growing cannabis for the first time and are afraid of making a mistake, fear not. Below we will list 8 personal recommendations and tricks that you can apply when you decide that the Sea Of Green cultivation technique should be for you!

• The SOG cultivation technique must be used exclusively indoors. The risk of plants suffering from overcrowding in Sea Of Green Outdoor crops is very high.
• Purchase a good quality substrate that is airy enough to allow for rapid root development. Annibale Seedshop’s Team recommends Biobizz Light, remaining one of the best cannabis substrates we use.
• Buy square pots, so you can insert them covering the entire surface of the space you want to grow.
• If you want to grow cannabis with this technique, buy feminized seeds. You can decide when to send them to bloom, they are the most controllable plants, and you will not have to select males from females as with regular seeds. This is an advantage for those who don’t have a single day to lose!
• Buy extremely stable seeds to prevent each plant from having its own height. For the same reason, avoid polycultures or select the genetics you want to grow for common cultivation characteristics.
• Pay close attention to the height of the lights and that of the tops of your plants. Being a space with a high density of foliage, there will be a strong transpiration of the plants with high levels of humidity and temperature, and less air circulation. Install fans and extractors powerful enough to move large amounts of air per minute.
• In SOG crops, mold and infestations can ruin your crop very quickly. Being a space covered with plants, it will not be possible to easily observe each one. To avoid the risk, keep the humidity low (40%), especially during the last few weeks of flowering.
• Once you reach the end of flowering, your plants may need some support. The SCROG (SCReen Of Green) net will be the best support element for your plants. Remember to install it inside your grow box during the first few weeks of flowering, when you will still be able to enter the room.

And that’s all for Cannabis SOG technique, hoping you liked our article, keep following us in the next article about the “SCROG cultivation technique“!

Until next time, a greeting from Annibale’s Team!

Davide, CEO, Founder & Geneticist