48 Hours Total Darkness Before Harvest...?

Durkee13

Active Member
Ive read and seen videos about this...im wanting to get some more input on doing so (and why) before my white widow gets put through the motions.

Also, ive seen people put ice around the base of the main stem on top of soil to simulate a "frost" when doing the afore mentioned technique...

Thoughts on these points? What are the pros and cons ?
 

Eugenios

Well-Known Member
It's said since the early days of cannabis growing that dark periods before harvest increases thc production but it's not proven. I haven't heard any benefits from real growers over here by giving 48hours darkness before chop except saving money on bills. Other practices that said to increase thc production are very low temps, driving a nail through the base of the stalk (yup you read that right), lowering RH but it's probably total bro-science.
 

Budzbuddha

Well-Known Member
Overthought bro science .....

Darkness - ONLY benefit , starches stay at root level . Darkness will allow the grower to “ pick “ chop time since they are dark and do not need to be cut before lights on .... it allows you to pull plants and chop ANYTIME of day or night. Some strains express more fragrance in dark. I typically wet trim the harvest ready plant FIRST then into a dark tent to begin drying AND to be ready for a chop when I get around to it. Other benefits ? .... Never seen any substantial difference.

For a thc bump ... run UV as part of grow .

Dont overfeed it and it will be fine . I tend to ween down on feed then simple plain water during last week . There is still plenty of Nutes in soil and plant reserves to FINISH IT. No god damn vampire stakes to stalk , No boiling roots , Ice baths , unicorn piss or other nonsense. Just like a fruiting plant , let tops fully mature , then cut. No magic involved.
 

Durkee13

Active Member
Overthought bro science .....

Darkness - ONLY benefit , starches stay at root level . Darkness will allow the grower to “ pick “ chop time since they are dark and do not need to be cut before lights on .... it allows you to pull plants and chop ANYTIME of day or night. Some strains express more fragrance in dark. I typically wet trim the harvest ready plant FIRST then into a dark tent to begin drying AND to be ready for a chop when I get around to it. Other benefits ? .... Never seen any substantial difference.

For a thc bump ... run UV as part of grow .

Dont overfeed it and it will be fine . I tend to ween down on feed then simple plain water during last week . There is still plenty of Nutes in soil and plant reserves to FINISH IT. No god damn vampire stakes to stalk , No boiling roots , Ice baths , unicorn piss or other nonsense. Just like a fruiting plant , let tops fully mature , then cut. No magic involved.
UV as in Ultra-Violet??
 

bernie344

Well-Known Member
It's said since the early days of cannabis growing that dark periods before harvest increases thc production but it's not proven. I haven't heard any benefits from real growers over here by giving 48hours darkness before chop except saving money on bills. Other practices that said to increase thc production are very low temps, driving a nail through the base of the stalk (yup you read that right), lowering RH but it's probably total bro-science.
I gave 2 plants darkness for 3 days before harvest, one ended up quite sticky but the other had dry hard buds, so I dont know.
 

Eugenios

Well-Known Member
I gave 2 plants darkness for 3 days before harvest, one ended up quite sticky but the other had dry hard buds, so I dont know.
I also did it on my first grow but only grew one plant so couldn't compare it. I mean, like I said, you save some money on bills so why not?
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
Lights unplugged on the evening before chop. Let go 12 dark then another six-ten hours. There is no benefit past that. If you question my response. Than google how "dark periods influence essential oil in plants during bloom"
 

Durkee13

Active Member
Lights unplugged on the evening before chop. Let go 12 dark then another six-ten hours. There is no benefit past that. If you question my response. Than google how "dark periods influence essential oil in plants during bloom"
The plant ready to harvest is sharing the tent with another plant that's about 3 weeks into bloom...so it would have to be removed from the tent to enable any other type of light period...I have another unused 3x3 tent with no lights or heat but has an exhaust fannin the top...if I put it anywhere its have to be there cause that's where I was gonna dry it anyway...
 
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