3 days of darkness before harvest

[Cave Dirt Cody]

Some of the dark period effects are true, namely the terpene level restoration, especially for outdoor plants. It's common practice in some specialty farming for flowers and herbs used in the essential oil and fragrance industries to harvest around sunrise....

Myself, I know that my girls are most stinky in the morning, less so at the end of the day... Late night visits when it's warmer than usual can be a snoot-full of goodness!
It makes sense, Sun, wind, warm/hot T's take their toll on the terp' levels through the day... some of the terp's are low molecular weight mono-terp's, which translates to lower evaporation T's and are quite volatile.... It's one reason why you're supposed to dry bud slowly over a week or so at T's best under 70F, which RH% 40-50, for the exact same reason... the cooler the T's, the lower the RH% due to reduced evaporation rate of the water as well...

As for cannabinoids, I don't know.... since they have no aroma, only way to prove that is with lab work!
It is fact that UV light does promote more THC production, so it seems logical (if not proven scientifically yet?) that THC serves some purpose in this protective aspect... Which also makes sense if you consider what's being protected: the early germ cells of either seed or pollen grains... UV is, as you all know, destructive to DNA, and while other parts of the plants tissues are well protected against UV by various means (like anti-oxidants), the thin walled calyxes are not as well protected, and those germ cells are right at the base of them...
All those wonderful trich's do their part in deterring more than just pests, the chemistry is in play shielding vulnerable genetic matter from damage...

I do try a 24-36 hour dark period before harvest, but often as not it's not do-able or practical, so I can't say for SURE it's helping increase terp levels beyond what a normal night does, but it seems to trend more positive than negative on that account, IME...

UV light triggers a photomorphic response in the plant that makes it produce more trics to use as a type of sunscreen is one theory I believe.

 

[Waira]

.... more thoughts,.... even if you took bud samples on a live plant at different stages, you are already in a compromised measurement situation because THC levels can vary over the plant itself, nevermind clone to clone...

.....hard to call with and w/o darkness when you have no control group or standard to work from!

...oh well, fug it, enjoy it all just the same, hey?

 

[Need4Weed]

All those wonderful trich's do their part in deterring more than just pests, the chemistry is in play shielding vulnerable genetic matter from damage...

I read/heard somewhere that not only can plants make smells to deter pests, but they can also make terps that can attract predatory creatures that feed on whatever is attacking it! I'm pretty sure that from the same source, they also said that when 1 plant is attacked/invaded, that sister plants rooted in the same area ramped up production of whatever they produce to help defend attacks. Can you expand on this @Waira ?

 

[Need4Weed]

I read/heard somewhere that not only can plants make smells to deter pests, but they can also make terps that can attract predatory creatures that feed on whatever is attacking it! I'm pretty sure that from the same source, they also said that when 1 plant is attacked/invaded, that sister plants rooted in the same area ramped up production of whatever they produce to help defend attacks. Can you expand on this @Waira ?

If I'm not mistaken, I think this was observed in established landraces. I just wish I could remember the video, or where I read it.

 

[tripping-pigeon]

When the ladies are ready, I Always put them in complete darkness for another 24/35 hours.
I leave them completely alone no water ect.
I am convinced that those 24/35 hours will give them an extra boost.:smoking:

 

[growandshow]

This is a big myth although some might think it works it doesn't and then it's how can we provide a reason to this myth well most do this because apparently the plant thinks it's dying and it is essential making a better product this is why most people's weed gets so dry if there was a better understanding this wouldn't happen so basically the plant can live longer than a few days so there for if you have dried to fast simply putting the whole plant if you dry like this it will still use the water until it's dead usually a week or so could be a little longer if it was placed into water this time would be extended cause it still isn't dead this isn't just weed it is the same for most plants that contain chlorophyll let's take parsley for instance this can live up to 3 weeks in water after being chopped this isn't relative to parsley but a example that plants could be still living a week or so after and longer if it was placed in water to keep alive so the 48 Hour thing is then debunked since it cannot die in 2 days light or dark which is claimed.

 

[TrichomeAssassin]

Bandwagon syndrome is rife in all forums.

 

[Drownomatic]

The Bro-theory used to be that harvesting after long darkness, and drying in total darkness minimized chlorophyll, resulting in a smoother cure.

 

[BII]

I recall some growers stop feeding/watering in the last few days, believing that this increases potency and/or desired aromas. Any validity to this, and how does this fit in with light deprivation in the last days? Is it stress in general at the end that increases THC and/or terpene levels?

And regarding darkness in the last few days: I often further increase light intensity to the max in the last days, and I recall others do this too. If no light pre-harvest is good, is this contraindicated, simply wasting time or even decreasing potency and/or terpene levels?

 

[Drownomatic]

I wet trim.

I find it easier to trim immediately after cutting when the buds are still plump. If you wait, they wilt a little, and it's more work.

I also want to dry slowly, and for these reasons I water till runoff before I chop.