3 days of darkness before harvest

[GreenBean]

Controversial! I use my eyes!

I've started dimming my light more in the last 7-10 days. I used to blast them until the last minute. Never noticed any real difference. Some plants even, stresses them it seems, when blasting, in the wrong way. Especially in warmer seasons. I rarely expect miraculous results. I just like to use my eyes.

I have done tests with feeding till chop vs just giving them plain Un-PHd water during the last week. Never noticed even the slightest difference. Everrr. I do not believe in flushing per se. I just realized there is no sense in wasting my nutes.

I have done tests feeding autos at photo levels and had amazing results.

I have added additives to my coco to retain water so I can water once a day, 6 days a week. Take a day off. Amazing results.

I have done tests, I may have mentioned it earlier in this thread. I have done tests, I'm doing it now! Up to a week of darkness with no water. Then chop. Using my eyes? Every plant I do this to. They come out way frostier than before.

Here's the kicker. Without fail. Anyone I have shared these flowers with. 100% of the time, those plants that I have "stressed" by darkness or whatever? They always comment on how amazing it is. These people have no clue as to what I have done. They're consumers, HEAVY snob consumers, they couldn't grow a sunflower. They're not growers.

Controversial! Never figured out why people just don't try things to see what different results might happen.

Takeaway: I'm a big believer in science. Thing is that science....it's always evolving. Or should be. But in order to make that happen studies have to continue.

Takeaway: I'm not a huge believer in bro-science. But I always think that it is based on some grain of "truth". Maybe the intended result to a lot of bro-science is wrong? Like can you really flush a plant? I don't personally think so. But you CAN save nutes. Maybe that is the intended result in reality?

Does putting them in the dark make a difference? I kinda think it does? Is it the reason that bro-science claims it to be? I dunno. Maybe the dark allows the plant to ripen in a different way? Preserves something? I really do not know. I can't claim to know anything except that which I see. With my eyes.

Try it. See what happens.

I have an entire thread below. That I document most of my findings.

 

[growandshow]

I hear you although from what I have understood if you don't dry or cure in darkness it will kill some of your terpenes and well drying and even curing the chlorophyll is still breaking down.

The problem with the 48 Hour rule is the newer generation who believe 2 days darkness will throw out a load of terpenes cause the plant thinks it's dying which it does naturally itself along with the feed like I stated above à plant don't die after 2 days your talking 5+ days like if you chopped and didn't pre water before wet trimming if you left whole you could put it in a vase and it will use the water even after the chop this is because it's still alive.

Luckily I have never had issues with drying it seems even for me all the way through I also like you like to wet trim I can't stand to dry trim it's enough to give me a headache and the time difference from trimming wet to dry is crazy spent so much long dry trimming due to the fan leaves.

 

[GreenBean]

I hear you although from what I have understood if you don't dry or cure in darkness it will kill some of your terpenes and well drying and even curing the chlorophyll is still breaking down.

The problem with the 48 Hour rule is the newer generation who believe 2 days darkness will throw out a load of terpenes cause the plant thinks it's dying which it does naturally itself along with the feed like I stated above à plant don't die after 2 days your talking 5+ days like if you chopped and didn't pre water before wet trimming if you left whole you could put it in a vase and it will use the water even after the chop this is because it's still alive.

Luckily I have never had issues with drying it seems even for me all the way through I also like you like to wet trim I can't stand to dry trim it's enough to give me a headache and the time difference from trimming wet to dry is crazy spent so much long dry trimming due to the fan leaves.

I'm not sure who you are referring to?

As far as wet vs dry trim. Well, I hate to trim I think most of us do. But wet is always easier. And that is one of things that I don't notice a difference either way.

Hybrid method works too. Knock off all of the large stems that will come off. Finish the trim when it is dried.

 

[growandshow]

I was just generally referring to the answers in general I was just agreeing with the comment about wet trimming when I said it's easier I have tried this type of trimming also but reversed take them off and trim done it with my blueberry works well with wet trimming easier anyway rather than doing on a whole I was generally reply to some comments anyhow even yours I mean if it works for you great keep at it I see no benefit in it I have given my reasons why and to be honest once I am finished it is usually covered in thc anyway so I have no need to try anything else there is one thing I will say during the end of the grow say a few weeks I turn the light down and this works wonders for plants that change colour and seems to add to the potency of my plants.

 

[GreenBean]

I was just generally referring to the answers in general I was just agreeing with the comment about wet trimming when I said it's easier I have tried this type of trimming also but reversed take them off and trim done it with my blueberry works well with wet trimming easier anyway rather than doing on a whole I was generally reply to some comments anyhow even yours I mean if it works for you great keep at it I see no benefit in it I have given my reasons why and to be honest once I am finished it is usually covered in thc anyway so I have no need to try anything else there is one thing I will say during the end of the grow say a few weeks I turn the light down and this works wonders for plants that change colour and seems to add to the potency of my plants.

All good.

A couple years ago I grew a Sunset Sherbet photo outdoors she was an 8' beast. In my business I tend to get really busy at times, and come harvest time on this plant, I was really busy. Too busy to chop and hang. So about 2 weeks went by "past harvest" and I had stopped watering her, and she was looking all crazy. Like talk about a fade. But man did she stink. Like so much, I was terrified to smoke it. So I bring her into the shop so I can at least get her out of the sun. This was 100% plant abuse. But it wasn't intentional.

Once again though, I figure that this is not ideal. I'm going to have a couple lbs (at least) of stuff to extract for basically sleeping pills? And...everyone loved it. I've got one guy who literally begs me to grow it again.

So dunno. I dunno shit really. Just experiences.

PS - I think most of us here that grow, our plants are covered in THC. I always wonder about the final stages of ripening. I wouldn't think THC is affected. But maybe that last stage of ripening affects the terpenes to help bring them out more? Again. I'm a dumbass. So I have zero idea why I notice the things that I do.

 

[MasonJarOG]

I wet and dry trim… I believe in science based results therefore I use a herbs now dryer which has been proven to preserve more terps and potency. I do however believe in gutt instinct which can help in certain situations such as reading what the plant is telling you. The lights off thing show me a real published study.

 

[growandshow]

Yeah I can understand that I mean I imagine it matured more without getting to the point of degrading.

As to the thc I said about I get everyone has them although I was more pointing to the terpenes as I find the more terpenes the more thc it produces everyone has there way to grow there is no right or wrong just go with what you feel I do feel like I could help if you want to produce more terpenes the way forward is to find a way to produce more k out of the npk nutrients take a look at terpinator this is a product which will improve the terpenes it does really work wonders during flowering give it a try their are so many products on the market I find this the best one I just add it to my original nutrients or you could use it alone totally up to the person using it.

 

[MrAutoGrower]

Bruce Bugbee speaks on this on YouTube. I can’t remember exactly what he said but I think he did say something about 24hr of darkness being beneficial but I could be wrong. Double check it

 

[darknight_420]

I do it all the time, im also a dafty who goes out and buys 3kg of frozen ice to do an ice flush 3 days before lights out.

I've yet to get a knife and split the stem but have read its meant to increase the development of trichome as end of life approaches.

Is there any truth? I ain't got a clue but I enjoy what I do and theres nothing better than opening the tent in the middle of the night and blinding the ladies by turning the lights on and cutting them down like some ninja with a samurai lol

 

[Jpkindbud]

Ok, I was asked this before and was a noob to indoor I didn’t think it made a difference but another on here posted me a group of test sheets for his bud and there is an increase… I’ll see if I can find them.