Dark period before harvest question

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by JMJ3480, Jul 13, 2013.

  1. hello
    I'm harvesting my Bubblegum plants on Monday. I've heard conflicting opinions on leaving off the lights for 2-4 days before the chop. Anyone tried this? Cant see it hurting anything and actually would reduce electricity.
    Was planning on leaving the lights off Friday morning till Tuesday morning, with my dehumidifier running the whole time. Would be a total of 96 hours of darkness.
     
    Any thoughts? Thanks
     

     
  2. I do anywhere from 24-48. But,there are people who do 72. Never heard or seen 96 yet. Try it out see what happens

    Check my grow out at this link http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-medical-marijuana-growing/1225256-vanillakushcriticalwhitewidowbigbud.html

     
  3. Hello mildew - goodbye buds
     
  4.  
     
     
    Why do you even post without reading..... I use a 24 hour dark period before flowering and it allows you to change your light schedule to fit your needs. If you lose your buds to mildew in 24 hours you have some very bad humidity problems.
     
  5. #5 Julius Caesar, Jul 14, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 14, 2013
    Talk about the skillet calling the kettle black - Did you read his post?
     
    He said 96 hours of darkness - yes mildew.
     
  6. haha geez . im going with 48 dark haha
     
  7. What does the darkness do? Never heard this before
     
  8.  
    I did read his post I was saying 24 hours is all the more I go and as long as you had your humidity in check you can leave them in darkness. I remember reading a while back green house seed co recommends the last 2 weeks in darkness. Just keep the humidity in check and you wont have to worry about mildew.
     
  9. No dark period needed. Just cut them before the lights come on again.

    Sent from my XT907 using Grasscity Forum mobile app

     
  10. Yup ! Almost all breeders suggest a dark period before harvest DinaFem has it plain and clear for some certain types of sativas 5 days of darkness .
     
  11. FFS .....The dark period is to  lessen CHLOROFIL production .
      You DONT want much chlorofil in your smoke , so you turn off the lights  for at LEAST 24hrs .
     
    Maybe the longer the better .
    Its why people dont speed dry - speed drying locks the chlorofil  IN .
     
    Chlorofil is what gives it the harsh  "home-grown" taste.
    Light produces chlorofil .
    Make DAMN sure theres a dark period  before cutting ,  and  keep it in dark even while drying .
    The cut  plant / or cut bud , continues certain processes  for a while ., including chlorofil production ,.
     
    People think its to do with THC content .
    THC content doesnt  go  up and down  by the hour .
    Chlorophil production  stops  with  a nice  24  > 72 hours dark .
     
    If you take the plant out of the dark ; it tries to produce again.
     
    Summary ;  24 >72  hours darkness  -  Lessens or stops  chlorofils  harsh taste
     
  12. A fermented cure gets rid of chlorophyll...not a dark period. I mean really....do the plants come out of the dark stark white or are they still green?

    I gotta say...that's a first.
     
  13. Nobody has actually answered his question on what it does and why.. lol
     
  14. It's a myth. Some say it makes the trichomes swell, others say it reduces the chlorophyl. No evidence for either. Someday when it's legal these questions can be properly researched in controlled studies.
     
  15. Well if there's no evidence either way then it can't be a myth now can it?

    Environmental stress can indeed cause a swell of resin...the question is, does it have any effect on potency? Prove that it doesn't, and you got yourself a myth....
     
  16. "Environmental stress can indeed cause a swell of resin", prove that dark will cause that or you have a myth. Total bro-science.
     
  17. So what's your point about chopping just before lights on then Rump?

    As far as stress cuasing a swell of resin...well either its several coincidences or *something* is triggering the response. Was it the fucking dark, being drowned, or a myriad of other stresses that caused it...dunno. Don't give two tin shits about bro science...just what I see. And once again...the question is whether or not it does anything for potency.
     
  18. #18 pointswest, Nov 1, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2013
    This is because there is nothing about the science of plant physiology to suggest this is a proven technique. This is nothing but 9th grade stoner science, you will never find anything but misinformed anecdotal evidence on this subject. To think that three days of any type of culture care will increase resin production at the end of the flowering cycle, when it took 8-12 weeks to produce the existing flowers and resin, is ridiculous and totally incorrect. Grow a healthy plant, harvest and cure properly, for the best results. Leave the stoner science behind and reap the rewards of your efforts. Plants are harvested at first light to maximize the terpenes produced during the night cycles, it has nothing to do with increasing potency.


    PW
     
  19. Wait,the terpene production increases at night?thats why the flower room is nice and smelly when im in there at night,i always have just harvested whenever never moticed a difference but im going to try a short dark period i do beleive the chlorophyl deal and i want to do a side by side harvested at night and harvested middle of day cycle same strain etc.im gonna see for myself.
     
  20. #20 zippy657, Nov 1, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 1, 2013
    While I side with most of you in believing this would have very little effect on potency, I think it's a little bold to say there is nothing in plant physiology that would suggest this helping... The plant will not build chlorophyll absent light. To me a short dark period after a good final flush is just an extra couple days cure without chopping. Gives the plant a chance to use up what its got just like it does when you hang it. If you have trouble hanging the whole plant for 3 days without it drying too much before trim and jar (Which you will below 50% rh), then it makes a lot of sense to get a head start on the chlorophyll breakdown. Not saying anyone had definitively proved this, but it's logical at least. I see no reason why it wouldn't be the case if you believe hanging and curing in the dark is important to this end.
     

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