I have been reading online and in books lately about letting the buds go under total darkness for about two straight days or longer just before harvesting. Supposedly the buds let out the last bit of resin and crystals in the longer darkness because of some sort of protection barriar or defense action......does anybody have some experience or knowledge to share on this? If I can super ripen my buds just before harvest...IM FOR IT!
Ive done it. Can't personally say it made a big difference. But then again it may have.....may not have. Needless to say it didn't do anything bad to my plants.....so i do it for the hell of it. Maybe this time i will do it to some and not to others and see if it looks, smells any different or such.
How did you do it ...as in what was the light to darkness ratio.....or did you do total darkness? did you notice more crystals and glands coming out in the time you have them extra darkness?
was on 12/12 for 7 weeks. Last week gave them 8 hours of light for 5 days and total darkness for 3 days. They were so super sticky anyhow by then, but maybe it sucked more resin out...unno. I place them in a cool place also. I tend to think the cold pulls the resin out as the plant tries to protect the buds from frost or cold. Cool dark place thats the plan that i do.
Im going to try that idea.....I read exactly what you said about the resins and crystals coming out in the cold weather to protect the buds. My buds are frosted now but I would love more! I have no idea how long I have left on my buds. I am just checkeing everyday. They have at least 3 weeks left.
to add to the subject i read somewhere if u reduce your humidity to 20% for the last 1-2 weeks before harvest, itll do the same sort of thing. That and the shortening of light is a sign of winter for the plant. If your plants are all 100% female and they havnt been polinated then these methods definitly will increase the resin because what the plant is doing is trying to defend against the cold to hold out as long as it can in hopes a male polinates it. this isnt just with weed, but with alot of plants. Im guessing lowering your room/boxes tempature a week before fharvest might not be a bad idea either???
Yeap, all is true!!! If you can drop your temps down into the 50's in your dark cycle or even upper 40's that would be the cats ass!!
I cant do that where I am...they would freeze. I plan to use a closet near my front door which is pitch black and stays at about 55-60 degrees.