I assume there is an optimal time of day to cut them down. Early morning would be my guess? Like vegetables the girls are more perky and crisp in the mornings.
Just before the sun comes up. If possible cover the plant with a light proof cover for 25-72 hrs to make most potent.
I also read , in Jorge's book , that it's best to harvest in the morning because that's when the thichs are at their peak.
from the sound of your post sounds like you grew attached to them, i dont see why you wouldnt. Enjoy the harvest
Like others have suggested, harvesting is best done after a normal, or extended period of darkness. Cannabis plants produce and lose terpenes on a daily basis. Terpenes are a group comprised of over 120 chemicals or phytochemicals, aside from the over 80 known cannabinoids, and many of which have powerful sedative/analgesic/euphoric/anti-cancer/anti-spasmodic/anti-inflammatory properties all their own... They are also responsible for that wonderful smell our herb has, some more than others! But where they are very delicate volatile chemicals (much more so than cannabinoids) and where they degrade so easily with light and heat, many of these properties are lost, and have evaporated off by the end of the day, each day. It's why your plants tend to smell the strongest and most pungent starting from a few hours after dark, to just after the lights come on, and why their odor can seem to 'fade' subtly throughout the daylight hours. Anyhow, good luck!
how crucial is time of day? I mean the loss of terpenes has a dramatic affect on the plant? The reason I ask is because I have to work the next 12 days and today is the only time I can harvest without getting up at 5am and going to work smelling like weed. I have hindu kush which is a strong smoke anyway so losing a little potency isn't the end of the world. thoughts?
[quote name='"KushyP"']how crucial is time of day? I mean the loss of terpenes has a dramatic affect on the plant? The reason I ask is because I have to work the next 12 days and today is the only time I can harvest without getting up at 5am and going to work smelling like weed. I have hindu kush which is a strong smoke anyway so losing a little potency isn't the end of the world. thoughts?[/quote] Cut them at 5 am hanging them in a dark room for the day start trimming when u get home.