crazytrain14
Well-Known Member
hey can someone explain what the deal is with giving plants 24 or 36 hours of darkness before harvesting. before you cut it after?? what does it do?
I don't think you are right on this one. How would they be at their "full potential"? How would the trichs be any different in the morning than in the dark? The trichs don't change from morning to night.What bongrippinbob said is true but i prefer harvesting in the morning because its proven that early in the morning is the best time to harvest because the trichs are at their full potential.
yea i agree. i mayb b on my first grow but even i kno that. more resinus weed might help add a lil more bad appeal, but def wont affect the potency.I don't think you are right on this one. How would they be at their "full potential"? How would the trichs be any different in the morning than in the dark? The trichs don't change from morning to night.
Another reason folks do it, and one that is proven by science, when plants are in their dark period, they store their nutrients in their roots. This means that if you cut your plants after they have been in the dark, and you cut during the dark, the plants don't have a chance to draw up starches and sugars that were stored to use during the day time. This causes the cure to take less time, and creates a smoother smoke. All higher plants, other than CAM plants which open their stomata at night, store nutrients like this at night, not just weed.
I can guarantee you its true! I have a degree in environmental horticulture, and this is one of the things we learned.LOL... I have no idea if that's true or not but it sure sounded good.... and also very logical. I'll keep that in mind next time I harvest.... Thanks for the info. +Rep
can it also be proved when a person goes to make oil from the left over (ie. have more oil per plant left over compared to a plant that didn't get the 36 hour dark time?)I can guarantee you its true! I have a degree in environmental horticulture, and this is one of the things we learned.
Good stuff. +rep for you.Another reason folks do it, and one that is proven by science, when plants are in their dark period, they store their nutrients in their roots. This means that if you cut your plants after they have been in the dark, and you cut during the dark, the plants don't have a chance to draw up starches and sugars that were stored to use during the day time. This causes the cure to take less time, and creates a smoother smoke. All higher plants, other than CAM plants which open their stomata at night, store nutrients like this at night, not just weed.
Also Batman, it is not the lack of light that causes you to get mold or mildew, it is humidity. If you leave your exhaust fans on during the dark period, you will not have these issues and you can keep the lights off as long as you want. The plants may die from no light, but there won't be any mildew.
Some strains respond better to the dark period than others. I have strains that do great with a 24hr dark period, but going to 36hrs causes them to get a weird squishy feeling to them. So I just give them 24hrs dark before harvest, and 24hrs of dark 1 week before harvest. I also give them 24hrs of dark just before going into flower as well. The length of the dark period triggers flowering. While in the dark period, there is a build up of a certain hormone that initiates flowering. Giving the plant 24hrs of dark instead of just 12hrs causes there to be a larger build up of the hormone, and thus flowering starts sooner.