Any luck with last minute potency tricks?

I've got a pair of ruderalis plants tentatively scheduled to be chopped in 8 days. I expect the total yield to be just short of an oz, which is still plenty to hold me over while my real beauties continue to veg. I've more or less got my routine down as far as the rest of the garden goes, but this was my first experience with ruderalis genetics. They were really just an experiement/way to keep a headstash while I raise their sisters up into a REAL yield. Anyway, this little mini-harvest got me curious about a few harvest time tricks I've heard over the years to increase potency/trich production/quality over all. I'd like to know if there's anybody out there who swears by any of these practices, and why (if you know) they work.

1. Nail through the meristem - I've heard this one from several old school heads. The idea (I think?) is that by driving a nail through the main stalk near the base, you get a wound response from the plant, causing it to rush out loads of trichs, as if to shield itself from whatever's causing it damage. If anyone can verify that they practice this, I'd like to know when (final week before darkness? during darkness before chop?), and if I'm correct in understanding that the plant produces trichomes to defend the flowers from predators.

2. Molasses - I feel like this is common practice for many seasoned growers, but I've never tried it, having heard from many sources that it made no difference, plus I figured my whiteflies would love this stuff. Do you incorporate it into their water toward the end, or use it as part of the flush? Is this to produce more trichs, resin, or simply more potent buds? How much to use?

3. Remove fan leaves before harvest - This is something I've heard twice now but never felt comfortable enough with to try it. What I have HEARD is to remove the fan leaves (NOT the sticky flower leaves, of course) shortly before harvest to help minimize chorophyll in ready-to-harvest buds. Surely this is something you wouldn't do very long before the actual chop. I plan to put these plants into dark for 3 days before harvesting them, and I'm assuming that's about the time someone might recommend doing this. Please correct me on this technique if you know it to be useful at all.

Like I said, harvest is coming up in just a week so if anyone can fill me in about any of these practices, it still may well be past the point of trying them. Nonetheless, I'm curious and would be interested in experimenting with any last minute tricks anyone has to offer during my next autoflower adventure.

Would not do 1 or 2. Molasses is good in veg and flowering, but you want to stop using it 2 weeks before harvest. Not sure bout the fan leaves one.

Instead of doing #1, just grow healthiest plants you can. Add a UVB or reptile light, replace the HPS with a MH (open hood for max UVB) during harvest week if you want to do something about the trichs.

#2 is standard practice.

I do the three night method too but only for final harvesting. I find most strains benefit from it, well from my own seed pile that is. Removing fan leaves is something for me to try next.

Thanks folks. I really don't think I could ever drive a nail through my plants, and I would try molasses if I could go a day without seeing a whitefly first. As for #3, I think the logic (be it true or not) in removing the fan leaves a day or two before chop, is that it jump starts the breakdown of chlorophyll and conversion of carbs to resin. Anyway, the plants in question here are shown below, and I honestly cannot wait to get them out of the closet, so I can get more light on the real gems . Better shots to come in a couple weeks.
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Thanks for posting this. I have been wondering myself and have searched many hours with no good answers. Will be watching.

Don't mean to bump a thread that I think we put to rest, but I had another couple questions come up that are also related to harvest time. My 2 ruderalis ladies are getting their 72 hours of darkness before harvest starting tomorrow. I know not everybody believes in this practice, it's just what's tried and true for me.

My first question is what is the minimum temp and ideal humidity for these 3 days of darkness? I ask this because all the heat from my growspace comes from my 400w, and the plants are to be tucked away in a currently unheated space. I've got a small space heater, so I guess I'm trying to decide if supplemental heat will be necessary.

Secondly, what is the ideal humidity for buds while they're hanging to dry, and is it necessary to hang them in total darkness? I've usually hung them in darkness in the past, but I'm a bit short on space at the moment. Also I just came upon a dehumidifier and figured this could be useful in shaving a couple days off of the drying process.

40-45% & direct light or any light on the buds can degrade the thc level.

From what I have read.

Good luck!!