Complete Dark for 5 days/pre-flower
- Thread starter bravedave
- Start date
natro.hydro
Well-Known Member
Do you see a diffrence in time it takes to flower by doing this? If it doesn't reduce flower time I see no real benefit to doing this, just losing 5 days of growth. The sun doesnt just turn off for 5 days, and we are trying to mimic nature after all.
Not bashing ya, can do what you feel is right in your garden. But I just don't understand the purpose of suck a long dark period between veg and flowering.
Should ask your mentor why he started to do this, very curious to hear the reasoning.
Sent from my SCH-R930 using Rollitup mobile app
Not bashing ya, can do what you feel is right in your garden. But I just don't understand the purpose of suck a long dark period between veg and flowering.
Should ask your mentor why he started to do this, very curious to hear the reasoning.
Sent from my SCH-R930 using Rollitup mobile app
Silky Shagsalot
Well-Known Member
i've heard of this, and done it, but not for 5 days. i read it's supposed to let them know you're going to flower, or something along those lines. but if you think about it, it seems it would make them think of veg more than flower, lol...
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Yes, the impression I first came away with was that it was a to tell the girls that "Its Flawa time!!!" But, now that I think of it, I never really asked why. I will. His process does create 4 harvests a year and utilizes 24 light during veg...so the switch to darkness is a new experience for his harem.
GreenThumbsMcgee
Well-Known Member
well, not nesasarily, because the lights out would tell them that the season is ending, because of the disruption in their normal light schedule I believe. thus kicking it into flowering...but 5 days is a bit extreme I feel, I did a 24 hour period of darkness and yes, it stretched a bit. Everyone has different oppinions on this topic I have found.some don't, some do. as for me, I did it one time, and didn't see much benefit, so I don't believe I will be doing it again.
Diabolical666
Well-Known Member
I have gotten alot of bad advice over the years. Research everything everyone tells you.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
The idea is to encourage the plants to build up plenty of the hormone that senses darkness length and triggers flowering.
It doesn't add up; if the ladies have seen no darkness at all throughout their veg life, their initial response to it is so strong they'll often start to flower with only six hours of darkness!
If they've been on something like an 18/6 schedule, then any 'buildup' wouldn't be needed anyway.
In short, this is a solution in search of a problem.
It doesn't add up; if the ladies have seen no darkness at all throughout their veg life, their initial response to it is so strong they'll often start to flower with only six hours of darkness!
If they've been on something like an 18/6 schedule, then any 'buildup' wouldn't be needed anyway.
In short, this is a solution in search of a problem.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
This is true whether you think it's good advice or not; think about why stuff works and why good advice is what it is as much as the bad.
Or better still,grow and experiment and do what works for u,but that dosent mean ur some kind of expert!these forums r full of tits who either think they've reinvented the wheel or who get annoyed at "simple" questions.I mean why come on a forum to tell ppl to use Google?!some ppl...
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Actually, most all of advice I have gotten from the same gentleman has proven to be spot on and I have seen and tasted his results. They are pretty fantastic...and he has been doing this for quite some time. He has no internet so his training has been word of mouth and personal experience...yet most of the things he has told me aligns with the "smart guys/gals" here. This particular idea I did not see mentioned here ...thus the post. That said, he too may have been told to do it a couple decades ago and he had success with it and has just stuck with it in spite of its possible lack of true foundation. I still await his clarification. To be honest, in spite of the naysayers here, I am reluctant to deviate from his methodology in this FG because I have seen the reality of his results. That said I do plan to do some tweaking with grow 2 to see what my best options are. Thanks...will keep you posted on his response....like I said it was "I" who assumed it was purely to firmly instigate flowering...now I am assuming it may be more but maybe not. Later
Last edited:
Diabolical666
Well-Known Member
Growing has changed so much over the years and we are finding new methods that make old methods no longer necessary. If you are" reluctant to deviate from his methodology" then I'm confused why you questioning it. It seems like a contradiction in your last post idk. Its just protecting yourself to take the extra steps to google around a bit with what info you recieved from one or even many people....or am I outta line again idk lol
weedenhanced
Well-Known Member
Ive heard of outdoor growers doing this to start flower early but only 24 hours then the plant goes into a shady area where it only recives full sun for 8 to 9 hours
pinkjackyle
Well-Known Member
why would any one want to stunt growth at the beginning of flower with 5 days of dark ? maybe with a 100% sativa wirh a 16 week flower and a 3-4x stretch but i dont see it .
bravedave
Well-Known Member
I thought I was clear why I was questioning it. It was in my notes I took while sitting with a friend who has been growing successfully for years. A couple months ago I knew nothing about growing...and he was the only one I knew who did. Since then I discovered this forum and HAVE done a lot of reading and searching here and found nothing to back up that suggested process. So I posed the question. I also explained my reluctance, nothing else he has told me has deviated much from what I have found here and specifics that he has shared with me (what soil, what nutrients, what brands, what rooting compound, cloning method, and more) have been proven by my own, albeit short-lived, practice. I will add one more item to the reluctance category and that is to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he successfully passed on his cookbook. He is not the kind who will care if I start to deviate, but I think he will appreciate me following his advice to success with the first one. (He has taken an interest) Silly maybe, but just a bit of respect for the guy who took the time. But sure, the advice I am compiling here will go into my own cookbook as I move forward. Not confusing at all. Thanks for you input.
Last edited:
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I don't know either. But of course, until the lights go on, the flowering hasn't really started, has it? Still waiting on what he has to say, but might he like the plants to stretch out for some reason? Might there be some additional foundation root growth. I have read a bit on here about 24 vs. 20/4 vs 18/6. Could not someone who is utilizing the 24 turn to an 18/6er and say why are you stunting your plant growth? These things are rhetorical, but hey I am just learning. Luckily I am blessed with an uncanny ability to do so. Thanks for your response.
BenFranklin
Well-Known Member
I've been wondering recently how many of the "anti-pot" crowd is coming here posting a lot of nonsense, misinformation, trolling for arguments, etc etc etc...
bravedave
Well-Known Member
I apologized for my casual use of the term "naysayer'. As I was doing so I looked it up in the dictionary and one of the definitions seems to describe you in your first post (and now this one). I suggest you stay away from the newbie section as it is obvious your demeanor is not conducive. I would also lay odds that a slap coming from you, albeit correctly named, would not make it to past Monday morning before you were begging for someone to come help you...speaking of...I guess the Teddy Bear is next.
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Wow, kinda figured more layed-back people hanging out here. Thanks for being one of them.
Squidbilly
Well-Known Member
Ok- flowering hormones build up in the dark period over the course of veg. If you veg for 24/0 it will take a lot longer then 18/6 to show it's sex. Plants vegged under 18/6 will flower a bit faster then plants vegged under 24/0 for the same reason.
I believe the darkness before flowering was originally created by the 24/0 guys because such little hormone was created during veg, and they realized that keeping them in the dark for 24-36hrs resulted in plants flowering quicker.
I personally think plants grow MORE, but with more space between nodes on 18/6. I do 24/0 under T5's because if I introduce a dark period, my plants grow too much. That's just my experience anyway.
Plants grow in the dark.
I believe the darkness before flowering was originally created by the 24/0 guys because such little hormone was created during veg, and they realized that keeping them in the dark for 24-36hrs resulted in plants flowering quicker.
I personally think plants grow MORE, but with more space between nodes on 18/6. I do 24/0 under T5's because if I introduce a dark period, my plants grow too much. That's just my experience anyway.
Plants grow in the dark.