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How Long Do You Keep Your Marijuana In The Dark Before Harvest?


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If at all? I've heard 24-72 hours will puts resin production into overdrive. I personally have not done this in my 2 grows. Thoughts?

 

I have a thought.

 

First, my plants don't sit in the darkness before harvest. I cut my plants down right when I turn the lights off. I have heard of people leaving them in the dark but have not heard of any proof that it helps. I have heard of proof that leaving them in the dark does not help. It lowers the THC. In Mel Frank's book from the 1980's they did a test on living plants. The THC was highest at sundown and lowest in the morning or sun up. These were not harvested plants, but I will go with their tests. Throughout the day the THC levels increase and during the darkness the THC levels decrease going by the test results in Mel Frank's book.

 

The best way I have seen to achieve greater resin production (I can even see with my own eyes) is dry stressing towards the end of flowering.

 

If anybody does have some test results showing that leaving them in total darkness before harvest for a period of time actually helps, I am very interested to see it.

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...the 12 hours of darkness right before lights on, that's it. I cut mine down on sun up. I learned that @ Oaksterdam U and Jorge Cervantes. I've harvested at night, in the morning, with cape, a mask, and even in a tunic once, all a pain in my arse with no differences seen by me.

I know that withholding water during the last day or two has an effect, most likely the Wild Bill theory. The amount of trichomes will not change in the last few days, but the terpene profiles are highest at sun up. whatever that means, I'm not going to change. The little differences are inconsequential to me, what, with all the fist size thc filled trichomes already, th little increase/decrease means nothing!

 

I suggest doing it each way until you find the best habit that works for you and your garden. There is no magic bullet,or tricks, or else they wouldn't be tricks, but instead, just the way we do things...

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nope, but it will expedite the onset of the flowering stage.  That was a concern when I began, forgotten after my first harvest... most don't bother to rush things along. A proper perpetual kind of flows from one stage to another with each inspected often until the finished are at the end of the line and ready, while the garden continues to feed the finished through.

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water cessation last couple/few days of flowering I suspect?

Those old books always said that cannabis will pump out resin during a dry spell. Same ones that said to hang a plant upside down with the roots on and you get more THC to the buds. What is true and what is not? Might be strain specific.
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who knows really, until we get this stuff in the lab.

Mexican growers didn't fuss with hanging or poking a harvest, they let it lie in the rain to dry/mold and shipped it.

 

stealth growers always trying to squeeze the last penny of supply/potency out of each rare plant, I get it. I suspect the buds are most proper when harvested at peak ripeness, and dried like any other herb in a controlled environment, for the best results. we know the number of trichomes does not increase, and we know bud boosters force more vegetable matter to be produced, only to lower the actual potency by weight.

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Those old books always said that cannabis will pump out resin during a dry spell. Same ones that said to hang a plant upside down with the roots on and you get more THC to the buds. What is true and what is not? Might be strain specific.

 

No Resto, it is you that is pumping out the false myths and BS. Please quit following me around with your negativity and hatred. At least don't quote me in your comments, maybe then I could just brush it off and won't feel that it is completely directed to me.

 

A myth from Resto: "The best buds to use for your oil are the bottom buds with no red hairs. You have to clip them down at just the right time..." need I go on? I am sure if I really wanted to I could dig up plenty from the other site you frequent, or at least used to.

 

As you can see the old Mel Frank book debunks myths.

Time Of Day To Harvest 7 16 14 031

 

I personally received this book from Hash Bash Ann Arbor MI 1989.

 

I can't count how many times I have read it. I have read and own many other books too and another from Mel Frank as well. I don't have the time to look through them all.

 
 

The most important thing is that the harvest is done after the lights are off. With a perpetual grow, that has been a bit inconvenient for me. In the old day when I harvested, I harvested all plants at once. I would shut the lights off shut the doors, then go back in 2-4 hours later and chop them down. I like them to sit for at least 2 hours after lights are off before cutting them down. With my new grow room it works out even better with the perpetual grow. The cold air can help increase the THC after lights off. When I turn the lights off and will only be harvesting 1 or 2 plants, I pull those out of the closet, shut the closet down, keep the lights off in the room, during the summer months there is an AC in the room blowing right on the plants preparing for harvest. So, technically, neither is best. Lights off or lights on. In the middle of the night at some point is the best time. If you can't leave your plants sit for a couple hours after lights off, then you are probably best off chopping then down in the morning.

 

There is a study that was done by the US Marijuana Research Center at the University of Mississippi, that shows a 10% difference from daytime THC levels vs. night time THC levels. Their studies showed that THC decreased during the heat and daytime hours. The increase begins with outdoor plants before sundown. It seemed to be more related to the heat than the light.

 

I realize this does not answer whether or not it is better to harvest right after lights off or at first light. However, it does show Resto's BS about the older books. I take great pride in Mel Frank's older books. If I were you sir, I would start reading something other than Wikipedia.

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gg,would you explain your "dry stressing" method? Thx..

 

About two weeks before they are ready for harvest is when I begin the dry stressing. I grow in soil. My plants demand water about every other day. At the first week I will start skipping a day of watering. When I get into the second week, I will skip a couple days of watering, then I will water one last time until the buckets dry out and the plants are very stressed. So most of the stress take place during the last week, where they are pretty much being tortured.

 

It has always been an obvious improvement for me. I first got the idea from "Marijuana Grower's Insider's Guide" by Mel Frank © 1988

This book also discusses many different old school hydro set ups from around the world. Worth the read.

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Books are far from peer reviewed.  I would bet that any tests done concerning this hypothesis have not been completed using analytical equipment.

 

Yes, you are correct to some degree. Then again science seems to be much like a yo yo. One day they say coffee is bad for you, and the next it is good for you. I can't count how many years that debate has gone back and forth. What I do believe is credible is that it is best for the plants to be harvested in the dark after lights off. That has been confirmed.

 

I forgot to show the cover of the book. I guess I am old school I must say it is one of my favorite books for growing. I am still happily using my T-12 HO lamps like it was recommended in the book.

MJ Growers Insiders Guide 7 16 14 030

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I'm sure the book is full of great information.  I'd love to get my hands on it.  I understand the pain of science.  You really have to follow the funding and read scholarly articles objectively and draw your own conclusions.

best for the plants to be harvested in the dark after lights off. That has been confirmed.

 

Where is the data?

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the coolest way to know for sure is to actually conduct them yourself. I detect the difference when I dehydrate plants at finish

also, but don't bother with anymore than the 12 hours of darkness ffrom the night before, for a median experience, one that performs weill here. I'd suggest the op try different techniques and maybe discover new ones to report also. its all fun!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm with grassmatch. I always chop right before sun up or lights on. I've pretty much always done it this way. I did try the 36hrs of darkness years ago but didn't see any change in resin production. I like to lower my temps and RH  the last 2 weeks or so before chop and that does seem to enhances resin production. MGG

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  • 1 month later...

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