24 Hour Dark Period Before Switching To Flower?

[Moss]

I have heard this is important,I'm wondering what other people say.

[Nemosity]

Hmm... I have only heard of a twenty-four hour dark period just before you harvest. But I must defer to the experts on this one. Curious to hear if it has merit.

[Grow Thread]

in SOME strains, a full 24 hours of dark will help them "get in the mood" to begin flowering. it's not necessary at all, but a lot of folks do it. and i have left plants in total darkness for up to 14 days at the very end as well.

[TheFlyingBuddha]

i've heard this as well. The lack of daylight increases levels of hormones that are normally depleted in the dark. this tells the plant to begin flowering. Some strains respond better/worse. I've never performed it myself, so i can't attest to its effectiveness.

[BDR]

Yep, Makes sense to me.. You got to set the mood.. get those hormones a kickin.. I will definitely agree this effect does vary from strain to strain.. some better.. some not. 24 or longer dark cycle a couple times 7-14 days before 12/12 can provide some noticeable effects. I am somewhat split on the end dark cycle ritual.. seems to help some though. Peace, Love, and Big Buds

[Grow Thread]

I am somewhat split on the end dark cycle ritual.. seems to help some though. Peace, Love, and Big Buds

 

once again.... very strain specific. some breeders are actually suggesting this final dark period now to stress the plant into stopping new growth and concentrating on producing crystals to protect the flower.

 

about half way down on this page is Greenhouse Seeds instructions for growing their white widow..... suggesting 2 weeks dark at the end.

 

http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/green-house-sativa-indica-b-feminized/prod_754.html

[BDR]

Got it right for sure Bubble... I have noticed that even a 48-72 dark at the end of flower seems to provide some additional benefits.. As well as some strains do fantastic with an extended dark cycle throughout flower... really beefs them up!! say like 13/11 or 14/10.. dark/light. Even using and extended dark for the first couple weeks into flower for some strains.. Have a euro big bud that likes a little extra dark into flower.. Gets the Hormones a rockin!

[Jipo]

once again.... very strain specific. some breeders are actually suggesting this final dark period now to stress the plant into stopping new growth and concentrating on producing crystals to protect the flower.

 

about half way down on this page is Greenhouse Seeds instructions for growing their white widow..... suggesting 2 weeks dark at the end.

 

http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/green-house-sativa-indica-b-feminized/prod_754.html

 

With white strains I've always heard flip the lights to 8/16 for the last two weeks to increase resin production. I've always let my plants sit in the dark for a day or two prior to harvesting, I don't know if it really effects the quality that much but it usually ends up getting a little wilted and makes things much nicer for the initial "hand trim" before hanging and then manicuring.

[Grow Thread]

but it usually ends up getting a little wilted and makes things much nicer for the initial "hand trim" before hanging and then manicuring.

 

true that, but i like to "snap" the fan leaves off before i chop the branches off the main stem, and the wilting makes it harder

 

but anyways, i really do not think just a day or 2 of dark at the end will show any differences. it takes a day or 2 for the plant to just START freaking out and realize that there may not be anymore light coming and it's about to die. then it starts to think "oh crap i gotta hurry up and catch a pollen spore.. gotta keep the lineage alive..... gotta grow more crystals to get stickier and catch one" ...... THEN the excessive trichome production begins.

 

so i agree, the wilting helps with the trimming part, but for me it makes the big fan leaves 10 times tougher to get. and next harvest shoot for 5-7 days in dark and see what it does for your strain..... it's not gonna HURT anything..... it can only help.

 

how are ya this morning bud??

[Jipo]

true that, but i like to "snap" the fan leaves off before i chop the branches off the main stem, and the wilting makes it harder

 

but anyways, i really do not think just a day or 2 of dark at the end will show any differences. it takes a day or 2 for the plant to just START freaking out and realize that there may not be anymore light coming and it's about to die. then it starts to think "oh crap i gotta hurry up and catch a pollen spore.. gotta keep the lineage alive..... gotta grow more crystals to get stickier and catch one" ...... THEN the excessive trichome production begins.

 

so i agree, the wilting helps with the trimming part, but for me it makes the big fan leaves 10 times tougher to get. and next harvest shoot for 5-7 days in dark and see what it does for your strain..... it's not gonna HURT anything..... it can only help.

 

how are ya this morning bud??

 

I rip most of them off prior to killing the lights, the fan leaves aren't really needed without light My hand trim is all the bigger bud leaves and good trim. Then when its a little crispy I bust out the little scissors and start dressing em all up

[Moss]

I decided to to go ahead and give them some dark time, the past few days the heat has been high so they should really enjoy it.

 

The smell is crazy, they haven't really been smelling, only when you get up close, but after about 16 hours in the dark I entered the room I have them in and it smelled amazing, not like pot though, like flowers.

[holland oats]

Can I make a suggestion?

 

No extended dark cycles, cause you should harvesting perpetually, so those lights should never stray from 12/12.

 

Jk but either way, it's not gonna make a real difference. If you're growing your plants right, then your resin glands will be things of beauty anyways. No need for that extra darkness.

 

As for perpetual harvests, that's a different discussion, but definetely something to consider, and extended darkness doesn't fit in a perpetual schedule too well.

[Jipo]

Can I make a suggestion?

 

No extended dark cycles, cause you should harvesting perpetually, so those lights should never stray from 12/12.

 

Jk but either way, it's not gonna make a real difference. If you're growing your plants right, then your resin glands will be things of beauty anyways. No need for that extra darkness.

 

As for perpetual harvests, that's a different discussion, but definetely something to consider, and extended darkness doesn't fit in a perpetual schedule too well.

 

Extended dark periods can be done away from the lights 12/12 in one room 0/12 in another.

[nkprthrd]

I wonder if causing the plant to strain for light would do anything. Like putting up a curtain blocking 95% of the light from the adjacent room. So that there is a small light leak into the "dark" room for the 12/12 cycle. So for the 12 hours on there is only 5% of light available. Wonder if that would be more beneficial than a complete darkness.

 

The way I see it, the plant stores energy by absorbing sunlight. During the dark period, it uses that energy. Once that energy is depleted, there is no where left other than pushing whatever nutrients are in the stalk up into the buds as a last effort for pollination. I see having the strain of light be something where the plant is depleting it's stored energy into the buds while still getting a little bit more to go the long haul. Sort of like an hybrid car generating electricity on a downhill versus cutting the engine completely. Still going the desired speed, but once the hill is done there is more energy available to go a longer distance.

 

Thoughts?

[Grow Thread]

I wonder if causing the plant to strain for light would do anything. Like putting up a curtain blocking 95% of the light from the adjacent room. So that there is a small light leak into the "dark" room for the 12/12 cycle. So for the 12 hours on there is only 5% of light available. Wonder if that would be more beneficial than a complete darkness.

 

The way I see it, the plant stores energy by absorbing sunlight. During the dark period, it uses that energy. Once that energy is depleted, there is no where left other than pushing whatever nutrients are in the stalk up into the buds as a last effort for pollination. I see having the strain of light be something where the plant is depleting it's stored energy into the buds while still getting a little bit more to go the long haul. Sort of like an hybrid car generating electricity on a downhill versus cutting the engine completely. Still going the desired speed, but once the hill is done there is more energy available to go a longer distance.

 

Thoughts?

 

never heard any studies on this, but science tells me its probably not a good idea. by only giving them 5% light i think they would revert back into stem/height production in order to stretch out and reach the light......... possibly forgetting all about resin production? or stressing them with light like this may cause the production of male flowers/seeds as well?

who knows though..... try it