Darkness before chop

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ElleBC

Member
For those who do dark days before you harvest, where and how long do you do this? I’ve been growing outdoors, just looking for some recommendations of a dark place in a typical home. Like a laundry room? Garage? Do you need a fan running or controlled temp? Does it need to be totally dark?
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
ElleBC said:
For those who do dark days before you harvest, where and how long do you do this? I’ve been growing outdoors, just looking for some recommendations of a dark place in a typical home. Like a laundry room? Garage? Do you need a fan running or controlled temp? Does it need to be totally dark?
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Don't. There's no evidence that going dark for the last couple days does anything at all. What you will do, however, is increase your chances of mold and mildew infecting your buds.

Just harvest as its normally done. There are much better ways during the grow to increase yields and potency.
 
1dude1seed

1dude1seed

Well-Known Member
I experimented doing the whole 24 hours of dark before harvest only once. Came to the conclusion that it was a waste of time.

edit:maybe 24 hours wasn’t enough, idk. But I do know I’m not wasting the last few days of light again until I see solid proof, not bro-science.
 
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JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
1dude1seed said:
I experimented doing the whole 24 hours of dark before harvest only once. Came to the conclusion that it was a waste of time.

edit:maybe 24 hours wasn’t enough, idk. But I do know I’m not wasting the last few days of light again until I see solid proof, not bro-science.
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I went 48 hours and ended up losing some buds to rot, most likely from not evaporating standing moisture during lights on.
 
Massachusetts86

Massachusetts86

Well-Known Member
I personally love to starve them 4 days before harvesting. I found it increases the resin in the buds because the plant goes into survival mode. She thinks she's dying and does everything she can to to ensure her flowers protection...in short. Its amazing. I have friends that put a popsicle stick into the base and swear by that as well. I prefer the starve.
 
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ElleBC

Member
Massachusetts86 said:
I personally love to starve them 4 days before harvesting. I found it increases the resin in the buds because the plant goes into survival mode. She thinks she's dying and does everything she can to to ensure her flowers protection...in short. Its amazing. I have friends that put a popsicle stick into the base and swear by that as well. I prefer the starve.
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What do you mean by popsicle stick into the base? Details please :)
 
Massachusetts86

Massachusetts86

Well-Known Member
they take a knife or razor blade and cut a slice through the base of the stock. Then they take a popsicle stick and force it through the hole. It should take some effort they said. Dont let the hole be to big you want resistance putting the stick in. I've never tried this way, but they swear by it. It theory it make sense. Threaten the plant and she goes into survival mode, throwing all its resin and whatever its got left into the buds...I admit that the bud they produce is phenomenal
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Massachusetts86 said:
I personally love to starve them 4 days before harvesting. I found it increases the resin in the buds because the plant goes into survival mode. She thinks she's dying and does everything she can to to ensure her flowers protection...in short. Its amazing. I have friends that put a popsicle stick into the base and swear by that as well. I prefer the starve.
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Urban legend. I highly, highly doubt a plant has enough time to react to a couple days without light. I've gone four days without power, where my lights were off, and when power came back on, my plants continued their veg like nothing happened.
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Massachusetts86 said:
they take a knife or razor blade and cut a slice through the base of the stock. Then they take a popsicle stick and force it through the hole. It should take some effort they said. Dont let the hole be to big you want resistance putting the stick in. I've never tried this way, but they swear by it. It theory it make sense. Threaten the plant and she goes into survival mode, throwing all its resin and whatever its got left into the buds...I admit that the bud they produce is phenomenal
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Unless the grower does many side by side comparisons between two of the same strains, one being stressed and the other not, there really isn't a way to determine whether any change is due to the last minute stress attempt, and what has effected them during the entire grow previous to that.
 
Massachusetts86

Massachusetts86

Well-Known Member
JSB99 said:
Unless the grower does many side by side comparisons between two of the same strains, one being stressed and the other not, there really isn't a way to determine whether any change is due to the last minute stress attempt, and what has effected them during the entire grow previous to that.
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It's hard to say, was it rhe cha ching? Was it the grow itself? I understand what you mean. I however was taught this young and most definitely see the difference. Thats after consistently using the same nutes and grow technique, without starving them. Then I did the same starving them and the reaction is visible, you can feel it. Just what I've experienced.
 
Massachusetts86

Massachusetts86

Well-Known Member
JSB99 said:
Urban legend. I highly, highly doubt a plant has enough time to react to a couple days without light. I've gone four days without power, where my lights were off, and when power came back on, my plants continued their veg like nothing happened.
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I dont believe lights out method works at all. Doesn't make sense unless you want to add problems like said above. Never tried it so I can't say. I dont know anyone that has tried it ...
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
Plants store energy to be used during the dark cycle as starches, it uses said starches during its dark period and than starts creating them again when the lights come on. Because of this I harvest before lights come on. Now does that make a difference in the final product, I cannot say as I have always just done it this way. Since it doesn't take any extra effort I just continue this practice. I know many who just harvest when they feel like it regardless of the lights so I would just do whatever works for you. I would not give the plant an extended dark period.
 
twentyeight.threefive

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
Plants store energy to be used during the dark cycle as starches, it uses said starches during its dark period and than starts creating them again when the lights come on. Because of this I harvest before lights come on. Now does that make a difference in the final product, I cannot say as I have always just done it this way. Since it doesn't take any extra effort I just continue this practice. I know many who just harvest when they feel like it regardless of the lights so I would just do whatever works for you. I would not give the plant an extended dark period.
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Plants still don't need a dark period. ;-)
 
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