Temps dropping below freezing.. some advise please

OK so my NL girl is doing really well, I'd say about 2-3 weeks from harvest, and she's been surviving 35F (2C) weather pretty well, but next week is supposed to drop between 20F-25F for two nights and then peak back up to around the 35F mark for a week or so, then dip, then peak.. So I was wondering If you think I should chop her right before the first drop, or should I leave her freeze? Is a death by freezing cannabis plant less potent than a death by being cut down one? Does it jeopardize the potency at all? Also wouldn't it just freeze and crack if it's that cold out since plants contain so much moisture?

Thanks, help is much appreciated, please state if you've got experience with these temps too, I'd love to hear

Good question, Im interested to see the response

I can tell you that if the roots freeze the plant is done... also with temps in the 20's the water molecules inside the plant freeze. When that happens it expands and actually destroys the plant's cells. Kinda like how freezer burn destroys the taste of food.

You can harvest early or try to make it through, at a minimum throw something down to insulate the roots and put a sheet over the plant.

I know frozen trichs will retain potency, not sure how the THC inside the plant would react...

if it were me i would chop her down now.... @ 35 degrees the plant is BARELY surviving if it hits that low at night what does it get to in peak temp in day 45? 50 degrees? thc production has come to a crawl grab her now almost no more potency than in 3 weeks under those temps... good luck

sorry 4 got to mention if it is possible fruit growers water plants with a sprinkler when it gets too cold to prevent frost ..... that or a tarp/ blanket good luck

id say cut.,.,the plant is not gonna do much growing in those temps.,.,it wont die of unless the ro0ts freeze.,.,id say cuting now.,and cutting then would be the same product.,.,the plant is just idle'ing in those low temps

read the farmers almanac about first frost and tems some cool info in there

Yeah, I'm screwed too. It's 35* right now and my girls are 2 weeks out. I just ran down to hill to snip my major towers, and hope that the rest of the plant doesn't freeze. I cannpt put sheets or or else they'll be spotted.

Not going to get any sleep tonight staring at the thermometer.!!

i assume its planted directly in the ground? i had to dig up my outside girl a month and a half ago cuz we had a sudden cold snap outta nowhere for like 3-4 straight days. but in your case i dont think it would be worth it for you. my girl amazingly just kept right on growing and didnt really get shocked like i thought she would, but she was only about 1/2 way done so cutting it early wasnt an option for me. lol, word of advice, if u live in a place that gets real cold early like it does where i live dont try to grow sativas outside in the ground. they take wayyyyyy to long. cutting your girl down in a week or so seems the best choice imo.

I would take it down. Friends here just experienced trying to weather a similar cold snap and lost about 1/2 of their crop. Once the bud freezes it will DRY OUT in mere hours and will crumble into dust. My buddy said all the trich heads looked "exploded" under the scope and he wished he would have cut them and ended it before the freeze. He sure didn't BENEFIT from pushing it.

good luck!

i feel ya bro, i got my plants still in the ground, i have been covering them at night with a contractors bag...no frost on the plants, however new england saw its first snow on sunday...today the high was 60, tomorrow it'll be 65 F as a high...however nights are cold, and she doesnt seem to be improving much...i think im gonna harvest in the upcoming week. Good Luck

Harvest it dude... Mold could be a problem if you leave it out in the rain/snow and cold, your plant isn't really growing.

Well, I cut the big towers near the top and left the bottom buds to mature (if they make it.) We have some nice 70-75* days comin' so I want to maximize my yield.

I also found some bud rot and lost about 5 grams to it That's what happens to an outdoor guerilla grower! You can't always closely monitor your plants!

I also ran down the hill at 3:00am to water (and shower) the others with warm water. They are still small and young and are not budding yet. It seemed to work so far!

Here's a pic of one of the branches and the plant it came from..