Period of Darkness prior to Harvest

[Old ST1R]

Hey All,

Does anyone employ the period of darkness prior to harvest?

I’ve read that some people will keep the plant in total darkness for a period of like 48 - 72 hours before cutting in an attempt to increase trichomes count.

What are your thoughts and experience with this technique?

 

[Deleted member 60]

Some folks swear by it.....but I never saw any differences...just 2 wasted days...LOL

Then again...I don't buy into the whole "clear trichs is a racy high"....let em go amber...it'll be "couchlock"....

all on the same plant? No need to grow sativa....just cut that indica early for the no-ceiling high? Really?

Let yer plant sit for 2 days in the dark.....surely...after 60 days of workin hard to pack on the trichs...an extra 2 will make many, many, many, many more.

same stuff IMO. More of that fabled "Broscience"

 

[Old ST1R]

Then again...I don't buy into the whole "clear trichs is a racy high"....let em go amber...it'll be "couchlock"....

all on the same plant? No need to grow sativa....just cut that indica early for the no-ceiling high? Really?

What is your belief on the color of the trichs?

I can’t see how a period of darkness would increase trichs either, but I’m not a botanist.

What is your opinion on switching back to Metal Halide for the last couple of weeks? Supposedly the UVB increases trich production.

 

[Deleted member 60]

When they are amber/receded the plant is done/ready to harvest. That's my belief. I never take them when they are clear (don't like that sativa high...LOL)

Never tried the MH gig.....though I've heard of folks doing it. I just grow rado gear and there's always plenty of trichs to go around as it is.

 

[Bodyne]

Have heard bout both, did notice a lil difference with the mh to round the flowerin out once when I tried it, but not enough for me to fuck with for a few plants. I like mine amber at least 1/4 and cloudy no clear. I have taken em clear for necessity purposes, lol, and most times end up regretting it. Only rule I guess I do that I don't let the plant tell me is I read somewhere sometime bout up to an hr after lights on is best time to chop, lol, Im all bout time to chop, woohoo.

 

[Hotwired]

The only thing I have ever noticed with 2 or 3 straight days of darkness at the end is more leaf material. Seems like it gets more leafy to me.

 

[Uncle Romulus]

Nothing worse than a racy indica imo. That’s the “I think I’m dying” high. Almost passing out on the couch prayin to the good lord while your heart races. Yuuuuuk.
I’ve gotten away with cloudy with bit of clear even and no amber with sativas actually. C99 is one that sometimes just won’t go amber until it’s been 500 weeks in flower lol. With indica s tho I don’t fuck around. Over ripe is better than under IMO. I rairly even scope trichs anymore. Just watch the calyxes get nice and plump and sexy and then maybe one zoomed in pic to gander for some amber and that’s that

 

[Old ST1R]

I went ahead and switched the HPS back to the MH last night before lights on. This morning, the Max temperature was about 77.5, which is 3 - 5 degrees cooler than with the HPS. I’m at the beginning of week 8 of flower. I’m sure one of my plants will be done in the next seven to ten days and the other prolly has a good couple or three weeks left on it. But I’m a noob, so WTF do I know. I’ll keep a close eye on the trichs.

 

[Mellow old School]

Been growing on and off for about 20 years, but have not tried it until last time around where I gave them 30 hours of darkness prior to 12/12. They seemed to go into flower more quickly, but they were other strains than previously, so only have one attempt to judge on, but hey give it a try, it might work fine for you too...

 

[gwheels]

Nothing worse than a racy indica imo. That’s the “I think I’m dying” high. Almost passing out on the couch prayin to the good lord while your heart races. Yuuuuuk.
I’ve gotten away with cloudy with bit of clear even and no amber with sativas actually. C99 is one that sometimes just won’t go amber until it’s been 500 weeks in flower lol. With indica s tho I don’t fuck around. Over ripe is better than under IMO. I rairly even scope trichs anymore. Just watch the calyxes get nice and plump and sexy and then maybe one zoomed in pic to gander for some amber and that’s that

How do you get it to do that ? sounds like a good edible to me I mean it just FEELS like your dying.
I usually harvest a handful of buds at all stages and then remember that i liked everything and do it again.

 

[Uncle Romulus]

How do you get it to do that ? sounds like a good edible to me I mean it just FEELS like your dying.
I usually harvest a handful of buds at all stages and then remember that i liked everything and do it again.

Haha I know what your talking about but I’m too old for near death experiences as refreshing as they can be. Had far too many. If I want to feel like I’m dying I’ll snack on some mushrooms not smoke/eat racy weed.
I also take buds at different times the first time I run a strain.

 

[crimsonecho]

Amber is overripe. Cloudy and clear is better imo. Tho i don’t check trichomes anymore. The plant just wants to be harvested. The buds feel like pebbles. Solid and heavy. Thats when i take it down. Rarely ever get to 25% amber. And i trim off any sugar leaves which most of the amber trichomes are.

Curing also affects the high ime. I had many “near death experiences” with a freshly harvested weed and after 2 months in jars, same weed, mellowest high. Don’t know what happens there that affects me, maybe the harsh smoke of uncured buds gives me this uncomfortable feeling in my throat and that shit gets misinterpreted by my brain or whatever. It just makes a big difference.

 

[Mellow old School]

Sorry, must have been too high yesterday didnt see that in relation to harves, never did it my self, my bad have a good day people...

 

[Coffeeholic]

I tried a 72h and a 12h dark period didnt notice a difference and they were from the same cabinet/tent. As for uvb during flower I ramp up a 18w uvb florescent from week 6 on. Definitely saw an increase of tric production.

 

[SoLowDoughLow]

Nothing worse than a racy indica imo. That’s the “I think I’m dying” high. Almost passing out on the couch prayin to the good lord while your heart races. Yuuuuuk.

Lol, yea me and my old lady call that "a good ol' fashion freak out"

 

[SoLowDoughLow]

Amber is overripe. Cloudy and clear is better imo. Tho i don’t check trichomes anymore. The plant just wants to be harvested. The buds feel like pebbles. Solid and heavy. Thats when i take it down. Rarely ever get to 25% amber. And i trim off any sugar leaves which most of the amber trichomes are.

Curing also affects the high ime. I had many “near death experiences” with a freshly harvested weed and after 2 months in jars, same weed, mellowest high. Don’t know what happens there that affects me, maybe the harsh smoke of uncured buds gives me this uncomfortable feeling in my throat and that shit gets misinterpreted by my brain or whatever. It just makes a big difference.

Yep, I've had that same experience before and after curing the same shit

 

[gwheels]

I didnt find any apreciable difference between the two except you wait 3 days longer to start drying with one method. Some seed packs like trans Siberian autos, they recommend it for the last 3 days in total darkness to boost trich production.
Sounds bro sciency but its on their product info for the strain eh.

 

[LordKoos]

I like to harvest when they are milky looking on the tops. I'm with ya on this, I've had certain strains I didn't care for fresh, then after 6 months in a jar, I really like it. I've found that a good cure mellows some strains, especially nice for sativa dominant types, some of which I find a little too cerebral when they are fresh. But I'll also sometimes harvest at two different times if I'm not sure about the plant.

Amber is overripe. Cloudy and clear is better imo. Tho i don’t check trichomes anymore. The plant just wants to be harvested. The buds feel like pebbles. Solid and heavy. Thats when i take it down. Rarely ever get to 25% amber. And i trim off any sugar leaves which most of the amber trichomes are.

Curing also affects the high ime. I had many “near death experiences” with a freshly harvested weed and after 2 months in jars, same weed, mellowest high. Don’t know what happens there that affects me, maybe the harsh smoke of uncured buds gives me this uncomfortable feeling in my throat and that shit gets misinterpreted by my brain or whatever. It just makes a big difference.

 

[Heathenraider]

If You have grown certain strains often You can harvest by one look at the plant, i use the loupe if its a strain or cross I have never grown before. The total darkness 2 days at flip is the Method Med Man calls shock flowering , some swear by it , I fucking take a plant from veg area to flower area and stuff the fucker in and say go. Fuck all that extra shit .