Harvest...Dark or Light

[Shovelhandle]

I've read from some knowledgable folks on the web about keeping their plants in total darkness for the last 48-72 hours before harvest. I've never done this but I'm giving it a try on a couple of plants.

What are your ideas about this?

Thank you.

Shovelhandle

[Dutch Pimp]

...I did 36 hours....I don't think it's necessary.....it's a Dutch thing....:)...

[Tokudai]

Never even occurred to me to try - I cant see how putting them in total darkness would help. Besides, then I would need to make another "finishing" room.. I might give it a try if I didn't have a perpetual garden

[undertheinfluence]

gorge cervantes recomends 24 hours of darkness, then harvest in the morning

[razzapiggy]

About to harvest for my first cycle in a week. Can't fucking wait!!! I am not going to leave them in darkness for an extended period... My lights go on at 6PM, do I have to wait until the lights come on to harvest or can I just flick em on earlier and harvest at that point? Would a few hours make a diff?

[Shovelhandle]

I guess it may kick in some "Panic Mode" it the plants self preservation to reproduce...more sticky. But I really don't know, that's why I asked in this thread.

Razza, I don't think it could matter to you what time you chopped.

Shov

[Bree1978]

bump, ready to do my first harvest, and seeing if anyone else has any more infomation on it. :jointsmile: Bree

[Shovelhandle]

I just pulled my first plants after 60 hours. Boy, are they ever wet and heavy!

I have a fan on them as they hang in a 75* room.

Shovelhandle

[foxysox]

Hi Shov! Done diggin out after that storm last week? :D (-SA, lol)
I harvest at the end of the dark period.
But I don't EXTEND the dark time.
I prefer to stress them by withholding water after the last flush, so that by harvest time they are a little on the wilty side.

[babystarbud]

i withdrew water for 4 days, the last two of which were dark also, on my harvest.

did it make any difference? dont ask me, ive no idea lol.

dosent appear to have done anything bad though

[Shovelhandle]

The pot I tried is very, very good. However, I don't have a control model for "no extra dark time"

Shovelhandle

[canuck grower]

gorge cervantes recomends 24 hours of darkness, then harvest in the morning

Yeah he says that people claim a dark period can help, but there's no proof of this only word of mouth.

I'm more interested in if the dark period can hurt the plant at all. I did that with my first plant (24h) and was going to do 36-48h for the second one as well. I just watered her today though so I have a couple days to think about it.

If it can't hurt, then shit I say go for it. If it does something, cool. If not, who cares.

-c :jointsmile:

[Dutch Pimp]

...you can take a horse to water...........but you can't make him drink...:)...

.. Deja Vu....the jam man...was in a thread like this...who remembers..??...

...one rep...for anyone....:)...who does...

[FreeVenice]

I remember. . .

[canuck grower]

I don't remember since I wasn't around yet, but here's the thread for all interested: http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/89312-complete-darkness-before-harvest.html

http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/89312-complete-darkness-before-harvest.html#post1065808
http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-growing/89312-complete-darkness-before-harvest.html#post1065904

Good info, and for the skeptics...

1) They reported an increase of 30%, which does not mean that a strain with 20% THC will jump to 50%, but that it may jump up to 26%.

2) Everything I've read supports the facts that light degrades THC, and the best time to harvest is after a dark cycle. The only thing that seems unproven is if an extended dark cycle helps. Doesn't seem to hurt at all though.

Read the info you can find... make up your own mind. One day I'm just going to have to do an experiment myself, but till then I think I like the extended dark cycle at the end.

-c :jointsmile:

[Dutch Pimp]

...give that man a cigar....I mean...a blunt....:)....

[canuck grower]

still waiting on that blunt... ;)

[Dutch Pimp]

still waiting on that blunt... ;)

...actually...I have never rolled a blunt...but they say it's nice...

...joints are hard enough....for me..:)..

[canuck grower]

Blunts are great! Get someone else to roll it. :)

[Chronic Chrissy]

what's the diff between a joint and blunt, oh and what's rasta?????

[dusto2k3]

what's the diff between a joint and blunt, oh and what's rasta?????
serious?

[canuck grower]

a blunt is rolled with tobacco leaves. usually a cigar is split lengthwise, the contents emptied, then filled with pot and rolled back up. some cigars have a perforation below the outer layer of leaves so it's easy to break open by hand (Philly's Blunts).

Blunt Rolling: how to roll a blunt (http://www.smokingwithstyle.com/blunt_rolling.htm) (pretty decent, not much detail.i've never seen anyone pass out trying to hit a blunt)

rasta you can read about here: Rastafari movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari_movement)

[stinkyattic]

...actually...I have never rolled a blunt...but they say it's nice...
...joints are hard enough....for me..:)..
meh I haven't rolled or even SMOKED a blunt.. blech... I like cigars... I like ganj... I do NOT want to mix the two... same as I think boilermakers are gross...

And I am going to pat myself on the back here, I finally figured out how to roll a joint like seriously LAST MONTH. After smoking HOW long?

Anyway not to threadjack... I liked to harvest when the lights FIRST came on... less time for the THC to break down... but I never gave them the extended dark...

[Dutch Pimp]

....rolling joints is the only thing ..I can think of ...where the more you roll..the worst you get.....go figure?....

[Dutch Pimp]

Blunts are great! Get someone else to roll it. :)

...I have always had someone to roll for me...until lately..now it's like learning to ride a bicycle...:)..

[4x5]

Get a rolling machine, then the hardest part is licking the paper.

[Chronic Chrissy]

See IF we want to smoke something like that we just buy the special papers from the store. Doesn't sound too practical unless there are alot of people to smoke it all. I'm a small town country girl so we were just happy to find a few grams and smoke a few bowls, never had weed to waste, had to ration the stuff and spread it out. I know people who roll a whole joint takes a few puffs, puts it out and it goes with the butts into the trash! Pitty shame.

[green_gardenr]

well i was reading in an old hightimes mag that the reason for harevsting after a plant has been left in the dark is not so much for a thc increase but during the night a plant sends all the sugars from the leaves and buds to its roots so the can start working to building more plant but if u left it in the dark all the sugars wouldnt return to the plant therefore u would have most nutrients and sugars in your roots so thats a less harsher smoke

[canuck grower]

Well I haven't done the experiments myself, but I have read it enough places that I take it as a fact that light degrades THC. If you believe that information then you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the best time to harvest is after a dark cycle.

If the thing about sugars going into the roots is true as well then that's one additional reason to harvest after a dark cycle. It's the first I've heard of it, and it reminds me of the crap you read about boiling roots or hanging plants upside down, so I am skeptical. It doesn't sound too far-fetched though. Are sugars in the plant mobile?