this total darkness busness

[Jdog7000]

I think it's a myth.

[Methyl3]

I would have to assume the premise behind complete darkness for 24-48 hours before harvest has to do with the affect of light and degredation of THC. Hypothetically, perhaps this period of no light degredation tends to maximize the THC concentrations comparitively to a normal light/dark cycle.

[Binzhoubum]

I would have to assume the premise behind complete darkness for 24-48 hours before harvest has to do with the affect of light and degredation of THC. Hypothetically, perhaps this period of no light degredation tends to maximize the THC concentrations comparitively to a normal light/dark cycle.

Why would it "maximize the THC concentrations" if there were no light?

On this board,

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=69692

Zandor said, "It takes a minimum of 3 day's for plants to react to any change in light cycle of a normal grow and more like 5-7 days for the plant to react and produce negative results."

Doesn't seem like keeping them in darkness would do much of anything except harm the plants...


:smokin:

[trippruss]

thc within the plant is always highest before light. light & heat degrade thc. i harvest outside before dawn. the seed packs from the breeders in holland tell us to put the WW in the dark for last 2 weeks.

[OmegaVermelho]

They dont get total darkness in the wild do they???My plants wont get total darkness either...i think urs shouldnt to.... but that´s up to u.

[Methyl3]

They dont get total darkness in the wild do they???My plants wont get total darkness either...i think urs shouldnt to.... but that´s up to u.

Well the last time I checked plants in the wild also don't grow in synthetic mediums, for the most part get 18/6 light cycles, go through low stress training etc. My point is that cultivating MJ is an optimization technique. Light and heat are degredating stimulants in this world. It has been shown (although not scientifically that I am aware of) that harvesting before light tends to optimize THC content. As I stated before.....I believe this is the premise behined the complete dark cycle.

Unless someone has an HPLC and a methodology to extract THC from a givin quanity of bud and analyze concentrations then we will not know for sure. I figure if its sould feasible then why not do it if I can...what will it hurt.

[Methyl3]

Why would it "maximize the THC concentrations" if there were no light?

On this board,

http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=69692

Zandor said, "It takes a minimum of 3 day's for plants to react to any change in light cycle of a normal grow and more like 5-7 days for the plant to react and produce negative results."

Doesn't seem like keeping them in darkness would do much of anything except harm the plants...


:smokin:

What zandor is refering to has to do with is hormonal reactions which stimulate flowering as opposed to veg state. If the plant is exposed to an adequate amount of light for a period of a couple of days then it will interupt the flowering stage and send the plant back into veg stage. This has nothing to do with lights affect on THC degredation. Light is a degradent stimulus and causes thousands of chemicals to degrade into sister chemical compounds. In chemistry light degredation is a forced test that you run in order to see the rate of degradation and the amount of degredents produced.

[Binzhoubum]

What zandor is refering to has to do with is hormonal reactions which stimulate flowering as opposed to veg state. If the plant is exposed to an adequate amount of light for a period of a couple of days then it will interupt the flowering stage and send the plant back into veg stage. This has nothing to do with lights affect on THC degredation. Light is a degradent stimulus and causes thousands of chemicals to degrade into sister chemical compounds. In chemistry light degredation is a forced test that you run in order to see the rate of degradation and the amount of degredents produced.

ok:dance:

:smokin:

[stinkyattic]

Methyl3, you are such a nerd! That's awesome.

Trippruss, nice to see you around here.

[m.g.]

i tried the 48 hour of darkness just before harvest and didn't notice any difference from the ones that continued their last days under the lights but give it a try if you have spares to experiment with...can't hurt!