watering before harvest?

[GreenDayGirl]

My question is that I read somewhere you could "trick" your plants into producing more resin by drastically cutting back on watering 2 weeks before harvest to make them prepare for a drought? any truth to that?

[Biffdoggie]

Sounds like a basic stress reaction to me, that's what things like Kool-bloom and other ripening additives do also, at least for hydro. I don't really see the drought aspect though, I don't think the plant can recover fluids form any resin form, maybe though.

[GanjaGuru]

My $0.02:
Another marijuana myth.
I think somewhere along the line people misassociated the plants lessening of need for water during final stages of flowering with increased potency from less water.
During the first 3 weeks of flowering, when the plant doubles in height, the plant requires more water at that stage than any other stage of it's life.
And during the last 3 weeks, when there is no more growth and the plant is packing resin into the buds, it requires less water than at any other time of it's life cycle.

During the last few days before I harvest I usually don't water at all, but this is not because it affects potency/yield, but because the plants don't need it.

I think stressing a plant--whether from over or under watering would diminish final potency/yield rather than increase it.

[Mutt]

As always ganja 100% correct. I water when it needs it. If it doesn't I don't.

So many myths. I even heard of icing the roots before harvest????? well that is sure and sudden painful death.

[massproducer]

ok, now I have done this, and if you give it some thought it really makes sense. Cannabis produces resin for 2 main reasons, first to catch any and all male pollen that is floating around to create seeds, next to protect itself from the burning late summer sun.

With that said, if you raise the temps and cut some water then the plant thinks that is ready to die and in a last attempt to get pollenized it packs on as much thc as possible.

I do agree with ganja and hick though that it is never a good idea to stress you plants, but I only do this for about 4 days before harvest. This also helps give a shorter drying period as the moisture level in the actual plants goes down.

but this is only what I have found to work for me, with my strain, which is 100% indica, and it naturally use to hot dry summers

[GreenDayGirl]

Thank you all for your opinions, gives me some thought. The resin is so thick right now anyhow it looks like snow!