info on "weird" harvesting technique

[sonny chiba]

last year there was a link on here to a page where a grower would not water for the last week of bloom and leave his plants in the dark for the last 3 days of bloom also. does anyone have this link? i lost it

his reasoning, which sounded very believable, was that the plant produces more resin in the dark and cold, therefore you get more weight because of the increase of the oil-based resin which will not evaporate when drying.

i'm over simplifying his reasoning and technique, which i tried and got great results. i just need the link again because i forget some of the specifics.

 

[Ekoostik_Hookah]

It has been argued alot,
But i really dont think it makes a difference.
I used to believe that it does.....and maybe it does.
But i feel now that its just a bunch of hooo HAAA.
Ya maybe possibly the % of THC or resin goes up 1%.....but yaaa..

As far as not watering for the last few days b4 harvest...i think thats a good idea.
The buds wolnt have so much water weight when you cut them down, so it will dry faster in the end.

The reasoning behind the 3 days of dark is, i believe, is to trick the female into thinking that she is Dieing....and that for some "reason" Makes her produce more resin.....

again, i wouldnt be surprised if it does work, but i have never seen hard evidence that it works.....

 

[Runbyhemp]

Heard of it before but never tried it. Prolonged dark tricks the plant into thinking winter is coming and it tries to finish flowering quicker.

therefore you get more weight because of the increase of the oil-based resin which will not evaporate when drying.

Hmm ... pondered over this one for a few mins but still doesn't make any sense to me. The only thing that evaporates during drying is water, regardless of what lighting schedule you have .. RBH

 

[Ekoostik_Hookah]

ya, i have never heard of Resin Evaporating......

The only thing i can think of, is if a plant thought it was dieing.....i assume that everything on its insides,would surface...
I mean leaves end up changing color when they die...isnt that the process of it using up all its stored "energy" to try and stay alive ??
so if it thought it was dieing....and fast...would it maybe quickly produce alot of resin?.. and use up whatever produceing energy it had?

( I know i didnt explain that in scientific terms, but im ripped, and it think that makes sense.....to me)

I will research this as much as i can, If this method isnt a myth....then it could make a great Thread.
Unless there already is one.

 

[Blunted]

I'm not exactly sure why marijuana produces resin but my guess would be as a defense. I have also heard the theory that lower humidity and tempatures increase resin, harsher tempatures may cause the plant to produce more resin to protect the seeds. also the effects and smell of marijuana may help to ward off herbivores. I think the 3 days of dark at the end of flower is a sound theory, perhaps the plant wants to ensure the next species lives on, such is the way of life. I wish there were more funding for marijuana studies damnit, this is just my observation, so stone me!

 

[That crazy vancouver guy]

this is why I wouldn't starve the plant of water for the last week...
why would I wish to starve her for the most crucial time of her life cycle??? I want her growing the biggest, fattest buds she could... and that means having her environment in the most optimal conditions possible... not starving her....

 

[Ekoostik_Hookah]

could the last 3 days really matter that much though??

I mean what if you grew all the way till harvest point....and just kept growing for 3 more days...without water..?

 

[screwdriver]

If you grew to harvest point, why not harvest?

 

[Kupunakane]

Yo Ho sonny,
I have heard all kinds of wierd ways of getting a higher production of resins including pinching the leaf tips to stress the plant, as if that will produce more resins. I don't buy into it, My belief and understanding goes with what Mark Emery says, "Stop fiddling with your plant, and it will be fine". That is not verbatim, but almost. The only thing that I have ever read on this that I think is at least plausible is this;

The intoxicating resin is secreted by glandular hairs located around the flowers and to a certain extent in the lower portions of the plant. The actual substance in the resin responsible for the plant's inebriating effects is a chemical called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In very hot climates, as in India and North Africa, so much resin is produced that the plant appears to be covered with a sticky dew even as it bakes under the parching rays of the hot sun. This resin serves as a protective shield preventing loss of water from the plant to the dry air. And of course, the more resin, the more THC likely to be present.
So I suppose that lack of water might be enough to trigger the response, BUT there are many here that are growers par excellance, and I would rather hear what they have to say about it.
I used to think that I was great at growing untill I came here, and realized that my education was about to continue, LOL and it sure has.
Good Growing
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna

 

[mal_crane]

I agree entirely with King about not buying the whole pinching leaves to force resin production.

From experience only, not scientific documentation, I wholeheartedly believe that 2-3 days of darkness before harvest truly ups the thc content of the plant. Giving the plant this much darkness forces the plant to push as much thc as possible out of the branches and leaves and into the buds. This effect is caused by a defense mechanism because the plant believes it is dying.

As for the no water for one week theory, King's post seems to convince me that it would end up producing more thc, but I've never attempted it in previous grows. Also, no water during the plants last 2-3 days of darkness does help the drying process because their is less water in the bud allowing it to dry more quickly.

 

[godtea]

I've said it before and nodoubt shall say it again, the King is a wise man.
"I used to think that I was great at growing untill I came here, and realized that my education was about to continue"
The first indication of true inteligence is to profess that you don't know it all

 

[I'ma Joker Midnight Toker]

If you grew to harvest point, why not harvest?

Ya got a keen eye for the obvious Screwdriver!

 

[mero]

so has any1 actually tired putting them into extended darkness at the end of the grow??
i have herd of people doin 48hours just before harvest for this reason that it thinks its dieing and produces more resin...

maybe ill test it out! grow 2 girls the exact same and then last 48 hours give 1 normal light cycle and one extended darkness so how they compare...

id like to hear from anyone that has done this ..

merooo

 

[Afrikaaner]

i have heard of people also cutting nutrients the last weeks and only giving water to flush out the salts and all that junk left by nutrients (its supposed to give it a better taste without nutrients).

 

[Puffin Afatty]

I read on some seed-for-sale site, cant recall where, but they mentioned going dark for the last 2 weeks of flower, flushing the last 3-5 days with just water. I tried it for 3 days, grew impatient and harvested, didnt seem to make any diference for 3 days.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I always stop nutes a week or so before harvest and flush. I really do think it makes a difference in the harshness of the final product.

I tried the dark for 3 day thing (actually it was 4 days) when I was moving my grow room from one location to another. I didn't notice any real difference. I also tried the don't water for several days thing (accidentally). This seemed to be detrimental, at least in my case.

 

[sonny chiba]

no one remebers or has the link? thats really all i was looking for and i thought i saw it on here

thanks for all of the replies. i usually don't buy into growing "tricks" but the way this method was explained it made sense and i gave it a shot. theres no way to know for sure if it works, but i liked my results...

btw...i dont put them in dark during the actual bloom cycle. i just let them sit in the dark with no water for 3 days before i cut them down.