How long for dark period? Looking for opinions. Is it necessary? Worth it?
I just harvested my Strawberry Kush grow and I put it in total darkness for 48 hours. Opened the box and they had the most wonderful smell ! A lot different from when I closed the box 48 hours earlier. The buds were sticky and I had a long clean to get my scissors free of resin.
All the references I read recommend 48 hours for darkness at the end of the grow. They say that there is no additional benefit from more than 48 hours.
If you do it, it was recommended that you have a good flush prior and make sure it has moist soil going in. My soil was damp when I started and it was bone dry when I cut the plant up.
Will have the THC increase question answered in a month or so. Jerry
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my girls went for a 36 hour dark period before harvest, a normal 12 hour night, no lights for the day, another 12 hour night…worth it? I hope so.
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Thanks I have been reading 24-48 hours. I am planning on harvesting in about week or so. I just watered so wait till next watering or maybe two then go for the 48 hour dark.
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are we talking total darkness? i’m on my first grow, and i imagine it would be so hard not to peek!
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dark period must be constent and not interroted for 48 to 72 hours the longer the better.
Will
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After the 48 hours is that when you flush
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The way I was told was to flush well before the dark period, letting the plant have water in the roots and plants but no nutrients in the plant.
The reasoning I was told was: As the plant enters darkness, do not interrupt it to water. As the plant sits there for two days in darkness, it uses all nutrients first and then the water. Using the water last flushes the plants out of excess nutrients and when they dry all that will be left in the plant is water and not nutrients that can cause your cannabis to have a taste to it that is not so pleasant.
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Thanks TxGrowman. I say I have about a month before I do that. Here is a few pictures of my girl.
. Big smile on Chromes face.
Nice plants ! ! Good Job ! Keep up the good work brother !
That plant still looks very young… yellow pistols… girl needs more time to mature… 
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I thought girl’s develop earlier than male’s…Lol. I took some advice
from a friend and should have went by what I know. My next grow will be
much better. I have one skunk strain and three WW seeds that I’m doing
next. Thanks my friend. “Chromie”
At a minimum I flower my plants for 13 weeks… that number is from actuall light flip to 12/12…
But usually run 15 to 19 weeks depending on strain. …
I put alot of time , effort and money into my ladies … so a little more patience will reward you greatly. …
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Wow 3 to 5 months. That’s a long time. The Pistols turn golden before then
and I heard you get more of a couch buzz when you wait so long. True or
false???
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Well you loose 3 week’s in transition which leaves 9 to 10 weeks for flowering…
Yes I will admit that I am a medical patient , so it is important for my meds to be as strong as possible. … but you must understand that late flower is when your plants will bulk up and put on weight…
As a care giver I need to make the most out of everything that I do…
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Also I have noticed that most LEDs out there actually cause your plants to ripen before they ever get a chance to mature… I only use HPS for flower and I use t5ho for veg , but I still have yellow pistols 10 to 13 weeks into flower and sometimes longer depending on strain and I think the reason for this is because of the HPS lighting and not necessarily the circumstances surrounded by the plants… because I know that I have gotten seeds from ilgm as well as many others and we all end up having different outcomes …so either way it’s still a shot in the dark as far as how well established your plants are and how long it takes for them to ripen and any other factors in between…
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Awesome information my friend. I love beefy bud’s so I’ll wait longer.
Thanks very much.
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Thanks for the info as I’m now putting my strawberry Kush in 72 hours of Darkness with the split stem technique 48 Hours down 24 more to go woohoo I can hardly wait I’m like a 8 year old kid waking up Christmas Eve morning
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From my experience you’re flush the week leading up to the 72 hours so that way during the 72 hours your plants are damp Advanced Nutrients Flawless finish
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