Dark Period Controversy

[MidwestGuy]

A dark period before harvest question is one we get here several times a week. There is no confirmed science, but the well-respected Dr. Bruce Bugbee discusses the topic in this video:

48 Hours Of LIGHT Before Harvest! (NOT DARK!)

[GreggT]

Thank you for starting this thread. I have to find this in my bookmarks every time it comes up.

[MidwestGuy]

I’m glad you gave me the opportunity to bookmark it. I’ve wanted this clip for a long time. It’s a very common question.

[DEEPDIVERDAVE]

Full light last 48 hrs before cutting

So the bro science suggests to leave the plant in the dark for 48 hrs before cutting for harvest. This myth has been busted proving that it stops the enegy of the plant. What if it went the opposite direction and we gave the plant full energy for its last days to boost the energy spent flowering. I don’t know just a theoretical thought.

this was on the other thread.
and
@MidwestGuy had added a good posting.

@MidwestGuy

There is a Bruce Bugbee video out there that discusses this in detail. Indeed, if you remove a plant’s light source, then you are removing the plants energy source to grow and maintain trichomes.

[Jaysittinback]

To be more specific, in dark plant will consume all it’s food before next breakfast (light) and is actually suffering. Extra starch (energy) from light won’t make cannaboids, but might get carbon sequestering to soil.
The opportunity this reminds me of is one most of us don’t use, co2 supplementation. There’s your energy and done since young age so plant’s rhythm is adjusted.

[Borderryan22]

@Jaysittinback

co2 supplementation

I met a grower recently that had some super dense, rock hard nugs, I forget the strain. Swears up and down by CO2, whether large commercial, or at home hobby grow. He said he lights a propane torch for 20 minutes or so a day in the grow space. Not sure if that was the reason for the nugs, but hell I’d try

[Jaysittinback]

For sure would change the proportions in the air of whatever air is made of. I need somebody to convince me it wont work haha I’m trying sunlight and thinking of trying drought stress or cold stress but just final week. Until somebody tells me not to

[ChittyChittyBangin]

@Jaysittinback im going to do an ice bath in the final few weeks of this harvest, on top of dropping temps during lights off. With the temp fluctuations here in the south, im hoping to catch some cold weather towards the first of April… we shall see… lol…

[Jaysittinback]

I started about a week ago putting one in my cold room. Around 10 to 14C. Blinding winter sunlight. It’s the small one tied down, pistils orange’d faster and buds getting red faster than the other. Not a direct comparo; the tall one is in a bigger soil box and fed differently. But to see if I like the results. Harvest tommorow!
Can I suggest holding off til very close to end. Fear you will hurt too many microbes or slow down budding. I would save something like that for the last half-week or week, hoping for one last squeeze of terps or thc.