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Reply With QuoteThis has always been in debate..Some people do it...Some dont... If there is a benefit of lights out for upto 72 hours its a very small difference that in my eyes is not particully worth doing
So..Its all in your hands weather to try it or not.
Why all the trichome production???
Now, everything I'm going to write in this post is a result of me assuming and inferring things from common knowledge and also things I've read on forums like this.
So here's my theory:
I came across an older post and was reading where they got a little off subject and someone claimed that they turn off the lights for 24-72 hours just before harvest in hopes of the plants to produce more trichomes. They poster claimed it was due to the plant sensing it's life is coming to an end and therefor going into a frenzy of producing these trichomes. This doesn't add up with what I know about trichome production.
From what I understand, trichome production varies from plant to plant, but often gives you an idea where the plant is originally from (and also a general idea of whether it's indica or sativa). This is because plants that are grown at high altitude, like on top of a mountain, produce these trichomes for protection from the sun- Being that the sun is more intense on the top of the mountain. Trichome production further varies depending on where you are on the earth in terms of latitude. Closer to the equator, more direct sun, and therefore more trichome production. So why would shutting the lights off for a day or 2 spark trichome production... What makes more sense to me would be that it MIGHT spark the plant to produce more bud. Here's why:
Bud is like the fruit of the plant. It produces it so that it can protect the seeds while growing, and I think it also protects it through the winter, or until the next growing season. So if the plant senses it's life is ending- I would assume it wants to make sure that it has enough "fruit", or bud, produced to protect it's offspring, the seeds.
So to conclude, turning the lights off for the last few days wouldn't be to increase trichs, but to increase bud size. I don't really believe it would do much of anything, but to think that trichome production would spurt- well, that just doesn't make sense to me. That is assuming that I have my facts right and that I'm recalling everything correctly- and might I add that doesn't happen all the time.
I'm not really interested in using this method- It just got me thinking about things and I was hoping for some clarification from ya'll.
So what do you all think? Is my reasoning fairly... reasonable? Or am I missing something? Better yet- Am I over-thinking this and does this post actually belong in the new growers section or something? If so, sorry!
Thanks in advance!
This has always been in debate..Some people do it...Some dont... If there is a benefit of lights out for upto 72 hours its a very small difference that in my eyes is not particully worth doing
So..Its all in your hands weather to try it or not.
1st Indoor Grow Log, 375 Watt's of CFL (Vegging)
"Some of that real sticky icky icky, Ooo wee! Put it in the air!"
IF the end result is an equal or greater quality/quantity running no lights for the last 3 days, then there is the benefit of not running the light for 36 hours, which equates to $$ savings on your electric bill, albeit a small amount. Waste not want not!Originally Posted by Martybutch
This has always been in debate..Some people do it...Some dont... If there is a benefit of lights out for upto 72 hours its a very small difference that in my eyes is not particully worth doing
So..Its all in your hands weather to try it or not.
What i have read is that the trichomes act as protection for the plan and seeds, from the sun and from predators. It degrades in the light and then is built back up in the dark period.
I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.
Very interesting... I read that about the sun, as implied in the OP, but I never knew that about giving protection from animals.. Can you elaborate on that at all? Do the animals not like the taste and therefore they won't eat it and ruin the seeds? Or maybe that would be a good thing becasue the animal will shit it out later at a different spot and spread the seeds out? Because from what I understand, cannabis, like most other plants and animals, number one goal in life is usually to give offspring.
IF the end result is an equal or greater quality/quantity running no lights for the last 3 days, then there is the benefit of not running the light for 36 hours, which equates to $$ savings on your electric bill, albeit a small amount. Waste not want not!
That's possible if it is true... But it wouldn't be worth it if you're running a perpetual harvest. Then those three days can add up. If you run about 6 harvests per year that would be about 20 or so days. That would be like a third of a harvest. Then after factoring electricity.. hmm.. Wouldn't be likely to make up those kinda numbers. I guess it depends on your set up though, huh?
Yup, everybody's situation is different, but one thing is for sure, they ALL like extra cash!!!
Running a 1,000 watt light for 36 hours at $.11 per KWH, you would save $4.
Last edited by Seedling; 10-18-2012 at 02:18 PM.
Trichromes or not isn't the discussion I see here. It's about potency. Some of the most potent bud I've seen has had small amounts of trichromes. More white doesn't necessarily = more strength.
BUT
If the reason sensimilia is more potent is because the lady is searching very hard for male pollen, getting stickier and ickier in the process. Then what shutting off the lights does is just send out a signal that life is ending soon, so every last bit of energy in the plant is given to the buds in hopes of one last romance before the end of the road.
If you can afford the time, do it.
Do it to half of your crop and not the other half. Let your patients decide.
some fruits are poisonous or delicious to encourage the spread of their seed a lot of time seeds consumed will pass unharmed into a nice pile of compost for germination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_di...sal_by_animals
regardless THC production is linked to the reproductive cycle encouraging the though of near death should encourage THC production, lowering nute and lowering temps help. i have tried the darkness thing with no reall results. if i do anything i lower the soil temps by watering cold water to simulate oncoming winter.
bigger buds, more THC both sound good to me
i've tried the lights off for 36 hours thing and honestly can say i didn't see an iota of difference between the plants before and after 36 hours of lights out..
just my experience with it...
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