When is enough, enough?

At what stage, or how many weeks into flowering, will plants really put on bud mass. Variations will be strain dependant, but I'm looking for a general idea.
Also, once the plant has fully flowered and starts to ripen, can the amount of light be decreased with no ill side affects as harvest approaches?

DG

depends on the plant, 6 week mark is generally when they put on weight. it varies on the floweing time though, if you have a long flowering sativa than it may take longer.

im not sure on reducing light. i know if you stop watering and let it get dark just before you harvest the plant goes into turbo res production because it knows its dieing and goes into defensive mode.

As long as the plant is still developing there is no reason to reduce light. You might put it in darkness for some length of time before harvesting, but that is after you've made the decision that the plant has developed as far as you want it to.

Illegal- I get what your saying, but is there a point where the plant has put on as much weight under the current conditions when reducing light will not harm the plant? Do the flowers continue to swell til day of harvest?