# What to do before HARVESTING? BIGGER BUDS AND MORE THC?



## marijuano1 (Jan 5, 2010)

what do you do so you can have bigger buds and more THC before harvesting. Ive heard things like N-deficiency and other things.. anyadvice would help out asap..Good REP for good answers..


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## Otacon (Jan 6, 2010)

Supposedly, 48-72 hours of complete darkness before harvest helps with THC production as the plant thinks its dying and puts all its energy into THC production.


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## 2talljones (Jan 6, 2010)

Yeah I read that somewhere too. I wonder if its true. ??


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## Newz (Jan 6, 2010)

I read in High Times that with Hydro, if you give them 3-5 days of total darkness and pure cold water, the shock treatment causes them to fatten up and increase the medicinal effects and essential oils in the buds.


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## 2talljones (Jan 6, 2010)

Dude I saw this guy who puts a UV Reptile light , not the cheap ones but this High end deal, The trichomes , no the part of the trich that produces THC starts making it like there is no tomorrow. I wonder if there is anybody out there that can attest to that. It makes sense and the guy on the video sounds like a total super stoner smart professor type.


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## SatansGift (Jan 6, 2010)

Reptile UV bulbs do work and you don't have to buy a high end one, but you need to be careful as UV bulbs do put out UV radiation that can damage the plants. Another thing to do to increas trich production is use a product known as purple maxx or snow storm ultra. I've seen first hand side by side comparison of two clones from the same mother, fed all the same nutrients besides the purple maxx, and there was a deff difference in the amount of trichs both produced. I've also heard of people bending stems and sticking a tack into the stems to increase production, although personally I've never tried it. I've done the 72 hour dark period before harvest and I didn't notice and dramatic increase in thrichs.


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## 2talljones (Jan 6, 2010)

Nice , That is the bad ass thing about forums, FIRST HAND and SIDE SIDE, When people say that and people start to agree or call out a liar. I think that first hand experience as a grower is the best thing. Awesome, I really am thinking of putting a UV fucker in there now. I might be too late Oh well. smoke on


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## 2talljones (Jan 6, 2010)

by the way sorry I just smoked a fat bowl of GDP mixed with cheese and vaped a lil white widow. I love u all lol jk 
Status: Baked


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## SatansGift (Jan 6, 2010)

Also if you choose to go UV from what I remember you don't have the plant exposed to the light for the full 12 hours. See how the plant reacts after the first hour and if you see it stressin her turn it off. If I remember the theory behind using UV light to increase resin, it states that since the UV rays are damaging to the plant that it will increase resin production to shield itself from the UV rays. Remember UV is what causes skin cancer so you'll wanna keep checking on the plant once an hour while that light is on, after a couple grows with it you'll be able to figure out a timing pattern, for having the light on, so you'll be able to have that light on a timer so you won't have to worry as much about plant damage.


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## cassinfo (Jun 14, 2010)

You wanter bigger bud? Try every method ....you might just get some big balls!!!


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## rzza (Jun 15, 2010)

here ya go ...

Factors Influencing THC Production
Many factors influence the production of THC. In general, the older a plant, the greater its potential to produce THC. This is true, however, only if the plant remains healthy and vigorous, THC production requires the proper quantity and quality of light. It seems that none of the biosynthetic processes operate efficiently when low light conditions prevent proper photosynthesis. Research has shown (Valle et al. 197 that twice as much THC is produced under a 12-hour photoperiod than under a 10-hour photoperiod. Warm temperatures are known to promote metabolic activity and the production of THC. Heat also promotes resin secretion, possibly in response to the threat of floral desiccation by the hot sun, Resin collects in the heads of glandular trichomes and does not directly seal the pores of the calyx to prevent desiccation. Resin heads may serve to break up the rays of the sun so that fewer of them strike the leaf surface and raise the temperature. However, light and heat also destroy THC. In a drug strain, a bio-synthetic rate must be maintained such that substantially more THC is produced than is broken down. Humidity is an interesting parameter of THC production and one of the least understood. Most high-quality drug Cannabis grows in areas that are dry much of the time at least during the maturation period. It follows that increased resin produc. tion in response to arid conditions might account for increased THC production. High-THC strains, however, also grow in very humid conditions (greenhouses and equatorial zones) and produce copious quantities of resin. Cannabis seems not to produce more resins in response to dry soil, as it does to a dry atmosphere. Drying out plants by with-holding water for the last weeks of flowering does not stimulate THC production, although an arid atmosphere may do so. A Cannabis plant in flower requires water, so that nutrients are available. for operating the various bio-synthetic pathways.
There is really no confirmed method of forcing increased THC production. Many techniques have developed through misinterpretations of ancient tradition. In Colombia, farmers girdle the stalk of the main stem, which cuts off the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the shoots. This technique may not raise the final THC level, but it does cause rapid maturation and yellow gold coloration in the floral cluster (Partridge 1973). Impaling with nails, pine splinters, balls of opium, and stones are clandestine folk methods of promoting flowering, taste and THC production. However none of these have any valid documentation from the original culture or scientific basis. Symbiotic relationships between herbs in companion plantings are known to influence the production of essential oils. Experiments might be carried out with different herbs, such as stinging nettles, as companion plants for Cannabis, in an effort to stimulate resin production. In the future, agricultural techniques may be discovered which specifically promote THC biosynthesis.
In general, it is considered most important that the plant be healthy for it to produce high THC levels. The genotype of the plant, a result of seed selection, is the primary factor which determines the THC levels. After that, the provision of adequate organic nutrients, water, sunlight, fresh air, growing space, and time for maturation seems to be the key to producing high-THC Cannabis in all circumstances. Stress resulting from inadequacies in the environment limits the true expression of phenotype and cannabinoid potential. Cannabis finds a normal adaptive defense in the production of THC laden resins, and it seems logical that a healthy plant is best able to raise this defense. Forcing plants to produce is a perverse ideal and alien to the principles of organic agriculture. Plants are not machines that can be worked faster and harder to produce more. The life processes of the plant rely on delicate natural balances aimed at the ultimate survival of the plant until it reproduces. The most a Cannabis cultivator or researcher can expect to do is provide all the requisites for healthy growth and guide the plant until it matures.
Flowering in Cannabis may be forced or accelerated by many different techniques. This does not mean that THC production is forced, only that the time before and during flowering is shortened and flowers are produced rapidly. Most techniques involve the deprivation of light during the long days of summer to promote early floral induction and sexual differentiation. This is sometimes done by moving the plants inside a completely dark structure for 12 hours of each 24-hour day until the floral clusters are mature. This stimulates an autumn light cycle and promotes flowering at any time of the year. In the field, covers may be made to block out the sun for a few hours at sunrise or sunset, and these are used to cover small plants. Photoperiod alteration is most easily accomplished in a greenhouse, where blackout curtains are easily rolled over the plants. Drug Cannabis production requires 11-12 hours of continuous darkness to induce flowering and at least 10 hours of light for adequate THC production (Valle et al. 197. In a greenhouse, supplemental lighting need be used only to extend daylength, while the sun supplies the energy needed for growth and THC biosynthesis. It is not known why at least 10 hours (and preferably 12 or 13 hours) of light are needed for high THC production. This is not dependent on accumulated solar energy since light responses can be activated and THC production increased with only a 40-watt bulb. A reasonable theory is that a light-sensitive pigment in the plant (possibly phytochrome) acts as a switch, causing the plant to follow the flowering cycle. THC production is probably associated with the induction of flowering resulting from the photoperiod change.
Cool night temperatures seem to promote flowering in plants that have previously differentiated sexually. Extended cold periods, however, cause metabolic processes to slow and maturation to cease. Most temperate Cannabis strains are sensitive to many of the signs of an approaching fall season and respond by beginning to flower. In contrast, strains from tropical areas, such as Thailand, often seem unresponsive to any signs of fall and never speed up development.
Contrary to popular thought, planting Cannabis strains later in the season in temperate latitudes may actually promote earlier flowering. Most cultivators believe that planting early gives the plant plenty of time to flower and it will finish earlier. This is often not true. Seedlings started in February or March grow for 4-5 months of increasing photoperiod before the days begin to get shorter following the solstice in June. Huge vegetative plants grow and may form floral inhibitors during the months of long photo-period. When the days begin to get shorter, these older plants may be reluctant to flower because of the floral inhibitors formed in the pre-floral leaves. Since floral cluster formation takes 6-10 weeks, the initial delay in flowering could push the harvest date into November or December. Cannabis started during the short days of December or January will often differentiate sex by March or April. Usually these plants form few floral clusters and rejuvenate for the long season ahead. No increased potency has been noticed in old rejuvenated plants. Plants started in late June or early July, after the summer solstice, are exposed only to days of decreasing photoperiod. When old enough they begin flowering immediately, possibly because they haven&#8217;t built up as many long-day floral inhibitors. They begin the 6-10 week floral period with plenty of time to finish during the warmer days of October. These later plantings yield smaller plants because they have a shorter vegetative cycle. This may prove an advantage. in greenhouse research, where it is common for plants to grow far too large for easy handling before they begin to flower. Late plantings after the summer solstice receive short inductive photoperiods almost immediately. However, flowering is delayed into September since the plant must grow before it is old enough to flower. Although flowering is delayed, the small plants rapidly produce copious quantities of flowers in a final effort to reproduce.
Extremes in nutrient concentrations are considered influential in both the sex determination and floral development of Cannabis. High nitrogen levels in the soil during the seedling stage seem to favor pistillate plants, but high nitrogen levels during flowering often result in delayed maturation and excessive leafing in the floral clusters. Phosphorus and potassium are both vital to the floral maturation of Cannabis. High-phosphorus fertilizers known as "bloom boosters" are available, and these have been shown to accelerate flowering in some plants. However, Cannabis plants are easily burned with high phosphorus fertilizers since they are usually very acidic. A safer method for the plant is the use of natural phosphorus sources, such as colloidal phosphate, rock phosphate, or bone meal; these tend to cause less shock in the maturing plant. They are a source of phosphorus that is readily available as well as long-term in effect. Chemical fertilizers sometimes produce floral clusters with a metallic, salty flavor. Extremes in nutrient levels usually affect the growth of the entire plant in an adverse way.
Hormones, such as gibberellic acid, ethylene, cytokinins and auxins, are readily available and can produce some strange effects. They can stimulate flowering in some cases, but they also stimulate sex reversal. Plant physiology is not simple, and results are usually unpredictable.


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## TrynaGroSumShyt (Jun 15, 2010)

SatansGift said:


> Reptile UV bulbs do work and you don't have to buy a high end one, but you need to be careful as UV bulbs do put out UV radiation that can damage the plants. Another thing to do to increas trich production is use a product known as purple maxx or snow storm ultra. I've seen first hand side by side comparison of two clones from the same mother, fed all the same nutrients besides the purple maxx, and there was a deff difference in the amount of trichs both produced. I've also heard of people bending stems and sticking a tack into the stems to increase production, although personally I've never tried it. I've done the 72 hour dark period before harvest and I didn't notice and dramatic increase in thrichs.


ive used purple maxx before n it works damn good... but now i use mad farmer's m.o.a.b.


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## RavenMochi (Jun 27, 2010)

On the uv reptile light I was under the impression it was only left on 1, 2 hrs max during the lighting cycle...I'm thinking about trying it on the grow after next...if you do, tell us how it works, if the side be side really does show payoff...


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## godsbestgift (Jun 28, 2010)

rzza- that is some solid info right there bro!! Makes perfect sense 
PERFECT


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## ganjaluvr (Jun 28, 2010)

once again, I just keep things simple.

going from veg to flower... I don't give my plants any 40 hours of darkness.. or whatever the "idea" is.

I go straight from veg, to flower. Once again, if you keep things simple.. you won't have any problems. 

Simple is better. 

peace.


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## clasonde (Jun 28, 2010)

if you give them 48-72 hours of darkness, you *might* increase resin production but you are depriving the plants from their light and will lose out on more potential bud growth. i keep it simple: veg to flowering with added organic molasses tea feedings. a lot of true organic fertilizers are made from molasses derivatives.


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## Brick Top (Jun 28, 2010)

clasonde said:


> if you give them 48-72 hours of darkness, you *might* increase resin production but you are depriving the plants from their light and will lose out on more potential bud growth. i keep it simple: veg to flowering with added organic molasses tea feedings. a lot of true organic fertilizers are made from molasses derivatives.


What might increase as much as 30% would be THC. How much growth, as in total number of additional grams do you believe will grow on plants in 72-hours? Would up to an additional 30% in THC be more valuable to someone than the small amount of additional growth that would occur in the same short 72-hours? 


"The Stichting Institute of Medical marijuana (SIMM), the first company to sell marijuana through the pharmacies of Holland, has been investigating the medical possibilities of cannabis, together with TNO laboratories and the University of Leiden. One of their discoveries has been that to keep the ripe plants in the dark before harvesting could increase their potency.

SIMM&#8217;s growers separated a crop of mature plants, harvested half of them and kept the other half in absolute darkness for 72 hours before cutting and drying. Analysis of the resulting dried buds showed that some varieties had seen an increase of THC of up to 30%, while CBD and CBN remained the same."


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## rowlman (Jun 28, 2010)

If the 2nd batch was harvested 72 hours after the 1st batch, then I would believe the extra 3 days produced the THC and not the darkness. Just a thought. see ya


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## RavenMochi (Jun 28, 2010)

you think 30% extra was achieved just by giving it 3 days extra? so, in that logic, had it been cut 3 days earlier from that harvest, would it have been 30% less? that doesn't even begin to make sense... brickman, iyo, would you do the 72 hours darkness when inducing flowering, or as in the study 3 days before harvesting?


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## Cali chronic (Jun 28, 2010)

Darkness my old friend ---never mind, I have not seen any benefit from black out before harvest of 24 36 hours--I have not seen any benefit of black out in middle of flowering 36 hours in weeks 3 thru 8all experiments done myself---MULE BALLS. cassinfo stop thinking bout nuts?
color of light and intensity will effect ripening of tris. Heavy wind or extreme climate will help produce more glands or oils. "think about it"
Now as far as Lizard lights and mood music "i scratch my head---shake it smile and chuckle" well the lizard light does have a color in it around 2700 but if you read about lighting which I will share my first inside CFL grow and you decide. that at the end I dragged em outside for the flush cycle and I that is when I noticed intensity and noted color and foliage changes or leaf color and recession of hairs etc....


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## rombomb420 (Jun 29, 2010)

I have done this technique before & it produced extremely resinous purple & green nuggets that in spots began to ooze small (1-2mm) liquid thc droplets which I harvested into a greenish white ball that sizzled & bubbled as I smoked it...

It's worth trying. Seriously. You can even give them a 48/24/48 or a 72/48/72 dark/light/dark cycle, which I am planning on trying this time around. Remember it's not the light period, it's the dark period that determines flowering. The key is to store enough light energy to really make this long dark period method work. The longer dark/light period works. Theoretically, you could flower the plant on these types of cycles the whole time & harvest gigantic amounts of thc.

- Rom


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## RavenMochi (Jun 29, 2010)

that tells us about 36 hours, but what about 72? has anyone tried the full three days at the end of there flowering cycle right before harvest?


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## SensiStan (Jul 12, 2010)

RavenMochi said:


> that tells us about 36 hours, but what about 72? has anyone tried the full three days at the end of there flowering cycle right before harvest?


I am going to give mine a 36 hour darkness just before harvest, so darkness will begin thursday night this week. 

I am harvesting at week 7.5 of flowering and i believe its a bit earlier for me because i lowered the light cycle by an hour a day from 18/6 to 12/12 . I honestly think this sets off chemical changes in the plant earlier which means by the time it hits 12/12 it will already have pistils all over it (as mine did) . I dont really believe in keeping them in darkness for 36-72 hours between veg and flowering. with that method the idea is to shock your plants into thinking theyre going to die so they hurry the hell up and start to flower. I just dont believe in shocking my plants in any way shape or form. I would rather gradually lower the light period as mother nature does in her garden  

Thats my 2 cents, take it or leave it but everything i do i try and base on common sense and proven science


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## RavenMochi (Jul 30, 2010)

upon much deep deep thought SensiStan, I have to say.... I like the idea of shocking them into thinking they're going to die...they are, and if they don't come out female, they're gonna die quicker...I'm not playing with them, they better get to work!! Who do these bitches thank I am, they're sugar daddy?! &#8224;said right after he feed his baby girls molasses&#8224; Oh, shit...I guess I am... ::


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## Killer Vanilla (Jul 30, 2010)

mmmm allways yes and no's sigh sigh sigh

i think i might do the 48 hr darkness just incase it works.... i also heard letting the soil stay dry before you harvest can help the buds try quicker, but i guess unless you leave it so dry the fan leaves droop majorly it wont help


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## RavenMochi (Jul 30, 2010)

I'll be trying it...not for the flowering part, mine that I'll be testing on are auto's, but for the 3 days before harvest...

after the stress they put me through, I'll get a kick out of shocking the shit out of them the last three days of their lives...kinda...since any female I'll be cloning...so it'll live on, kinda...kay, I'm high, I'll shut up...or stop typing...

"I blacked out your sun bitches!!! how do you like your sugar daddy now!!??!!"&#8224;L&#8224; kay, now I'm done...


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## guTTa (Aug 22, 2010)

yea man thats uvb lighting and if u research you will find it is essential for thc production


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## 808toker (Aug 23, 2010)

well do you think that 3 days in the dark at the end of flowering will hurt your ladies? and for the UV light. doesent the sun give off UV rays? so is that why outdoor bud is so much better?


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## i8urbabi (Aug 23, 2010)

you cant really beat the sun. Look what it has done for life already, it literally has vitamin K in its rays even. If u let an outdoor plant get couple days of darkness im sure youd see some serious ripeness go on. I believe plant use their energy they collect through-out the day, at night. and seeing im sure they store energy, i can just understand why this theory works. I will be doing 3-4 days of darkness before harvest.


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## 808toker (Aug 24, 2010)

i8urbabi said:


> you cant really beat the sun. Look what it has done for life already, it literally has vitamin K in its rays even. If u let an outdoor plant get couple days of darkness im sure youd see some serious ripeness go on. I believe plant use their energy they collect through-out the day, at night. and seeing im sure they store energy, i can just understand why this theory works. I will be doing 3-4 days of darkness before harvest.


 thats what i mean. 3 days right before your harvest wouldent do any harm


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## vertise (Sep 15, 2010)

thc is created as a reaction from atmospheric conditions. The production is the plants way to create a protective layer from things such as intense UV light and very low humidity. I found that dropping down the humidity to around 25% for the last 4-5 days to increase resign worked. I am curious about the uv light never tried it personally cause hps does not emit uv rays. mh however does.


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## 59fifty (Dec 4, 2013)

many of you wrote here that you will do 48 or 72 dark period before flowering, but none posted how it went? is it worth it?


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## Dannysayo (Dec 5, 2013)

I done it before. I usually make sure the soil is drying out also. I think it increases resin.
Not bad. Worth a try.


59fifty said:


> many of you wrote here that you will do 48 or 72 dark period before flowering, but none posted how it went? is it worth it?


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## churchhaze (Dec 5, 2013)

The point of the long dark period is to give the plant a period to burn off starches and sugars to start the curing process early.

This theoretically gives it a nicer flavor, and if there's less starch, it means a higher percentage of the mass is resin.


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## mrCRC420 (Dec 5, 2013)

I switch from an HPS bulb to a MB bulb for the last 2-3 weeks. MH have higher UVB levels than HPS' and UVB exposure forces more resin development. Everybody should do it, it's the cool new-ish thing.

As far as the dark period. Makes sense to me. I'd even look into a 3-5 day dark period


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## TonightYou (Dec 5, 2013)

mrCRC420 said:


> I switch from an HPS bulb to a MB bulb for the last 2-3 weeks. MH have higher UVB levels than HPS' and UVB exposure forces more resin development. Everybody should do it, it's the cool new-ish thing.
> 
> As far as the dark period. Makes sense to me. I'd even look into a 3-5 day dark period


Almost all grow lights including MH have coatings against UVB. I think there maybe some lights that lack the coating. but I know that there is a regulation regarding coatings to remove any uvb from the output spectrum.


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## dannyboy602 (Dec 5, 2013)

mrCRC420 said:


> I switch from an HPS bulb to a MB bulb for the last 2-3 weeks. MH have higher UVB levels than HPS' and UVB exposure forces more resin development. Everybody should do it, it's the cool new-ish thing.
> 
> As far as the dark period. Makes sense to me. I'd even look into a 3-5 day dark period


ive done a whole grow in the dark. my shit was off the charts.


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## Cognotive-theory (Dec 22, 2014)

post some photos


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## AverageJoe88 (Dec 23, 2014)

Ashes !
Wood ash or like I do save 
the ash from hemp paper joints.


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## ODanksta (Dec 23, 2014)

Cognotive-theory said:


> post some photos


Dude the thread is 4 years old...


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## AverageJoe88 (Dec 23, 2014)

ODanksta said:


> Dude the thread is 4 years old...


Dude I'm high as fuck.


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## ODanksta (Dec 23, 2014)

AverageJoe88 said:


> Dude I'm high as fuck.


Lmao...


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## hellmutt bones (Dec 23, 2014)

Ice in res the last 24hrs before the cut. lots of ice


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