# Harvest time cut short - early harvest is iminent



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

this is my first grow, i have 2 plants that are growing extremely well in my little indoor setup. since it was my first time, i let them veg a little too long and now im running out of time to harvest. march 24 which is just under 5 weeks away will be the date i am leaving to go on spring break, i will wait until that day to harvest. at this date, my plants will have been flowering for only 6 1/2 weeks. im concerned that they wont be ready in time and i really dont want to screw them up after putting in so much time and effort. i will be gone for a full week, so waiting until i get back to harvest is out of the question especially at this critical point in the life cycle. i think i will begin to increase the dark periods to 14 hrs and sacrifice some yield, which seems to be my best option. are there any other suggestions to speed up the process? has anyone harvested early like this before? what should i expect? am i getting worried over nothing?


----------



## ablazed blunt (Feb 19, 2007)

I don't think changing the dark cycle to 14 hours will help you any. I don't see why you don't just wait intill you get back to harvest? Thats only 7weeks and most plants take 8.


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

well i guess i should have mentioned that i live in an apartment and im concerned that over spring break my landlord might come in and do some maintenence work or something. and im not just paranoid, there is a good chance of his workers coming into the house. but theoretically, if i did let them go another week while i was gone, how could i get them water while im away? since i will be flushing them at this point it will be critical that i get them clean water.


----------



## ablazed blunt (Feb 19, 2007)

I'm not really sure how you could get them water over that one week. How many plants do you have? If you have alot of plants doing well then just don't go anywhere over springbreak. I always get my brother to water my plants when I have to go somewhere. Do you have someone that already knows about the grow and that you could trust?


----------



## tetrahydrocannabinol (Feb 19, 2007)

you cant rush the process, and ablazed is right, how you gonna give it water without somekind of dripping system.

The most i leave my plants for is 3 days, and i flood em with water which is bad, but i also know another solution for a long period of time..

1) Put your light far away from them as possible.
2) Make holes in your pot unless it already as some.
3) Put the pot in a tray of water, with at least a few inches of water in it.
4) You can also put saran wrap over the pot so it doesnt evaporate the water as much..

thats it i guess, fairly barbarian way, but it works!


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

theres only a few people that know about it. theres only 2 plants, but everyone will be gone over break. i dont really have the option of staying here i have to go back home. i also not sure what i should do about curing them while im away because i dont want them to develop mold while im gone, but i cant drive home with a qp of fresh cut bud either. obviously i didnt really think about the time frame when i got these things going but im trying to make up for that now


----------



## ablazed blunt (Feb 19, 2007)

Now all you have to do is find out if your landlord is going to come in or not.


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

thats a really good idea thc and i would definitely try that if i could but im afraid that my landlord is going to come in and find the plants. i also dont want to leave them growing and go too far past the prime time for harvest. at this point i need to find a way to speed the flowering process but i guess thats not possible.


----------



## tetrahydrocannabinol (Feb 19, 2007)

wtf, you cant put it in your room and have the door locked? plus your landlord shoudnt have the right to go into your place while youre gone.. heh i dont know


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

no my door is broken and doesnt lock anymore bc our house gets broken into every time we leave for christmas or thanksgiving or anything. its really insecure so i guess im just going to have to wait as long as i can and *gulp* slash her the day i leave.


----------



## tetrahydrocannabinol (Feb 19, 2007)

lol wtf are doing growing in the first place if you get broken into, thats asking for trouble heh.. yeah that sucks if you gotta cut em, ;(


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 19, 2007)

i know, i guess ill just learn from this.


----------



## tetrahydrocannabinol (Feb 19, 2007)

hey man, noone does it perfect the first time ;>


----------



## potroast (Feb 20, 2007)

Ahem, I'd say that you haven't considered what you have to do next. 

I sounds like you are going to cut them on Day 40. So what then? You have to dry the plants for a week or two, and that's when they smell the strongest. Will you leave them hanging in your apartment, and hope that the workers can't smell? Or take them home to dry in your bedroom closet?

Hmmm. Keep in mind, when I have bud hanging in a closed bedroom, the people in the next house can smell it.


----------



## scooby doo (Feb 20, 2007)

whitewidowgrower said:


> theres only a few people that know about it. theres only 2 plants, but everyone will be gone over break. i dont really have the option of staying here i have to go back home. i also not sure what i should do about curing them while im away because i dont want them to develop mold while im gone, but i cant drive home with a qp of fresh cut bud either. obviously i didnt really think about the time frame when i got these things going but im trying to make up for that now


well to be honest mate and i dont wanna sound rude here but you really should of thought this threw when you started growing it really..


----------



## farmer.joe (Feb 20, 2007)

hey there try putting your lights down to 8 hours of light it will quicken the flowering and be ready and still potent.
this is my first grow and i wasnt sure how long it would take so ive had to take a bit of controll over natures time cycle. Then somke it so you dont have to take it away anywhere.

hope this helps, everyone forgets to plan something at sometime, although this was kinda stupid DONT DO IT AGAIN!
learn from your mistakes. you cant hide it, you need it hung for a week at least and if you cant do that then your only hope is a fast drying methode (heater or microwave Or something) then hide it. or ask a friend to dry it at a cost. but dont leave it hanging there for some fat landlord to come smoke it then tell the police . be carfull and good luck.


----------



## fdd2blk (Feb 20, 2007)

send them to me. i will take care of them for you. check my status, you can trust me.


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 20, 2007)

potraoast, ive already thought about the time it takes to dry and cure the bud, i have a few options for that. is it true that increasing dark time will speed the flowering? this would be a last resort but ill really do anything to get these harvested a week early.


----------



## potroast (Feb 21, 2007)

whitewidowgrower said:


> potraoast, ive already thought about the time it takes to dry and cure the bud, i have a few options for that. is it true that increasing dark time will speed the flowering? this would be a last resort but ill really do anything to get these harvested a week early.


Nope, not very much you can do at this point to speed things up. Shortening the daylight time will only decrease amount of THC produced. IIWY I'd cut them at the base at the last possible moment, and hang them whole. When you come back they will be ready for manicuring and curing.

HTH


----------



## Godkas (Feb 21, 2007)

Capital idea potroast! Let them dry on the stalk so the buds can soak up the reminants of nutrients from it.


----------



## farmer.joe (Feb 21, 2007)

yup it really does work with 8 hours, but just remember less light - less heat - less WATER dont water before bed or theyll be wet for the next 16 hours mold and so on.... just observe for the first few days then make minor adjustments, mine are flowering niceley, although i might have to do it in two harvests a week apart so the little buds grow a bit longer.
cheers.


----------



## potroast (Feb 21, 2007)

farmer.joe said:


> yup it really does work with 8 hours, but just remember less light - less heat - less WATER <snip>
> cheers.



Hey Joe, 
You said 8 hours of daylight, I said no, 12 hours. So you reply with 8 hours.

I'll go to my backup. This is from Marijuana Botany, by Dr. Robert C. Clarke.


Rob Clarke sez:


Marijuana Botany said:


> Research has shown (Valle et al. 1978 ) that twice as much THC is produced under a 12-hour photoperiod than under a 10-hour photoperiod.



Actually, providing plants with fewer hours of daylight than 12 during flowering will cause the plant to have less THC, but I guess that "it really does work."

Back to you, Joe.


----------



## farmer.joe (Feb 22, 2007)

sorry must have missed something any way i was giving you an alternitave to quicken the flowering(as you are in a hurry) i started with 12 hours for about 3-4 weeks then 10 now 8 for final week. i dont think this will lower thc so much just lessen a little of the yield.not a bad thing if your in a hurry and gonna loose it alll.


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Feb 24, 2007)

potroast - thats a good call on cutting them at the base, do you think it would help if i took it a step further and just hung them upside down with the roots and everything?

farmer joe- ive been gradually decreasing the time and im at about 10 hrs im going to keep lowering it until i get to about 9 . 

thanks for all the help guys


----------



## Hydroflo (Mar 14, 2007)

IMHO i would put a lock on my door and call my landlord and say you are fuming it or something. If i were you, i would start looking for ways to keep your landlord out of your house while your gone, which he shouldnt go in anyway unless you gave him the OK. Yes its his building, but you are renting it (im assuming.) You didnt plan on taking this bud with you on Spring Break did you??? If so, just go buy a bag of dank bud and tell your buds you grew it and let your ladies finish there growing =D.


----------



## TillthedayiDIE420 (Mar 14, 2007)

Godkas said:


> Your potency will be ass IMHO.


Actually the potency will be fine, Sativa plants are ment to be cut short for the uplifting high... and if its Indica... he will have a more uplifting high(head high)which feels like sativa he wont get the true indica couch lock... wont be as much cystal or thc but he will still get high... if it were eny earilier it would be ass, but its a week off so it will still be decent, i dont advise it but he can do what he wants.


----------



## whitewidowgrower (Mar 14, 2007)

well, some weird stuff has been happening lately, both plants look good, but very different. the bigger plant looks like i envisioned it, bushy with a ton of pistils everywhere (mostly still white) and starting to fill out nicely. on the other hand, the smaller plant's pistils have gone almost completely red and are very sparse on the buds. the buds are taller and skinnier and more visible on the smaller plant due to the lack of pistils. this may be due to the fact that i pruned alot more on the smaller plant because a bunch of leaves were dying due to heat stress (i think). anyone have any ideas?


----------



## potroast (Mar 15, 2007)

Fewer leaves on the plant will mean fewer buds growing. If you remove leaves, or if leaves are damaged, then you will have less bud.

The leaves are the solar panels. They need the light for the plant to grow buds.


----------



## insertedtexthere (Apr 3, 2007)

good to know all this.


----------



## FilthyFletch (Apr 4, 2007)

A landlord can not come in for routine maintence without able notification to a tenant.Un pre disclosed entry is consider breaking and entry unless of total apartment failure such as fire flood or other total distruction.So if he did come in you d be able to sue him til you were rich or black mail him for free rent.Or just but an 8 dollar new lock for the door swap it til you come back and buy a cheap little water pump some hose and a timer. Have the timer come on every 2 days for 5 minutes once a day and watre and saftey are both solved.


----------



## bmn (Apr 4, 2007)

I wouldn't test it with a landlord, plus the fact that he/she would be your referrer for when you move.

If you have to sacrifice this crop as a whole, then wow, that sucks, but lesson learned.

Which is better?:

To MAYBE have yield from 2 plants

OR

Not have an apartment and goto jail?

Yes, I realize that he/she's getting trashed on beer and tv every night, as are the cops that come over due to his call, but the world isn't fair, never has been, and never will be.


----------



## daydrops (Apr 4, 2007)

Ed Rosenthal says that switching to 18/6 hours of light will speed up maturity, but it will sacrafice maybe 20&#37; yeild. not a bad option for peace of mind during vacation.


----------



## bloodshotEyz (Mar 7, 2008)

potroast said:


> Hmmm. Keep in mind, when I have bud hanging in a closed bedroom, the people in the next house can smell it.



can anyone verify the validity of this statement? were you exaggerating, potroast? i have to dry bud in a dorm.. 

which actually sounds more like the situation... spring break? i know maintanence comes into our rooms over breaks and supposedly check for booze.


----------



## FilthyFletch (Mar 7, 2008)

no drying is the stinkest time of the whole thing.The smell will be very strong if you grew right stinks a whole house up that why carbon filters are good to have


----------



## johnnyquest (Mar 7, 2008)

tetrahydrocannabinol said:


> you cant rush the process, and ablazed is right, how you gonna give it water without somekind of dripping system.
> 
> The most i leave my plants for is 3 days, and i flood em with water which is bad, but i also know another solution for a long period of time..
> 
> ...


Im kinda in the same boat as white widow and im wondering if putting the pot in a tray of water would honestly work can anyone verify this? Im gonna be gone for 6-7 days and dont think I can get anyone to come and water them so this may be my only option. Only thing is the bottom of my pot has a layer of perlite so im not sure if the roots would be able to get to the water?


----------



## 7evendayfall (Mar 7, 2008)

well, reservior, and pump + drip system into the soil?

If you really need to cut it early...what about watercuring? Cut it right before you leave, set up a drain system to release once a day with a timer, and you'll be gone for a week, you got two days to be home to check on it before htey're ready


----------



## foily (Mar 7, 2008)

this post is a year old... what ever happened?


----------



## Lord Dangly Bits (Mar 7, 2008)

whitewidowgrower said:


> well i guess i should have mentioned that i live in an apartment and im concerned that over spring break my landlord might come in and do some maintenence work or something. and im not just paranoid, there is a good chance of his workers coming into the house. but theoretically, if i did let them go another week while i was gone, how could i get them water while im away? since i will be flushing them at this point it will be critical that i get them clean water.


I have seen some of my friends plants do their best when they went with out water for 7 days... What you think plants do not go with out water for 7 days in nature?


----------



## Lord Dangly Bits (Mar 7, 2008)

I just noticed this thread was a year old. So I did a Google search on this guy. It turns out he was afraid he freinds would think he was a lame ass-hole for haveing such bunk weed, so he laced it with PCP and ended up killing 5 students, and stealing a $985,000 cigar boat and wrecking it into the rocks.


----------



## 7evendayfall (Mar 8, 2008)

my bad, just saw other recent replies lol...


----------



## AlwaysHigh^ (Mar 10, 2008)

ablazed blunt said:


> I don't think changing the dark cycle to 14 hours will help you any. I don't see why you don't just wait intill you get back to harvest? Thats only 7weeks and most plants take 8.


 
I Want to see a picture of the plant cause i dont think that there is no possible way yo coulsd harvest in 8 weeks Show me one>>


----------



## 7evendayfall (Mar 10, 2008)

Lord Dangly Bits said:


> I just noticed this thread was a year old. So I did a Google search on this guy. It turns out he was afraid he freinds would think he was a lame ass-hole for haveing such bunk weed, so he laced it with PCP and ended up killing 5 students, and stealing a $985,000 cigar boat and wrecking it into the rocks.




whoa, what the hell?


----------



## SouthernOregonOrganic (Jun 28, 2008)

bloodshotEyz said:


> can anyone verify the validity of this statement? were you exaggerating, potroast? i have to dry bud in a dorm..
> 
> which actually sounds more like the situation... spring break? i know maintanence comes into our rooms over breaks and supposedly check for booze.


Its true,oh soo true! In a dorm room? Watch the fuck out for c.p.s and ra's! If u have a carbon filter ur fine tho.


----------



## westyere07 (Jul 7, 2008)

what happens to tha plant if u dnt use a light m8 cuz i no fuk all rite back to [email protected] ; please if you would cuz ive got a female white widown plant and i aint gnna bother eith a ligth


----------



## loolagigi (Jul 11, 2008)

fdd2blk said:


> send them to me. i will take care of them for you. check my status, you can trust me.


 your too much fdblk


----------



## Tem421 (Jan 19, 2009)

if you really think your going to get a quarter pound from two indoor plants you are r-tarded


----------



## TONYJEJO (Jan 19, 2009)

post some pics!


----------



## psycosatan (Jan 20, 2009)

find friend with truck covertly move them to truck? store at his place ?
i dont know where u live so this may / may not work.

sounds like your only option is to move them. dont slash em premature u ruin the plant and bud =P


----------



## elenex7 (Jan 31, 2009)

it is against the law for anyone to enter your apartment without your consent or a proper 24 hour warning. and if you not home to get it, they can't go in


----------



## iamamidnitoker (Mar 9, 2009)

im not sure where you live, but where i live, the landlord has to have your permission, or he has to give you a 24 hour notice before he or anyone contracted by him enters your property. 

tell him when you are gone and when you will be back and that you dont trust anyone to come in without your notice and if anything happens, your pot might be gone, and you might be evicted, but you'll also have a nice fat lawsuit with lots of money coming in....


----------



## duguP (Sep 16, 2009)

lol qp from 2 plants wtf


----------



## R1Farmer (Sep 16, 2009)

Wow...this thread has been resurrected!! I'm a beginner grower so I can't comment on widow's situation....though I wonder how it went as this was almost a couple of years ago. But I can comment on the landlord entering your rented apartment situation.....

READ YOUR RENTAL/LEASE CONTRACT. Don't assume that landlords are not allowed to enter your domain. If you are not sure go grab your rental/lease contract and see if the contract covers this. If not I would contact landlord or property management and ask for clarification. Get it in writting if it is not covered in your contract. In my experience, if you are renting a house the contract will clearly state that notification is required and landlord and/or property management cannot enter the premises BUT in an apartment this might be a grey area or it might be in the fine print. This is because in apartment complexes the landlord/property management may need to enter an apartment (without notice) to do an emergency repair or access electrical, ducting areas for maintenance or repair ...etc.


----------



## mlaw (Nov 7, 2009)

wow, i am in the same situation, i have a much larger opperation and have had plants in the veg stage for 8 weeks now and was hoping to have harvesting done and ready to move by the 2nd week of december... is this poss and do you have any suggestions to help speed up the bud stage


----------



## Motorbreath (Nov 7, 2009)

you can't speed up nature...just make sure the plant is healthy so flowering doesn't get set back by a deficiency. And if you haven't started flowering yet, there is no way you will be able to harvest by mid December. But if you meant that you have been flowering for 8 weeks, then you will probably be done by then, depending on the strain.


----------



## HigherLearning420 (Dec 23, 2009)

Lord Dangly Bits said:


> I just noticed this thread was a year old. So I did a Google search on this guy. It turns out he was afraid he freinds would think he was a lame ass-hole for haveing such bunk weed, so he laced it with PCP and ended up killing 5 students, and stealing a $985,000 cigar boat and wrecking it into the rocks.


lmao dude you cant make up stories like that haha. that shit is fuckin hilarious! but really that shit fucks with ppl...at least it got me wondering if it was true lol. your signature couldnt be more true about you rofl


----------



## b.r.m. (Mar 23, 2010)

anybody tried 6/6 ? the plant doesnt know that a day has 24 hours, so if you give her 6/6 you will have 2 days in 24hours... which cuts the flowering time to half


----------



## hounddog44 (Mar 31, 2010)

b.r.m. said:


> anybody tried 6/6 ? the plant doesnt know that a day has 24 hours, so if you give her 6/6 you will have 2 days in 24hours... which cuts the flowering time to half


Can anyone chime in on this? I'd try it with my 400 and some cups.


----------



## DontKn0wM3 (Sep 7, 2010)

whitewidowgrower said:


> well i guess i should have mentioned that i live in an apartment and im concerned that over spring break my landlord might come in and do some maintenence work or something. and im not just paranoid, there is a good chance of his workers coming into the house. but theoretically, if i did let them go another week while i was gone, how could i get them water while im away? since i will be flushing them at this point it will be critical that i get them clean water.


just forgo leaving so that you can take care of biz without coming back to an arrest warrrent


----------



## mafia (Oct 19, 2010)

whats so hard to believe about getting 4 oz from 2 indoor plants? ive seen 3.5 o from under 300 watts of cfl so its definately possible.


----------



## kindkush89 (Dec 23, 2010)

Yeah I agree with you mafia...I get 1.5 oz per plant easily.using bloombastic makes it way easy.


----------



## Turtle Koi (Mar 15, 2011)

a drippier from a medical supplies store makes a great solution to watering when absent


----------



## needmorechronic (Apr 15, 2011)

Ona works for smell, if you cant afford $300+ carbon filter fan combo get ona, 50 dollars worth of ona pro blocks and gel goes along way and thats way better for me then shelling out 300 bucks i dont have, to any new growers that read this just remember cant afford a carbon filter you can still get rid of smell with ona it completely takes it out and kind of leaves a little bit off an od minty fresh linen scent in the air but it really doesnt mask the smell it just sucks it up, onas the shit and saved my ass


----------



## RollaP (Jul 4, 2011)

Ona does work wonders, but if you have the funds an activated carbon filter is ideal. If you must leave before a flowering period is done and you're growing in soil you can create a drip system which i was forced to do once. Buy an adapter for the nearest faucet, and if it's not close get a garden hose, then get a barbed adapter to connect it to a air line hose that would be used for air stones. run that line near the base of each potted plant. Secure the line with clothespin, duck tape...etc. Fold the very end of the air line or cap it. Use a needle or a nail, and this will take a little testing, DO NOT make the holes too big, this will make it so the first plant is the only one to get water, but punch about three holes in the line per pot. Then turn your faucet on a drip. The pressure that builds from the water will keep all of your plants moist while you are away. I had 8 plants survive out of ten while i was gone for a week. Can also use an RO system which has low flow and would also be easier to adapt.


----------



## nickhdsn (Jul 4, 2011)

i just wanna say that if you use less then 12 hours of light it wont effect on the trichomes? the plant takes the light and at night time turns it into food when i look at my plants right in the morning when lights go on thats when there the most crystallized and all


----------



## 8milekush (Aug 31, 2011)

kindkush89 said:


> Yeah I agree with you mafia...I get 1.5 oz per plant easily.using bloombastic makes it way easy.


 How is that Bloombastic?


----------



## ylem (Aug 31, 2011)

nothing wrong with an early harvest except a little space between the calyxes and the yield - yeah it's less than ideal but absolutely no prob with chopping a week early.
learn from it, do better next time.


----------

