complete darkness ????

Discussion in 'General Marijuana Growing' started by ginnithead, Apr 7, 2013.


    ginnithead Member

    why is it necessary to leave the plants in complete darkness for the last couple of days before harvest is it for bigger buds or what.....and do you do this before, during or after you flush them.

    raven1290 Active Member

    You do it after the flush. It's not necessary, but growers have claimed giving plants 24hrs of darkness right before harvest makes the buds more resinous. I've never tried it and so I can't say if it's true or not.
    Fenian Brotherhood

    Fenian Brotherhood Well-Known Member

    Some say it only works for certain strains *Shrugs

    Go for it. It won't hurt em. They're dead the next day anyways
    chuck estevez

    chuck estevez Well-Known Member

    it's 72 hrs of darkness. And it won't make a difference you would notice.

    Tomselik Member

    Basically the science behind it is 48-72 hours of darkness guess the plant thinks of it as its last chance to "procreate" so it gives it 1 last go to produce my tricomes to get pollinated

    TWS Well-Known Member

    Trichlomes are not the pollen receipters the pistils are, and if it was to produce more trichlomes would they not be immature and clear ? I believe it is to store/keep all the left over starches and nutrients in the root ball and not in the flowers where they are only used when the lights are on or during photosynthesis .

    raven1290 Active Member

    I stand corrected. I thought I remembered reading 24 hrs., but like I said, I never tried it anyways.

    AimAim Well-Known Member

    Yes, this is exactly what I was going to say.
    Dr Kynes

    Dr Kynes Well-Known Member

    trichomes and resin ARE the pollen receptors. they catch the pollen so it can be delivered to the calyx. thats why they are sticky, and that is their function, since cannabis is wind pollinated.

    the logic behind the extended darkness before harvest is a mystery, its kind of like the myth of flushing, or the belief that "chemical" fertilizers are inferior to "natural" ones for the plant.

    theres shitloads of old yippie and hippie myths regarding dope cultivation, and most of them are bullshit.

    raven1290 Active Member

    Dr Kynes, the dark period is not a mystery. I don't know if it works, but the reason is it suppost to make the buds more resinous. Also, the others are right about the pistils being the pollen receptors. That's why they swell and then shrink at the end. The trichomes are the plants defence against bugs and things, that's why their sticky. Flushing is not a myth either, it's to rid excess nutrients and salts from the root zone so the plant can burn up it's own stored supply.

    AimAim Well-Known Member

    So you've cleared up one mystery, that you are not sure if it works (but it's suppost to), and dispelled one myth. All in one internet posting. Damn fine job.
    Fenian Brotherhood

    Fenian Brotherhood Well-Known Member

    I think someone just Won the Stupidest Stupid Award :clap:

    kpmarine Well-Known Member

    I have never seen bugs stuck in trichs when I have bugs elsewhere in the grow. There are a lot of unknowns. Some argue they're sunblock; some that they're for catching pollen; some that they're for stopping bugs. For what it's worth, the trichs on your pistils are nice and sticky; so in that part of the flower "pollen catcher" seems a reasonable function. As for flushing; the only thing I've noticed it improve is nute-burn. It's a bit up in the air until I see an experiment with actual controls. The dark period makes some sense if resin is primarily for pollen-catching, as the stress may cause a final push to get pollinated before death; otherwise, I don't know what logic the ordeal is actually based on.

    raven1290 Active Member

    Yes, I realize I mistyped that. I'm so sorry, because so many people on here have perfect grammer and spelling right?

    Figong Well-Known Member

    Flushing is good for 2 things, attempting to fix a severe tox before you determine emergency transplant is required.. or removing systemics from your plants - that's it.
    Dr Kynes

    Dr Kynes Well-Known Member


    ha ha ha ha!!

    the dark period's mystery is why it started, not it's flawed logic.

    "the others" are NOT right about pistils being the pollen receptor except that the pistils lead to the calyx, the resin is there to catch pollen and deliver it, not to trap bugs. dope uses resin because it is a primitive "Imperfect Flower" which produces no nectar to attract insect pollinators. several other "Imperfect Flowers" rely on sticky resins and fine powdery pollen much as cannabis does, like Pine Trees, which produce sticky pinecone calyx structures and powdery pollen on separate flowers with the stickiness functioning solely to trap pollen for the calyxes within the pinecone. meanwhile other "Imperfect Flowers" use different means to accomplish the goal of fertilization, like for example, Maize, which produces it's pollen in large packets from the tassel on top of the plant which can travel only short distances before falling on the leaves of a nearby (or the same) maize plant and sliding down into the inflorescence located at the juncture of the leaf and the main stalk. welcome to the wonderful world of botany.

    flushing IS a myth. no other crop is "flushed" before harvest, ZERO, NONE. it is a myth propagated by flawed logic and magical thinking.

    you cannot provide any logical reason for extended pre-harvest darkness, or pre-harvest flushing, or your claim that resin is there to catch bugs, like a sundew or other carnivorous plant might, nor can you propose a reason why i am incorrect besides "Nuh Uh! it totally works despite no evidence that this is true!"

    take a few classes at the local ag extension, or read some books. the info is basically free if you know where to look.

    try this for starters.
    aknight3 and joe blow greenthumb like this.

    aknight3 Moderator

    i beleive it has to do with light degrades THC, darkness is good for thc, i also know that UV B AND A are good for thc, although im not sure how this pertains, personally, i wouldnt waste my time with 3 days darkness, i havent seen enough of a diff. to change my method, although ive only tried it once maybe twice, good luck

    im also afraid dr kynes is right in this case. FLUSHING IS A MYTH, a big waste of time, an old wives tail as some would say. im sorry if you want to fight with me or him on this, but no matter what you say, perpetuating falsehoods and lies do not make plants flush noots out of their leaves, i promise ;) goodbye all

    ps the info btw is free, if you would just look it up on your own no one would need to tell you your not right lol, i personally would recomend and start with a botany book, maybe biological botany, step 1 or so, good luck

    raven1290 Active Member

    Well, maybe I'm wrong, but I've done harvests with and without flushing and noticed a difference in taste and smell. Perhaps it's just me, but myth or not I'm going to keep doing a final flush. Also, I never said trichomes were there to catch bugs, but to protect the plant against them.

    aknight3 Moderator

    hey if it works for you fuck it who cares right, i just personally think its a myth as other than personal exp. there is no actualy scientific evidence on it, good luck pz

    hydrocropper420 Active Member

    i dont agree with this entirely, pollin may stick to a trichome but will NOT produce a seed, its the pistol (hairs) at the end of the calyx that collects the pollin, trichomes and resin are one of the same thing, and they do NOT deliver polin to the calyx, the pistol does, or leaves would have seeds also as they are also covered in tricmes. One little ball of pollen lands on one of the white hairs, works its way down into the calyx and a seed develops, without the pollen there, the calyx just fills with THC resin istead of a seed, as for the darkness, its true for flush flavor, to get all the nutrients that the plant used to grow and get them out of the plant to get rid of a chemical flavor and add an organic flavor, it is a difference especially with hydro, and for rkness and the buds, it does make them work harder for 2 days of dark, its dying trying to find light because its depraved, thus making it crystalize twice as much, (some not al strains will be better to do this)sativas are good for darkness, due to their naturally longer harvest time, this is all from my personal experience along with a few other growers i work with (sensimilla-without seed)

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