Dark Periods, UV bulbs and Stressing

ultrasonic

Well-Known Member
Hey all-

I've been doing some research about the final 2 weeks of a cycle, and i've come across alot of info regarding stressing the plants. What i've discovered is people use methods such as drought, light restriction, temperature reductions, etc; things that would normally cause a plant to go hermie, when used in the last week or two of the plants life, force the plant to react to protect itself, and to help ensure its reproductive cycle will continue. The plants begin to produce resin containing THC to 1) seal the plant off, preventing evaporation as well as attack from insects; and, 2) make themselves stickier in the hopes of picking up male pollen easier out of the air.

Below are things that i've read about so far:

1)Light
a) restriction: Restricting light for the last 3 days is done to fool the plant into thinking it's near the end, making a last ditch effort using all it's reserves to produce more sticky protective resin
b) UV stimulation: People use UV bulbs (typically in the 10k spectrum) to force the plant to protect its leaves from burning. It is also said to enhance flavor and potency, as well as color (ie- purple/blue strains)

2)drought: I don't know much about this, as it pertains more to soil growers, however I think it could easily be applied to hydroponics. From what I understand, If the root system of a plant is dry, the plant has little "pressure" within it's "veins", and it will droop. I think a drought kind of makes the plant say, HEY this isn't the time for this! And again, it ups the resin production to protect it's valuable potential seed pods.

3)temperature: I just recently read about this, which prompted me to write this post to get everyones opinion. Allowing the night time temperature to dip lower and lower will stress the plant into "hurrying up" = more thc

I'm definitely a fan of a good long flush. There are tons of things inside the plant that it can use to survive on that we don't want to smoke, so we may as well let the plant use it up.

So I wonder specifically about the lighting aspect: I plan on using a Sunpulse 1000w 10k UV bulb the last 2 weeks of my grow, but I LIKE the idea of a dark period as well. I believe I will attempt to employ all of these methods at the same time, slowly increasing the intensity. I figure as long as the plant is far enough along, stress will only help?

Maybe some people disagree? I'm curios to know :bong:
 
Thanks for tuning in everyone:

Yes, I came back here to add another method: the nighttime temp drop. I do not see how this could hurt: the stress caused by the transition could not cause any adverse effects in the last week or two that stress would normally cause ie- hermies. It's just one more way to say to the plant: "okay, give up growing now, because it's not going to do anymore good. Just work to protect what i've got before winter comes"

I'm really considering some heavy experimentation regarding Stress as well as water curing. I may leave one of my smaller bins with nutrients all the way to the end (no flush at all). This will let the buds get nice and fat. Then I'll water cure it with pure RO de-ionized 0ppm water for 3-5 days. The extra growth achieved from the 2 weeks of nutrients should compensate for the loss in weight from the water cure. (even though the bud is still just as potent: just more concentrated).

I'm really curious to see how these all work together in harmony.
 
Well + rep to you man. I haven't gotten far enough along to start experimenting because I am still to enraptured with just growing it :grinjoint::grinjoint::rollit::grinjoint::grinjoint:

But I will watch your adventures with a keen eye, and the best of luck!



CK
 
I've begun reducing the humidity to 25-30% and I am making night time temps colder. I find it difficult however to record differences because I don't exactly have a test group with a control.

Day temps are 75F, night temps are 65F. The closer to harvest I get, the colder i'll make it until eventually it is 60F for the last 1 week.

I will not be running UV this grow as I opted to purchase a light mover instead of the 10k sunpulse. I was more interested in expanding my grow for my next crop: so maybe then! As for further stressing, it will have to take place in the last week only, even the last few days. I am looking at:

-Leaving them in dark for the last day or two
-for the last day, remove all water from the res and force the roots to dry out

What do you all think of these techniques? Do you have any experience or knowledge regarding this? Thanks folks!



ps- I have 3 weeks left... I'm on day 35!
 
Good research on the last week for better potency I do the frost efect. I have some friend from Canada who told me they harvest after the first frost for more thricome on the plant. I been doing it for a year and it does activate the pontency two days later a cut it and dry. I don't know how to do that when I go hydro.:nicethread: you have
Hey all-

I've been doing some research about the final 2 weeks of a cycle, and i've come across alot of info regarding stressing the plants. What i've discovered is people use methods such as drought, light restriction, temperature reductions, etc; things that would normally cause a plant to go hermie, when used in the last week or two of the plants life, force the plant to react to protect itself, and to help ensure its reproductive cycle will continue. The plants begin to produce resin containing THC to 1) seal the plant off, preventing evaporation as well as attack from insects; and, 2) make themselves stickier in the hopes of picking up male pollen easier out of the air.

Below are things that i've read about so far:

1)Light
a) restriction: Restricting light for the last 3 days is done to fool the plant into thinking it's near the end, making a last ditch effort using all it's reserves to produce more sticky protective resin
b) UV stimulation: People use UV bulbs (typically in the 10k spectrum) to force the plant to protect its leaves from burning. It is also said to enhance flavor and potency, as well as color (ie- purple/blue strains)

2)drought: I don't know much about this, as it pertains more to soil growers, however I think it could easily be applied to hydroponics. From what I understand, If the root system of a plant is dry, the plant has little "pressure" within it's "veins", and it will droop. I think a drought kind of makes the plant say, HEY this isn't the time for this! And again, it ups the resin production to protect it's valuable potential seed pods.

3)temperature: I just recently read about this, which prompted me to write this post to get everyones opinion. Allowing the night time temperature to dip lower and lower will stress the plant into "hurrying up" = more thc

I'm definitely a fan of a good long flush. There are tons of things inside the plant that it can use to survive on that we don't want to smoke, so we may as well let the plant use it up.

So I wonder specifically about the lighting aspect: I plan on using a Sunpulse 1000w 10k UV bulb the last 2 weeks of my grow, but I LIKE the idea of a dark period as well. I believe I will attempt to employ all of these methods at the same time, slowly increasing the intensity. I figure as long as the plant is far enough along, stress will only help?

Maybe some people disagree? I'm curios to know :bong:
 
Last nigth I took my pot bonzai from the 70 degree light on and put at 40 degree for 1/2 hour outside in the cold humid rainny nigth. Today I took the pot bonzai outside in the sun from, the temperature was sixty degree in the room and I put it outside from dark to the sun at 80 degree for 1/2 hour. You could see the tricome comming out it look like little diamond sparkling in the sun. I use that method last year during the summer. From 68 degree and dark to outside 110 degree and really sunny for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. It look like snow just fall down in the desert over my pot plant.
 
Interesting thoughts. Has anyone done any actual experimentation - where there is a "control group" that is identical in all aspects except for the one thing that they are testing for?
 
I see this thread is a bit older, just wanted to say its always nice to experiement and learn more...good thread +rep
 
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