Increasing trich production?

[bongtastic]

I've done a few searches on the interwebs as well as 420 site and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for.

Simply stated, I'm looking to see if there are any techniques/tips/tricks to increasing trich production?

 

[PhishyPhil]

im pretty sure maximum is determined by the genetics, however production is still depended on the grower.

ive read molasses does well, and people seem to prefer blackstrap over grandma's, but use both. hope that helps

 

[t420jimmy]

I also used mollasses on my last grow with great results I use Brer Rabbit unsulphered mollasses. I will be using it in conjunction with Fox Farms Cha Ching in my current grow when the time is right. Just started their flowering Hope this helps

 

[bongtastic]

Ofcourse, I've heard so much about blackstrap molasses but I never knew exactly what it's purpose it. Thanks for the info! I'll have to do some research now!

 

[Roseman]

I've been adding to this for two years, and I offer it as suggestions and not for debate.

Increasing Potency, GROWTH, Yield and Trichomes
Some of these procedures are called SUPER CROPPING

This is something all growers obviously are interested in. Now the methods and facts I'm going to list I know will be scrutinized and criticised by some, and discredited by others, which is completely fine with me.
Some of these methods come across as pretty controversial, but they all have been researched and tested by people I know, or that I have talked to, or I have tried personally myself.
With that said lets get to the good stuff.

Basics
1) Plant health- It's obvious,but important to state having a healthy plant will produce more trichomes. I try not to throw any plants into flowering unless there all healthy and mature. Plants will not reach there full potential if they are sick or immature. So try to resolve all health issues prior to flipping to 12/12.
I also have experimented with and use a very slight addition of VEG nutes, during the Flowering Cycle. The extra but slight amount of N- Nitrogen, makes a great difference in my opinion..
2) Cool room- having your temps lower in flowering will have your girls producing more resin or trichs.
3) Genetics-Obviously you want the best strain AND Got to be Indica!

Now the spooky advise:

How to increase Trichomes, Production, Yield

1) Very low humidity in BLOOMING- I think most people know that dryer conditions are more condusive to resin production. From my experience and from talking to other people that grow, its good to have extremely low humidity, or as low as you can get it, DURING FLOWERING, NOT IN VEG.
Try to shoot for 15% humidifity in flowering, if possible, keeping it nice and dry.
HAVE more extreme temps, within range, like 80s in day, mid 60s in night.
NO MISTING
2) UVB lighting- there has been a lot of research and tests that indicate that exposing BUDS to UVB lighting in flowering increases trichome production. Naturally in parts of the world with high levels of UVB like Afghanastan or Kush Valley or Thailand have high levels of UVB in their atmosphere. Its believed the leaves makes a "Sun screen" to protect from the uvb, and that sun screen people say are trichomes. Adding UVB lighting in flowering DOES increase trichome production if done correctly.
*** UVB lighting is dangerous, it can cause skin cancer,and can turn you blind. You cant see the light it omits, but if your under it for 10-20 min you will get a sunburn. As long as the UVB is on in your grow area, you don't walk in while its on. As long as you do this everything is fine. I recommend you do from 6-8 hours in flowering starting around 2nd-3rd week of flowering. Start 1 hour a day and gradually increase to 6-8 hours, starting in the middle of its 12 hour cycle. Keep the UVB at least 2 feet away from your canopy. Get the reptile lights,they are cheap, they come in .5 and .10 uvb .10 is better obviously and they make special lamps to hold them, if you want a reflector for it. Make sure to rig the uvb to a seperate timer,to go on 6 hour into the light period. Please use caution with this, and dont allow the uvb to shine on you over a minute or two.

3) Intentional Stress- When your approaching the end of your flowering cycle, you start to stress the plant out.
Hey, they are about to die anyway.
When plants THINK they are dying , the only thing they know how to do is grow or try to reproduce. If you start to stress them it is believed by many that the plant will try to get stickier in order to be able to catch more pollen from a flowering male.
4) ADD EXTRA COLD AIR
5)ADD A DARKNESS PERIOD
When you do this, there are some things to keep in mind.

**Never do this for more then 14 days before your harvest.** The key here is to stress them out just enough, to not give them time to turn hermaphrodite on you. You have to estimate when you think you might have 14 days left, start and harvest no more then 14 days after. Kick the plant's reservoir, or pots everyday, shake the plant a little everyday, and give it a few minutes of HIGH FAN Air, like a wind storm.
Take little thumb tacks, drive them into every branch on the plant right below the last node. Do not break anything, or drive big nails into them, just use small thumb tacks. Just a tack into every lower branch will do the trick. You're not damaging them, your just annoying them to get a reaction.
TWISTING- hold one part of the large stem between a thumb and finger, and one inch higher, hold one part of the large stem between a thumb and finger, and TWIST it, to damage it.

Take your fingernail and scrap a piece of skin (bark) off, the size of a penny on the larger stems.

- I know a lot of people like to do 24 to 48 hours of darkness prior to harvest but you can try 2 days of darkness before u chop, or even mess with the light schedule a little, using less light. I know this seems crazy but it works. Just do it the LAST week before harvest.
__________________

 

[bongtastic]

Rofl, so I should abuse my plants a little bit for the last 2 weeks. Like a red headed step child! Sweet! (I kid! I kid!)

In all seriousness, thanks for that informative post!

 

[prodotype]

Check this thread out Plants left in dark 48 hrs before harvest? Some good info, hope this helps.

 

[Roseman]

bottom line is trichs are there to protect the plant.

IF the plant feels it needs protection, it makes more trichs.

 

[JJ Bones]

bottom line is trichs are there to protect the plant.

IF the plant feels it needs protection, it makes more trichs.

Very great post Roseman, I will definitely save that article in my bag of knowledge.

It all makes perfect sense to me. Recently I just heard 36 hours of darkness before harvest.

Also I've heard introducing ice water just before harvest to help with trich production. But most of your article I never knew, so

 

[bucktoothal]

What I have found is about 2 weeks b4 harvest I cut my lights back to 10 hours on then around the last 3 or 4 days I cut my lights back to only 8 hours then on the very last day 24 hours of dark.

 

[jungleworld]

Great info i will try the molasses next grow !!

 

[Roseman]

Great info i will try the molasses next grow !!

In SOIL, but not in hydro.

 

[Droopy Dog]

UUUUUHHHHHHH

Blackstrap is NOT a brand, but rather a process. It is the third refining of molasses, like a grade.

DD

 

[Lil Neutrino]

I

Now the spooky advise:

How to increase Trichomes, Production, Yield

1) Very low humidity in BLOOMING- I think most people know that dryer conditions are more condusive to resin production. From my experience and from talking to other people that grow, its good to have extremely low humidity, or as low as you can get it, DURING FLOWERING, NOT IN VEG.
Try to shoot for 15% humidifity in flowering, if possible, keeping it nice and dry.

Not sure what my RH% is but considering I live in a "high desert" area it's probably quite low. Check.

HAVE more extreme temps, within range, like 80s in day, mid 60s in night.

Spot on...running 83-87F during the day and 62-68F during the night. Check.

NO MISTING

My plant wouldn't know what misting is if it drowned it...check.

2) UVB lighting

Negative...not sure I trust myself around it, at least not while medicated...and that's almost every time I'm in the grow area.

3) Intentional Stress- When your approaching the end of your flowering cycle, you start to stress the plant out.
Hey, they are about to die anyway.
When plants THINK they are dying , the only thing they know how to do is grow or try to reproduce. If you start to stress them it is believed by many that the plant will try to get stickier in order to be able to catch more pollen from a flowering male.
4) ADD EXTRA COLD AIR

At night only, correct? Otherwise it would interfere with your advice above for warmer temps during the day. Is mid-60's cool enough or should lower temps be attempted? I may be able to get down in to the mid to high 50's now and then.

5)ADD A DARKNESS PERIOD

Did this on my last grow, not sure if it helped but it doesn't cost anything other than a day or two of time so why not? Makes sense.

Take little thumb tacks, drive them into every branch on the plant right below the last node. Do not break anything, or drive big nails into them, just use small thumb tacks. Just a tack into every lower branch will do the trick. You're not damaging them, your just annoying them to get a reaction.

Leave them in or take them out after puncturing the stems? I have plenty of thumbtacks sitting around and have two weeks or less until harvest...I think.

...or even mess with the light schedule a little, using less light. I know this seems crazy but it works. Just do it the LAST week before harvest.

That makes sense too as the days do get shorter and shorter in the fall, often to less than 12 hours by the winter solstice. I have heard of this method before, gonna check it out a bit more.

Thanks for the tips Roseman...great advice as usual!

 

[Roseman]

Thank you, Lil Neutrino .

Best thing I ever saw to increase trichs was chilling the room.

 

[Green Utopia]

Good stuff. I am a firm believer in knowing when to stress your plants a little. Their entire life cycle revolves around procreation, and stressing them a little at the right times definitely can make them add on resin.

I just saw your daytime temps. Unless you are running CO2 that is likely a little high. I don't want to harsh your mellow - but most books say resin production stops above 85. Some say 82.5

Regarding the low humidity - below 40% will likely stop mold, and this is below the 50% that is considered the plant's happy place. So at 40% you ARE stressing it already. Below 25% and I think you're causing the plant to transpire more than it needs. If it has to transpire more than it wants - what is the plant going to bulk up on - resin or roots,stems and leaves?

Regarding the dark period at the end. As was stated in another thread - this is done to force finishing sooner. New growers have been confusing this technique for 30 years. It is not done to increase tris or production, and in fact will actually cost you some. If you've ever grown tomatoes outside you've seen this. If you plant where they get full sun all day, you will get two crops. If you plant where they are in the shade in the morning or afternoon your crop will take MUCH longer to ripen (tomatoes it can be a month or two).

Re colder temps. Again, I think a myth. A little stress is good. About a 15 degree swing is plenty. From 80 in day to 65 at night. I go 81/68. Lower temps will cause purpling. But this is a sign of deficiency - not the purpling that is caused by genetics. Purpling from cold is NOT the same thing as Purple Kush! And remember, again outdoor growers are rushing to beat the first chill.

I feel like I'm being a sourpuss here and pissing in everyone's canteen, but I figured it was worth getting my thoughts out there. I am afraid that with the internet, certain ideas gain popularity based not on real growing experience or comparisons to nature, but because it goes viral in a thread. The long and short of it is - if there were any firm "Right" answers - we'd all be doing them. I stick to the basics and try to think like mother nature when stressing my plants.

 

[Lil Neutrino]

You're welcome...about those thumbtacks...leave 'em in or take 'em out?

 

[Lil Neutrino]

I just saw your daytime temps. Unless you are running CO2 that is likely a little high. I don't want to harsh your mellow - but most books say resin production stops above 85. Some say 82.5

I'm assuming you meant my post "Daytime" temps are actually closer to 80-83F as I keep the door cracked open, it's after I go to bed that they rise a bit for a few hours. Depending on the outdoor temps after I close it up it can be anywhere from 78F to 87F, not consistent.

Regarding the low humidity - below 40% will likely stop mold, and this is below the 50% that is considered the plant's happy place. So at 40% you ARE stressing it already. Below 25% and I think you're causing the plant to transpire more than it needs. If it has to transpire more than it wants - what is the plant going to bulk up on - resin or roots and stems?

Interesting food for thought...I would think it will depend on available nutrients and the size of the root mass/stems of the individual plant although I certainly understand where you are going with it.

Regarding the dark period at the end. As was stated in another thread - this is done to force finishing sooner. New growers have been confusing this technique for 30 years. It is not done to increase tris or production, and in fact will actually cost you some. If you've ever grown tomatoes outside you've seen this. If you plant where they get full sun all day, you will get two crops. If you plant where they are in the shade in the morning or afternoon your crop will take MUCH longer to ripen (tomatoes it can be a month or two).

A bit of a contradiction there I think. First you state that the darkness is to finish sooner then you show an example where a plant is given less light but takes longer to ripen. I'm confused

From another forum, I'll gladly post the link if asked...just not sure if it's kosher to do so here.

The Stichting Institute of medical marijuana (SIMM), the first company to sell marijuana through the pharmicies of Holland, has been investigating the medical possibilities of cannabis, together with TNO laboritories 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's growers seperated 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 increases of THC of up to 30 %, while the CBD and CBN remained the same.

This would also mesh well with the theory that the plant thinks winter is coming and it better get sticky as possible to hurry up and catch some pollen. However it gets a bit murky beyond that...if THC degrades in the light then it would make sense to harvest at the end of a dark period, and that a longer dark period would allow more THC to be created. The question then becomes after 8-10 weeks (or whatever) of flower how much of an effect does a day or two of darkness have?

I have also seen it mentioned that the darkness helps get rid of some of the chlorophyll to make for a smoother smoke prior to a proper cure. This makes sense as well but again...how much chlorophyll is really used up in 24-48 hours of darkness?

Re colder temps. Again, I think a myth. A little stress is good. About a 15 degree swing is plenty. From 80 in day to 65 at night. I go 81/68. Lower temps will cause purpling. But this is a sign of deficiency - not the purpling that is caused by genetics. Purpling from cold is NOT the same thing as Purple Kush! And remember, again outdoor growers are rushing to beat the first chill.

Not necessarily as it appears that it's a combination of temperature, genetics, and nutrients...bear with me, this next quote is a doozy but well worth the time to "translate" lol. I tried to bold the more important parts but the whole thing should really be read so nothing important is missed.

Consider a hypothetical example where 2 dominant gene pairs Pp and Cc control late-season anthocyanin pigmentation (purple color) in Cannabis. If P is present alone, only the leaves of the plant (under the proper environmental stimulus) will exhibit accumulated anthocyanin pigment and turn a purple color. If C is present alone, the plant will remain green through out its life cycle despite environmental conditions. If both are present, however, the calyxes of the plant will also exhibit accumulated anthocyanin and turn purple as the leaves do.

...

d) Color - The perception and interpretation of color in Cannabis floral clusters is heavily influenced by the imagination of the cultivator or breeder. A gold strain does not appear metallic any more than a red strain resembles a fire engine. Cannabis floral clusters are basically green, but changes may take place later in the season which alter the color to include various shades. The intense green of chlorophyll usually masks the color of accessory pigments, Chlorophyll tends to break down late in the season and anthocyanin pigments also contained in the tissues are unmasked and allowed to show through. Purple, resulting from anthocyanin accumulation, is the most common color in living Cannabis, other than green. This color modification is usually triggered by seasonal change, much as the leaves of many deciduous trees change color in the fall. This does not mean, however, that expression of color is controlled by environment alone and is not an inheritable trait. For purple color to develop upon maturation, a strain must have the genetically controlled metabolic potential to pro duce anthocyanin pigments coupled with a responsiveness to environmental change such that anthocyanin pigments are unmasked and become visible. This also means that a strain could have the genes for expression of purple color but the color might never be expressed if the environmental conditions did not trigger anthocyanin pigmentation or chlorophyll breakdown. Colombian and Hindu Kush strains often develop purple coloration year after year when subjected to low night temperatures during maturation. Color changes will be discussed in more detail in Chapter IV-Maturation and Harvesting of Cannabis.

Carotenoid pigments are largely responsible for the yellow, orange, red, and brown colors of Cannabis. They also begin to show in the leaves and calyxes of certain strains as the masking green chlorophyll color fades upon maturation. Gold strains are those which tend to reveal underlying yellow and orange pigments as they mature. Red strains are usually closer to reddish brown in color, although certain carotenoid and anthocyanin pigments are nearly red and localized streaks of these colors occasionally appear in the petioles of very old floral clusters. Red color in pressed, imported tops is often a result of masses of reddish brown dried pistils.

...

The petioles, adaxial (top) surfaces, and abaxial (bottom) surfaces of leaves, as well as the stems, calyxes, and pistils color differently in various strains. Since most of the outer leaves are removed during manicuring, the color expressed by the calyxes and inner leaves during the late flowering stages will be all that remains in the final product. This is why strains are only considered to be truly purple or gold if the calyxes maintain those colors when dried. Anthocyanin accumulation in the stems is sometimes considered a sign of phosphorus deficiency but in most situations results from unharmful excesses of phosphorus or it is a genetic trait. Also, cold temperatures might interfere with phosphorus uptake resulting in a deficiency. Pistils in Hindu Kush strains are quite often magenta or pink in color when they first appear. They are viable at this time and turn reddish brown when they wither, as in most strains. Purple coloration usually indicates that pistillate plants are over-mature and cannabinoid biosynthesis is slowing down during cold autumn weather.

I feel like I'm being a sourpuss here and pissing in everyone's canteen, but I figured it was worth getting my thoughts out there. I am afraid that with the internet, certain ideas gain popularity based not on real growing experience or comparisons to nature, but because it goes viral in a thread. The long and short of it is - if there were any firm "Right" answers - we'd all be doing them. I stick to the basics and try to think like mother nature when stressing my plants.

This site is all about exchanging ideas and correcting misinformation...don't feel like a sourpuss, just opening up some friendly debate is all!

 

[Green Utopia]

I'm assuming you meant my post "Daytime" temps are actually closer to 80-83F as I keep the door cracked open, it's after I go to bed that they rise a bit for a few hours. Depending on the outdoor temps after I close it up it can be anywhere from 78F to 87F, not consistent.


Interesting food for thought...I would think it will depend on available nutrients and the size of the root mass/stems of the individual plant although I certainly understand where you are going with it.


A bit of a contradiction there I think. First you state that the darkness is to finish sooner then you show an example where a plant is given less light but takes longer to ripen. I'm confused

From another forum, I'll gladly post the link if asked...just not sure if it's kosher to do so here.


This would also mesh well with the theory that the plant thinks winter is coming and it better get sticky as possible to hurry up and catch some pollen. However it gets a bit murky beyond that...if THC degrades in the light then it would make sense to harvest at the end of a dark period, and that a longer dark period would allow more THC to be created. The question then becomes after 8-10 weeks (or whatever) of flower how much of an effect does a day or two of darkness have?

I have also seen it mentioned that the darkness helps get rid of some of the chlorophyll to make for a smoother smoke prior to a proper cure. This makes sense as well but again...how much chlorophyll is really used up in 24-48 hours of darkness?

Not necessarily as it appears that it's a combination of temperature, genetics, and nutrients...bear with me, this next quote is a doozy but well worth the time to "translate" lol. I tried to bold the more important parts but the whole thing should really be read so nothing important is missed.






This site is all about exchanging ideas and correcting misinformation...don't feel like a sourpuss, just opening up some friendly debate is all!

This is all GREAT INFO!

Sooooo glad to read it! And I certainly wouldn't debate it yet - cause I'm still processing it.

I am definitely gonna take some of this to heart. And I couldn't be more appreciative of your kind and respectful and very well-informed response.

+Reps for sure!

 

[The Weed]

Wow! this turned into a Great Thread. Thanks Folks.