harvest time: can i just leave my plants in their pots and turn off my lights?

[gonzo`]

i've had to leave my grow which is 10 days from harvest and I'll be gone for 17 days...

my buddy has agreed to take care of them in my absence but won't cut and hang them to dry...

SO.. is there any harm in having him turn off the lights and watering system so that the plants are still in their pots for about 7 days till i get back to cut them off...

thanks guys!

 

[FlowerFarmer]

I would turn off HID lighting, but keep fluoro on to maintain your light schedule. Stop feeding/watering them - let them dry and slowly die in the pot and you'll return to very clean and tasty smoke.

You'll likely see an increase in resin production over how you'd normally harvest.

 

[gonzo`]

I would turn off HID lighting, but keep fluoro on to maintain your light schedule. Stop feeding/watering them - let them dry and slowly die in the pot and you'll return to very clean and tasty smoke.

You'll likely see an increase in resin production over how you'd normally harvest.

cant have fluro buddy, he will just turn off everything.. so you dont think i will have any issues?

 

[FlowerFarmer]

You cant run any type of small light to keep your lighting schedule?

I dont think you'll have any issues either way, but I'd rather keep the plant in its light cycle and give it a slow natural death.

I know connoisseurs who have been experimenting with these so called "death rooms" and the results and increase in resin production has been impressive.

 

[gonzo`]

You cant run any type of small light to keep your lighting schedule?

I dont think you'll have any issues either way, but I'd rather keep the plant in its light cycle and give it a slow natural death.

I know connoisseurs who have been experimenting with these so called "death rooms" and the results and increase in resin production has been impressive.

thats quite interesting but my buddy is one lazy dude who won't setup anything else for me!

can i ask what your opinion is of the other option: just leavign everything running till i get back... so the plants will be over ripe by like 7 days... what affect will that have on the smoke/bud?

 

[monsoon]

Most of the time when you let someone else "take care" of your garden they kill it anyway.... so I'm kinda thinking you'll be good to go either way. ;-)

There's no possibility of just letting them flush out/continue to grow until you return?

good luck however it goes!

 

[FlowerFarmer]

I don't think letting them go an extra 7 days will cause any decrease in quality or anything.


I believe most harvest too early anyways in my opinion. Takes quite a while to see a reduction in quality from over ripeness in my experience.

Let em ride and leave your lazy buddy out of it altogether is a good idea.

 

[michmedclones]

this is how I've been harvesting, I flush for 12-14 days and then I have a room next to my flower room that I have my ballasts in and its plenty large for me to take my plants that are done from the flower room into the ballast room. I've been experimenting and I've found that the best flavor and potetency has been when I let them stay on the plant in the dark for around 7-10 days pending on size (my plants finish between 5-7 feet in 5-8 gal of coco) then all fan and small leaves are totally dry, but the bud is still nice and moist if you squeeze it, but dry on the outside. I then trim it all the way down to 6" sections and larger individual buds and put it in my drying rack/tub let it dry till it's damn near bone dry unless you really squeeze it, then jar them girls. That's been the best method I've found, I've tried the majority of the basic chop and hang styles and I prefer this and you can trim branch by branch very easily while whatever stays on the plant seems to maintain an even moisture level not drying out too fast

 

[gonzo`]

this is interesting.. have you had any trouble with mold? probably not because your ballasts keep the room dry?

 

[John Deere]

I don't think letting them go an extra 7 days will cause any decrease in quality or anything.


I believe most harvest too early anyways in my opinion. Takes quite a while to see a reduction in quality from over ripeness in my experience.

Let em ride and leave your lazy buddy out of it altogether is a good idea.

+1

Just like every other flower (or fruit or vegetable) ripe means stronger, sweeter, more complex flavors and aromas as well as stronger, longer lasting effects. And no, running an extra week or more isn't going to turn your cerebral sativa into a couchlock indica.

And yes, I've read that some folks around here do harvest by letting their plants die in the pots but I've never tried it. Supposed to give a nice slow dry and smooth smoke. Makes sense to me.

Best of luck.

 

[michmedclones]

I keep a small 4" fan clipped onto the shelving system that holds my ballasts, the room stays around 75 with 40-50% humidity, after 7 days everything has shrunk up to pretty much dry weight but they rehydrate once you jar them, keep a caliber in the jar and keep an eye on that and you won't have any mold issues I wouldn't presume. I don't and I honestly don't do much to prevent it just keep the air moving and the temps and rh in check, if you're growing that should be easy for you

 

[SeaMaiden]

I don't think letting them go an extra 7 days will cause any decrease in quality or anything.


I believe most harvest too early anyways in my opinion. Takes quite a while to see a reduction in quality from over ripeness in my experience.

Let em ride and leave your lazy buddy out of it altogether is a good idea.

I have to agree with this, it takes weeks to see degradation, not a single week. Overripe may not be so overripe, either.

Like others, I've never tried doing things in the manner described above, but it sure piques my curiosity!

 

[xmobotx]

out of reluctance to harvest too soon; i have let plants go until they died

yes; they will need less drying time if this happens

no; it will not degrade your harvest

 

[LAMBS-BREAD]

I love 72 hours of dark period right before I harvest my plants. Amazing result ! Try it once U won't regret


But I don't agree, IME over ripped plants make them less perfumed and a bit less tasty buds, but more potent.
For some strain, a 10 days over can cause significant decrease in taste and smell. While others U will barely see any changes, specially on the sativa doms.

 

[Iffy]

Hi Folks,
Interesting thread. I'm fascinated by these 'Death Rooms' mentioned. Has anyone experience of this and can they quantify the gains?

 

[LAMBS-BREAD]

Hi Folks,
Interesting thread. I'm fascinated by these 'Death Rooms' mentioned. Has anyone experience of this and can they quantify the gains?

Bigger buds, more frost, nice blend of white and dark hair