24 HR Dark B4 Flower?

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Rellikbuzz

Active member

• Feb 28, 2005

• #1

Hello Everybody! As I get near the end of veg on my first grow, I wanted to ask a question of all the knowledgable growers here. I have read that putting your plants in a 24 hour period of darkness before starting 12/12 for flower will help speed up the onset of flowering. I have also read some opinions that believe this irregular light cycle interruption would bring about hermaphrodism.

What is your opinion on giving the plants a 24 hour period of darkness before flowering? Have any of you tried this? If so, what are you observations from doing this? Is it worth it? Does it shorten the flowering period? Does is help to encourage the plants to flower? Let's hear what you think!!

 

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badmf

Active member

• Feb 28, 2005

• #2

It works and doesn't cause hermies either.

 

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Rellikbuzz

Active member

• Feb 28, 2005

• #3

Thanks for the response, Badmf. Is this something you do with every grow? Have you noticed if this reduces the overall flowering time at all?

 

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badmf

Active member

• Feb 28, 2005

• #4

Speeds the start of bloom and seems to add sites as well. Every grow "indoors" lol. To reduce time of finishing you need to "Time Shift" and this isn't for everyone, simply go to 6/12 as the bloom slows and is just maturing. Most folks say they will hermie, but they've never done it! lol

 

G

Guest

• Feb 28, 2005

• #5

Ive never done it.. but it seems unnatural to me as this does not accur in nature..but lots of people do it ..give it a try imo..

take care
greenfriend

 

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badmf

Active member

• Mar 1, 2005

• #6

Its also un-natural to have roots suspended in air getting misted or hanging in a Rubbermaid with air pumps goin'! lol Not to mention plants finishing in 60 days in winter! This list can get very long iykwim

 

G

Guest

• Mar 1, 2005

• #7

uh okay there friend




take care
greenfriend

 

G

Guest

• Mar 1, 2005

• #8

anyone mention,,,you can also do a 24 hour dark at the very end of flowering too..

 

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Guest

• Mar 3, 2005

• #9

I thought it was only at the end of flowering. To throw the ladies into 24 hr darkness..
to get the last bit of swelling. and use up all nutes that didnt get flushed out.. then again i am still a noobie... peace

sack

 

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nycnoob

Member

• Mar 3, 2005

• #10

Same here. I am a noob also. But I have heard it to be after flowering. That it should stay 24 hours in the dark so it gets to rest or something like that. But I have also not thought of it that way to use up the rest of the nutes.

 

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Rellikbuzz

Active member

• Mar 3, 2005

• #11

Hey Sackoweed and NYCNoob - Well, in some respects you are right. There is a dark period that many growers use to help "finish" the plants before harvest. BOG is a real advocate of this process but he recommends 48 hours (the typical amount of dark time) at the end right before harvest. This period allows the plants to use the remaining nutrients it has stored up and also the darkness causes the plants to pack on more trichomes as a defense measure, thereby making the plants more resinous.

This, however, is not the dark period I was initially referring to. Many growers, when flipping their plants from veg to flower, will instigate the 12/12 flower schedule by leaving the plants in the darkness for 24 hours BEFORE starting the lights back up for the 12/12. They say this causes the plant to getting into the flowering mode more quickly. Many use this process with long flowering Sativas. These Sativas will often not even show much flowering until 6-8 weeks into the 12/12 light cycle. By giving them this dark period before hand, the plants (reportedly) will start putting on flowers much sooner.

I was just trying to get some feedback of this process' effectiveness from some growers that might have tried it. I hope I haven't caused any confusion here. Hopefully, I have explained the difference in the two dark periods so that everyone will know what I'm trying to get at.

 

Okie grown

Active member

Veteran

• Mar 3, 2005

• #12

Thseeds website recomends to giveem 24 hrs of dark before start of flower.Thay claim it helps send them into flower faster.I tried it last grow and didnot notice any ill effects.But it helps for sure.Goodluck OG

 

3snowboards

Active member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #13

I did this 13 days ago before I switched to 12/12 on two cherry pie clones, a fire og clone, and a sour D I started from a regular seed.
Growing under a Mars hydro pro 2
After the sour D was 6 weeks old and the clones had been begging for 4 weeks I was very confident on the sex of the sour and I was running out of room.
Had to flower at that point.
Did not disturb them during the 24 hrs of dark.
When the lighting started the fire og actually had the tiniest flower parts showing with a couple big white pistels popping out of the internodal.
Was nice to see.
Will get some pics in

 

soundman

Member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #14

I've done 24 plus hours of darkness switching to flower. Just to go from lights on in day to lights on at night. Not to try and get a boost in early flower. I never noticed a bit of difference when I go dark some before flower or not.

Same deal at end of flower. I've shut down lights and finished trimming a few days later and actually did not like the product that way.

To each their own though. I think there is a some placebo effect.

 

Dankwolf

Active member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #15

I run 2- 5 days dark at end of flower . the main reson is light degrades terps .product will be stronger smelling/ tasting . but you must keep in dark throughout hang/cure .also helps with maturing of resinglands/thc .

 

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Easy7

Active member

Veteran

• Mar 31, 2017

• #16

Never did hear of light degrading terps. Rain will wash away terps and glands.

Long long tkme ago, read a supposed study that said cannabis harvested before daybreak were more potent. But the way I figure, do you really want to harvest in the dark?

As far as a dark period before 12/12. That would effect hormones that trigger flowering. How that goes I would want more info before messing around with what works.

 

MurdaMishou

Active member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #17

Never done it during transition from veg to flower but I do let em sit in darkness before harvest.

 

Dankwolf

Active member

• Apr 1, 2017

• #18

Easy7 said:

Never did hear of light degrading terps. Rain will wash away terps and glands.

Long long tkme ago, read a supposed study that said cannabis harvested before daybreak were more potent. But the way I figure, do you really want to harvest in the dark?

As far as a dark period before 12/12. That would effect hormones that trigger flowering. How that goes I would want more info before messing around with what works.

Click to expand...

 

3snowboards

Active member

• Apr 23, 2017

• #19

Day 37

 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training

• Apr 24, 2017

• #20

YMMV

Ran two runs of cuttings from the same skunk #1 mum.

First run was straight flip to 12/12, pistils showed in about 8 days.

Second run was 24hrs of dark before 12/12 schedule, pistils showed at about 4 days. Almost half the time.

Remainder of the grow was exactly the same for both, no detectable difference in end yield or maturation time. Just a quicker showing of initial pistils...