Droughting and its medicinal effects in cannabis

[Buds Buddy]

Guys and gals, I'd like to start off with a slight introduction to the medicinal benefits of droughting our 420 plants. This will be an open forum discussion for all things droughting related. I'm currently in the process of completing my notes and developing a thesis, if you will, on this stress technique, but with so much ground to cover and with so many questions sure to arise, it's important we get going.

Let me get your attention with these numbers and then see how many of you will be able to turn your heads in the other direction-I'd imagine nobody will....

The Substantial Effects on Cannabinoid Yield in Drought Versus That Of Control:

THC 50% higher yield
THCA 43% higher yield
CBD 67% higher yield
CBDA 47% higher yield

Drought treatment elicited a 12% and 13% increase in THCA and CBDA concentration, respectively.

Yield of flower in control was:
178+/- @ 9.4 grams per meter squared
Yield of flower in drought was:
232+/- @ 18.5 grams per meter squared

Do I have your attention yet?

Before dropping in this comment I made on another feed today, thanks again @ppm Charlie for adding me onto that conversation, I would like to note that I had a prior misconception to growing..

I thought at all times I needed to have the most beautiful plant ever. I never looked into what actually gives our cannabis it's medicinal properties nor did I ever set out to embark on a journey to find out what added stressors would elevate those properties.

By some red string effect, I fell upon 420, @Maritimer and his original thread where I stumbled across this technique. Since integrating it loosely into my last few harvests and both SEEING and FEELING the results, I have not looked back. Moreover, I wanted to learn everything I could and not only that, but spread this knowledge to every grower I could. I hope that you all can in time learn this methadology and put it to use to help us finally end this war on pain, both physically and mentally.


Droughting has the end goal of increasing valuable metabolites such as THC and cannabinoids. Drought response has been observed in many plant species; in cannabis, the drought escape response accelerates flowering in response to drought stress-i.e, the increase of resin production.

The main focus of ABA is to be a promoter of stomatal closure which is synthesized in the roots and mature leaves in response to water stress.

It is important to note the health of your leaves during a drought as ABA is transported from roots to xylem to the leaves before returning back to the roots and the process repeats itself.

Droughting is a delicate balance as a plants plasticity is very important in the transportation and absorption of nutrients and light.

"Leaves are very important to a plant in that they create an avenue where phosynthesis and thermoregulation can occur".

Evolution developed their leaf shape to a myriad of different types to create a means of balancing energy production with the plant's fitness.

The GRN is the Genetic Regulatory Network that is responsible for creating this phenotypic plasticity. It involves a myriad of genes and proteins, including the aforementioned, to regulate its morphology through stress.

*Note: This stress technique is a controlled droughting experiment done for up to 11 days around the 7th week of flower; the length of droughting time is determined only by the LWA (Leaf Wilt Angle) and not the total #of days

Exactly how does this work... the process more or less ? You just stop feeding at week 7 & let the plant wilt ?
Tell us what you do... Step by Step please. I'm good at F'n things up without details.... lol.

 

[nivek]

Exactly how does this work... the process more or less ? You just stop feeding at week 7 & let the plant wilt ?
Tell us what you do... Step by Step please. I'm good at F'n things up without details.... lol.

Increasing Inflorescence Dry Weight and Cannabinoid Content in Medical Cannabis Using Controlled Drought Stress

Controlled application of drought can increase secondary metabolite concentrations in some essential oil-producing crops. To evaluate the effects of drought on cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) inflorescence dry weight and cannabinoid content, drought stress was applied to container-grown cannabis...

journals.ashs.org

 

[nivek]

just thot i might post an updated pic,, in completely natural light this time,, no adjustments. really wanted to show the change in colour of the leaves,, just like one might expect,, totally from the bottom up, just sucking as much energy from the leaves as it can

day seven of the drought today. i gave a tiny bit of water last night, being careful to give the supplemental water at different areas in the pot, to keep some of the plant starving but providing relief for others and the whole plant in general

there was quite a dramatic yellowing yesterday going into today,, later in the drought the affects will become more dramatic, i might suggest

peace out friends

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Exactly how does this work... the process more or less ? You just stop feeding at week 7 & let the plant wilt ?
Tell us what you do... Step by Step please. I'm good at F'n things up without details.... lol.

Yes refer to the bottom abbreviated study. But I droughted 2 recently on here and I did a day by day if you want to breeze through. I should have this stuff bookmarked but I posted a link to the full study as well somewhere on here. There's a lot of droughting manifestos as well...I was hooked the second I read about it, happy to answer any questions you may have

Increasing Inflorescence Dry Weight and Cannabinoid Content in Medical Cannabis Using Controlled Drought Stress

Controlled application of drought can increase secondary metabolite concentrations in some essential oil-producing crops. To evaluate the effects of drought on cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) inflorescence dry weight and cannabinoid content, drought stress was applied to container-grown cannabis...

journals.ashs.org

just thot i might post an updated pic,, in completely natural light this time,, no adjustments. really wanted to show the change in colour of the leaves,, just like one might expect,, totally from the bottom up, just sucking as much energy from the leaves as it can

day seven of the drought today. i gave a tiny bit of water last night, being careful to give the supplemental water at different areas in the pot, to keep some of the plant starving but providing relief for others and the whole plant in general

there was quite a dramatic yellowing yesterday going into today,, later in the drought the affects will become more dramatic, i might suggest

peace out friends

Kudos Niv because you are doing an amazing job replicating the drought in your hempy. I am really excited that you did this. I have noticed that the yellowing and droop comes on very slowly at first, generally, and then it's like overnight-you look like this...how is your pinhead doing lol

Thanks so much again for sharing and experimenting with us. It means a lot to me and for other medium droughters in the future

 

[Krissi Carbone]

I realized I forgot to post harvest pics. Just throwing a few out here.

No weight was compromised all trichomes were energized lol

I'll be back once they are cured up with some glamor shots

Onyx is next as I'll be finishing trimming her tonight

Remember to water your plants fully after droughting to plump those buds back up

 

[Stunger]

I realized I forgot to post harvest pics. Just throwing a few out here.

Lovely looking buds Krissi!

Remember to water your plants fully after droughting to plump those buds back up

Do you think that is just a cosmetic benefit to get a 'plumped up' look? Or is there some other beneficial reason to do so when you're already about to chop and then immediately dry them anyway. Just wondered.. thanks.

 

[nivek]

Lovely looking buds Krissi!

Do you think that is just a cosmetic benefit to get a 'plumped up' look? Or is there some other beneficial reason to do so when you're already about to chop and then immediately dry them anyway. Just wondered.. thanks.

my take on this q,, i could find no difinitive answer in the study,,

but,, in order for a plant to dry and cure properly it must start the process from a certain point.

the final watering allows the plant to regain moisture necessary for a proper cure

my thots, not yours

 

[nivek]

how is your pinhead doing lol

 

[Krissi Carbone]

my take on this q,, i could find no difinitive answer in the study,,

but,, in order for a plant to dry and cure properly it must start the process from a certain point.

the final watering allows the plant to regain moisture necessary for a proper cure

my thots, not yours

I agree @Stunger With Niv, it allows for a nice even dry and cure!

Haha I guess I needed my glasses!

 

[marcus611a]

just thot i might post an updated pic,, in completely natural light this time,, no adjustments. really wanted to show the change in colour of the leaves,, just like one might expect,, totally from the bottom up, just sucking as much energy from the leaves as it can

day seven of the drought today. i gave a tiny bit of water last night, being careful to give the supplemental water at different areas in the pot, to keep some of the plant starving but providing relief for others and the whole plant in general

there was quite a dramatic yellowing yesterday going into today,, later in the drought the affects will become more dramatic, i might suggest

peace out friends

Huh there was my problem... When I put mine into drought I gave zero nada not a drop of water..... Silly me.. For 7 days... OMG it's a damn wonder I didn't lose my whole harvest...

 

[Mlburk1]

no water at all during drought for me perfect ending

 

[Krissi Carbone]

I love all your responses you're an amazing woman...... God bless you with all of your grows and may you be fruitful and multiply many buds ..... Live long and prosper my friend.

Awwwww don't make me get all teary eyed! That happens to me quite easily!! I wish only the same for you my buddy. That's why I I this thread in thr first place-to help people. I'm just grateful to have met all of you

Today is moving day

Oh yea oh yea!! Drought her as soon as she goes in there for like 3 weeks! I am getting on the quadline soon! I may be asking for assistance!

Could not have been said any better

Awwww you guys!!

That is a fine quad squad. I never managed to get many large cola's until I adopted the practice. I had spoken in the past with @StoneOtter about the correlation between quad-lining and large cola's and I believe he thinks it helps.
Funny I work so hard getting the big fat bracts, only to downsize them for drying/curing.

I'm new to it myself! I am up for any info, I have been digging!

 

[Azimuth]

I'm new to it myself! I am up for any info, I have been digging!

Here's the thread to start with

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Huh there was my problem... When I put mine into drought I gave zero nada not a drop of water..... Silly me.. For 7 days... OMG it's a damn wonder I didn't lose my whole harvest...

You mean before you droughted her you didn't feed her?

 

[marcus611a]

You mean before you droughted her you didn't feed her?

Yeah I had fed them both a gal water each with nutrients but after that nothing

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Here's the thread to start with

Appreciate that AZ!

OK guys I'm on the last of Onyx so I'm throwing ya pics of the last few droughted branches...

ONYX: POST DROUGHT CHOP/TRIM
(7.5 days droughted)

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Yeah I had fed them both a gal water each with nutrients but after that nothing

Oh when she was done??!! Silly Marcus, I know we discussed watering her before dark/after drought...It will be fine just next time, remember!!

 

[marcus611a]

Oh when she was done??!! Silly Marcus, I know we discussed watering her before dark/after drought...It will be fine just next time, remember!!

Until the drought was over and then I gave them a gallon of water again. I just got through giving Judith water I think that's the last time for her. I didn't notice Clementine was dry. I think I should have gave them small amounts of water during the drought. Maybe like a cup or something I don't know. But anyways there is a pretty flower for you that shows your success and your knowledge here's proof. Because she definitely wasn't that Frosty beforehand.

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Until the drought was over and then I gave them a gallon of water again. I just got through giving Judith water I think that's the last time for her. I didn't notice Clementine was dry. I think I should have gave them small amounts of water during the drought. Maybe like a cup or something I don't know. But anyways there is a pretty flower for you that shows your success and your knowledge here's proof. Because she definitely wasn't that Frosty beforehand.

Why do you think you should feed during the drought? @nivek only did that because he is in hempy

 

[marcus611a]

Appreciate that AZ!

OK guys I'm on the last of Onyx so I'm throwing ya pics of the last few droughted branches...

ONYX: POST DROUGHT CHOP/TRIM
(7.5 days droughted)

I worry for nothing your buds look like mine do. Hahaha the very tip top of yours was crispy too..... Maybe I didn't do so bad after all here's some pictures of her tops. By the way I just had them in their jar to check the humidity because like I said it was a little crispy. The humidity read 85% so I'm letting them dry a little more until it gets to 70 then I'll burp them down to 58.