Droughting and its medicinal effects in cannabis

[Stunger]

Just don't forget droughting in early part of flowering or vegging will harm your roots
so smaller root mass = smaller yield
it may be more potent but there is a down side

I think that was what put me off trying to intentionally drought after my accidental one many years ago. It was a newbie grow and gave less than 2oz which of course even with frugal use didn't last me thru the year, so it was more important to focus on enough quantity than get fussy and experimental on potency. The last couple of years I have harvested close to a pound and half each year which is more than I need. So this grow was an ideal time to intentionally carry out droughting. I would be quite happy with even half the harvest if it was of a higher potency.

 

[Azimuth]

Just don't forget droughting in early part of flowering or vegging will harm your roots
so smaller root mass = smaller yield
it may be more potent but there is a down side

True, but this thread is all about the experiemnt of draughting in the later part of flowering, typically week 7. But we guess that that applies to a typical 9-10 week strain, and with the longer sativa biased strains it might be better to wait until later. The 7 week recommendation is because in soil the draught takes 10 days or so to have the effects kick in and by the end of that period there is essentially time for a re-hydration of the plant and then harvest.

So, basically the draught is suggested at the point that the plant is essentially finishing up as a way to max out the goodies. Although I will say that some, including Stunger, have done repeated draughts earlier in the process with promising results.

 

[LKABudMan]

Here is Abby on her 10th day of drought. I gave her another liter of 'rescue' water today. Tomorrow she'll get that full watering I've been promising her

20220406_094135.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 6, 2022

Abby 4/6 day 66 drought day 10

20220406_094045.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 6, 2022

Abby 4/6 day 66 drought day 10

20220406_094028.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 6, 2022

Abby 4/6 day 66 drought day 10

20220406_094107.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 6, 2022

Abby 4/6 day 66 drought day 10

 

[LKABudMan]

Today I ended Abby's drought. She went 11 days, with a few rescue drinks. She'll probably be harvested this weekend.

Here are pictures before the drought, taken on 3/28 & 3/39:

20220328_111037.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby 3/28 day 56

20220328_111042.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby buds 3/28 day 56

20220328_111054.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby buds 3/28 day 56

20220329_115016.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 29, 2022

Abby bud 3/29 day 58

And here are pictures from today:

20220407_095448.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

20220407_095526.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

20220407_095540.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11 - lower bud

20220407_095512.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

Thanks again to @Maritimer and @Krissi1982 for sharing this information and to all those that contributed this thread.

Happy Growing.

 

[Maritimer]

Today I ended Abby's drought. She went 11 days, with a few rescue drinks. She'll probably be harvested this weekend.

Here are pictures before the drought, taken on 3/28 & 3/39:

20220328_111037.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby 3/28 day 56

20220328_111042.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby buds 3/28 day 56

20220328_111054.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 28, 2022

Abby buds 3/28 day 56

20220329_115016.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Mar 29, 2022

Abby bud 3/29 day 58

And here are pictures from today:

20220407_095448.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

20220407_095526.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

20220407_095540.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11 - lower bud

20220407_095512.jpg

• LKABudMan
• Apr 7, 2022

Abby 4/7 day 66 drought day 11

Thanks again to @Maritimer and @Krissi1982 for sharing this information and to all those that contributed this thread.

Happy Growing.

Well done my friend. Indeed

Some say it takes balls, we says balls of steel.

 

[Roy Growin]

Nice - at this stage I run CaMg/H2O2 for a few days, then let it dry in the pot in the dark, cooler bathroom
Have to catch it before it is completely droopy though or trim is a PITA

 

[LKABudMan]

Thanks @Maritimer I read through your rezination thread a while ago. Knowing it may be a while before I flower in soil again I knew I had to try it. Now to figure out how to do this on the RDWC...

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks @Maritimer I read through your rezination thread a while ago. Knowing it may be a while before I flower in soil again I knew I had to try it. Now to figure out how to do this on the RDWC...

Our brother @Rexer has droughted a bubbler. A pioneer we says. I'm sure he can help.

 

[LKABudMan]

Nice - at this stage I run CaMg/H2O2 for a few days, then let it dry in the pot in the dark, cooler bathroom
Have to catch it before it is completely droopy though or trim is a PITA

Yes, my last grow I let one of the plants get a little too dry and it was a pain to trim. I'm just giving them good old well water. The plan is to go dark on Friday night and chop on Sunday. That gives them two days of light and then 36 hours of darkness before the chop.

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks @Maritimer I read through your rezination thread a while ago. Knowing it may be a while before I flower in soil again I knew I had to try it. Now to figure out how to do this on the RDWC...

If you have time check the original thread "Exceptionally High FECO Yields". Loaded with cannaknowledge.

 

[LKABudMan]

Our brother @Rexer has droughted a bubbler. A pioneer we says. I'm sure he can help.

I followed his drought. If memory serves it was only a couple of days, right Rex? I really believe the prolonged drought is important. I'm watching Nivek's hempy drought and trying to really think through a prolonged drought in RWDC.

 

[Mlburk1]

Great job BudMan ! It’s definitely worth it.

 

[Mlburk1]

This WW will be headed to flower this weekend. Can’t wait to drought it ! Had an awesome finish on the last one I droughted !

 

[Maritimer]

I followed his drought. If memory serves it was only a couple of days, right Rex? I really believe the prolonged drought is important. I'm watching Nivek's hempy drought and trying to really think through a prolonged drought in RWDC.

Your belief that the longer duration drought is important and has (in my opinion)) been verified in my garden. The longer the genetic regulatory network (GRN) is battling low moisture in the root zone, the longer the enhanced portions of oil are being synthesized. This oil produced during drought will be noticeably more psychoactive. This is because during drought, additional resources are repurposed, and the oil is infused with the additional resources. Not Kidding.

 

[Rexer]

Our brother @Rexer has droughted a bubbler. A pioneer we says. I'm sure he can help.

Thank you Maritimer. I'm always up to help, and yes I did it in an RDWC system (with a hydroton medium). I'm always up for helping, and recommend marking a spot where you can rest you phone to take a picture each day to calculate you LWA (if the photo is taken from a different angle each time, the results will be skewed). I also used an app, ImageMeter.

I followed his drought. If memory serves it was only a couple of days, right Rex?

somewhere around there, I can look it up if you'd like, but no it wasn't an extended drought. I aimed for LWA changes vs drought duration.

I really believe the prolonged drought is important. I'm watching Nivek's hempy drought and trying to really think through a prolonged drought in RWDC.

I would do a quick one, if the roots are healthy. But a prolonged one? I'm not sure how you would do that to be honest

 

[Hafta]

Would reducing the volume of water in the reservoir by 90% induce a graduated drought condition since 90% of the root mass cannot access solution?

 

[LKABudMan]

I think you need to use the 'rescue drink' to keep both the roots and the plants alive but still searching for more to drink. What if you remove all of the res water and go back to hand watering for the last week or two with just enough to keep it alive? How long can we keep the plant alive with minimal watering?

 

[scottreid1966]

I think you need to use the 'rescue drink' to keep both the roots and the plants alive but still searching for more to drink. What if you remove all of the res water and go back to hand watering for the last week or two with just enough to keep it alive? How long can we keep the plant alive with minimal watering?

My guess would be to let the leaves do the talking.

 

[Azimuth]

My guess would be to let the leaves do the talking.

In hydro that'll be pretty fast. Lol.

 

[Hafta]

Flood and drain?
My plants are in a twenty gallon reservoir with sixteen gallons of solution.
I can reasonably pump 14 gallons of solution back and forth between the reservoir and a mobile tank.
I am not familiar with the normal flood and drain frequency. Would once every other day simulate droughting?

Your belief that the longer duration drought is important and has (in my opinion)) been verified in my garden. The longer the genetic regulatory network (GRN) is battling low moisture in the root zone, the longer the enhanced portions of oil are being synthesized.

If we are trying to achieve a longer drought period I believe it may need to be sequential for RDWC and similar methods. The answer may be to drain, watch the leaves, refill, watch the leaves ..... repeat unitil the desired trichome production is achieved?