What effect does harvesting the marijuana plant after the first frost have on THC levels?
Hi,
THC will not be affected by the frost. But, plant tissue can incur some damage. Temperatures that dip below 48.2F (9C) usually affect the marijuana plant in some way. Leaves will suffer damage and need to repair themselves prior to resuming growth or ripening—a process that could take a few days of good weather to complete. If cold weather persists for several days, the damage to the plant is multiplied because it is weakened and increasingly less capable of repairing itself.
To return the marijuana plant to normalcy, the temperature needs to rise into the 60’s, and the plants need to get adequate sunlight to power photosynthesis. When temperatures dip even further down to 40F (4C), leaves, flowers, and other plant parts suffer even more. It takes a couple of days for a plant to fully recover from the damage, and it’s not likely because of the generally cloudy conditions associated with fall. The energy (sunlight) available is limited and the maturation of the bud and THC production is curtailed. Stopping the production of THC helps the plant save energy, particularly when it’s not needed to protect from insects and UV light. Under these conditions, the THC that the marijuana plant already produced is not eradicated by the frost, but you won’t find any new production. Unless there is a genuine possibility of warm, sunny weather in the forecast, you’ll probably want to harvest the marijuana plants.
Robert
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While I don’t doubt what you’re saying is true. In southern states where you might only get a light cold snap, even down to freezing, I’ve often let outdoor plants go through one or two cold snaps. The cold seemed to promote last-days heavy bud growth that turned the buds an awesome shade of purple.
The seeds were bag-seeds from some Tex-Mex mids that everyone started calling grape-jelly bud as it tasted just like grape jelly and would leave resin on your lips half-way through a normal joint. It was truly some of the best regular-seed smoke I’ve ever grown and in still remembered by many in the area.
Because of this good experience, I have no qualms about letting plants that aren’t quite ready to go through a night or two of light cold and long for some more grape jelly bud.
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I am not concerned about temps below 48, I am really worried about temps below 30 tonight! the rest of the week daytime temps will be in the 70’s… Should I attempt to cover my 10 ft tall strawberry Kush plants? will cold force the buds to mature? There are still lots of white pistils, but the buds look like they have been sprinkled with sugar. Should I harvest?
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To me it’s mostly about the weather trend. If you’re looking at a week of 40 degree nights with just one night that dips down to 32 I’d would let it ride and not even bother covering plants. Alternately if you’re Getting a stretch of 3-4 cold nights down to freezing I’d bring em inside at night if you can.
I’ve had a stretch of 3 or so really cold nights down below 32. My birdbath was iced over yesterday am. I didn’t bring em in the first night but last night I did and will again tonight but it’s warming up again and nights will return to mid 40s so I’m just riding out the cold for a short time and then it’s back outside full time for as long as they can take it.
Some cold stress during late flowering is fine. Helps resin production and brings out those purps and blues
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I agree and while I do try to shelter my girl, I feel just as you but want to control that moisture more than anything!
Frost bud has historically been good for my personal grow, this is Grace Gas and I’m hoping it grapes up more after frost last night (10-9-22) it’s grapey but I want grapest!
About the last of October I’m Chopping, we usually get a first frost then, my plant’s are basically done when temperatures dip they stop growing and the Buds are Ripe i don’t want my fruit burned
So itll be 32° tonight, back to 50 tomorrow then 28 then 55. I think they’ll be okay? After that its supposed to be unseasonably warm so i think it’ll be perfect.
Wow, I’m dealing with that right now in NW Florida and have been wondering if it was hurting them. I use, from a 30X loupe, to a lighted 1000X microscope and check my trichomes till bout 50% are amber. And they just not there quite yet. We’ve had some cool nights around here recently. 40’s. I love grossing said it all above what I’m seeing. And what you mentioned I’ve seen back home in north Georgia. Spent lot of time hunting, fishing, growing outdoors there and dealing with the cold. But right now I learned a lot from this old thread here.
My Hindu Kush grew 1ft per week in my greenhouse with nighttime temps in the low 40s and high 30s