Pollinating Cannabis to reduce flowering time.

[Cvh]

Hi all.

I hear this mentionned and whispered from time to time but I always wondered if the technique to pollinate the flowers yourself to reduce flowering time works and is a common practice?
Does anyone have some experience with this technique or knows growers who does this?

Pollinating Cannabis to reduce flowering time:

A technique to speed up the maturing/ripening is to pollinate the flowers yourself and harvest the plants only a week later as the plants start forming seed pods, but prior to any advanced seed formation. Growers generally want to harvest before a killing freeze. If this generally occurs September 30 and the plants are three week or a month from maturity on September 15, the flowers can be “painted” with pollen that you have already collected and stored.

As soon as the flowers are fertilized, the plants will quickly stop producing new flowers to focus their energy on seed production. The pistils start to dry and recede into the calyx as the ovary starts to transform into a seed. Before a hard shell develops around the seed, the buds are harvested. The glands will be developed fully and the buds will be firm and lush.

 

[Trichomez1]

Only seen it happen by accident with late herms but it does make the buds "ripen" faster.

 

[Dropped Cat]

Less of what we flower for, what's the rush.

A pollinated plant yields less per cent of THC, but some prefer the
taste and profile.

I have done both with the same mum plants and can say a pollinated plant
is more mellow and somewhat more complex.

Less potent, confirmed.

 

[dank.frank]

The proper/desired effect is a result of cannabinoid/terpene maturity. Yes, the pistils die, because they've come into contact with pollen. That isn't ripening. It's impregnation.



dank.Frank

 

[Cvh]

Less of what we flower for, what's the rush.

A pollinated plant yields less per cent of THC, but some prefer the
taste and profile.

I have done both with the same mum plants and can say a pollinated plant
is more mellow and somewhat more complex.

Less potent, confirmed.

Thank you for your reply.
Any idea how the trichomes look like? Do they get cloudy? Or do they just stay the same?

 

[Guest]

I don't believe the technique described above will work.
What I've read on Overgrown and CannabisWorld, back in the day was a similar approach.
You need to fully pollinate the whole plant, not just a little or a branch.
Then the plant will transition into seed making mode and will mature at the rate of seed production.
The plant will be ripe when the seeds are fully formed.

The debate I recall was if the pollinated plant was as potent as a non-pollinated plant.

 

[Dropped Cat]

Thank you for your reply.
Any idea how the trichomes look like? Do they get cloudy? Or do they just stay the same?

Less pronounced trichs, same trend of cloudy to amber for maturation.

I haven't noticed a quicker finish time, so your goal may
be counter intuitive.

Some would say a seeded plant takes longer to finish.

But as a bonus you have seeds for the next round,