Questions about dark perioid after (FIM) topping

[wmp]

I'm going away for the weekend and will turn off lights for the duration, my plants are ~2 weeks into veg in their final containers and I think they're ready for FIMing.

So, the question:

Should I FIM them and leave them in the dark for 72 h, or let 'em sit in the dark and FIM when I get back?

Thanks in advance

 

[VerdantGreen]

why do you need to turn the lights off? messing with the light cycle is generally a bad idea.

if you have no choice but to leave the lights off then i would wait till you get back and the lights have been on for a few days before you fim them or stress them in any other way

VG

 

[wmp]

Well, since they've been under 24/0 for 2-3 weeks now, there's really no "cycle" to mess with. There's no one to make sure they won't burn/dry/set the cabinet on fire whilst I'm gone, so I'd sleep better.

 

[VerdantGreen]

well wmp, if you think your cab is a fire hazard then what's to stop it burning your house down whilst you sleep at home????

if you are worried about them drying out too fast then do a repot before you go or leave them sitting in a little tray of water.

dont know what to say really but i would strongly advise against leaving them in the dark for 3 days. if you really cant leave the lights on then maybe leave them near a bright window or something, anything.

and if you are adamant that you will leave them in the dark the best i can advise is to start flowering them on 12/12 when you get back as leaving them in the darl will make them want to start flowering. if you do leave them in the dark for 3 days and they turn hermy somewhere down the line then that will probably be the reason why.
good luck

VG.

 

[BORNaSMOKER]

if you want you could just put a couple of cfl bulbs above them to keep them lit. I have friends who do this as they are well paranoid about fire etc like you are. Verdant is right, I woul strongly advise against the dark period fpr 3 days!!

 

[Cheerful]

Ditto to all the good advice you have already received!!

 

[dank.frank]

well...to answer your question...

If you are going to stress them for 3 days and potentially trigger latent hermi tendencies, or perhaps an early pre-flower, then I'd wait to FIM them. That dark like that WILL stress them. No need of adding to that the stress of hacking away the top of the plant and its common senses for a few days....

Soooo...if you are going to do what you are going to do regardless....which you are...then, you might as well keep your stress factors to a minimum and FIM when you get back.

I don't expect them to get too much bigger while your gone...uhhh....lol.


dank.Frank

 

[messn'n'gommin']

Stressing them when young and still in veg may well cause hermi's down the road and is mostly a crap shoot whether or not it will. However, Plants have a "shade avoidance" mechanism that causes them to stretch to avoid being overpowered by surrounding vegetation. Leaving them in the dark for extended periods will make them stretch and sometimes several inches. If nothing else, use a few high K CFL's. That will minimize a lot of the stretch.