What exactly is happening to mature plants below 50F(12.75C)

Basic Growing Info
#1

Our beloved mj needs temps above 55 (12.75C) to properly form. While mature plants are more resilient than seedlings or young plants cold temperatures will slow down the metabolic processes. Like nutrient uptake and photosynthesis. Cold-stressed plants may become more susceptible to diseases and pests, as their weakened state makes them less able to defend themselves.

So when a plant is sitting there in statsis below 50 is it degrading? Are terpenes an and alkaloids physically being destroyed? Is an 82 day plant still 82 days after a week with 40f nights?

In my case i have some 80+ day sativa hybrids finish up in a unheated greenhouse.Nights are dropping into the 40s. The bud is smokable and looking tasty.
Would you just chop them if you need the space? Or is this weird torturous camping trip beneficial in anyway?
Would keeping them in a dark room that is warm be better ?
Curious to hear your opinion on the matter.

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#2

My tent can get as cold as 13-14C and they don’t seem to care.

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#3

I think @Foreigner 's plants are fine from the sheer warmth of his love radiating to them.

That being said I’ve also had cold snaps with no issues… but consistent cold will decrease the plants enzyme activity. This then fuckes up the plant nutrient intake because plants secrete these enzymes to digest surrounding materials (nutrients, soil, etc).

Consequently, this can stunt growth or more severely cause them to die… in what you mentioned you may benefit from supplimental heating at night.

In a greenhouse easiest thing may be getting a bunch of water barrels, paint them black and have the daytime sun heat up the water which will radiate out said heat over night. You could also add aquarium heaters to the mix if you wanted to have something more stable. A dash of bleach in the barrels will prevent any blooming bio-mass.

:v:

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#4

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i have as many bags of compost as i could make too.

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#5

yes touching could temps aint no problems.
What about nights closer to 5C

#6

I’ve had necrotic leaf damage on an outdoor sativa leaner at 6C

#7

How many nights at 6? Does that mean the rest of the “bud” is “dying”. Surely it isn’t in suspended animation waiting for warmer temps.
Really a warm dark room would be better to “finish” these buds off.
Lets be clear my priority is the space the plants were in not the buds.

#8

One night was enough to do it. Are they in pots? If so maybe bring them inside at night.

#9

That would logical. They are a pain in the ass to move. Floppy mature buds in tall slender pots with no stakes. I kinda have em out there just to see what happens. Maybe ill bring half in and put them in a dark closet and compare. They have been out for 3-4 days already.

#10

If you’re feeling very adventurous you could try the black barrel heat sink idea but also get 100’ of black poly tubing and a pump and circulate it through to absorb more heat.

I did the same when making a solar heater for my pool.

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#11

A bit overkill for a 125$ amazon pop up “greenhouse.” but i’m sure that would work great.

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#12

Yeah it’s a project for sure.

I can tell you it bought me a couple of degrees.

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