Righto Doc, seems that most gardeners agree at least on not chopping then at dusk, and if the reason is to avoid the plant starting her daily activity, makes sense doing it a bit before dawn.
Hazyfontazy, as for indoors that goes too, and i think it does make a difference to put them in the dark just before the chop, as well as leaving the substrate to dry before that, and combined together never have troubles with mould. I leave 'em in the dark for just 48 hours.
DIY, the question is "what's the best time", and seems obvious to me that's better in the next ten minutes than in the past ten minutes, as at the last ten minutes of the end of times you'll still have one more spliff.
SP and Kilo, that goes without saying, although for the stench, i'm a flasher by nature and i like waving my stinky one at the neighbors noses holding it by the stalk :rofl:rofl:rofl Smell's not an issue here in my patch, anyway, young and old, no one cares around. Dunno 'bout cheese, but i've had skunks that you could pierce the ambience when drying in the house well after the chop, filling the evening air of the square as old ladies go to church.
Yep Otto, that's seems to be one of the main reasons.
Also Jozka's might have a point there, but the effect of light on trichs is to be regarded after cutting them, meaning you dry, cure and store in the dark, but before that, you need the sun on them too for maturing. When growing indoors, started with the 48 hours darkness before the chop 'cos someone said that they produced a bit of extra resin, now i'm not total sure about that, but still do it that way.
USMCtanker, one day people will have to go to paying schools to learn what we get here for free. Cheers for dropping by.
Now, i think it's safe to say the best time for harvesting is at dawn, preferably just before, but you can do it fuckever way you want as this is a free forum.