SOIL Can early stage buds handle rain?

[radial75]

I have three plants in 5 gal smart pots, 6-7.5 ft tall. The spot they are in has good breeze. They are about 4 weeks into flower, (all hairs still white and buds small). The weather forecast is 50% or greater chance of rain all week with highs in mid 60's and overnight lows in low 50's. I have searched quite a bit for a definitive answer as to whether early stage flowering plants can handle being out in the rain. Some growers say cover them/move indoors, others disagree. In October a couple years back, I got bud rot that destroyed a whole crop BECAUSE I MOVED THE PLANTS INDOORS, WET, and lacked adequate air circulation. They literally rotted overnight and yes, I'm worried it could happen again. In that case, plants were late stage flowering, very close to harvest.

When I move the girls inside, they will be under 1000w HPS. I have several fans I can set up, but the circulation will be less than ideal in terms of air exchange/exhaust. They're going to be in a 16' x 24' shed which tends to be humid with poor airflow, hence, the bud rot a couple years ago. Got to rehang my grow light outside of the tent and reroute the fans & ducting because these plants are big & tall.

Looking for advice/suggestions as to how to set things up to finish these girls off and wondering if I should just go ahead and move them in today, trouble is they're wet and the forecast is rain & cooler temps for several days so how do I dry them off without a repeat of the dreaded overnight bud rot? I do shake them during and after rain. Any additional advice?

[Canuck147]

I agree with you to leave them outside - fairly small buds and all - here's hoping you have a hair dryer - use it with the coolest air that flows out of it. I would - so long as someone with a camera isn't paying attention to you doing it. Or use a house fan. I have both and have used the oscillating fan on one particular grow. Still got some bud rot - but mine I found out it was my 90 watt G8 red flower booster.light.
Good luck.

[Potted]

I was in the same boat as u, I tried shakeing them I went so far as to use a leaf blower to try and dry them out. But thier isn’t much u can do when more rain is forecast.
but chop or cover, if u cover watch out for mold and rot to develop soon with out good airflow. If y chop at least u would have som bud. My2$

[KevinQC]

I dont want to worry you!!!! but hey, she went thru a lot....3 night in the row its was arroud 40°f, winds over 75mph , lots of rain and a mix of all 3 tonight. she is still allive and looking good but im also thinking of bringning her in for a few days untill it gets nicer out

[radial75]

Looking good. So far I've still got mine outside, under covered area at night and back under skies during the day. Had a torrential downpour today fortunately got home in time to avoid the worst of it. Pretty sure fall weather is here to stay and I had better prep that indoor setup, they're gonna need more light than they're getting and late flower I KNOW is doomed with rain.

Canuck147 a certain light can contribute to bud rot?

[Canuck147]

Didn't think it would either - but - had one OG Kush finishing underneath it and one bud from another plant was also directly under it. OG got crinkely leaves in one spot and further inspection revealed bud rot starting in the middle of the bud. I was looking for it cuz almost every grow I've had one cola gets sacrificed to bud rot.
Dealt with the OG and found those same crinkely leaves on that one bud from the other plant that was also under red light. And sure enough - another sacrificed bud due to bud rot. That told me to take the G8-90 watt flower booster out of the tent and back in the box it came in.