yeah being that your trying to rush to get it done before the frost..... i would say do it soon and yeah 2 times the amount of the plant pot, thats what i am planning on, doing it in the bath tub and letting her drain in there. i wouldn't say wait till the plant is starting to die (get brown and wither) you should take a magnifiying glass and look at the crystals to see if they have 50% amber its not really about the hairs cause they can misslead its really about the crystals, anyway it should be some good smoke anyway even if you do have to chop it down earlier, it would just mean that you would have more of an active high than a couchlock