When to harvest! expertise opinion please!, getting mixed information regarding this.

[JamesWolverine]

Right so yes of course I can go on the internet and research and I have already done, prefer to do a discussion about this because I'm getting so many different info.
Someone says you have to wait till leaves start yellowing which means the season is up and the plant is ready to be harvested.
Some people wait till all leaves fall off and there's only few leaves left and there's just stem and bud on the plant with few odd leaves.
Some people say wait for 60% of the pistils to turn orange.. some say wait for the THC to get cloudy.
One of my strains is orange, the other ones are still white but theyre all pretty much cloudy and non of them have even started yellowing, the buds do look decent size.

 

[green217]

Let the let the pistils recede back into the bud, this will give you max yield and the end product will be optimal IMO.
There are all kinds of opinions on here, but this method works great for me. I have harvested a little before the pistils receded all the way and was a little disappointed in the yield.
The plant gets a "ready" look to it when it's done. With more experience you will notice this.

 

[qwizoking]

Thy must read the plant

I dont look at trichs

 

[Blueback]

The trichs is all that matters. When there all clouded and a few are turning amber its at peak. If you let it go to much longer the quality will start going back down hill. Basically the more amber they get the more brittle they get and makes it much easier for them to fall off during trimming and curing. If you trying to get something other then max potency go about it another way. But for best quality and potency that is the only way to tell when they're finished

 

[JamesWolverine]

Let the let the pistils recede back into the bud, this will give you max yield and the end product will be optimal IMO.
There are all kinds of opinions on here, but this method works great for me. I have harvested a little before the pistils receded all the way and was a little disappointed in the yield.
The plant gets a "ready" look to it when it's done. With more experience you will notice this.

What do you mean by " receded"

 

[Blueback]

What do you mean by " receded"

Lol wondered that myself.

 

[qwizoking]

Newbs really shouldnt reply and confuse people.

What he means is the pistils will darken usually a red to brown and orange instead of the green-white normally. They recede when that calyx is ripe. When most of a bud has dark pistils, and gets the final "finished" look its good to go.
You cant judge by trichs as some strains produce ckiuded trichs from the stary or even dif colors, ive grown some sativas in particular that always have amber trichs. Not all the terps and compounds are the same color

 

[JamesWolverine]

So you guys think this has anymore growth potential? if so how much longer? btw how exactly does the potency reduce if you leave it too long? I mean not like the plant starts eating its own THC crystals.

 

[green217]

[/ATTACH]

What do you mean by " receded"

Those white hair looking things are called pistols. Once it is ready those white pistils will recede into the calyx. This causes the blood to swell thus giving you more yield. Like this:

See how the pistils have receded? You can barely see them.

 

[green217]

That is a plant that looks ready.

 

[JamesWolverine]

That is a plant that looks ready.

Oh wow so I must have about 2-3 weeks left because despite turning red it's still growing new pistils.

 

[green217]

hard to tell, if u can get a closer shot of a bud it would be easier to tell. Need a close up.

 

[qwizoking]

Light breaks down cannabinoids.
In solution at room temp in typical indoor lighting, thca has a half life as low as 35 days. Bud in the dark is some 400 days
The changing of color in the trichs is when thc starts breaking down, causing clouding then cbn and delta 8 etc and being amber

 

[green217]

Oh wow so I must have about 2-3 weeks left because despite turning red it's still growing new pistils.

Some plants continue to grow pistils for there entire growth cycle. But they usually slow down dramatically. But if you have a lot of pistils showing, it's not ready.

 

[Blueback]

So you guys think this has anymore growth potential? if so how much longer? btw how exactly does the potency reduce if you leave it too long? I mean not like the plant starts eating its own THC crystals.

Simple! Read what I wrote. Easier to break off once they amber. Also its NOT getting any higher in potency, its done. And yes some strains amber up completely at peak especially outdoors. But not most by far expecially indoors.

 

[green217]

Light breaks down cannabinoids.
In solution at room temp in typical indoor lighting, thca has a half life as low as 35 days. Bud in the dark is some 400 days
The changing of color in the trichs is when thc starts breaking down, causing clouding then cbn and delta 8 etc and being amber

r u reffering to harvesting in the dark? as opposed to in the light?

 

[green217]

Simple! Read what I wrote. Easier to break off once they amber. Also its NOT getting any higher in potency, its done. And yes some strains amber up completely at peak especially outdoors. But not most by far expecially indoors.

this is true, indoors I don't get a lot of amber, mostly cloudy

 

[qwizoking]

No..
But most will say to harvest in the morning, and bud should be stored in the dark yes

Amber trichs are not more brittle. That degradation is the crrator of the dreaded perma goo fpr hash makers

Indoors and out makes no dif. I can triple the amount of light the sun throws..

Quit perpetuating misinformation

 

[green217]

IMO let them go as long as you can,

Simple! Read what I wrote. Easier to break off once they amber. Also its NOT getting any higher in potency, its done. And yes some strains amber up completely at peak especially outdoors. But not most by far expecially indoors.

yeah man I'm not sure where your getting your info, but i think you are off base with this post. You are possibly getting this first grower to harvest his crop to early.

 

[xSpirit]

Itz all about experience tbh mate, however you can look at things like colour of the trichs heads, or the plant in general e.g. Is the plant still putting out growth? are the buds getting any thicker? more resinous? even the colour of the leaves.


Basically for a more head high kind of buzz you want to harvest early and for a couchlock buzz you can leave till you believe they are done! This will keep ya on ya ass and will make you feel like your body sinking into the couch... It depends on what kind of buzz you prefer.