Proper harvesting?

[FourTwenny]

So it's about a week until harvest and I was wondering about the proper way to cut the buds off. One method I heard is the only way to go is that you cut the entire plant off at the stock and hang it upside down. This allows the THC in the stock to flow to the buds.

Another option I heard is that you need to cut the buds off little by little, like some off the top and wait for the buds under the tops (now being exposed to more light) to mature before they are cut.

The latter option seems to be the way to go for me as I have a weak light (CFL) that hasn't allowed much light to get to the buds below the top, so i have orangey hairs on top and the majority below that havent shown signs of maturity yet so i figured I would have to let them mature before harvesting anyway.

Please let me know if this isn't a good way to harvest (whether it may damage the plant or the bud or what not). Also if you have any other tips for the last week, such as how much mollasses is good to mix in the water and whether or not I should use nutes. Also, If i harvest from the top down instead of all at once, what is the best way to cure; would I still hang those upside down or would I just put them in containers such as mason jars and let them cure like that? Thanks, plus rep for helpful responses.

 

[hotdogtc90]

If the buds on the botton, have not been getting light then cut from the top, and wait for the lower ones. You will still have to hang the ones you cut for about 5-7 days, or untill the bud is relitivly dry, the stem should bend not snap. Once your buds are at that point you can start to cure, you will prob be in the curing procces befor the other buds are ready. hope this helps a little



the last weeks befor harvest you should flush your plant, use 2x the pot its in with only ph'ed water

 

[Kottonmouth king15]

I use cfl&t12s so i harvesst in sections.tops 1st& then drop lights down&finish bottom of plants.worked great& i plan to do it this way again.nothing happened but the bottoms buds got lil bigger&mature.

 

[FourTwenny]

Thanks for the help guys. And as i have heard, the best time to cut them off is when almost all the white hairs turn orange right? I hear that cutting too soon will hurt the plants potential for those buds and waiting too long will ruin the bud or something.

 

[anonymuss]

fourtwenny versus spenny?

 

[Serapis]

Don't rely on just the stigmas to know when to harvest. The should definitely be retracting back into the calyxes and starting to turn red or brown or orange. What you want to pay attention to is the condition of the trichomes that secrete the resin. The should be about 70% milky, or cloudy. If you are looking for a couch lock buzz or heavy body buzz as in indicas, wait for about 20% of the trichomes to be amber in color, indicating that THC is being converted to CBD.

 

[Howard Stern]

Thanks for the help guys. And as i have heard, the best time to cut them off is when almost all the white hairs turn orange right? I hear that cutting too soon will hurt the plants potential for those buds and waiting too long will ruin the bud or something.

Looking at the hairs gives you a good idea on when to chop, but the best way is to look at the trichomes. Here is a site to help you out give it a read.

http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/mjgrow9c.htm

You can pick up a scope at Radio shack for under $20 so there isn't really any reason not to get one. If you go by hairs alone you are gonna want to wait until %80 of them are red and pulling back into the bud! When they are pulling back into the bud that gives you a good idea that they are done. If you harvest too early you don't ruin the bud per say it just wont reach its full potential. And to late is the same thing, it won't be ruined just not full potential. Your plants will give you sighns when it is ready and as you get more grows under your belt you will learn how to read your plants.

 

[Howard Stern]

Don't rely on just the stigmas to know when to harvest. The should definitely be retracting back into the calyxes and starting to turn red or brown or orange. What you want to pay attention to is the condition of the trichomes that secrete the resin. The should be about 70% milky, or cloudy. If you are looking for a couch lock buzz or heavy body buzz as in indicas, wait for about 20% of the trichomes to be amber in color, indicating that THC is being converted to CBD.

Good advice also!

 

[FourTwenny]

fourtwenny versus spenny?

If your trying to insinuate that im a noob, then your fucking correct and Im damn proud to be on my first grow, douche. BTW, you spelled anonymous wrong. and don't worry, FourTwenny is the correct spelling, son.

Thanks for the help guys. As I understand it, the trichomes are what appear to be "crystals" correct? Serapis, you said wait for the trichomes to be milky, but also something about them being the amber color of the hairs. That has a little confused, are they supposed to be both milky and amber? or were you talking about the "hairs"? Also, if I was going for more of the "head high"

Mr. Stern, thanks for the info, I have a cheap magnifying glass that doesnt seem to get the job done, which is why I became confused in the first place about what to look for.

 

[creaster]

what serapis means is that the trichomes will start to decay as they
the bud gets over mature meaning that some of the trichomes
will start to turn an amber colour increasing the amount of CBD in the bud
so when most of the trichomes are milky/cloudy and some are going
amber this is the best time to harvest.if you leave it longer CBD increases
and counters the high so as more trichomes turn amber the less high you will get
hope this has made clear what serapis said very well the first time good luck

EDIT!! pics of the trichomes would help if you want someone in the know to give you more info

 

[FourTwenny]

ha this is kinda funny cuz i have heard through hightimes mag that CBD and the endo-cannibinol system (or whatever the correct term or spelling is) and how it interacts with cannibinol receptors in your brain is actually responsible for the development of human intelligence... so i'm wondering if maybe I would also benefit from leaving it be for a bit lol.

I do understand a lot better now what to look for and im meticulous and a perfectionist at that so i will handle it lol