Mini Microscope @ Radio Shack, $11...Not Having to ask "How Long?"...PRICELESS!!!

[DrGreenFinger]

The best way to find out when your plants will be ready for harvest is to purchase this toy (attach. 1 below). When the white hairs on your plant have begun to turn red, look at the plant through the microscope (up close). You must use the illumination to see anything. What you are looking at is the trichomes (crystals) on the plant (see attach. 2 below). When you see them up close, they will be clear at first. They will gradually become milky/cloudy(see attach. 3 below) , and eventually amber (can take a few weeks). Clear trikes mean it's too early. If you pull the plant when the trikes are majority milky, the bud will produce an "up" buzz. If you harvest when the trikes are mostly amber the bud will produce a "couch lock/narcotic" buzz. You decide what works for you. I would start with a 50/50 combination of milky/amber trikes, and fine tune from there. Happy Harvesting!

 

[DrGreenFinger]

more technically...

Gland color will vary with ripeness of the individual THC glands, starting at clear, turning
to milky, then turning to an amber color. There may be some exceptions, such as some of
the Blue strains and Blackberry.These will have darker, sometimes purple gland heads.
But by far and large, these three steps of ripeness will exist with the vast majority of
strains on the market. The first stage, clear, will tend to make for a more cerebral, up
high, withvery little body effect. Harvesting at this stage when little if any trichomes are
milky yet, can be tricky. Harvesting too early can make for a beautiful marijuana plant
that will not have much psychoactive capability! THC needs to "mature" to be able to pass
its psychoactive capabilities down to the smoker. This is why I always recommend waiting
until 50% of the trichomes hit the second stage: milky or creamy. At this point, you will
definitely have a marijuana plant which has reached its genetic potential.
The milky trichomes have some "cerebral" qualities, as well as some of the more
"physical" characteristics of the high. The last stage, amber, brings on a more sedative,
physical stone. If this is what you're looking for, than I would recommend a sativa/indica
cross, or an indica dominant marijuana plant.
Amber trichomes seem to ruin a sativa high if the marijuana plant goes too long. The
above photo is a good example of a ripe marijuana plant: at least 50% of the gland heads
have turned "milky," some heads are still clear, and a few are amber. This marijuana
plant was harvested two days later.​

Curing Marijuana Plants, How to Harvest and Cure a Cannabis Plant and Marijuana
harvesting​

https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/4225-looking-trichomes.html [2008-06-09 13:09]

ALSO:

 

[Ghost420]

good stuff man i have one of them and it really cool to see all the stuff. my girls still have a couple weeks but i took a small leaf at a bud site and was looking it really interesting

 

[DrGreenFinger]

sorry...

 

[DrGreenFinger]

good stuff man i have one of them and it really cool to see all the stuff. my girls still have a couple weeks but i took a small leaf at a bud site and was looking it really interesting

yeah it is. i once saw something that resembled an ice world or something. i tried to take a pic through the eyepiece dunce: ) but it didn't come out very clear.

 

[MrFishy]

You should be aware that this "toy" is tricky to use without it touching/damaging the trich heads. After smashing a few heads trying to see clearly, I realized I should focus it in on something else, like my current stash, striving to see from as far away as possible (seems like maybe 1/2").
It helps to gently hold the growth in your left hand and then slowly move in with the scope in your right until the trichs come into view. This allows you to use the thumb on the bud holding hand as a judge of how close you are, and helps steady your view.
Sitting while looking seems to be steadier than standing.

Just don't expect to turn it on and see immediately. It takes some practice.
Obviously, reverse things if you're a lefty.

 

[notorious]

hell ya great info...

 

[DrGreenFinger]

You should be aware that this "toy" is tricky to use without it touching/damaging the trich heads. After smashing a few heads trying to see clearly, I realized I should focus it in on something else, like my current stash, striving to see from as far away as possible (seems like maybe 1/2").
It helps to gently hold the growth in your left hand and then slowly move in with the scope in your right until the trichs come into view. This allows you to use the thumb on the bud holding hand as a judge of how close you are, and helps steady your view.

Just don't expect to turn it on and see immediately. It takes some practice.
Obviously, reverse things if you're a lefty.

i almost took mine back at first, i couldnt see jack! thanks for the tips.

does contacting the trikes create considerable damage? will you notice a difference in the end product? will indications on a leaf parallel that of a bud, or will the bud give a different indication?

 

[MrFishy]

i almost took mine back at first, i couldnt see jack! thanks for the tips.

does contacting the trikes create considerable damage? will you notice a difference in the end product? will indications on a leaf parallel that of a bud, or will the bud give a different indication?

I did too, but it has smooshed trich on it and smells funny!

As long as you're aware and careful, the damage would be nominal and not really affect the outcome . . . of millions/billions of trich-heads.

I just wish I'd have found this post before I first used mine.

 

[DrGreenFinger]

I did too, but it has smooshed trich on it and smells funny!

hell yeah! alcohol will clean it up nicely.