Trichomes & Harvesting

Here's those pics I promised like a week ago......! The forum resized them so you can't see the trichomes as well as I would have liked but let me know what you think. I think they're ready.
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They are at 70 days in flower. It is a sativa dominant strain so I guess 70 isn't too bad. But ya how long do you think? These pics are lower branch buds because pics of top colas always seem to come out blurred when I try to use them to look at the trichs. But ya I'm starting to see amber trichs on the leaves so I figured its gotta be close... Thanks for your insight as this is my first grow and I'd hate to harvest prematurely.
 

k0ijn

Scientia Cannabis
Here's those pics I promised like a week ago......! The forum resized them so you can't see the trichomes as well as I would have liked but let me know what you think. I think they're ready.
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Your plants look healthy but I don't think they're quite there yet.
How many amber trichomes would you guesstimate?

Based on the pictures and info I'd say about 1-2 weeks left.
But some of the pictures look a bit like foxtailing which might mean you're closer to peak harvest than 1-2 weeks.

You should be very happy with the result so far, it seems like you've grown the plant properly, with proper amount of nutrients and under proper conditions.
 
Your plants look healthy but I don't think they're quite there yet.
How many amber trichomes would you guesstimate?

Based on the pictures and info I'd say about 1-2 weeks left.
But some of the pictures look a bit like foxtailing which might mean you're closer to peak harvest than 1-2 weeks.

You should be very happy with the result so far, it seems like you've grown the plant properly, with proper amount of nutrients and under proper conditions.
Thanks K0ijn. I think I may have bit off a little more than I could chew with 18 plants for this first timer but it seems like they are doing well. I'd estimate around 1-5% amber, 70-80% cloudy and somewhere around 15% clear. I'm very happy with the results so far but the true test will come when I'm able to enjoy the finished product. I've ordered a couple of the western caliber III hygrometers to use after drying so hopefully my cure turns out well!

Here's some pics of the canopy rather than close ups of the trichomes.
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k0ijn

Scientia Cannabis
Thanks K0ijn. I think I may have bit off a little more than I could chew with 18 plants for this first timer but it seems like they are doing well. I'd estimate around 1-5% amber, 70-80% cloudy and somewhere around 15% clear. I'm very happy with the results so far but the true test will come when I'm able to enjoy the finished product. I've ordered a couple of the western caliber III hygrometers to use after drying so hopefully my cure turns out well!

Here's some pics of the canopy rather than close ups of the trichomes.
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You're welcome :leaf:
Tbh it doesn't look like you've bitten off more than you could chew.
With the pictures you just posted I can honestly say I'm impressed, you should be very proud of what you've achieved.

The calyxes look very good and swollen but with the numbers you've given me about the trichomes I'd still hold fast.
The plants could use 1-2 weeks more, to let them fully bloom, trust me it'll be worth it.

You're going to get a great harvest, just make sure you've got drying & curing under control.

For someone who hasn't grown a lot you're doing really well.
It's actually one of the finest 'amateur' grows I've ever seen.

It seems like the scientific and analytic approach is doing you very good :weed:
 
Good to hear that it's all going well, it's a fair amount for a first harvest I'd say.
Especially since the harvest, dry and cure is done properly so you will get the full effect of the strain.
Thanks again k0ijn. The information you've put together, as well as the advice you gave, were very helpful for the flowering period. I want you to know how truly appreciative I am. Your kind words about my humble first grow are also very encouraging. :)

I will be curing for a while. Every day when I air the jars, the aromas seem to become more intricate, more complex. It's thrilling to say the least...
 

Guitar Man

Well-Known Member
I'm glad you found it helpful :leaf:

Hopefully your next harvest will be even better than the previous!

I'm not sure exactly what you mean about the decrease in water absorption.
I haven't spotted this myself, in fact my plants usually get more 'hungry' the older they get.
In the research I did, I found where some said that MJ will not use as much water towards the end of its life. In both of my grows, when the leaves turned yellow and the plant was winding down for harvest, I did not have to water my plant as often. I recorded every watering cycle throughout both grows, and water consumption decreased before chop, chop. In fact, this is 1 of the last signs I look for before cutting.
 
Although it doesn't make as big as a difference as Sativa V Indica, amber trichomes actually do add to the more sedative high. CBN is psychoactive and it's what gives most of sedation of the high. It DOES help with anti-inflammatory too. CBD gives the pain relieving and all that good stuff. It wouldn't make a HUGE difference really, but it would definitely help. bongsmilie
 

k0ijn

Scientia Cannabis
Although it doesn't make as big as a difference as Sativa V Indica, amber trichomes actually do add to the more sedative high. CBN is psychoactive and it's what gives most of sedation of the high. It DOES help with anti-inflammatory too. CBD gives the pain relieving and all that good stuff. It wouldn't make a HUGE difference really, but it would definitely help. bongsmilie
Well I'm sorry, but there's no proof of that being true.
CBN is 90-260% less psychoactive than THC, the exact number is not know for sure but it's somewhere between those two numbers.
THC is also sedative. As are most other cannabinoids.

To say CBN is what gives most of sedation of the high is ridiculous. Because it's so much less psychoactive than THC which itself has sedative properties.
And many other cannabinoids affect the high much more so than CBN (since most experienced growers don't let their plants attain a high number of amber trichomes (CBN)).
CBD is not the only cannabinoid which is analgesic. THC is also analgesic, as is CBG.

It sounds a bit like you're grasping at straws trying to prove an irrelevant (and wrong) point.
 

k0ijn

Scientia Cannabis
In the research I did, I found where some said that MJ will not use as much water towards the end of its life. In both of my grows, when the leaves turned yellow and the plant was winding down for harvest, I did not have to water my plant as often. I recorded every watering cycle throughout both grows, and water consumption decreased before chop, chop. In fact, this is 1 of the last signs I look for before cutting.
Well if you let the leaves turn yellow (invoke a deficiency basically) then of course the plant wouldn't require as much feeding, since parts of it has died (or is in the process of feeding on itself).
If you don't cause a deficiency then your plant will still require the same (maybe even greater) amount of feeding throughout flowering.
 
Very nicely said, but aren't you supposed to harvest indica when it's mostly amber and sative when it's mostly cloudy? Someone told me sativa is ready to harvest when it's 80% Cloudy and 20% amber and indica when it's 3/4 amber and 1/4 cloudy. He told me both of his indica strains are cloudy from the start.
(Short rider and some cheese strain)
 
Very nicely said, but aren't you supposed to harvest indica when it's mostly amber and sative when it's mostly cloudy? Someone told me sativa is ready to harvest when it's 80% Cloudy and 20% amber and indica when it's 3/4 amber and 1/4 cloudy. He told me both of his indica strains are cloudy from the start.
(Short rider and some cheese strain)
Hey shadeforlife. I think that's the point if the thread. There is a lot of misinformation about the best time to harvest, specifically in this post, utilizing trichomes to know when to harvest. k0ijn makes the point that despite what you've been told. The best time to harvest is with the highest percentage of cloudy trichomes because that is when the THC is most potent. Amber trichomes means they have degraded from their most potent form. Therefore indica or sativa would not matter. You just want the highest percentage of cloudy trichomes though indicas will most often reach that point sooner than sativas. Which may have led to the myth that you want more amber trichomes in indicas.
 

roachfinder

Well-Known Member
hey i got my internet turned off the other day and since then I harvested. but before i did i had it in the dark for about 50-51 hours. what exactly does it do for the bud and trichomes???
 

yesum

Well-Known Member
Well I'm sorry, but there's no proof of that being true.
CBN is 90-260% less psychoactive than THC, the exact number is not know for sure but it's somewhere between those two numbers.
THC is also sedative. As are most other cannabinoids.

To say CBN is what gives most of sedation of the high is ridiculous. Because it's so much less psychoactive than THC which itself has sedative properties.
And many other cannabinoids affect the high much more so than CBN (since most experienced growers don't let their plants attain a high number of amber trichomes (CBN)).
CBD is not the only cannabinoid which is analgesic. THC is also analgesic, as is CBG.

It sounds a bit like you're grasping at straws trying to prove an irrelevant (and wrong) point.
Well whatever does it, more amber equals more sedative for me.

I find if I get quite a few amber( 10 to 20%), then if I look elsewhere on the buds I can still find quite a few clear. So letting some amber does not make for less cloudy trichs than not letting them amber up.
If I were to chop at first sign of amber or even before that would make for a lot of clear trichs. Also, I do not like the high of earlier chopped buds.
 

charles0011

Member
This may be a bit off toppic. I am growing AK-48 along with Blue mistic. I am in my 7th week into flowerering. The tops are almost ready for harvest. Can I cut the top part of the plant and keep growing the bottom part of the plant. I am growing in soil and the girls are under a 400w light. The bottom half of my girls are just starting to get signs of the trichomes and the pistals are no ware showing signs of changing color the are still white and are starting to grow very well and filling out. I rased all the shorter plants up to the hight of my larger plants and have removed all the larger leaves for more light and have been feeding molasses the last week. any imput bwould be welcomed
 
do u think these are ready? I am kind of monitoring them remotely (confusing story) and havent gotten a chance to go check on them but these are the pix i just had sent to me. they are at 9 weeks if you include the week for transition.thanks for your advice

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