How to tell when to harvest if you don't have a loupe, or Don't rely solely on trichomes

[Seamaiden]

I am surprised that no one mentioned the scent cues.
Once you have done a few runs with a favorite strain and gone through all the Amber trichs, browning hairs, dusky stems, yellowing leaves, stalled growth, lack of thirst, clues, pay close attention to the scent change.

Specifically, I cannot discuss the scent cues because after being bitten by a Mojave green rattler, I have a diminished sense of smell. If it's something you can discuss then definitely, include as much of that information as you can, PLEASE. :)

Hi, if you don't mind me asking what is foxtailing also what you u mean by the plant had been let go. Just wanted to ask as i'm new to this.

Foxtailing is a description of the visual appearance of the buds formation. What's desirable in the US (and Canada?) are more dense buds, and if there's any foxtailing (think of a fox's tail, how it's very long but not so thick) then it should be comprised of very fat, peach-like calyxes. (In my opinion, I love peaches.)

Ok all, my plant is 65 days old, what do you think. How much longer? Really getting excited.

That plant shown is a very good depiction of foxtailing. It's got a little way to go I think, another month or so is my guess.

 

[Newtogrowing]

:happy:

Specifically, I cannot discuss the scent cues because after being bitten by a Mojave green rattler, I have a diminished sense of smell. If it's something you can discuss then definitely, include as much of that information as you can, PLEASE. :)

Foxtailing is a description of the visual appearance of the buds formation. What's desirable in the US (and Canada?) are more dense buds, and if there's any foxtailing (think of a fox's tail, how it's very long but not so thick) then it should be comprised of very fat, peach-like calyxes. (In my opinion, I love peaches.)

That plant shown is a very good depiction of foxtailing. It's got a little way to go I think, another month or so is my guess.

Hello Seamaiden, here are a couple of more pic's. She is 70 days old now and I checked the tric,s and they are about 30-50% milky in color and amber color. I believe she is ready. When the lights go off I take a photo and it looks like all the buds are covered in snow. She is so beautiful and packing some power. :happy::happy:

 

[Newtogrowing]

:bored:

:happy:
Hello Seamaiden, here are a couple of more pic's. She is 70 days old now and I checked the tric,s and they are about 30-50% milky in color and amber color. I believe she is ready. When the lights go off I take a photo and it looks like all the buds are covered in snow. She is so beautiful and packing some power. :happy::happy:

I have a question for ya, is it good to put the plants into 24-48 hrs. darkness. I have been reading here and it seems to be like up in the air like 50-50. :bored:

 

[chillywilly]

Greetings
Just coming in on this thread, scanned... I got a few grows in, my usual indicators for cannabis is general pistil change, or burn-out. The plant uses the pistils as sex(pollen) receptors in it's cycle, when its done, the plant usually should b fully formed as trichs(essential oils) have been building for the duration of the flowering, the pistils tell of the plant by % of ' burnt' pistils ... 20%, 50%, 75%, 100% ... Starting from top to down bottom, I found that is this flowers indicator to be true. Up to 75% is good to very good for heady to medium... 100% and days to (usually) Amber( more cbd), up to 50-75% pistils ( more thc)...in some of the ole skool folk declared that Amber was considered degraded thc or overripe flowers. I'm a cmg landscaper for over 30 yrs, ALL plants flowers, fruit herbs etc. have indicators for harvest. Yeah they say cbd is good? medicine or overripe flowers. Case in point a C99 haze pheno, stretchy, 10 week... I let her go tho the pistils had long burnt out, the resins(essential oils) went Amber, C99 is that up type , but this girl tore the house down, 2 hits and go straight to sleep, and wake up grogy... I do up to 50% for clear, yet strong effect...
Peace cw

 

[Seamaiden]

:happy:
Hello Seamaiden, here are a couple of more pic's. She is 70 days old now and I checked the tric,s and they are about 30-50% milky in color and amber color. I believe she is ready. When the lights go off I take a photo and it looks like all the buds are covered in snow. She is so beautiful and packing some power. :happy::happy:

That lady does not look finished to me. She appears to be a little heavy on the Sativa side, which means that if you take her with clear trichome heads you're trending towards a high that may be more anxious, to downright paranoid. One way people will decide with a new strain is to start taking samples, dry them quickly and give 'em a smoke. You might want to do that here. And I'm a little insistent on it because I know how much weight you can get if you're willing to let them go just a little bit longer, til they're done popping pistils and putting on the weight.

These first grows are pretty exciting, aren't they?

I've never done the darkness thing, so I can't really speak to its efficacy or overall effectiveness.

 

[Newtogrowing]

That lady does not look finished to me. She appears to be a little heavy on the Sativa side, which means that if you take her with clear trichome heads you're trending towards a high that may be more anxious, to downright paranoid. One way people will decide with a new strain is to start taking samples, dry them quickly and give 'em a smoke. You might want to do that here. And I'm a little insistent on it because I know how much weight you can get if you're willing to let them go just a little bit longer, til they're done popping pistils and putting on the weight.

These first grows are pretty exciting, aren't they?

I've never done the darkness thing, so I can't really speak to its efficacy or overall effectiveness.

t
Thanks seamaiden I'm going to keep her going and is it alright that I had her one day and darkness and to turn the lights on again and keep her going.

 

[Newtogrowing]

That lady does not look finished to me. She appears to be a little heavy on the Sativa side, which means that if you take her with clear trichome heads you're trending towards a high that may be more anxious, to downright paranoid. One way people will decide with a new strain is to start taking samples, dry them quickly and give 'em a smoke. You might want to do that here. And I'm a little insistent on it because I know how much weight you can get if you're willing to let them go just a little bit longer, til they're done popping pistils and putting on the weight.

These first grows are pretty exciting, aren't they?

I've never done the darkness thing, so I can't really speak to its efficacy or overall effectiveness.

Hi Seamaiden, I did what you said and tried a small sample and believe me or not WOW!!!. Yes WOW. I'm really surprised. But I'm keeping her going for a couple of more weeks. I really want to thank you for all the advise. I will have many more questions down the road. This is a GREAT site. Peace, Love

 

[Seamaiden]

t
Thanks seamaiden I'm going to keep her going and is it alright that I had her one day and darkness and to turn the lights on again and keep her going.

I'm sure she'll be fine if it was just one day. :)

 

[Newtogrowing]

I'm sure she'll be fine if it was just one day. :)

Here she is at 76 days.

 

[Seamaiden]

Have you gone through all the metrics I've outlined in the first post? Your lady looks like she's still pushing out new pistils to me. If she's just doing it on the top bits of the buds, then maybe she's not got all that much longer to go. The first pix I saw looked like she's still pushing out a LOT of new pistils and I hate taking them when they're still doing that.

 

[Newtogrowing]

Have you gone through all the metrics I've outlined in the first post? Your lady looks like she's still pushing out new pistils to me. If she's just doing it on the top bits of the buds, then maybe she's not got all that much longer to go. The first pix I saw looked like she's still pushing out a LOT of new pistils and I hate taking them when they're still doing that.

Your right, I'm gonna let her go until she says enough. I'm starting to cut back on her watering. She just looks so good. But I'm gonna be patient. It is exciting I have to say. Thanks a bunch for helping out a newbie. U have been a great help. Peace out

 

[gardnguyahoy]

That was a great read. Rad thread. Thanks Sea, im fascinated by all this.

Good luck with that auto flower NTG looks chunky and fun : )

 

[billzbudz]

Hey guys,I need a few tips. This is my FIRST outdoor plant, its a bagseed,no idea the strain. I used water only,she started flowering about 5 or6 weeks ago. I planted it the beginning of June. When would the ideal harvest time be? Oct,nov? Or is that to long? Sorry about being such a newbie,I really don't want to ruin this beauty.

 

[gardnguyahoy]

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Hey guys,I need a few tips. This is my FIRST outdoor plant, its a bagseed,no idea the strain. I used water only,she started flowering about 5 or6 weeks ago. I planted it the beginning of June. When would the ideal harvest time be? Oct,nov? Or is that to long? Sorry about being such a newbie,I really don't want to ruin this beauty.

Read the first page or two of this thread. Two or three times. 8 weeks is generally when you should start looking for the signs that shes ready. Read the beginning of the thread and itll answer your questions.

 

[Seamaiden]

First, what he said ^^.

Hey guys,I need a few tips. This is my FIRST outdoor plant, its a bagseed,no idea the strain. I used water only,she started flowering about 5 or6 weeks ago. I planted it the beginning of June. When would the ideal harvest time be? Oct,nov? Or is that to long? Sorry about being such a newbie,I really don't want to ruin this beauty.

Second, depending on your latitude and first date of frost that sounds about right, when we used to have the four seasons here I'd be harvested by mid-October for the rains, now I can push it into November easily the past few years. But, by the looks of her, she may be done soon. It really depends on whether or not she's stalled on the bud building or if it looks like they keep stacking.

 

[billzbudz]

First, what he said ^^.
Second, depending on your latitude and first date of frost that sounds about right, when we used to have the four seasons here I'd be harvested by mid-October for the rains, now I can push it into November easily the past few years. But, by the looks of her, she may be done soon. It really depends on whether or not she's stalled on the bud building or if it looks like they keep stacking.

No frost here,miami. Seems to have slowed down stacking,but still quite a few pistols popping out. Also how would I LOVE able to tell if it's starting to stress and produce seeds? Or is that a myth?

 

[gardnguyahoy]

No frost here,miami. Seems to have slowed down stacking,but still quite a few pistols popping out. Also how would I LOVE able to tell if it's starting to stress and produce seeds? Or is that a myth?

Stress creates herming bananas not seeds, your plant puts its energy into produces the little "nanners" as theyre called and really hinders your plants potential.

Pollen from a male plant will create seeds, wether from you or someone near by whos got one

Hope this helps

 

[billzbudz]

What should I look for to see if it is growing "nanners"? I destroyed the male long ago,before it could harm the lady.lol thanks for any advice,it all helps.

 

[Seamaiden]

No frost here,miami. Seems to have slowed down stacking,but still quite a few pistols popping out. Also how would I LOVE able to tell if it's starting to stress and produce seeds? Or is that a myth?

You'll see survival nanners (another term for the bananas) as long as you're inspecting your girl thoroughly on the regular. That's a late flower thing, tends to happen more to certain strains and I... have I ever seen it outdoors? You know.. I don't think I've ever seen nanners outdoors, only inside. Anyway, I think your girl has a little ways to go. Given location be cognizant of bud rot issues, have some isopropyl on hand and.. ok, now I'm drawing another blank, it's something my brothers and sisters out on the coast use to prevent humidity-caused bud rot. Gah! The blank is complete and total!

 

[billzbudz]

Thanks for the feedback,she's looking nice and frosty today,start in to have a sweet skunky scent,buDs are sticky as hell, I had to remove cobwebs,just a few, but man just by brushing up on them left a sticky feel on my hands. any pointers for a newbie are appreciated.