[strider26554]

We've all seen them, the threads asking, "Is she done yet?" or "Is she ready?" The vast majority of farmers are well familiar with using trichomes as the gauge for figuring out when to harvest their crop. Hopefully the newbies have gone through the two DJ Short threads posted up in this forum by Texas Kid. While everyone's at it, read this quick primer to help round out the harvest window picture for you.

Those who've got enough grows with enough strains under their belts are going to know that not all strains' trichomes will change color in the 'usual' manner, and in fact some strains trichomes will never change color until after harvesting. I've run strains on which the trichomes never got cloudy, they went from clear to amber, and I've run strains with purple trichomes that never got cloudy or amber.

And so, to that end, I'm doing another one of my threads to discuss what other metrics can be used to tell when a lady should be harvested.


Don't rely solely on trichomes for harvesting.

​

1: Pistils. Is she throwing out tons of new pistils, or is she just popping a few whities here and there, mostly at the tops of the buds, with an overall red appearance? If still popping out a lot of new pistils, she may have a little longer to go just yet.​

​

2: Buds. Are they still growing noticeably, or does it seem they've stopped growing? If still growing noticeably, the plant has more time left to go. Don't shortchange yourself by getting impatient for the chop!​

​

3: Appearance. Does the plant have an autumnal appearance? Especially once the major fan leaves begin yellowing, then you know you're nearing that finish line. This may be a more or less reliable metric depending on how you feed. Many folks continue pushing N long into flower, possibly all the way through, depending on their fertilizing regimen, and that can cause the plants to retain an overall bright green coloration. That makes this metric a little less reliable if taken on its own.​

​

4: Water/fertilizer consumption. If it's still taking in a lot of water, it's still transpiring actively, which would suggest it's still growing actively. If it's still 'eating' as it was during the earlier phases of flower, then again, she likely still has some time. If it seems to have stopped drinking and eating, as some put it, then it's likely done.​

Now, add these other metrics to trichomes and you'll know when your girls are done and how you want to handle them. :)

I actually have a couple of plants still growing that have all
A: never changed from clear trichomes.
B: after the main pistils have died back never formed any new ones and the discolored ones mostly all fell off.
C: trichomes on a few plants are still clear but have a yellowish tinge to them.
D: have had the autumnal look about them since late july.
E: haven't grown (or shrank), or hermed out or any signs of reveg.
These were plants that came out of a batch of skunk strain seeds that just looked different from the get go, they grow slower but looked very healthy and vibrant, but most def had the indica dominant characteristics that almost all my plants have, they just have a completely different and abnormal flowering stage and either arent ripening as usual, every other aspect ive covered, no PH probs, no nute def, no lighting diferences, its almost as though theybare in stasis, they smell fantastic and the buds look fat and healthy, but the other plants that were planted alongside them are in jars now and these are still in dirt.

 

[strider26554]

I also think it's a shame that cannabis had to be hidden inside and grown with artificial lights and pumped up with chemicals as many do. Hopefully as attitudes are changing and legalization is on the horizon, we can grow freely and naturally outdo

Excellent post/thread Seamaiden



From what ive read, Amber trichomes are "overripe"
Mostly cloudy and fat is what im shooting for..
I dont always get the "fade" in my beds
I mostly use the "new Pistils" and the "is it still growing?"as my gage
edit to add;
47 days..and waiting a tiny bit longer.:)
View attachment 418892

It cant posably be done in 47 days...could it?

very sage advise. and it looks like mine do when i chop.

 

[Edinburg]

If u have enough experience u can just tell, however I would advise u to get a good glass or loupe bc you do chop by trichome.

 

[Wee Zard]

very sage advise. and it looks like mine do when i chop.

Yes they can. Have a kine that gets amber at 49 days.

 

[Richard1234]

We've all seen them, the threads asking, "Is she done yet?" or "Is she ready?" The vast majority of farmers are well familiar with using trichomes as the gauge for figuring out when to harvest their crop. Hopefully the newbies have gone through the two DJ Short threads posted up in this forum by Texas Kid. While everyone's at it, read this quick primer to help round out the harvest window picture for you.

Those who've got enough grows with enough strains under their belts are going to know that not all strains' trichomes will change color in the 'usual' manner, and in fact some strains trichomes will never change color until after harvesting. I've run strains on which the trichomes never got cloudy, they went from clear to amber, and I've run strains with purple trichomes that never got cloudy or amber.

And so, to that end, I'm doing another one of my threads to discuss what other metrics can be used to tell when a lady should be harvested.


Don't rely solely on trichomes for harvesting.

​

1: Pistils. Is she throwing out tons of new pistils, or is she just popping a few whities here and there, mostly at the tops of the buds, with an overall red appearance? If still popping out a lot of new pistils, she may have a little longer to go just yet.​

​

2: Buds. Are they still growing noticeably, or does it seem they've stopped growing? If still growing noticeably, the plant has more time left to go. Don't shortchange yourself by getting impatient for the chop!​

​

3: Appearance. Does the plant have an autumnal appearance? Especially once the major fan leaves begin yellowing, then you know you're nearing that finish line. This may be a more or less reliable metric depending on how you feed. Many folks continue pushing N long into flower, possibly all the way through, depending on their fertilizing regimen, and that can cause the plants to retain an overall bright green coloration. That makes this metric a little less reliable if taken on its own.​

​

4: Water/fertilizer consumption. If it's still taking in a lot of water, it's still transpiring actively, which would suggest it's still growing actively. If it's still 'eating' as it was during the earlier phases of flower, then again, she likely still has some time. If it seems to have stopped drinking and eating, as some put it, then it's likely done.​

Now, add these other metrics to trichomes and you'll know when your girls are done and how you want to handle them. :)

Bloody brilliant! Thanks heaps !!

 

[Justin_Time1718]

Wow you guys are pretty knowledgeable.
This is my 1st grow i think I'm getting close to harvest what do you guy's think ?

 

[GNick55]

Wow you guys are pretty knowledgeable.
This is my 1st grow i think I'm getting close to harvest what do you guy's think ?

start your own tread

 

[Respect79]

We've all seen them, the threads asking, "Is she done yet?" or "Is she ready?" The vast majority of farmers are well familiar with using trichomes as the gauge for figuring out when to harvest their crop. Hopefully the newbies have gone through the two DJ Short threads posted up in this forum by Texas Kid. While everyone's at it, read this quick primer to help round out the harvest window picture for you.

Those who've got enough grows with enough strains under their belts are going to know that not all strains' trichomes will change color in the 'usual' manner, and in fact some strains trichomes will never change color until after harvesting. I've run strains on which the trichomes never got cloudy, they went from clear to amber, and I've run strains with purple trichomes that never got cloudy or amber.

And so, to that end, I'm doing another one of my threads to discuss what other metrics can be used to tell when a lady should be harvested.


Don't rely solely on trichomes for harvesting.

​

1: Pistils. Is she throwing out tons of new pistils, or is she just popping a few whities here and there, mostly at the tops of the buds, with an overall red appearance? If still popping out a lot of new pistils, she may have a little longer to go just yet.​

​

2: Buds. Are they still growing noticeably, or does it seem they've stopped growing? If still growing noticeably, the plant has more time left to go. Don't shortchange yourself by getting impatient for the chop!​

​

3: Appearance. Does the plant have an autumnal appearance? Especially once the major fan leaves begin yellowing, then you know you're nearing that finish line. This may be a more or less reliable metric depending on how you feed. Many folks continue pushing N long into flower, possibly all the way through, depending on their fertilizing regimen, and that can cause the plants to retain an overall bright green coloration. That makes this metric a little less reliable if taken on its own.​

​

4: Water/fertilizer consumption. If it's still taking in a lot of water, it's still transpiring actively, which would suggest it's still growing actively. If it's still 'eating' as it was during the earlier phases of flower, then again, she likely still has some time. If it seems to have stopped drinking and eating, as some put it, then it's likely done.​

Now, add these other metrics to trichomes and you'll know when your girls are done and how you want to handle them. :)

 

[Respect79]

How long you think?

 

[420always420]

I live in super hot high desert so I have amber trics very early and don't get the cold to help fade. How about how the calyxes look? I've heard that the calyxes will plump and swoll a lot right around harvest time. Like almost all calyxes will be nice and plump poking out of sugar leaves. Is this a correct way to help determine readiness when trics aren't applicable? Also temps still 100°+ so can't tell if drinking less water or not since pots will dry out with or without plants in them. Thanks any advice on this would be appreciated.


Ps. Does anyone know of the 2 dj short threads the op @seamadien is referring?

 

[Organic13]

I live in super hot high desert so I have amber trics very early and don't get the cold to help fade. How about how the calyxes look? I've heard that the calyxes will plump and swoll a lot right around harvest time. Like almost all calyxes will be nice and plump poking out of sugar leaves. Is this a correct way to help determine readiness when trics aren't applicable? Also temps still 100°+ so can't tell if drinking less water or not since pots will dry out with or without plants in them. Thanks any advice on this would be appreciated.


Ps. Does anyone know of the 2 dj short threads the op @seamadien is referring?

I only found this one.

Thread 'Harvest Your Herb by DJ Short' https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/harvest-your-herb-by-dj-short.73/

 

[420always420]

Thanks for the link

 

[kdd]

Hoe do u tell if they stop drinking as mentioned above

 

[Galgrows]

Hoe do u tell if they stop drinking as mentioned above

Listen up hoe if this is how you speak........the pot stays heavy for over 7days it ain't drinking.

 

[MisterB]

Thanks to all for the bits of information that do help me. I'm a blind man and am trying to figure out when the plants are ready for harvest based on smell, touch and uptake of nutrients. One person in this thread recommended squeezing the flowers. I'll see if that works. I can measure TDS so maybe that will help. Any other advice that doesn't rely on sight would be appreciated.

 

[BearWater]

Thanks to all for the bits of information that do help me. I'm a blind man and am trying to figure out when the plants are ready for harvest based on smell, touch and uptake of nutrients. One person in this thread recommended squeezing the flowers. I'll see if that works. I can measure TDS so maybe that will help. Any other advice that doesn't rely on sight would be appreciated.

I think you keeping track of timing is going to be your best friend here! Do you have someone you trust around your plants to maybe take some pics and or check them out with you? Squeezing them on top of knowing the timeline of when you flipped and the general flower cycle or your strain is going to help you out a lot!

Im newer to indoor growing but am more than happy to help you out the most I can. Feel free to reach out private message or start a thread “asking for help” explaining your situation.

 

[MisterB]

I'm growing GSC indoors so maybe the strain will have some parameters that will help me. I do have people around who can see to use for looking at the plants but for me, the fun of this is trying to find ways to do the whole grow process without needing sight.

 

[Newty]

I'm growing GSC indoors so maybe the strain will have some parameters that will help me. I do have people around who can see to use for looking at the plants but for me, the fun of this is trying to find ways to do the whole grow process without needing sight.

2 grows ago in one of my smaller tents, I started using AC Infinity self watering bases.
I noticed the closer I got to harvest, the less often I had to refill them so I thought that's a pretty good indication of the plant being ready.
Idk if I would rely solely on it though.

For it to work with hand watering, you would have to water the exact amount every time and see how long it takes it to drink that much water.
With other cues from the plant, maybe it could work.

 

[SantaMartared]

Another gage that I use is the trichomes starting to bend and look somewhat like a candy cane. I totally agree on the trichomes color....my Purple Jones turns rusty before done and Chem 4 will frustrate the shit out of you waiting and waiting....
Good thread as usual Sea.

I agree.When the trikes bend over ,it is time.

 

[Oldchucky]

2 grows ago in one of my smaller tents, I started using AC Infinity self watering bases.
I noticed the closer I got to harvest, the less often I had to refill them so I thought that's a pretty good indication of the plant being ready.
Idk if I would rely solely on it though.

For it to work with hand watering, you would have to water the exact amount every time and see how long it takes it to drink that much water.
With other cues from the plant, maybe it could work.

You can give it a try, but I think for the best results you’re gonna have to have somebody scope out the tri-combs for you! The best your way is going to do is get you in a pretty big ballpark! Good luck with it! At least you’re giving it a good try!