Is it time to harvest yet?

[jfm]

I realize I've been bugging you guys several times regarding harvest time, but this is my first grow and don't want to screw it up now. I'm in Ohio and temps have been dropping into low 30s at night. I have two plants in pots which I've been bringing inside at night, but days have also been getting quite cool and damp. Should I harvest these yet? I've read lots of online material about this but I'm not sure what to do with this weather. It appears that that most (all?) of the pistils have darkened but trichomes are still cloudy. Should I cut my losses, and harvest and dry now or continue for longer at 50s and 60s temps? Thank you to everyone who has given me advice prior.

 

[cbrians]

Hey @Organic13 this guy needs some ohio advice^^

I harvested one plant based on pistols cuz my friend that grows does; he just chops when the orange hairs curl in like a fist.

I used a usb microscope to check trichomes, cost about 20 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CK1VJQYY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Either way chunky nugs, good job man.

 

[Organic13]

Hello JFM.

When you say your trichomes are still cloudy, do you mean clear? If your trichomes are cloudy and it is the majority of them with some amber, you can harvest. This decision is up to you though, as I don't know what your high preference is.

I have harvested all of mine and I am in Ohio. Mine were all ready to be harvested though.

Our lows during the day aren't too low for this plant (not yet anyway). If you have the ability to move these in at night and your trichomes are still clear, I'd wait. You don't want your plants to see temps below freezing, if you can help it. Keep in mind, my lows aren't hitting until 7 am or so. Don't put them back out before it has warmed up a bit.

What are you using to look at your trichomes? If you are using a loupe or a microscope that has an LED light, try using sunlight or a different type of lighting. Some of these lights make cloudy trichs appear clear when they aren't.

Good luck.

 

[jfm]

Hey @Organic13 this guy needs some ohio advice^^

I harvested one plant based on pistols cuz my friend that grows does; he just chops when the orange hairs curl in like a fist.

I used a usb microscope to check trichomes, cost about 20 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CK1VJQYY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Either way chunky nugs, good job man.

Thank you!

 

[jfm]

Hey @Organic13 this guy needs some ohio advice^^

I harvested one plant based on pistols cuz my friend that grows does; he just chops when the orange hairs curl in like a fist.

I used a usb microscope to check trichomes, cost about 20 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CK1VJQYY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Either way chunky nugs, good job man.

Thank you!

 

[jfm]

Hello JFM.

When you say your trichomes are still cloudy, do you mean clear? If your trichomes are cloudy and it is the majority of them with some amber, you can harvest. This decision is up to you though, as I don't know what your high preference is.

I have harvested all of mine and I am in Ohio. Mine were all ready to be harvested though.

Our lows during the day aren't too low for this plant (not yet anyway). If you have the ability to move these in at night and your trichomes are still clear, I'd wait. You don't want your plants to see temps below freezing, if you can help it. Keep in mind, my lows aren't hitting until 7 am or so. Don't put them back out before it has warmed up a bit.

What are you using to look at your trichomes? If you are using a loupe or a microscope that has an LED light, try using sunlight or a different type of lighting. Some of these lights make cloudy trichs appear clear when they aren't.

Good luck.

Hi Organic13. To me it looks like no trichomes have yet darkened. I use a 10X loupe and small LED flashlight to inspect. I just now went and looked again under sunlight also but being new to the game I'm still not sure if the trichomes have gone from clear to cloudy. I'm thinking cloudy - if you expand the bottom cropped pic can you tell? Either way it sounds like I'm still a bit early then? If I harvest now can you tell me how that would affect the thc effects?

When you say your trichomes are still cloudy, do you mean clear? If your trichomes are cloudy and it is the majority of them with some amber, you can harvest. This decision is up to you though, as I don't know what your high preference is.

I have harvested all of mine and I am in Ohio. Mine were all ready to be harvested though.

Our lows during the day aren't too low for this plant (not yet anyway). If you have the ability to move these in at night and your trichomes are still clear, I'd wait. You don't want your plants to see temps below freezing, if you can help it. Keep in mind, my lows aren't hitting until 7 am or so. Don't put them back out before it has warmed up a bit.

What are you using to look at your trichomes? If you are using a loupe or a microscope that has an LED light, try using sunlight or a different type of lighting. Some of these lights make cloudy trichs appear clear when they aren't.

Good luck.

 

[cbrians]

I couldn’t see a damn thing until I got the micrsocope. Fucked with the loupe for like a week.

 

[jfm]

I couldn’t see a damn thing until I got the micrsocope. Fucked with the loupe for like a week.

Thanks. Besides a loupe I also have one of those microscopes popular with coin collectors. Maybe I'll trim a small leaf and look at it through this.

 

[Organic13]

Sorry. I logged off earlier and haven't been on much.

I can't see that good. My loupe is 30x and 60x. My trichomes are clear to spot with the 60x. Definitely use your microscope that is for coins. You'll be able to see the difference. Keep in mind, trichomes ripen much faster on your sugar leaves. It is best to look at your actual bud. The image @cbrians shared above is excellent at showing the different stages of trichome ripeness.

I haven't seen any pictures of your trichomes. I wouldn't know if it is ready. To answer your last question, your high will definitely be affected if you pick your buds early. Think of them like watermelons or corn, if you pick them too early, they aren't edible. While you can still smoke bud picked early, it won't do what you want it to.

 

[Organic13]

I held very still to take photos of my trichomes through the loupe. I also used my zoom feature on my camera. Takes practice and you must be very steady or use a stand. Same with your microscope.

 

[Newty]

Thanks. Besides a loupe I also have one of those microscopes popular with coin collectors. Maybe I'll trim a small leaf and look at it through this.

Don't look at the leaf trichomes, you need to look at the trichomes directly on the buds.
Leaf trichomes can turn cloudy weeks before the buds do.

For quick inspections, I use the AC Infinity loupe which has 30x and 60x. You can see the trichomes quite well, I rarely pull out the microscope anymore other then after harvest and just playing around.
I find it difficult to get a steady shot when the plant is still growing.

 

[cbrians]

I held very still to take photos of my trichomes through the loupe. I also used my zoom feature on my camera. Takes practice and you must be very steady or use a stand. Same with your microscope.

show off

 

[BlueSkiesAhead]

When the pistils stop putting on new growth that is the indication to me that my plants are done with their growth cycle. I may allow the plants to go longer to get a couple days of cold temperatures to bring out the colors which is what I'm getting to happen here in Ohio right now.

 

[jfm]

When the pistils stop putting on new growth that is the indication to me that my plants are done with their growth cycle. I may allow the plants to go longer to get a couple days of cold temperatures to bring out the colors which is what I'm getting to happen here in Ohio right now.

Thanks BlueSkiesAhead. Can you tell anything from my photos? The pistils definitely look finished to me but I'm still not sure about the trichomes.

 

[BlueSkiesAhead]

Thanks BlueSkiesAhead. Can you tell anything from my photos? The pistils definitely look finished to me but I'm still not sure about the trichomes.

From your photos, I can see the color of the trichomes are cloudy meaning your plants are at peak harvest right now. Since all the pistils are dried you are going to get no new growth going forward but only start to get more amber trichomes. If you want more of a couch lock high let it go longer.

 

[polpotoflove]

I usually harvest when they look like this because after a week of hanging in the dryer the trichomes have turn half amber half yelowish and milky. I have come to the conclusion that cbda keeps maturing after the bud is cut, probably as long as there is a certain level of moisture. The strain might have something to do with it too.

 

[jfm]

From your photos, I can see the color of the trichomes are cloudy meaning your plants are at peak harvest right now. Since all the pistils are dried you are going to get no new growth going forward but only start to get more amber trichomes. If you want more of a couch lock high let it go longer.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[jfm]

From your photos, I can see the color of the trichomes are cloudy meaning your plants are at peak harvest right now. Since all the pistils are dried you are going to get no new growth going forward but only start to get more amber trichomes. If you want more of a couch lock high let it go longer.

Thank you for that info!

 

[Nostrum01]

I usually harvest when they look like this because after a week of hanging in the dryer the trichomes have turn half amber half yelowish and milky. I have come to the conclusion that cbda keeps maturing after the bud is cut, probably as long as there is a certain level of moisture. The strain might have something to do with it too.

The CBDa begins a gradual decarb to CBD. We used to see this all the time making extracts from various harvest times. The late purple stuff always had half and half CBD and CBDa- the "a" is for acid, which can only exist with a water molecule attached in order for there to be a ph. What's actually happening is the CBDa is unbecoming itself lol natural conversion

 

[cannafarmer420]

I couldn’t see a damn thing until I got the micrsocope. Fucked with the loupe for like a week.

You have to press the loupe basically against the nugs and put your eye right up to it, then you can focus it in.