Trichomes ready? Should I wait?

[SteveVA74]

Although the buds are not very big I think it's close to harvest. Are the trichomes ready in your all's opinion? Last harvest I think I harvested too soon and it seemed weak. I noticed just a couple amber trichomes but most are kind of Milky.

 

[tobh]

you're in the window, need to see the rest of the plant though. trichomes are only one part of the equation when it comes to ripeness.

 

[SteveVA74]

you're in the window, need to see the rest of the plant though. trichomes are only one part of the equation when it comes to ripeness.

Ok yeah wish I took a picture of that. I'll post it later. Thanks

 

[mysticepipedon]

If those trichs are on calyxes and not small leaves, it's right about where I would harvest.

 

[SteveVA74]

Ok here is a picture of the buds. I should have included before.

 

[Bullmark69]

That last pic where the bud is in different lighting is the only one that allows me to see any detail. I don’t see any white pistils but my eyes aren’t the greatest. It could possibly swell up a bit more….do the rest of the buds look like this one? If all the white hairs are receded and changed color you are likely in a good window.
I used to grow a good bit outdoors many years ago and got incredibly lucky to avoid all the possible hazards. I learned the outdoor grow from an old timer (he was probably 60 at the time but I was 22-23 so he was old to me). He was a local celebrity in some small circles for the high end buds he raked in yr after yr. Well he told me once when buds look totally ripe on the outside to let them go another full week and they’d be ripe on the inside. That has been good advice that served me well over the yrs. 90% plus of all plants are chopped too soon…,I see it every day on these sites with diaries. Sometimes it’s just a week two but there are plenty of growers whacking their grows a month or more too early.
With yours I would look at a bunch of buds and only look at the calyces. If you’re getting amber throughout the entire plant then it’s there….so i would wait a week and chop. If you have to really search to find those amber trichs then it’s not ripe.
FYI, i don’t subscribe to choosing your type of buzz by harvesting early or later…,that’s what the strain is for. To me it’s either ripe or it’s not. If you don’t want a couch lock buzz don’t grow a pure indica…..
Congrats on a nice looking set of buds and thank goodness you let them get ripe.

 

[SteveVA74]

Yes most look like the one close up. Pretty uniform in size. I know I harvested too soon last time was a bummer. I'll we wait another week using just plain water to flush the soil. Thank you for the advice