Determining Possible Potency For Harvest Times?

[HigherTheHigh]

So bit of a random question but my eyes are now shot completely and its pretty hard to even type this so I'll keep it simple.

I've harvested the last few runs and the high has been apppauling and not really worth smoking and I have no way of testing my material without paying for an aftermarket portable THC tester which I really can't afford.

So I mentioned a few times that I usually wait until my buds are fully swollen and all possible hairs end up becoming none exsistant if that makes sense but upon inspection from a friend there in fact all clear trichomes which is hugely disappointing due to ill health and needing pain meds that actually work.

So I've swithched to short flowering strains that can apparently finish in 42-49 days so my idea was to run them for an extra week or two more on top as I've ran some fast flowering strains from the breeder and they were on point for time they specified, I've also switched to organic soil and organic fertilisers, I'm also going to add a uv light soon too.

I don't need to explain how much growing costs in this daying age with times being so hard so I'd really appreciate any help on how else I can determine as I can't have people come to where I grow for security reasons, I trust my friends to a certain extent and I also can't have anyone visit me because of corona restrictions so I'm literally in tatters on how I'm to deal with this situation.

Any help would be greatfully appreciated as ever.

 

[013]

Hey Higher,

This might help determine what you like best but ever try a staggered harvest? In my noggin it works best on a tall plant with a deep canopy. On such a plant I may the top colas first and let the mids and lowers continue to ripen. Then after a week or two I will take the middle section of buds and at last I take the lowers. But this could be easily manipulated to take them in reverse order if so desired.. but obviously the buds nearest the light will probably ripen faster than the stuff under the canopy.

Helps to bag & tag it with labels in batches and then after the dry cure you may have better idea of what level of ripeness seems to work best for you.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Mmm it may sound like you have harvested to early if your trichomes where clear or rushed the process for your own medical needs, you may need to invest in a jewellers loup or a mini micro scope etc & check for optimal conditions.

Ye I had a long flowering strain which was looking very good to bud size flowering but I harvested to early... crap smoke.

So learning curve bud, we all make mistakes

 

[HigherTheHigh]

Hello bud, I always wait until the bud is fully developed and swell with very few hairs after the calyxs close but I can't use a loupe anymore due to the strain on my eyes it instantly gives me a headache that can last hours.

 

[013]

Get cheapie USB digital microscope about $30... hook to your pc or tablet, or maybe get your buddy to drop by and check them for you but agree with Fuzzy Duck - you gotta see those trichs for most accurate harvest info.... or wait about 3 - 4 weeks after pistils have changed colors to dark and are all shrunken up.