My first bud: When can I harvest?

[Capt420]

Hello everyone! After a year's worth of failed attempts, I finally have a normal looking bud.

Strain is sour diesel. It's a clone but i planted the mother from seed. I got the seed from MSNL. Out of maybe 5 seeds, only 1 sprouted and I got this clone from that plant.

I cloned via a DIY cloner i made using an old aquarium pump. And after 18 days, I planted the "cutting with roots" in soil and placed the pot outside where it would get twelve to thirteen hours of sunlight.

I used general hydroponics (micro, gro, and bloom) nutrients with PH between 6.2 and 7.0

After about a month outdoors, I saw hairs growing so I started to count the says since she grew hairs. Now it's already Day 62 since she grew hairs and this is how she looks. (Sorry for the bad photo quality).


Day 62 since growing hairs. Around 14 inches.

This is a close-up of the small cola...

This is a close-up of the bigger cola...

Question1: When can I harvest this girl?
I used jewelers' loupe to see most trichomes are white but no amber yet. I see some clear but around 70% are white. The internet says 63-70 days flowering for this strain, but honestly I dont trust MSNL (long story) and maybe this is a different strain they gave me.

Question2: Why aren't there more trichomes on the leaves?

Please help me....

 

[HugePeckerhead]

Hello everyone! After a year's worth of failed attempts, I finally have a normal looking bud.

Strain is sour diesel. It's a clone but i planted the mother from seed. I got the seed from MSNL. Out of maybe 5 seeds, only 1 sprouted and I got this clone from that plant.

I cloned via a DIY cloner i made using an old aquarium pump. And after 18 days, I planted the "cutting with roots" in soil and placed the pot outside where it would get twelve to thirteen hours of sunlight.

I used general hydroponics (micro, gro, and bloom) nutrients with PH between 6.2 and 7.0

After about a month outdoors, I saw hairs growing so I started to count the says since she grew hairs. Now it's already Day 62 since she grew hairs and this is how she looks. (Sorry for the bad photo quality).


Day 62 since growing hairs. Around 14 inches.

This is a close-up of the small cola...

This is a close-up of the bigger cola...

Question1: When can I harvest this girl?
I used jewelers' loupe to see most trichomes are white but no amber yet. I see some clear but around 70% are white. The internet says 63-70 days flowering for this strain, but honestly I dont trust MSNL (long story) and maybe this is a different strain they gave me.

Question2: Why aren't there more trichomes on the leaves?

Please help me....

Still got time left and id add at least one week to the flowering time as many people have different flowering times. Some go from the flip while others from the sign of pistols. She looks great so far. Whatever you're doing you're doing it correctly.

 

[Capt420]

Still got time left and id add at least one week to the flowering time as many people have different flowering times. Some go from the flip while others from the sign of pistols. She looks great so far. Whatever you're doing you're doing it correctly.

So relieved to hear that! Thanks again! I'll do my best.

 

[StoneOtter]

Hi Capt, she looks very nice. Still lots of white hairs and outdoors so I agree with others giving her a while longer. I think her buds will get a lot bigger in a week or two. No rush she looks great.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

So relieved to hear that! Thanks again! I'll do my best.

I can't wait to drop some NL seeds. The plants look pretty and the smoke is even better. I have some sponsor mystery seeds arriving any day now and may be I'll get lucky and have one.

 

[Capt420]

I can't wait to drop some NL seeds. The plants look pretty and the smoke is even better. I have some sponsor mystery seeds arriving any day now and may be I'll get lucky and have one.

By NL do you mean MSNL or Northern Lights? Sorry for being such a newbie. Will make sure to follow your grow once it starts!

 

[Capt420]

Hi Capt, she looks very nice. Still lots of white hairs and outdoors so I agree with others giving her a while longer. I think her buds will get a lot bigger in a week or two. No rush she looks great.

Thank you!! Honestly I'm just happy we made it this far. I'll just wait her out then. I'll make sure to post more pictures next week. Hopefully I don't mess this up!

 

[SmokingWings]

Question1: When can I harvest this girl?
I used jewelers' loupe to see most trichomes are white but no amber yet. I see some clear but around 70% are white. The internet says 63-70 days flowering for this strain, but honestly I dont trust MSNL (long story) and maybe this is a different strain they gave me.

Question2: Why aren't there more trichomes on the leaves?

Please help me....

My take on the whole "number of days till ready" thing is confusing to those of us just starting out. We hear about days to harvest from others who have been doing it for years and when it is our turn, well, the reality is suddenly different.

When growing outdoors, which you mentioned you were doing, I am of the belief that the flowering time is a longer, slower process. I have several plants growing up on someone's farm along with their legal grow. It is amazing how far along some plants are and some are just beginning. Here in southeast Michigan I figure that we have about 7 to 9 weeks before we will be forced to harvest because of cooler temps, hours of steady rains that dry slowly, and possible frost.

Personally, I think that you are at least 2-4 weeks away from harvest. After looking up Sour Diesel, which you said you were growing, it looks like it is a slower growing plant and does take a bit longer than many other strains. If you wait awhile, and all goes well, your flower buds will have many more trichomes on them by then.

All this is on the basis that you are keeping the plant outside and only brought it in for the photograph session.

Have a great day.

 

[Capt420]

My take on the whole "number of days till ready" thing is confusing to those of us just starting out. We hear about days to harvest from others who have been doing it for years and when it is our turn, well, the reality is suddenly different.

When growing outdoors, which you mentioned you were doing, I am of the belief that the flowering time is a longer, slower process. I have several plants growing up on someone's farm along with their legal grow. It is amazing how far along some plants are and some are just beginning. Here in southeast Michigan I figure that we have about 7 to 9 weeks before we will be forced to harvest because of cooler temps, hours of steady rains that dry slowly, and possible frost.

Personally, I think that you are at least 2-4 weeks away from harvest. After looking up Sour Diesel, which you said you were growing, it looks like it is a slower growing plant and does take a bit longer than many other strains. If you wait awhile, and all goes well, your flower buds will have many more trichomes on them by then.

All this is on the basis that you are keeping the plant outside and only brought it in for the photograph session.

Have a great day.

Thank you! Yes, the number of days caused confusion and anxiety on my part. Good to know we still have a chance for more trichomes.

Yes i only took her inside for taking the picture. But it's sitting on a plantbox outside my my window so it only gets about 4-5 hrs of direct sunlight. We also have high temps where I live (around 26-32 celcius this time of the year). I wonder if it's the high temps, or the lack of direct sunlight, or both that's making it grow slower.

Thanks again for the advice. Really appreciate it and will definitely wait a few more weeks!

 

[zeroday]

Putting it in direct sunlight for more of the day will help for sure. Not sure if you have a spot that will allow for it.

 

[StoneOtter]

Flowering times are just one of those things that need to be experienced a few times to get a grip on.

 

[Capt420]

Putting it in direct sunlight for more of the day will help for sure. Not sure if you have a spot that will allow for it.

Thank you zeroday!

Unfortunately, I dont have any other spot. ☹ I'll make sure to take a picture of her in her spot next time though. She gets direct sunlight from sunrise to I think noon (My building is facing east).

 

[HugePeckerhead]

By NL do you mean MSNL or Northern Lights? Sorry for being such a newbie. Will make sure to follow your grow once it starts!

I got some reason read northern lights lol. Also have you thought about inside grows? You can buy a tent and really be discreet.

 

[SmokingWings]

.....
Yes i only took her inside for taking the picture. But it's sitting on a plantbox outside my my window so it only gets about 4-5 hrs of direct sunlight. We also have high temps where I live (around 26-32 celcius this time of the year). I wonder if it's the high temps, or the lack of direct sunlight, or both that's making it grow slower.
....

As zeroday mentioned, a bit more direct sunlight will help.

It is to late but I think that putting the next plants in larger pots would help even more. When the plant was small that pot looked plenty big. But now, the plant is taller than the pot is tall and is almost as wide as the pot. I doubt that it is root bound but a larger pot would have helped.

One other thing. The plant, as it nears the end of the flowering cycle will start to draw nutrients from the leaves. I do not see any signs of that. Unless you have cut off those leaves for the photo opportunity the plant is not yet close to the end.

Enjoy the day.

 

[Capt420]

I got some reason read northern lights lol. Also have you thought about inside grows? You can buy a tent and really be discreet.

Actually I already do. I have 10 plants indoors (a mix of Northern Lights, Lemon Pineapple, and Sour Diesel) that I flipped around 2 weeks ago. They are in DWC.

The reason I have so many is because I made a DIY cloner a few months ago and I guess I went "a little" overboard with the cloning.

I haven't had any success in flowering though which is why I put some clones outdoors (out of desparation).

I'll try to post a pic of the indoor plants as well.

 

[Capt420]

As zeroday mentioned, a bit more direct sunlight will help.

It is to late but I think that putting the next plants in larger pots would help even more. When the plant was small that pot looked plenty big. But now, the plant is taller than the pot is tall and is almost as wide as the pot. I doubt that it is root bound but a larger pot would have helped.

One other thing. The plant, as it nears the end of the flowering cycle will start to draw nutrients from the leaves. I do not see any signs of that. Unless you have cut off those leaves for the photo opportunity the plant is not yet close to the end.

Enjoy the day.

Thanks for the tip @SmokingWings.
I will definitely use bigger pots next time... thanks for pointing it out. Is it too late to re-pot them? I have a Northern Lights plant that is 4 feet tall, in flower, and in the same one gallon pot. It is already at Day 40 since it grew hairs and still doesnt have thick buds.

They were very small when I flipped them (6-8 inches) that I just thought the 1 gal pots would be big enough... Clearly, i under estimated their stretch.

 

[Capt420]

@SmokingWings

Also, I defoliated a few weeks ago but there were no yellow leaves. I didnt remove any yellow leaves before taking the picture. I'm pretty sure you're right that they are not yet ready harvest. i'll be on the look out for yellowing leaves as a sign that harvest time is near. Thanks!

 

[SmokingWings]

@SmokingWings

Also, I defoliated a few weeks ago but there were no yellow leaves. I didnt remove any yellow leaves before taking the picture. I'm pretty sure you're right that they are not yet ready harvest. i'll be on the look out for yellowing leaves as a sign that harvest time is near. Thanks!

Not necessarily near but at least it is on the way. Keep in mind that some marijuana plants will start turning yellow sooner than other strains. Some hardly turn yellow. Use the trichome color as some suggest.

 

[Oldbear]

Is it just me, or do the leaves in the picture look 'odd'?

 

[Capt420]

@SmokingWings
Here's the white widow I was referring to. Apologies for the blurry pic. I don't have a very nice phone nor the steadiest hands.

This was taken June 28 when I thought it was transitioning to flower. It took a long time to grow hairs though...

And this is a few days ago... Notice how short the sour diesel is beside her. And I moved them outdoors to flower at exactly the same time.

And here is a recent pic of one of her stems/budsites (40 days with hairs and still thin)

Question: Should I re-pot, or not??