Stunger Tries Trough Growing And Attempts Fluxing On His Organic Living Soil Balcony

[Azimuth]

I've heard a number of scientists say that the trichomes turn cloudy when they begin to fill with cannabinoids but when they are clear they are just empty structures being readied for the next stage, and i know Shed has quoted another grower saying that the sun causes the trichomes to turn amber even before they're actually ready.

i don't grow outdoors so don't have experience with either of those concepts but something to think about so you don't harvest too early and lose a significant part of the rewards you've worked to get.

 

[Stunger]

I've heard a number of scientists say that the trichomes turn cloudy when they begin to fill with cannabinoids but when they are clear they are just empty structures being readied for the next stage, and i know Shed has quoted another grower saying that the sun causes the trichomes to turn amber even before they're actually ready.

If the sun caused the trichomes to turn amber before they are ready, wouldn't that mean that you'd then want to harvest when all trichomes are totally amber and or maybe dark amber? I am sure the person had good reason to have formed that view but I have let plants go late but never with more than maybe 15% amber. I can't fathom that, but interesting.

i don't grow outdoors so don't have experience with either of those concepts but something to think about so you don't harvest too early and lose a significant part of the rewards you've worked to get.

From what I can see at the moment, the Frozen Black Cherry's trichomes are maybe 60% cloudy, 39% clear, 1% amber. I am expecting as the remaining clear turn cloudy, that some of the existing cloudy will turn amber. I will consider chopping when the growing amber equals the remaining clear, so that should be at roughly the max amount of cloudy trichomes. I certainly don't want to harvest too early.

 

[StoneOtter]

Frenchie Cannoli has said he feels amber in outdoor growing is different than indoor and not to be in a hurry. I don't know exactly how to interpret that but he's another source on the amber outdoor trichs and ripeness being ok to go longer. Personally I think any time you want with amber though I haven't been able to get any in my climate outside.

 

[InTheShed]

i know Shed has quoted another grower saying that the sun causes the trichomes to turn amber even before they're actually ready.
i don't grow outdoors so don't have experience with either of those concepts but something to think about so you don't harvest too early and lose a significant part of the rewards you've worked to get.

Frenchie Cannoli has said he feels amber in outdoor growing is different than indoor and not to be in a hurry.

If the sun caused the trichomes to turn amber before they are ready, wouldn't that mean that you'd then want to harvest when all trichomes are totally amber and or maybe dark amber? I am sure the person had good reason to have formed that view but I have let plants go late but never with more than maybe 15% amber. I can't fathom that, but interesting.

@Amy Gardner told me years ago that trichomes will amber in the sun having nothing to do with ripeness, so they should be ignored. @BeezLuiz proved that point by having his outdoor harvests tested after chopping them based on a tent-based reading of the trichome mix. It turned out that the THC was much lower than expected with zero CBN, which should have been present in the presence of amber trichs. Here are his tests results.

He and I both use a new gauge for harvest timing outside now, and that is a clear/cloudy percentage range, along with a marked slowdown in water uptake and change in smell.

 

[BeezLuiz]

Yes, for outdoor plants I look at the cloudy/clear ratio and don't pay much attention to the amber. I often get amber trichomes that are still clear.

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

I often get amber trichomes that are still clear.

Well that sounds like damn fire Beez! I'd smoke anything that ended up that way!

 

[Stunger]

I've heard a number of scientists say that the trichomes turn cloudy when they begin to fill with cannabinoids but when they are clear they are just empty structures being readied for the next stage, and i know Shed has quoted another grower saying that the sun causes the trichomes to turn amber even before they're actually ready.

I did reply to this before but I then realised that I may have been misinterpreting, as I know often in immature plants that amber trichomes can be spotted. So that would make sense. Like seeing a solitary early pollen ball or pistil that is showing well before they show over the whole plant.

Frenchie Cannoli has said he feels amber in outdoor growing is different than indoor and not to be in a hurry. I don't know exactly how to interpret that but he's another source on the amber outdoor trichs and ripeness being ok to go longer. Personally I think any time you want with amber though I haven't been able to get any in my climate outside.

That's interesting, and given that whether indoor or outdoor, everyones 'grow' environment/climate conditions is unique, and maybe some of those stresses when present trigger more 'ambering'.

@Amy Gardner told me years ago that trichomes will amber in the sun having nothing to do with ripeness, so they should be ignored.

And perhaps depending too on how strong that sun is where they are being grown, or the lights used.

@BeezLuiz proved that point by having his outdoor harvests tested after chopping them based on a tent-based reading of the trichome mix. It turned out that the THC was much lower than expected with zero CBN, which should have been present in the presence of amber trichs. Here are his tests results.

Yes I recall Beez doing that and thank you for your excellent info retrieving ability! Based on the expected numbers the results were a surprise, altho from other reports it does often seem to be the case that expected THC levels are very often way higher than actual.

My Frozen Black Cherry is said to be produce up to 36% THC. Hmm... 'up to' does permit a big range. Altho the breeder did state that the higher levels are obtained with addition of a UVB in the final 3 weeks of flowering. I don't have that so she just gets what the big bulb in the sky gives her.

He and I both use a new gauge for harvest timing outside now, and that is a clear/cloudy percentage range, along with a marked slowdown in water uptake and change in smell.

I can see that such a combined approach of evaluation is better than relying on just one potentially unreliable variable.

Yes, for outdoor plants I look at the cloudy/clear ratio and don't pay much attention to the amber. I often get amber trichomes that are still clear.

It sounds like maximum full cloudy with noted change of smell, appearance, and water uptake.

Thanks all, for sharing on that! It makes sense what has been said.

 

[Stunger]

Update - The trough in the late afternoon sun

Greetings 420 enthusiasts!

It's been blowing all day, rain, sun, and cloud too. I took a couple of pics of the trough girls basking in the sunshine left over from the summer just past. They're coming along nicely, but soon the middle one. (FBC) will be chopped and there will be just 2.

Frozen Black Cherry

On the recent discussion of when to harvest. I do note that the Frozen Black Cherry is starting to 'look' like she is approaching her harvest window.

Very few fresh white pistils left.

Quite a few of her older larger fan leaves are fading and drooping, which I am taking to be an indication that at this stage she doesn't care about those bigger older leaves and just wants to focus on her buds (and that's fine with me).
I could cut them off to keep up her appearance, but I figure she will still draw some nutrients from them so I'll leave them on until they look a bit more 'drained'.

In the following days I will monitor the FBC's trichomes as circumstances and weather permit just to observe how they develop.

Thoughts on the grow at this late stage

When I kicked off this grow I was concerned that I had left it too late and were worried that the plants would fail to get enough growth before flowering. But now I feel reassured that even with the late start that I should still get a decent yield.

The trough is 6 feet long, giving 2 feet wide per plant which have ended up filling the space available quite well.

There is a nice visual potency when I gaze out on the balcony now.

As they looked today in the late afternoon sun...

1

• Stunger
• Mar 28, 2024

2

• Stunger
• Mar 28, 2024

Many thanks for dropping by. All the best!

 

[CaptainLucky]

Update - The trough in the late afternoon sun

Greetings 420 enthusiasts!

It's been blowing all day, rain, sun, and cloud too. I took a couple of pics of the trough girls basking in the sunshine left over from the summer just past. They're coming along nicely, but soon the middle one. (FBC) will be chopped and there will be just 2.

Frozen Black Cherry

On the recent discussion of when to harvest. I do note that the Frozen Black Cherry is starting to 'look' like she is approaching her harvest window.

Very few fresh white pistils left.

Quite a few of her older larger fan leaves are fading and drooping, which I am taking to be an indication that at this stage she doesn't care about those bigger older leaves and just wants to focus on her buds (and that's fine with me).
I could cut them off to keep up her appearance, but I figure she will still draw some nutrients from them so I'll leave them on until they look a bit more 'drained'.

In the following days I will monitor the FBC's trichomes as circumstances and weather permit just to observe how they develop.

Thoughts on the grow at this late stage

When I kicked off this grow I was concerned that I had left it too late and were worried that the plants would fail to get enough growth before flowering. But now I feel reassured that even with the late start that I should still get a decent yield.

The trough is 6 feet long, giving 2 feet wide per plant which have ended up filling the space available quite well.

There is a nice visual potency when I gaze out on the balcony now.

As they looked today in the late afternoon sun...

1

• Stunger
• Mar 28, 2024

2

• Stunger
• Mar 28, 2024

Many thanks for dropping by. All the best!

What a beautiful picture your trough makes Stunger. I only wish it was scratch n sniff so I could get a whiff of what must be a multitude of fragrances. Looking forward to the smoke report. CL

 

[Trala]

Dem Britney Spears! Oh baby, baby!

 

[StoneOtter]

They look better every day!

 

[BeezLuiz]

A beautiful trio you have there in the trough, Stunger! Well done on keeping two of the three below the balcony railing while building such large healthy-looking buds.

 

[ThirdUncle]

Oooohh yeeeah mun dem collie weed dem stacking real nice ,,,

 

[Stunger]

What a beautiful picture your trough makes Stunger. I only wish it was scratch n sniff so I could get a whiff of what must be a multitude of fragrances. Looking forward to the smoke report. CL

Thanks CL! It's a long time getting here but we are finally at the aromatic fruity end of the grow!

Dem Britney Spears! Oh baby, baby!

Cheers Tra!

They look better every day!

Thanks Otter!

A beautiful trio you have there in the trough, Stunger! Well done on keeping two of the three below the balcony railing while building such large healthy-looking buds.

Cheers Beez! The left most plant is one of 2 grown from regular seeds. Initially 1 of the pair grew twice as big as the other so I decided to make the call that the bigger/taller was a male and up-potted the smaller to the trough. As it turned out that was the wrong call and I then had to do a swap, so the left most plant didn't get the same initially low flux training as the other 2.

Oooohh yeeeah mun dem collie weed dem stacking real nice ,,,

Thanks Uncle!

 

[Stunger]

Update - A cola of each plant & trichome closeups of the Frozen Black Cherry

Greeting 420 enthusiasts!

Sunny day on the balcony here but the wind is still blowing a bit.

Cola tops of each plant

1

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

2

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

3

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

Frozen Black Cherry trichome closeups

The closeups below come from several different colas to give a better idea of the progress of the whole plant.

It looks to me like there is still some time yet to go before the plant is ready for harvest.

The sugar leaves are showing some amber but the buds themselves are still almost entirely clear/cloudy. I will try to look closely again in a few more days time if the weather permits.

I am happy to hear any opinions what anyone else thinks.

4

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

5

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

6

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

7

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

8

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

9

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

10

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

11

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

12

• Stunger
• Mar 29, 2024

Thanks for dropping by. Wishing the best of weekends for everyone!

 

[InTheShed]

Your trichome pics are really exquisite!

 

[seaofgreen18]

Beautiful Stunger Well done!

 

[StoneOtter]

You have a wonderful weekend too! Man those are great trich pics!

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Looks like a bountiful harvest in the making Stunger!

 

[Stunger]

Your trichome pics are really exquisite!

Thanks Shed! What do you think of the current clear/cloudy mix, it still looks too much clear to me, probably at least another week?

Beautiful Stunger Well done!

Cheers SOG!

You have a wonderful weekend too! Man those are great trich pics!

Thanks Otter! It's nice to get close and see what the sticky is.

Looks like a bountiful harvest in the making Stunger!

Cheers GDB! It'll be nice to have a couple of new strains to try out.