Harvest Time?

[NuggetJuggler]

Hi All, I'm completing my first grow and am a bit confused about harvest time. She is an unknown sativa dominant and went to flower in the first week of February. She's outdoors (southern hemishere). So we are about 10 weeks into flower. I'm looking to harvest slightly on the early side for a more energetic high but still with a decent stone effect. I was thinking she's almost ready, as about 50% + of white hairs have darkened, and the others are starting to fold back in. Also her lower fan leaves are yellowing as she is sucking out the nutes. But then I think her trichomes are mostly clear. What's confused me is that while most trichomes appear clear, some have already gone amber? Although instead of clear the majority could be cloudy and I'm not good as determining the difference? I don't know for sure, so any feedback would be great.

 

[HappyHazmat88]

I'd say wait if mostly clear with patches of amber.... Alot of the pistils are still white as well.... You could take a sample bud and dry it for a couple days and try it out...and see if it's the high you want.

 

[NuggetJuggler]

I'd say wait if mostly clear with patches of amber.... Alot of the pistils are still white as well.... You could take a sample bud and dry it for a couple days and try it out...and see if it's the high you want.

Yes mate, just took a lower bud and am drying her out this week, will try this weekend. A bit exciting

 

[Vegan4life]

Looks to me like you may have a couple more weeks for those white hairs to shrivel and turn orange/brown...

 

[HappyHazmat88]

Nice. Did you have any plans for another round? And maybe a journal?

 

[Bill284]

Gold morning @n7gg

Hi All, I'm completing my first grow and am a bit confused about harvest time. She is an unknown sativa dominant and went to flower in the first week of February. She's outdoors (southern hemishere). So we are about 10 weeks into flower. I'm looking to harvest slightly on the early side for a more energetic high but still with a decent stone effect. I was thinking she's almost ready, as about 50% + of white hairs have darkened, and the others are starting to fold back in. Also her lower fan leaves are yellowing as she is sucking out the nutes. But then I think her trichomes are mostly clear. What's confused me is that while most trichomes appear clear, some have already gone amber? Although instead of clear the majority could be cloudy and I'm not good as determining the difference? I don't know for sure, so any feedback would be great.

Good morning @NuggetJuggler garden looks good.
Hope you are well today my friend.
As mentioned by Hap and Vegan she still has white pistols.
My rule of thumb is never harvest white pistols.
When she is flowering and building for you her pistols are white.
At the end when she can't grow anymore she crinkled them in as they turn red.
You know then she is done building for you and it's time to check tric's.
Don't fret about an odd amber patch now.
Give her a couple weeks and see how the buds look then.

Stay safe
Bill

 

[NuggetJuggler]

Thanks Bill, good advice. And would you suggest to lower nutrients support and/or flush final week or so? Or just keep current levels to harvest? I’ve been reading about final 36 hours+ light deprivation before harvest and bud washing before drying. Might give it a go

 

[Bill284]

Thanks Bill, good advice. And would you suggest to lower nutrients support and/or flush final week or so? Or just keep current levels to harvest? I’ve been reading about final 36 hours+ light deprivation before harvest and bud washing before drying. Might give it a go

If they are healthy which they are I see no need for a flush of the pot.
Unless your nutrient line calls for one.
I'd feed her right until the end.
Although they will slow consumption at the end themselves.
Let them decide.
Bud washing would be good for you but light dep on out door girls is something I've never herd done.
Led's degrade tric,s not sure about outdoor though.
Have you got your harvest/cure process ready to go?

Stay safe
Bill

 

[CultivationArt]

Yep. Agree with bill. 2-3 more weeks. Maybe even longer. Let her stop growing. That patch of amber, I’m almost certain is from damaged trichs. They appear mature. Let those pistils retract and shrivel up. Then check your trichomes. On the bud. Not leaves.
Congratulations !!!

 

[HashGirl]

@BeezLuiz discovered that outdoor amber is different from indoor amber. Here are a couple of posts I bookmarked about it:

Slammy Pajammy's Outdoor Adventures!

BeezLuiz & LiquidIntel Are At It Again: Outdoor Grow Season 3

 

[Icemud]

I never really look at the trichomes and more look at the hairs and the calyx's. Based on that, I would say you are about 2-3 weeks from harvest still. You want to see no more white hairs (or very few) and most of the orange hairs should be shriveled up and the calyx's swollen.

 

[cbdhemp808]

Lookin' good! Any sign of mold?

 

[NuggetJuggler]

Lookin' good! Any sign of mold?

There was and I removed the offending bud a few weeks ago, and have been keeping very close eye on her. More recently I found little white moths hanging around, and then found in one lower bud some eggs laid. So killed all the moths and that bud was removed too. All clear this last week. Here’s hoping I can keep her together till harvest time. A little bit stressful lol

 

[cbdhemp808]

In my environment, if I've seen signs of bud rot, I will then spray the plants regularly with peroxide solution. This just happened with my recent harvest. I had to harvest early. At that point, I had some milky trichomes and a small amount of amber ones. I harvested 4 out of 6 plants. With the other 2 plants, I let them go a few days longer and then harvested, and did lose some lower buds to bud rot, while the rest were OK.

Mold spores are very small, and like to get started on dead material, meaning dead stigmas and calyxes... ones that have turned brown. The early stages of mold are difficult to spot. Rain is another factor... if your plants are not covered, then they are getting wet with each rain, and are more susceptible to mold.

See also: What is growing on my buds?