How To Know When To Harvest

Thank you so much TorturedSoul.

You are absolutely right. I realize it is not possible to tell by those photos. I think your guess is also right, I believe they won't be ready before mid or even end of September. I will provide a better magnifier and keep an eye on the trichomes.

Thanks for mentioning the 40:60 formula, it's a very useful info. I learn a lot in this forum.

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When u do a flush (as in my case I use sledgehammer from fox farms) do u water the whole plant till it's running/draining out from the bottom or do u just do enuf to dampn the soil

Greetings! As far as I understand it's ok to start flushing with sledgehammer, but it isn't something you want to use every time you flush. I would suggest starting with it, then switching to pH'ed water with black strap molasses. The amount of molasses per gallon I've heard people use is 1 tbl spoon per gallon. That said, it depends on the size of your plant. I would recommend starting with less, and assess the response of the plant.
The way it works is basically kicking the microorganisms in your substrate into overdrive, and also flushing salts, a.k.a. nutrient build up. I personally like to do the last 5 or 6 flushes with H2o2 mixed into my water in the ratio of 1 part H2o2, 4 parts water. It should be said that I buy my H2o2 in bulk concentrated form, and thin it down to a 3% solution to use in my water. What that means is, establish what is the most fiscally appropriate for you, bulk or the bottles of 3% you find at most stores. The h2o2 strips EVERYTHING from the substrate! This is just what I do, and I'm certain that others have great advice as well.
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harvest time for me...
 
34 days flowering for my sativa. It's out door during daylight hours. I bring it in at night time hours so I could start it flowering sooner. Do I wait till all the white hairs fall off. Hear is a few picks. Any help would be appreciated cheers


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Get a magnifying glass and look at the trichomes. If they are mostly milky, with some amber colored ones too, and you should be at just the right time. That is the most fool proof method Imo. Try not to harvest if they're mostly clear with just some milky ones, it won't be at peak convertible THC.
 
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Hey all, so this is my first post on the forum besides an introduction years ago. I mostly just learn from others but thouvhr I could use some advice from the greenthumb masters that reside within these sacred green walls. These are the best Trichome shots I could achieve with my cell phone. This is my first cocoa grow and am looking for advice as to when to start my flush. This is an Amnesia Haze Auto from Nirvana Seedbank Week 4 of flower but have been told Amnesia Haze takes a little longer than most. Plan on using Flawless Finish from Advanced and was wondering if I should use it 14 days out just once or keep up on it each watering until harvest? Any help would be fresh, thanks everyone!
 
Hello everyone. I'm 35 days into flower on my first grow. I know I'm not close yet. But I really don't know how to tell when there ready.
Let me rephrase, I don't know what it looks like. I've read aloft of articles, blogs and books on how to tell when the plant is ready. But just not sure, because I haven't seen to many pictures.
Does anyone have close up pictures of clear, milky and amber trichomes? So I can see the difference. A little help would be awesome!! TIA
 
Here is a photo of the trichomes in the 3 phases. They wont all change at once and it is wise to check all/most buds for variances. Get yourself a 60-100x loupe with an led fitted and you should have no issies telling the difference. Just keep an eye on them and pick when you have trichomes that suit the high you are seeking. Cloudy trichomes are for an upwards high and a good amber mix for a couch lock high (also good for sleep). I like a good 50/50 mix of cloudy and amber but if there are still a few that are clear ill still chop as waiting any longer gives a higher amber mixture and ends upbeing a too lethargic high for me anyway. Hope this helps
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Hi,

This is my first time growing and I am not sure when I should harvest. There is much information out there but I still an unsure of when. These are a couple of pics of my flowers as of today. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks
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Hello,

this is my first grow- Wonder Woman fem, 4 plants in RDWC 25gal using General Hydro nutes, 1000wMH veg, 1000HPS flower- getting anxious to harvest, the girls have been on 12/12 for 68 days, and have been in flush for last 5 days. I got a dig microscope and took some pics, still not 100% sure if I'm ready or not. Some expert advise would be much appreciated.
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I can assume that this information goes for autoflowering strains as well?
 
The essential facts of timing your harvest

You've managed to make it to the end. You've maintained your plants well, now it's getting closer to harvest time, and you're wondering just how and when to harvest and dry those beautiful buds. Hopefully I can give you some insight into how this can be successfully done; the do's and dont's of proper harvesting and curing. First, lets take a look at the harvest side of things.

Timing of your harvest is critical! Harvesting at maximum ripeness is the key. In my experience, there is usually a five to seven day window when the Cannabis plant will be at maximum ripeness. To understand this, you will need a jeweler’s loupe, or magnifying lens, light optional. I would recommend a power of 30x or better, but you can get by with less. A greater magnification makes it much easier to see the trichome heads at the top of the stalked resin glands.

Resin gland color, potency, and type of high

Gland color will vary with ripeness of the individual THC glands, starting at clear, turning to milky, then turning to an amber color. There may be some exceptions, such as some of the Blue strains and Blackberry. These will have darker, sometimes purple gland heads. But by far and large, these three steps of ripeness will exist with the vast majority of strains on the market. The first stage, clear, will tend to make for a more cerebral, up high, with very little body effect. Harvesting at this stage when little if any trichomes are milky yet, can be tricky. Harvesting too early can make for a beautiful plant that will not have much psychoactive capability! THC needs to "mature" to be able to pass its psychoactive capabilities down to the smoker. This is why I always recommend waiting until 50% of the trichomes hit the second stage: milky or creamy. At this point, you will definitely have a plant which has reached its genetic potential.

The milky trichomes have some "cerebral" qualities, as well as some of the more "physical" characteristics of the high. The last stage, amber, brings on a more sedative, physical stone. If this is what you're looking for, than I would recommend a sativa/indica cross, or an indica dominant plant. Amber trichomes seem to ruin a sativa high if the plant goes too long. The below photo is a good example of a ripe plant: at least 50% of the gland heads have turned "milky," some heads are still clear, and a few are amber. This plant was harvested two days later.

Many times you'll read from new growers, "My hairs are 50% changed to brown or red, looks like its ready to come down." Calyx hairs turning color is one thing, calyx hairs withering, is another. When they have withered, they are for the most part, as ripe as they will get. But just turning red/brown does not necessarily mean the plant is ready. Calyx hairs are just an indicator that the plant is ripening, not necessarily ripe yet. I have taken full Indica strains with 60% hairs turned, and sativas when 90% hairs have turned, and they were all at peak ripeness. The trichome color is the only true indicator!


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The essential facts of timing your harvest

You've managed to make it to the end. You've maintained your plants well, now it's getting closer to harvest time, and you're wondering just how and when to harvest and dry those beautiful buds. Hopefully I can give you some insight into how this can be successfully done; the do's and dont's of proper harvesting and curing. First, lets take a look at the harvest side of things.

Timing of your harvest is critical! Harvesting at maximum ripeness is the key. In my experience, there is usually a five to seven day window when the Cannabis plant will be at maximum ripeness. To understand this, you will need a jeweler’s loupe, or magnifying lens, light optional. I would recommend a power of 30x or better, but you can get by with less. A greater magnification makes it much easier to see the trichome heads at the top of the stalked resin glands.

Resin gland color, potency, and type of high

Gland color will vary with ripeness of the individual THC glands, starting at clear, turning to milky, then turning to an amber color. There may be some exceptions, such as some of the Blue strains and Blackberry. These will have darker, sometimes purple gland heads. But by far and large, these three steps of ripeness will exist with the vast majority of strains on the market. The first stage, clear, will tend to make for a more cerebral, up high, with very little body effect. Harvesting at this stage when little if any trichomes are milky yet, can be tricky. Harvesting too early can make for a beautiful plant that will not have much psychoactive capability! THC needs to "mature" to be able to pass its psychoactive capabilities down to the smoker. This is why I always recommend waiting until 50% of the trichomes hit the second stage: milky or creamy. At this point, you will definitely have a plant which has reached its genetic potential.

The milky trichomes have some "cerebral" qualities, as well as some of the more "physical" characteristics of the high. The last stage, amber, brings on a more sedative, physical stone. If this is what you're looking for, than I would recommend a sativa/indica cross, or an indica dominant plant. Amber trichomes seem to ruin a sativa high if the plant goes too long. The below photo is a good example of a ripe plant: at least 50% of the gland heads have turned "milky," some heads are still clear, and a few are amber. This plant was harvested two days later.
Many times you'll read from new growers, "My hairs are 50% changed to brown or red, looks like its ready to come down." Calyx hairs turning color is one thing, calyx hairs withering, is another. When they have withered, they are for the most part, as ripe as they will get. But just turning red/brown does not necessarily mean the plant is ready. Calyx hairs are just an indicator that the plant is ripening, not necessarily ripe yet. I have taken full Indica strains with 60% hairs turned, and sativas when 90% hairs have turned, and they were all at peak ripeness. The trichome color is the only true indicator!


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so please set me straight i would rather read the trichomes than pistals to tell when to harvest so what colour should the trichomes be for a maxium streanth of cbd in my 20% cbd 1%thc plant and what colour for my 5% thc 1:1 cbd

Thanks Fishingguy
 
This plant has been in flower for almost 8 weeks now. She is a beast and the buds are so big that I have had to support them. Been flushing for almost 2 weeks now but she is still showing lots of white hairs. When I get out the magnifying glass and lens I see amber trichromes on the sugar leaves and cloudy on the bud. How much longer should I let her go? I am a little concerned as all she has got for almost 2 weeks is water and molasses. Are there certain strains that maintain white hairs?
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The essential facts of timing your harvest

You've managed to make it to the end. You've maintained your plants well, now it's getting closer to harvest time, and you're wondering just how and when to harvest and dry those beautiful buds. Hopefully I can give you some insight into how this can be successfully done; the do's and dont's of proper harvesting and curing. First, lets take a look at the harvest side of things.

Timing of your harvest is critical! Harvesting at maximum ripeness is the key. In my experience, there is usually a five to seven day window when the Cannabis plant will be at maximum ripeness. To understand this, you will need a jeweler’s loupe, or magnifying lens, light optional. I would recommend a power of 30x or better, but you can get by with less. A greater magnification makes it much easier to see the trichome heads at the top of the stalked resin glands.

Resin gland color, potency, and type of high

Gland color will vary with ripeness of the individual THC glands, starting at clear, turning to milky, then turning to an amber color. There may be some exceptions, such as some of the Blue strains and Blackberry. These will have darker, sometimes purple gland heads. But by far and large, these three steps of ripeness will exist with the vast majority of strains on the market. The first stage, clear, will tend to make for a more cerebral, up high, with very little body effect. Harvesting at this stage when little if any trichomes are milky yet, can be tricky. Harvesting too early can make for a beautiful plant that will not have much psychoactive capability! THC needs to "mature" to be able to pass its psychoactive capabilities down to the smoker. This is why I always recommend waiting until 50% of the trichomes hit the second stage: milky or creamy. At this point, you will definitely have a plant which has reached its genetic potential.

The milky trichomes have some "cerebral" qualities, as well as some of the more "physical" characteristics of the high. The last stage, amber, brings on a more sedative, physical stone. If this is what you're looking for, than I would recommend a sativa/indica cross, or an indica dominant plant. Amber trichomes seem to ruin a sativa high if the plant goes too long. The below photo is a good example of a ripe plant: at least 50% of the gland heads have turned "milky," some heads are still clear, and a few are amber. This plant was harvested two days later.

Many times you'll read from new growers, "My hairs are 50% changed to brown or red, looks like its ready to come down." Calyx hairs turning color is one thing, calyx hairs withering, is another. When they have withered, they are for the most part, as ripe as they will get. But just turning red/brown does not necessarily mean the plant is ready. Calyx hairs are just an indicator that the plant is ripening, not necessarily ripe yet. I have taken full Indica strains with 60% hairs turned, and sativas when 90% hairs have turned, and they were all at peak ripeness. The trichome color is the only true indicator!


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In Ed Rosenthal's book marijuana growers hand book 30% of trichomes turning red is optimum time to harvest. Going past 30% THC levels begin to drop and CBD levels rise. It is also mentioned in Jorge Cervantes book marijuana horticulture the indoor medical growers Bible.
 
Re: How to know when to harvest.

A 30X jeweler's loupe will work...seems a lot of people use the pocket microscopes (with light) available at Radio Shack for $12, those are 60X-100X
Go on Amazon, type Cannabis Jeweler,s Loupe, I bought my loupe there (Happy Hydro) 30x-60x, I think it was less than $20.00 bucks. My son even got me a bong for my 60th birthday on Amazon. They are grower friendly, with ALL TYPES of stoner items.
 
I'm thinking it's time to harvest Vanessa and Siobhan. The pistols are both plants are brown. I cannot see how clear or milky the trichomes are as the loupe I ordered from Amazon never arrived.

What does everyone think?
 

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By now you've harvested, your plants look great. I had a loupe but didn't like it, you NEED a hand held microscope, you can't see the condition of your trichomes just by looking at them.
 
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