My First Indoor Grow

[jeeperrs]

Do you guys cut a piece of bud off to see the trichomes? I am struggling with the one I bought.

Here are the progress pics at the end of week 6.

 

[jeeperrs]

Okay, growers. One of my plants is maturing faster than the others. I finally decided to cut a tiny piece of a bud to see the trichomes with my 60x-120x magnification that I bought. My hands shake too much to use it in the actual bud on the plant. I cut off one of the tiny leaves that grow out the side. It had about 10-15% Amber trichomes on that sample. I honestly didn’t expect any amber as they are in week 7 and harvest is 8-9 weeks according to the breeder. I took pics of the buds so you can see how they look. Should I start flushing that plant and harvest soon? I don’t want to be couch locked 24x7.

The other plants are not near as mature yet.

 

[nobodyhere]

Jeeps, This is how I check...

I have a B&L loupe that is 20x and that's what I use to see trichome. I turn fans off. I tend to look at the trichomes on the uppermost part of the buds I want to chop, not the trichomes that are on sugar leaves (these usually turn first).

Also, make sure your checking the actual heads, not the stalks the heads sit on. Don't know the technical name for the stalks, but they turn earlier as well.

After you have seen a few plants you get comfy with it. And as always, later is generally preferred to earlier. I usually wait a day or two after I get where I want.

Enjoy!

 

[jeeperrs]

End of week 7

 

[NavNurs]

I’m not a pro, but on my last grow I was also surprised to see how quickly the Amber came out. I clipped the buds over a few weeks starting with the tallest that seemed to mature first. In the end I think I had 3 different batches and have been trying to notice any difference between them when smoked. I guess if you are worried about it being too early then just take what looks ripe and leave the rest? BTW, this was only on one plant that I’d vegged a very long time.

 

[jeeperrs]

Should I start using pH water only? The nutrients I use say to go to zero now. I am sure they will all be ready to harvest in 2 weeks. I just don't want to flush too soon and make a problem.

 

[NavNurs]

I'm pretty sure the final two weeks it is recommended not to feed them, just give H20 on your typical schedule. This is purported to wash out any remaining nutes, then give two days of total darkness prior to a full harvest.

I've got to say the buds I grew during my first successful grow are much less harsh than those purchased from L'Eagle. Which is odd as they are a professional fully organic grow and certified for this so I'd expect theirs to be "better" than mine? It is the same genetics as they are my source for clones. Maybe something is lost at the commercial size vs a home grow?

Good luck on these final days!

 

[jeeperrs]

I have a question about when to harvest. The buds at the top of one plant are pretty much ready to harvest. However, the lower buds that don't get much of any light are still white and under developed. Should I harvest just the top buds to open the canopy or just harvest the whole plant and cut off the under developed buds?

 

[nobodyhere]

Photos through a loupe or other mag help if you want people to comment on the trichomes, it's fun because among good growers there are still differences in opinion.

I have pulled the top off a plant and got to the rest of it 2+ weeks later, but that was me, and I don't approach every plant that way.

 

[jeeperrs]

Photos through a loupe or other mag help if you want people to comment on the trichomes, it's fun because among good growers there are still differences in opinion.

I have pulled the top off a plant and got to the rest of it 2+ weeks later, but that was me, and I don't approach every plant that way.

I have a hand held microscope, so I can't take a picture. In the end, they will medicate no matter what. LOL

 

[jeeperrs]

So, I took the main buds off one plant. You can see how many more buds were lower that did not get light in the picture. I am going to see if those will mature and get me more buds. The wet weight was over 10 ounces and that was from only 70% of the buds in the plant! I have three more plants maturing. One will be ready next week for harvest and the other two probably in two weeks.

 

[Up in Smoke]

A

So, I took the main buds off one plant. You can see how many more buds were lower that did not get light in the picture. I am going to see if those will mature and get me more buds. The wet weight was over 10 ounces and that was from only 70% of the buds in the plant! I have three more plants maturing. One will be ready next week for harvest and the other two probably in two weeks.

Absolutely lovely!keep up the good work!

 

[nobodyhere]

jeeps, if your looking at the trichome, and not just the pistols, that is half the battle. Things that fool people, upper buds with bleaching (got me once too), those look even to me I think your good.

 

[jeeperrs]

jeeps, if your looking at the trichome, and not just the pistols, that is half the battle. Things that fool people, upper buds with bleaching (got me once too), those look even to me I think your good.

Yes, I am looking at trichomes. The trichomes on the sugar leaves had a lot of Amber. The actual buds had probably 20-30% amber. I am hoping those lower buds continue to develop. I probably should have defoliate the plants when in flower. The leaves really blocked a lot of lower buds. But, I should get 2-3 ounces out of 1 plant. That seems pretty good for a first time grow. I weighed them with just sugar leaves. I am going to try a dry trim. All the fan leaves were removed.

 

[nobodyhere]

Don't over analyze your first grow. Get a nice trim, good hang dry for your climate, then into burping. Drag use of your first few grows out so you can smoke them for about three months of cure so you understand how cure effects smoke....this helped me drastically. I put up some barely smokeable bud a couple months back, just did not care for the taste of it, not over nuted or anything, till I got a press to make rosin, well I got press, and it's smoking quite different now and is wonderful.

Change one variable at a time.

Generally trichome ambers on the sugars first before bud, like you have noticed. You will learn what you like.

Some plants only produce an ounce or two at best. Autos are posterchilds for this. Not every plant is a 10 pounder.

 

[NavNurs]

Make sure to keep your trim and throw it in with any airy larf you wouldn’t smoke. Cure it the same as your bud and once you have a few ounces make some hash. While I don’t have a rosin press, I do have some bubble hash bags. I went with a dry ice approach and made some really tasty Kief! I also have a cheap pollen press and knocked out a few hash pucks to give to friends as gifts. I was surprised how much more relaxing my Death Star was with a frosty topping to the bowl.

 

[jeeperrs]

My first attempt at trimming. They aren’t pretty, but they will smoke.