Pistils as indicators for maturity? No

[shuffledemon]

I hear people talk about pistil color and condition as indicators of plant maturity. Well, don't. It doesn't work. You need your magnifier and perspective of your trichome color. Without that you just have guesswork.

Take a look at these. Which one looks more mature?

If you guessed the first one, with more brown pistils and more inward curl (like most of us would do) you would be wrong.

The second shot - the Medical 'No Name' strain is _way_ more powerful at this point versus the super lemon haze, which is supposed to have a higher THC concentration. The test of the No Name strain last night was successful. Almost felt as successful as concentrates. I'm happy. She'll be harvested in days, not weeks methinks.

The trichomes tell the story.

Hopefully that is helpful to someone out there.

 

[Antics]

Glad to see people moving away from pistil harvests!

Are you checking the trichomes on the buds, instead of the sugar leaves as well?

 

[shuffledemon]

You got it. I check them all, actually. I find a few sample spots averaged out tells the whole story.

 

[Antics]

It was hard to average leaves and buds on my last plant. The buds were mostly cloudy, very few clear, and the sugar leaves with covered 50% amber 50% cloudy. Huuuge difference, I was amazed they'd mature that differently.

These plants never cease to amaze me.

 

[indica vet]

many factors can cause pistils to die and change colour, that is why it is useless to assume a plant is ripe based on pistil colour.
shit ive seen dudes 2 weeks into flower with total brown pistils due to a nutrient issue.lol
even just a gentle touch can kill them.
always the trichs

 

[shmeeze16]

where is the best place to examine tri's?

 

[Antics]

where is the best place to examine tri's?

I like to examine several colas all over the plant. I look at colas on the top, middle, and bottom of the plant. On each cola, I look at trichomes near the top, a few places in the middle, and at the bottom, and make a decision based on that.

I try to avoid partial harvests, as the cutting can cause some stress and require recovery time, so I try to find a happy medium between all buds and how mature they are.

 

[theengineer]

I wasn't even aware anyone on here used pistil colour as a harvest indicator, everyone uses trichome development, it's like the forum mantra

 

[Antics]

I wasn't even aware anyone on here used pistil colour as a harvest indicator, everyone uses trichome development, it's like the forum mantra

Trichomes are the best way to harvest. But sometimes people don't have magnifiers available, so the more experienced growers will help out in identifying when the plant will be ready based on several visual clues given by the plant.