Any experienced CBD growers?

Hey guys there is a lot of conflicting advice on when to harvest cbd dominant strains. Any advice from guys who grow these strains on when to harvest? Cheers

Greenhobbiest said:

Hey guys there is a lot of conflicting advice on when to harvest cbd dominant strains. Any advice from guys who grow these strains on when to harvest? Cheers

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ALWAYS harvest high CBD strains EARLY!!!
Waiting for them to "fatten up" in later weeks will lead to the CBD degrading to the point of uselessness.
CBD degrades at a much faster rate than THC, so if you're seeing amber trichomes, it's already too late.
You'll have to experiment a little to see when is the best time for plants depending on the genetics you're growing.
For me, I was running a Dance Hall cross, and harvesting at week 7 of flower was perfect.
Next time I ran her, I waited until week 8, and it was a monumental mistake.
Completely different effect, with the relaxing, soothing effects of CBD gone.

Bad Karma said:

ALWAYS harvest high CBD strains EARLY!!!
Waiting for them to "fatten up" in later weeks will lead to the CBD degrading to the point of uselessness.
CBD degrades at a much faster rate than THC, so if you're seeing amber trichomes, it's already too late.
You'll have to experiment a little to see when is the best time for plants depending on the genetics you're growing.
For me, I was running a Dance Hall cross, and harvesting at week 7 of flower was perfect.
Next time I ran her, I waited until week 8, and it was a monumental mistake.
Completely different effect, with the relaxing, soothing effects of CBD gone.

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Have you grown any CBD hemp flower yet? I’m curious if that has an even shorter harvest time. I have some Cherry Wine seedlings going right now and plan on training them into bushes before moving them outside for the season.

I harvest when 50% clear 50% cloudy. I was shocked the cbd shark was extremely early to get cloudy, and consistently cloudy roughly 80-90%, it felt wrong but it was right, there were no secondary growth spurts so it got the axe.

Cbd spliffberry was ready at 50/50 but then went into overdrive in a second growth spurt putting a lot more clear in the mix so still waiting on it to finish.

Never Amber and pistols less than 80% turned color will get you there.

Bad Karma said:

ALWAYS harvest high CBD strains EARLY!!!
Waiting for them to "fatten up" in later weeks will lead to the CBD degrading to the point of uselessness.
CBD degrades at a much faster rate than THC, so if you're seeing amber trichomes, it's already too late.
You'll have to experiment a little to see when is the best time for plants depending on the genetics you're growing.
For me, I was running a Dance Hall cross, and harvesting at week 7 of flower was perfect.
Next time I ran her, I waited until week 8, and it was a monumental mistake.
Completely different effect, with the relaxing, soothing effects of CBD gone.

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I am interested in your comment of not letting them fatten, what were your cloudy/clear ratio. Thinking I might have overdone it with the cbd spliff, I tried it a week ago and it was good but then the plant went into overdrive.

TreeFarmerCharlie said:

Have you grown any CBD hemp flower yet? I’m curious if that has an even shorter harvest time. I have some Cherry Wine seedlings going right now and plan on training them into bushes before moving them outside for the season.

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Sorry, I haven't grown out any CBD hemp, so I can't speak on that with certainty.
I would think that the same would hold true though, considering that the CBD cannabinoid is the same, harvesting early should still yield the high CBD results you want.

Bignutes said:

I am interested in your comment of not letting them fatten, what were your cloudy/clear ratio. Thinking I might have overdone it with the cbd spliff, I tried it a week ago and it was good but then the plant went into overdrive.

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I didn't base things off any certain cloudy/clear ratio.
I actually had to pull it early (week 7) the first time because of a heat wave.
Thank god for that heat wave though it made all the difference when harvesting her early.
I was incredibly surprised to feel the soothing CBD effects of what I'd assumed was a plant plucked immaturely.
Like I said, I ran the same cut again until week 8 (which showed amber trichs), and the CBD effects were almost non existent.
Letting things fatten up for a few more grams of impotent meds are not worth the loss of true CBD medicine.

Ok good to hear I don't have any Amber but I should get chopping soon

Bad Karma said:

ALWAYS harvest high CBD strains EARLY!!!
Waiting for them to "fatten up" in later weeks will lead to the CBD degrading to the point of uselessness.
CBD degrades at a much faster rate than THC, so if you're seeing amber trichomes, it's already too late.
You'll have to experiment a little to see when is the best time for plants depending on the genetics you're growing.
For me, I was running a Dance Hall cross, and harvesting at week 7 of flower was perfect.
Next time I ran her, I waited until week 8, and it was a monumental mistake.
Completely different effect, with the relaxing, soothing effects of CBD gone.

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I’ve got 3 cannatonic growing outdoors, first pistils started showing 7 weeks ago. The breeder says flower 9-10 weeks. I don’t have any amber trichs on the buds yet, I am new to this so struggle to work out the diff between cloudy and clear Trichs. There are still a lot of white pistils aswell. When would you harvest?

Bignutes said:

I harvest when 50% clear 50% cloudy. I was shocked the cbd shark was extremely early to get cloudy, and consistently cloudy roughly 80-90%, it felt wrong but it was right, there were no secondary growth spurts so it got the axe.

Cbd spliffberry was ready at 50/50 but then went into overdrive in a second growth spurt putting a lot more clear in the mix so still waiting on it to finish.

Never Amber and pistols less than 80% turned color will get you there.

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So how many weeks less than breeder advice did you chop?

I don't bother with the breeders timeline, I go off of 50 clear 50 cloudy and also about 60-80% pistols are orange. Honestly tho it really is strain and pheno specific. I have a cbd spliffberry right now that had a few amber almost from the first trichomes.

Post some pics and maybe I can help you out.

You can harvest in stages so you know what to do next time. I suggest trying that, but first a picture.

Bignutes said:

I don't bother with the breeders timeline, I go off of 50 clear 50 cloudy and also about 60-80% pistols are orange. Honestly tho it really is strain and pheno specific. I have a cbd spliffberry right now that had a few amber almost from the first trichomes.

Post some pics and maybe I can help you out.

You can harvest in stages so you know what to do next time. I suggest trying that, but first a picture.

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Hopefully these photos are good enough to give you an idea. Thanks.

You definitely have a few more weeks or better

There's a thread on this subject at the AFN where one of its participants was Mark from Dinafem. After scouring the thread (which I never bookmarked) for conclusive info, I took this screenshot and will hold it as truth for my own grows.

Bignutes said:

You definitely have a few more weeks or better

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Hey mate I can tell now a lot of my trichs are cloudy. I can start to see some amber ones, although they are only at top of bud so not sure if they have just been damaged from me. Pistil colour is maybe just 50/50. I’m thinking I should chop now. 8 weeks of flower. Breeder says 9-10. Here’s a couple photos

Im not sure where those pics are on the plant for the trichomes, but by the first pic of the cola its not ready. If your seeing a few amber on the larger sugar leaves like in the couple of photos posted especially at the top it's normal, but dont use those as an indicator, they make up a really small percentage of trichomes. Look on the calyxes and small sugar leaves where the mass of trichomes are up and down the cola. You still have a bit more to go, I'd say 3-7 more days. There is nothing stopping you from cutting a bud off and drying it to test the same day, if you like it cut it. You are just inside the harvest window imo.

Bignutes said:

Im not sure where those pics are on the plant for the trichomes, but by the first pic of the cola its not ready. If your seeing a few amber on the larger sugar leaves like in the couple of photos posted especially at the top it's normal, but dont use those as an indicator, they make up a really small percentage of trichomes. Look on the calyxes and small sugar leaves where the mass of trichomes are up and down the cola. You still have a bit more to go, I'd say 3-7 more days. There is nothing stopping you from cutting a bud off and drying it to test the same day, if you like it cut it. You are just inside the harvest window imo.

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How would you suggest to cut and dry a small bud same day? I’ll give that a go and leave the plant a bit longer. Thanks man

I cut one off midway up the plant, put it in my toaster oven on warm setting for 5-7 min at a time do this a handful of times over the course of a few hours or until it's somewhat dry and give it a go. Your plant may go longer too, sometimes it stays "dormant" for what seems like an eternity and then in a day or two things can ripen quickly. Post a pic in 3-4 days.

Im seeing a lot of thc for cbd plants......

JoeBlow5823 said:

Im seeing a lot of thc for cbd plants......

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Explain?

Bignutes said:

Explain?

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In the microscope pictures. Lot of trichomes for plants that are hemp..... or does CBD form in the same way and im a fucking retard? Its ok if I am... I like to learn.