Zeus's Take on Harvesting

DANKSWAG

Well-Known Member
It is based on personal experience, and research!!!
I'm just really tired of the only answer to "is it done?" being "get a scope" There is so much more than just the colour of the resin gland heads to take into consideration.
So just how much of a role IYO does trichomes coloring play in consideration with other factors such as pistils going inwards ect..? If anything wouldn't a scope prevent you from taking too late if there truly the ratio of amber trichomes is excessive overall would that not degrade the High effect giving you more of a couch lock experience? I am just curious as to any supporting data that perhaps it is truly more strain driven then trichome development? or over development.

So my next question is I like hybrids ie Blue Cheese is the bomb IMHO I like the smell the taste the buzz, its not heart racing, not drag you down but buzzed and feeling good. So would trichome development play more of a role in hybrids?

Also on your grow journal I can't find any of your pics in the journal for some reason though I read people responding "ooh very nice" wish I knew how I can correct this I can see other folks's pictures in there journals.

Anywise pleasure to make your acquaintance and I do appreciate your input!
 

DSinatra

Well-Known Member
The pictures don't show its been a while. When I post pictures I post the full image rather than the thumbnail so it will always be up. Anyways as you can see here it's safe to say the majority of the pistils are white. Still stretching and some new ones also. This is not ready for harvest it still has anywhere between 2 to 3 weeks to go imo. In about 5 days 6 days maybe I'll start to flush for a good 2 weeks flush. You can see some of the orange pistils are still long rather than curling up like it's getting sucked back in, a sigh that it is not ready.Screenshot_2015-11-07-21-13-46-02.jpeg
 

ILLwannabe

Active Member
Thank you! Just read your information Zues, your perspective is very relatable and understandable. Thanks again!
 

Unit Farm System Supply

Well-Known Member
The pictures don't show its been a while. When I post pictures I post the full image rather than the thumbnail so it will always be up. Anyways as you can see here it's safe to say the majority of the pistils are white. Still stretching and some new ones also. This is not ready for harvest it still has anywhere between 2 to 3 weeks to go imo. In about 5 days 6 days maybe I'll start to flush for a good 2 weeks flush. You can see some of the orange pistils are still long rather than curling up like it's getting sucked back in, a sigh that it is not ready.View attachment 3539453
Pretty helpful . :clap::clap: Subbed!!!
 

LinguaPeel

Well-Known Member
I just read it all in 2019. Old but good!
Does it explain that multi poly mersh mutt hybrid genetics and homoponic grow methodology that make trichs turn amber in 4 weeks doesn't mean you've hit the goldmine, but in fact are probably helping ruin the perpetually dropping quality standards of Cannabis-Sativa?

We all know hydro is quicker to "ripen", not many have yet accepted that's a bad thing.
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
Okay, I've posted this a couple times, but I though it deserved its own thread.


Is it ready yet?: SpruceZeus's take on marijuana ripeness.
This is by no means meant to be the definitive guide to knowing when to chop your plant, only my views on the subject.

I'm personally of the opinion that 90% of the growers on this site (And probably in general) harvest too early. By letting the plants go a little longer you're ensuring that the've plumped as much as they're going to.
Despite popular opinion to the contrary(and don't fool yourself, the jury is still out on this one) Recent studies have shown ;contrary to what was previously believed, that THC itself (And its predecessor THC-A) are quite guilty of causing the confusion and drowsiness associated with burnout and other cannabinoids (our friend CBN, and a handful of others) to be the catalyst (along with THC) to being 'high' rather than 'baked'
Regardless, whether or not theres any substance to the aforementioned study, its easy to get the high you want.
If you want a soaring 'cerebral' high: Get yourself a tropical sativa that contains a high level of THC-V and grow it until it is ripe.
If you want the narcotic couchlock stone, grow a rugged indica until its ripe.
Notice a pattern of growing it until its ripe? Its a really good rule to live by.
OF course we have to remember that there is more to a good high than just THC. At last count there are at least 66 cannabinoids, and we don't know what most of them do.


Now alot of people will tell you that you should harvest based on the colour of your trichomes. But (again, in my opinion) that is far too simplistic and there are too many variables to make that an effective strategy. I've made that point a million times before and i'm not going to re-hash it here,(maybe just a bit) but rest assured there is more to the picture than just trich colour.


A ripe marijuana plant will be filled in, will have an amber tinge to the buds. The pistils should have browned (or orange-d) off and receded into the buds. The seed bracts should be swollen and the trichomes should be sticking straight out with bulbous ends. Also, because you're coming close to the end of plant's life cycle, the leaves should have yellowed off and started to die.


one of my plants, 3 days before chop-chop.


Another very important (imho) reason to let your plants mature is Terpenoid production. Terpenes are responsible for alot of the complex (And enjoyable) flavours that cannabis produces. Some of the most intense flavours are produced on the "downslope" of cannabis's life cycle. My personal experience with this first came when i was growing GH cheese. One of the plants i harvested at 8 weeks and it tasted pretty nice and had pretty dense buds. The other i grew until about 9 1/2 weeks and it had most amazing, sour, skunky, delicious taste with rock hard buds.


Here is my interpretation (and maybe exaggeration) of a scenario i see all too often...

That plant is 4 weeks into 12/12. Granted not all of the trichomes are that far along. And most people arent going to harvest weed that looks like this. But my point with this is that you have to look at the big picture. Stop being so scientific and start being practical.
I'm not anti knowledge, i just cant stand these "rules" that more often than not lead people down the wrong path.
Lets cut through the bullshit and spread good information in a way that is not so absolute. Or at very least explain the growth stages of cannabis making sure to mention that the pistils should have receded back into the bud before you chop. Regardless of trichome colour.

If I could offer one piece of advice on picking the right time to harvest, it's all about watching the pistils. Not so much the colour, but the movement. They should have receded into the bud and the seed bracts should be swollen.

It should look less like this

And more like this.


Trust me when I say, it is worth the excruciating wait.
Wow I have been here since 08 and never seen this post. This post is so spot on about harvesting! I haven't read the thread yet, just the first post but it hits the nail on the head.:clap::clap::clap:

I'm gonna read through the thread next before I comment anything else. But this is a great disscussion..............
 

Roansdad

New Member
Does it explain that multi poly mersh mutt hybrid genetics and homoponic grow methodology that make trichs turn amber in 4 weeks doesn't mean you've hit the goldmine, but in fact are probably helping ruin the perpetually dropping quality standards of Cannabis-Sativa?

We all know hydro is quicker to "ripen", not many have yet accepted that's a bad thing.
2020 im reading this and wow I hope you’ve smoked a lot more weed since you made that reply and chilled out!!!
 

Charliemarfe

New Member
Okay, I've posted this a couple times, but I though it deserved its own thread.


Is it ready yet?: SpruceZeus's take on marijuana ripeness.
This is by no means meant to be the definitive guide to knowing when to chop your plant, only my views on the subject.

I'm personally of the opinion that 90% of the growers on this site (And probably in general) harvest too early. By letting the plants go a little longer you're ensuring that the've plumped as much as they're going to.
Despite popular opinion to the contrary(and don't fool yourself, the jury is still out on this one) Recent studies have shown ;contrary to what was previously believed, that THC itself (And its predecessor THC-A) are quite guilty of causing the confusion and drowsiness associated with burnout and other cannabinoids (our friend CBN, and a handful of others) to be the catalyst (along with THC) to being 'high' rather than 'baked'
Regardless, whether or not theres any substance to the aforementioned study, its easy to get the high you want.
If you want a soaring 'cerebral' high: Get yourself a tropical sativa that contains a high level of THC-V and grow it until it is ripe.
If you want the narcotic couchlock stone, grow a rugged indica until its ripe.
Notice a pattern of growing it until its ripe? Its a really good rule to live by.
OF course we have to remember that there is more to a good high than just THC. At last count there are at least 66 cannabinoids, and we don't know what most of them do.


Now alot of people will tell you that you should harvest based on the colour of your trichomes. But (again, in my opinion) that is far too simplistic and there are too many variables to make that an effective strategy. I've made that point a million times before and i'm not going to re-hash it here,(maybe just a bit) but rest assured there is more to the picture than just trich colour.


A ripe marijuana plant will be filled in, will have an amber tinge to the buds. The pistils should have browned (or orange-d) off and receded into the buds. The seed bracts should be swollen and the trichomes should be sticking straight out with bulbous ends. Also, because you're coming close to the end of plant's life cycle, the leaves should have yellowed off and started to die.


one of my plants, 3 days before chop-chop.


Another very important (imho) reason to let your plants mature is Terpenoid production. Terpenes are responsible for alot of the complex (And enjoyable) flavours that cannabis produces. Some of the most intense flavours are produced on the "downslope" of cannabis's life cycle. My personal experience with this first came when i was growing GH cheese. One of the plants i harvested at 8 weeks and it tasted pretty nice and had pretty dense buds. The other i grew until about 9 1/2 weeks and it had most amazing, sour, skunky, delicious taste with rock hard buds.


Here is my interpretation (and maybe exaggeration) of a scenario i see all too often...

That plant is 4 weeks into 12/12. Granted not all of the trichomes are that far along. And most people arent going to harvest weed that looks like this. But my point with this is that you have to look at the big picture. Stop being so scientific and start being practical.
I'm not anti knowledge, i just cant stand these "rules" that more often than not lead people down the wrong path.
Lets cut through the bullshit and spread good information in a way that is not so absolute. Or at very least explain the growth stages of cannabis making sure to mention that the pistils should have receded back into the bud before you chop. Regardless of trichome colour.

If I could offer one piece of advice on picking the right time to harvest, it's all about watching the pistils. Not so much the colour, but the movement. They should have receded into the bud and the seed bracts should be swollen.

It should look less like this

And more like this.


Trust me when I say, it is worth the excruciating wait.
over10 years later and this post still taught this noob Mcboob Something thx for ur tip on the receding that helped me a lot
 
Top