when to chop

Dear Esteemed Collegues & Others,
(For me...just a grumpy old man).
I have read on the internet, watched endless youtube vids, spoken with locals and still do not have a difinitive answer "When to harvest"....
Some say:
When pistils are 75% brown
When all pistils are brown
When pistils and trichomes have been brown for a week or moore
When trichomes start clouding
When all trichomes are cloudy
When a few trichomes turn amber
When 50% of trichomes turn amber
When 100% of trichemes turn amber

It would seem to me to harvest when all trichomes are milky or a few are amber. I do want a "heady" high, not a couch lock.

Any help from all would be appreciated.

Eggbert "The grumpy old man"

This is a toughie, and I'm sort of in the same boat as you. From what I've read, part of the decision is dictated by the strain you're growing -- and then part of it is dictated by personal preference.

I'm growing Jillybean, and when I've reached the 8-week mark I'm going to post photos in the TGA Subcool threads asking for advice from other growers of the same strain. If I didn't have that option, I'd go with The Cannabis Grow Bible for my first grow of the strain, and then tweak it on future grows.

TCGB says:
50-70% of pistils have changed color
Less than 5% are withering
90% are mature
Less than 5% are in the early stage

THEN:
Looking at the trichomes, I'd get advice for clear/milky ratios from RIU folk.

Then chop.

Good luck!

eggbert1 said:

When all trichomes are cloudy
When a few trichomes turn amber
When 50% of trichomes turn amber
When 100% of trichemes turn amber

It would seem to me to harvest when all trichomes are milky or a few are amber. I do want a "heady" high, not a couch lock.

Any help from all would be appreciated.

Eggbert "The grumpy old man"

Click to expand...

The trichomes are the best to look at when deciding when to harvest, and there is no set time to harvest it is all completely up to you.

For a "heady" high you'll want to chop when all or most of the trichomes are cloudy.

That's because it is directly related to the strain and type of high you desire. So there is no REAL answer. When I do indica heavy strains I DO NOT let them get super amber because being indica it already has couch lock characteristics, So therefore I harvest indicas all cloudy with little to no amber. My friends who have the SAME strain let it go 2 weeks longer (more amber than cloudy) for the HEAVY couch lock. Its all up to you.....

BTW I forgot to mention I use the pistil hairs as a indication it is ripening and maturing, NEVER assuming if they are all receded and turned brownish,red,etc. You can harvest. It just lets me know I can soon start checking the trichs for the perfect desired effect from said strain. good luck!