New High Times Suggests Harvesting Earlier...RIU Rejoice!

[degausspress]

Just like people used to spend so much time focusing on white hair percentages, I feel this whole debate is a red herring. However, using my method there are never any amber crystals, it is usually 1/2 clear and 1/2 milky.

In my opinion, it looks gorgeous with very clouded/amber crystals, but it is certainly past peak THC.

For me, the pertinent thing is shape. In other words whether the little atomic clouds have started to 'topple' or not. The crystals that topple over are definitely past peak.

This is tricky, as certain parts of the plant can finish earlier than others sometimes. However, a quick glance around and you can average out where the plant is at.

In my opinion, many people harvest too late because it looks awesome that way, however, I have not been able to prove it with rigorous THC testing of the same strain and conditions. Based on many a harvest.

 

[bundee1]

what about plant matter? people used to smoke leaves and get baked. What chemicals are in the plant matter of the buds, that get you baked? Why is a hash high way different (at least for me) than a flower high?

 

[RawBudzski]

I personally do not want only/pure head high. I judge dankness of weed by how lazy it makes me after, I am all about the body highs & mellowing out, That MAY not be how it works though it is my reality.

Only time I prefer a sativa that makes you UP & energized, is when I am working / got to be active.

 

[rocknratm]

honeswt, my best strain comes down a week or so early every time. Because its packed on most its weight, and it tastes strong regardless of the cure, and no one complains about it ever... If I let it go it usually gets the extra glaze over it, so I do that when I can.

One strain I have, regardless of trich color, is poor. Alot, I mean alot, of how good bud is is genetics IMO. Second to that is a healthy plant

 

[althor]

Ok someone already mentioned this earlier and its so long now that I skipped, but to me this hits the nail on the head.

At week 7 I look under my microscope. In the spot under my scope, I have exactly 100 trichomes. 70 clear 30 milky. Should I pull now?

Well.

I let it go 1 more week to week 8. Check the exact same spot under the scope, now I have 200 trichomes in that same spot. 130 clear 60 milky 10 amber. If clear is the target, well I just really bumped up the amount of CLEAR, i.e. THC from that same hit. Of course those numbers are just tossed out there, but the point is, I have seen trichomes really start producing the last week or so of flowering, and a leaf go from slightly crystaled to looking like dipped in sugar.

You do lose 10 to amber, and another 30 to milky but you still gained more clear (thc filled) trichs. Thats why you cant look at is as individual trichomes. When you see the first amber trichome, you have basically finished trichome production and you will have ALOT more clear still ready to be smoked than if you had cut it a week earlier with less clear.

 

[jojodancer10]

You all make very good points. I did a grow that went two weeks over and the high knocked me out. The next grow I cut a week early it was not my best work.I came to the point that I will cut when I see mostly milky to amber.lights out for 48 then cut

 

[jojodancer10]

I never did a grow with co2. This will be my first grow with it. All of my other grows I pulled a pound I hope this co2 is worth it. . 4x4 tent ebb and flow. System with 4x4table. Total number of plants 70. Hope to get 2lbs.I will post pics before. I cut. Keep growing family

 

[sso]

i like to let them go till the plants look like shit (sugary mess with all the fanleaves and lot of leaves gone)

you Can smoke the plant in the 6th week (many strains)

but the difference is like between candy and plain sugar.

the best line ive heard?

"if you think they look ready, wait a week or 2"

then of course,

i do like couchlock.

but, frankly, if im smoking an indica, im looking for couchlock

i could let my sativas go on forever and never get any couchlock.

smoking an indica without an couchlock is like drinking light beer. vaguely pleasant taste but pointless in the end.

 

[skunkish]

you could always take a cutting or 2 when mostly clear,some more cuttings when mostly cloudy and then finish when mostly amber,dry them all out and see what you think is the best! or does that sound to easy?

 

[degausspress]

Here is what I'm talking about, this time it ended up mostly cloudy with a couple amber in there, most of the little trichomes are upright with a swollen globe on the end. Only a few have stretched and bent. This is Grape Ape harvested on 2/7/2012!

 

[PJ Diaz]

View attachment 2049475

Here is what I'm talking about, this time it ended up mostly cloudy with a couple amber in there, most of the little trichomes are upright with a swollen globe on the end. Only a few have stretched and bent. This is Grape Ape harvested on 2/7/2012!

yummy!

Interesting find by the OP. I pulled off a branch that was kinda weak and not getting as much light from a Blackberry Kush plant the other day. It was only about 35 days into 12/12 so super early. It is still very resinous though, so I dried the small buds and pulled a few tokes last night. I was amazed how high I got on the premie bud! I thought this is gonna be super uber dank when it's harvested in a couple weeks, but this article gets me thinking as bit.

 

[kowski]

Here's another vote, one for earlier rather than later harvesting.

I use it for some pain, but also to keep this old man moving. Exercising. Walking long distances, cycling, lifting at the gym, working in the garden. Early harvest has that stimulating effect, opposite of couch-lock. I harvest based mostly on trichomes, that they are mostly cloudy. Also the look of the plant, and the buds and the pistils, harvesting when most pistils are white but crinkling up, with maybe 20% of them reddish brown.

There is certainly less weight at this point. But here in Oregon we are allowed four plants, and that works for me, even with the weight being less than a late harvest.

I know many folks disagree with this 'early' harvesting, and to make things equal, i disagree with their 'late' harvesting. But I believe we are all tending toward the harvest-time that suits each of us best!

So for example, i'll probably be harvesting this plant in the coming days.

 

[homebrewer]

I think even the early-harvesters at high times would tell you it's still way too early to chop.

 

[Michael Huntherz]

I just eyeball it, honestly people trip too much.

But yeah, that last pic is way too early.

 

[kowski]

I just eyeball it, honestly people trip too much.

But yeah, that last pic is way too early.

Thanks for the feedback. It is early. Oh well.

 

[GreatwhiteNorth]

I've seen people have issues with paranoia and anxiety associated with either Sativa dom flowers or an early harvest (which produces much of the same effects).
Not sure of the how that all works - just sayin.

 

[Uberknot]

So....how much does it continue to change after it's cut and hanging and for how long?

Also does it change more in the dark or in the light?

 

[kowski]

I've seen people have issues with paranoia and anxiety associated with either Sativa dom flowers or an early harvest (which produces much of the same effects).
Not sure of the how that all works - just sayin.

Paranoia? What? Just because 'they' are REALLY after you does not mean you should not be paranoid! ha

 

[Uberknot]

Ok someone already mentioned this earlier and its so long now that I skipped, but to me this hits the nail on the head.

At week 7 I look under my microscope. In the spot under my scope, I have exactly 100 trichomes. 70 clear 30 milky. Should I pull now?

Well.

I let it go 1 more week to week 8. Check the exact same spot under the scope, now I have 200 trichomes in that same spot. 130 clear 60 milky 10 amber. If clear is the target, well I just really bumped up the amount of CLEAR, i.e. THC from that same hit. Of course those numbers are just tossed out there, but the point is, I have seen trichomes really start producing the last week or so of flowering, and a leaf go from slightly crystaled to looking like dipped in sugar.

You do lose 10 to amber, and another 30 to milky but you still gained more clear (thc filled) trichs. Thats why you cant look at is as individual trichomes. When you see the first amber trichome, you have basically finished trichome production and you will have ALOT more clear still ready to be smoked than if you had cut it a week earlier with less clear.

"Of course those numbers are just tossed out there"

Yes please take pictures and document.

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

i don't really care about quoting studies. the guy who wrote the study knows his shit, but it seems a lot of the time that technical facts don't line up that well with the real world.
maybe clear trichs are at their peak in some way, but not their peak desirability.
i'm an impatient bastard and have harvest enough plants early to know its a bad idea, if you don't wait for most if not all of your trichs to be at least cloudy, its just not as good. period. maybe some cannabinoid in the plant is at its prime at that point, but not the ones i'm interested in, apparently.
for most of the strains i've grown, 5-10% brown, at least 80% cloudy is the key point. maybe they are past peak. idgaf if they are, thats when i want them.