To crop or not to crop...

[Mazer]

Dear Gentlefolks,
I am finishing up my first grow ROLS style. The entire grow has been peaches and cream so far. I grew 4 regular sensiseed super skunk (drive down memory lane) and all were female, not a single unwanted living organism that I could spot (besides some kinda funky virus but no harms done http://rollitup.org/t/pretty-scary-aucuba-looking-discolored-leaves.943851/) everything has been smooth. I can barely believe it. I grew with nutes 15years ago and more often than I can recall most my crop was smothered with red mites and other nasties.
The girls vegged for 45 days I am on day 48 of flowering. This strain is supposed to be 45/50 days flower. I am struggling to decide whether or not to cut down the girls. I am after the laughs and the munchies and not a couch lock.
I went ahead and bought a tiny cell phone scope to gauge the trichomes. Magnification was not sufficient. Then I bought a usb scope. I have a hard time deciding what I am actually seeing. Can I just decide on the crop time looking at the brown vs white hair count (like old times ?) any opinion on
cut/wait/too late ?
Cropingly yours,
M.

 

[bi polar express]

Dear Gentlefolks,
I am finishing up my first grow ROLS style. The entire grow has been peaches and cream so far. I grew 4 regular sensiseed super skunk (drive down memory lane) and all were female, not a single unwanted living organism that I could spot (besides some kinda funky virus but no harms done http://rollitup.org/t/pretty-scary-aucuba-looking-discolored-leaves.943851/) everything has been smooth. I can barely believe it. I grew with nutes 15years ago and more often than I can recall most my crop was smothered with red mites and other nasties.
The girls vegged for 45 days I am on day 48 of flowering. This strain is supposed to be 45/50 days flower. I am struggling to decide whether or not to cut down the girls. I am after the laughs and the munchies and not a couch lock.
I went ahead and bought a tiny cell phone scope to gauge the trichomes. Magnification was not sufficient. Then I bought a usb scope. I have a hard time deciding what I am actually seeing. Can I just decide on the crop time looking at the brown vs white hair count (like old times ?) any opinion on
cut/wait/too late ?
Cropingly yours,
M.

Leave them ladies longer

 

[Mazer]

Leave them ladies longer

Thanks for your reply BPE! how do YOU decide when to chop?

 

[bi polar express]

Thanks for your reply BPE! how do YOU decide when to chop?

I use a scope to look at trichs an I don't start looking at trichs until the hairs really mature up I pretty well ignore flowering times posted on sites such as 55 day flowering time etc. That's more for marketing and indoor guys I look more at early finisher indicas or hybrids how many week finishing as a note but not to take to seriously the pistils on your plant have a lot of white pistils that's why i say leave it

 

[chemphlegm]

funny, most everyone of my plants show solid milky trichomes within the breeder specs, it has much to do with rooms and their controls. Imagine one room in an attic with no ac and the other off the cover of a magazine....attic grows never finish on time for example.

when trichomes are milky solid milky they are ripe. when they turn amber they are degrading. both are useful and of personal choice. http://bfy.tw/D1iq

 

[ruby fruit]

Easy another couple weeks brother

 

[Mazer]

Easy another couple weeks brother

mamamia! my stash is looooooooow! two weeks plus drying and curring my summer is ruined
One(more) thing I learned on this thread is DO NOT try to read the pistils exudates. Focus on the calyx!
Calyxingly yours,
M

 

[ruby fruit]

One of those pics u actually look like u got some amber so ready if u wanted
But then some other pics look like they are clear and a couple weeks away

 

[Mazer]

One of those pics u actually look like u got some amber so ready if u wanted
But then some other pics look like they are clear and a couple weeks away

Yeah Rub. I'll wait. I'll waaaaaaaait........ what do you think of the pix? Not easy to shoot with the cheapo gear.

 

[socaljoe]

I always enjoy seeing trichome pics, sexy little mushrooms.

 

[ruby fruit]

Pics are gd quality i think mate

 

[Mazer]

Pics are gd quality i think mate

Well Thank you dear!
today's update. Feels like it is going backwards... this slow maturing is completely putting of my summer holidays! I had everything planned with a +or- 5 days leeway but the 5 days are gone and the trichomes are still too darn clear! I can not indefinitely push my trip back. I might have to wait to chop down the ladies ( I really dislike this image) let them dry for a week or so, come back, jar them watch them for a couple of days, leave for a week then come back and do this again... not practical at all... my first grow in 15+ years and I got the schedule all messed up... would hate to get hay to smoke at the end of all the efforts

 

[too larry]

mamamia! my stash is looooooooow! two weeks plus drying and curring my summer is ruined
One(more) thing I learned on this thread is DO NOT try to read the pistils exudates. Focus on the calyx!
Calyxingly yours,
M

Cut the top bud off a couple of limbs for smoke. The buds right below will swell up.

 

[Mazer]

It seems like the trichomes are going backward and becoming fewer! is it possible that I knock them of the plants when I move them around to inspect with the scope?
I WILL crop on the in 3 days max. do you think I am being too impatient?
Twichingly yours,
M

 

[Mazer]

Dear Gentlefolks,
The girls came down on the second of August.
I just could not wait any longer as I will be away for a week. I decided to cut them, trim the larger leaves, come back and hopefully start curing.
I feel like a zity teenager who worked his ass off to get a date with a porn star and is freaking out as the date approaches.
Will I like her, will she look/smell/taste as good as I imagined/hope for? is she gonna worth all the efforts??? Oh well I will see.
First remark, I was really unimpressed by the root growth. I expected a LOT more on the side of the pots. Next run I will try to stimulate a bit more my root system in my ROLS.
will let you know as soon as I know. Thanks for your help all.

PS: I truly hate the machismo implied in the growers world. but what can you do when you like to smoke the ladies...

 

[davethepothead]

Dear Gentlefolks,
The girls came down on the second of August.
I just could not wait any longer as I will be away for a week. I decided to cut them, trim the larger leaves, come back and hopefully start curing.
I feel like a zity teenager who worked his ass off to get a date with a porn star and is freaking out as the date approaches.
Will I like her, will she look/smell/taste as good as I imagined/hope for? is she gonna worth all the efforts??? Oh well I will see.
First remark, I was really unimpressed by the root growth. I expected a LOT more on the side of the pots. Next run I will try to stimulate a bit more my root system in my ROLS.
will let you know as soon as I know. Thanks for your help all.

PS: I truly hate the machismo implied in the growers world. but what can you do when you like to smoke the ladies...

Imo I don't think you will get What you are expecting and ill explain why. Your original post those ladies look like they had at least 2 to 3 weeks, they looked like they didn't even begin to swell and your back basically a week later and chopped them. I hope you had an early finisher or something lol. But on the flip side congrats on completing the grow and gaining more experience. Any bud from a plant you grew will be somewhat enjoyable because it's an experience. Good luck on your future grows and let us know how she's smoking.

 

[too larry]

If you are hanging them a week, you may want to do it with some sort of added humidity. A week is a long time. They may be too dry when you get back.

 

[Mazer]

If you are hanging them a week, you may want to do it with some sort of added humidity. A week is a long time. They may be too dry when you get back.

Dear Too Larry, I am already away and I alrdeady miss my girls. I might try to find an axcuse to go back to them sooner.
any tips on facilitating curing will be most welcome.
NotToDryingly yours,
M

 

[waterproof808]

Your first post looked like the buds were at least 3 weeks away from being ripe. You have to remember its all gonna shrink 50-75% during drying, so try to picture what that looks like in your head before you harvest.

 

[Morriston55]

Get those scissors ready! Looks like you have a days worth of trimming ahead of you. Nice work making it to harvest though.

Definetely a bold move leaving them for a week unattended though. I have to move/spin/rotate my plants every few days or else once side of the tent or the back or front or something will somehow be drying faster then the rest.