What's the best way to tell when a plant is ready for harvest

[Rickypsimer]

I HAVE NOTICED THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF MY PLANTS AND DIFFERENT STRAINS ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF FLOWERING DO I HARVEST TOP KOLAS FIRST AND ALLOW LOWER BUDS THAT DONT HAVE HAIRS THAT HAVE TURNED YET. Top buds have buds with hairs that have changed and the lower haven't yet turnedWHEN LOOKING AT CRYSTALS ITS VERY HARD FOR ME TO IDENTIFY CLOUDYNESS

 

[Lordhooha]

I HAVE NOTICED THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF MY PLANTS AND DIFFERENT STRAINS ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF FLOWERING DO I HARVEST TOP KOLAS FIRST AND ALLOW LOWER BUDS THAT DONT HAVE HAIRS THAT HAVE TURNED YET. Top buds have buds with hairs that have changed and the lower haven't yet turnedWHEN LOOKING AT CRYSTALS ITS VERY HARD FOR ME TO IDENTIFY CLOUDYNESS

You’ve got a long way to go

 

[BluntMoniker]

What week of flower are you in, and what are the strains?

It's hard to tell from your pictures, maturity of the buds. And if you dont have a good form of magnification to view terpenes well, the next best thing, is to go based on suggested harvest time by the breeder. Usually they give a time frame (somewhere between 7-11 weeks), and I'd suggest waiting until the later part of that time frame.... you work your ass off to grow it, dont ruin it by being impatient ;p

As far as tops maturing faster than the lower bud sites, that's normal. You can either let the whole plant mature a bit longer (just dont overdo it and ruin tops by over maturing, to maximize the bottom buds), or you can harvest upper buds, and give the rest another few days to mature on the plant before harvesting them.

 

[Lordhooha]

What week of flower are you in, and what are the strains?

It's hard to tell from your pictures, maturity of the buds. And if you dont have a good form of magnification to view terpenes well, the next best thing, is to go based on suggested harvest time by the breeder. Usually they give a time frame (somewhere between 7-11 weeks), and I'd suggest waiting until the later part of that time frame.... you work your ass off to grow it, dont ruin it by being impatient ;p

As far as tops maturing faster than the lower bud sites, that's normal. You can either let the whole plant mature a bit longer (just dont overdo it and ruin tops by over maturing, to maximize the bottom buds), or you can harvest upper buds, and give the rest another few days to mature on the plant before harvesting them.

Did you not see the same plant I did? It’s a long ways off. Breeder times are useless a plant is done when it’s done. Too many variables.

 

[BluntMoniker]

Did you not see the same plant I did? It’s a long ways off. Breeder times are useless a plant is done when it’s done. Too many variables.

I see plants with white pistils that havent turned brown and receded back yet, so yes, they arent close to ready yet... but even if they were brown/receding, that doesnt signify "ready", just that its "close"

The only real way to know accurately, is terp color, but he said he has no way of viewing terps, so were kinda just shooting in the dark.. but breeder suggestions will at least give a good educated guess, as to when the plant is likely to be ready. And then, airing on the side of caution, I suggested waiting until the later part of breeder suggested harvest times.

Any plant I've grown, from a reputable breeder, (dinafem, G13 labs, Greenhouse, Barneys, etc) has been fairly accurate to within the breeder suggested harvest time. They almost always go beyond the earliest suggested, but never beyond the latest suggested harvest time... but that's purely anecdotal. I'm sure someone else can say breeder times have never been accurate for them.. but again, without the ability to view terps, you gotta work with what ya got.

 

[MrToad69]

This question is actually more straight forward than you might think...
Flowering times for strains are always approximations...
Trichome color plain and simple..(You need a jeweler's loop) You want the bud trichomes to start changing amber...10%-20% IMO( changes based on preference)
You can harvest the top of the plant first while waiting for bottom trichomes to catch up..

Cheers
MrToad

 

[pablohernandez]

So if you Harvest the top Kolas first, where do you cut them off at? Will this not damage the plant?

 

[Lordhooha]

So if you Harvest the top Kolas first, where do you cut them off at? Will this not damage the plant?

Don’t worry right now those are far from done. However when they are ready you can just cut right under wherever you want and dry them. Harvesting in waves is done all the time with no issues.

 

[PhatNuggz]

This question is actually more straight forward than you might think...
Flowering times for strains are always approximations...
Trichome color plain and simple..(You need a jeweler's loop) You want the bud trichomes to start changing amber...10%-20% IMO( changes based on preference)
You can harvest the top of the plant first while waiting for bottom trichomes to catch up..

Cheers
MrToad

I know this will make zero sense, BUT, Ive had plenty of instances where the bottom was ready first

OP: You need a < $20 microscope from Azon and do a search for when are tricombs ready. You should find micro pictures showing the different colors and which is ready

hth

 

[Dr. Who]

Trich's my ass.... It's just part of the picture.

Many new "uber" strains don't amber much. Some not at all!

You need to learn the plant (strain) and when it tells you it is done.

Swollen calx's and receded pistils is one way to get close, very close.

NO breeders report has been close for me... Add 2 weeks is a given in my book, period.

Run LONG! Longer then you think!

IF your getting trich's ambering - watch those...

 

[Sfrigon 1]

Looking for a little Amber

 

[Arnski5000]

Good few weeks and then start checking trichomes

 

[xtsho]

I don't go by breeder times "marketing nonsense" or trichomes "unreliable" I go by the overall look of the plant. I've grown and harvested so many plants over the years that I can tell when they're done by looking at them. I've seen many posts on this site where people said they had "X" amount of amber when they harvested and just from looking at the pictures of their buds after harvest it was easy to tell they chopped weeks too soon. I also think some of the products people are using on their plants contribute to trichomes turning amber when the plant isn't ready. I don't have any scientific data to back that up just observations I've made.

 

[Dr. Who]

I don't go by breeder times "marketing nonsense" or trichomes "unreliable" I go by the overall look of the plant. I've grown and harvested so many plants over the years that I can tell when they're done by looking at them. I've seen many posts on this site where people said they had "X" amount of amber when they harvested and just from looking at the pictures of their buds after harvest it was easy to tell they chopped weeks too soon. I also think some of the products people are using on their plants contribute to trichomes turning amber when the plant isn't ready. I don't have any scientific data to back that up just observations I've made.

AH! The "false" finish.....

Ambering in some strains, under some environmental conditions (includes all points of feeding)... Can give an early band of ambering trich's. This is well ahead of any actual finish.
Always watch the trich's on the calyx's and NOT the ones on the leaves.

Real, old school strains,,,,Used to amber in a stepped coloring.....cloudy - lightly amber - red - brown - and lastly black.
Red was the harvest time. It packed the most punch in the pipe or paper!

You had to watch very closely as it changed ,, almost daily in some strains.... I liked to harvest at the amber turning red. You have to keep in mind that the buds you harvest.. Mature after you chop for a day or so longer.

A wink to xtsho and some info for the rest of you!

 

[Rickypsimer]

What week of flower are you in, and what are the strains?

It's hard to tell from your pictures, maturity of the buds. And if you dont have a good form of magnification to view terpenes well, the next best thing, is to go based on suggested harvest time by the breeder. Usually they give a time frame (somewhere between 7-11 weeks), and I'd suggest waiting until the later part of that time frame.... you work your ass off to grow it, dont ruin it by being impatient ;p

As far as tops maturing faster than the lower bud sites, that's normal. You can either let the whole plant mature a bit longer (just dont overdo it and ruin tops by over maturing, to maximize the bottom buds), or you can harvest upper buds, and give the rest another few days to mature on the plant before harvesting them.

Day 36 so week 5 and on the left is northern lights auto then powerplant mystery seed blue berry and gelato og

 

[Melli]

I’m a first timer. I am at the stage where I don’t know nothin yet! But I’m so so so freaking proud of my two girls thus far check out my pics. I don’t want to pick too early since it’s gone so well so far but I had some green inch worm looking things and so I shook the branches off and broke a nice bud. It’s drying now. Pic also below. Anyone tell me if it’s time yet to harvest, I didn’t keep strict times or write a damn thing down. I’ll be kicking myself next year. Do the look closer to a week till I should cut them? I too have smaller bud on the underneath branches I was gonna leave on longer in hopes they will grow bigger once they get more sun. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Brudog]

I see plants with white pistils that havent turned brown and receded back yet, so yes, they arent close to ready yet... but even if they were brown/receding, that doesnt signify "ready", just that its "close"

The only real way to know accurately, is terp color, but he said he has no way of viewing terps, so were kinda just shooting in the dark.. but breeder suggestions will at least give a good educated guess, as to when the plant is likely to be ready. And then, airing on the side of caution, I suggested waiting until the later part of breeder suggested harvest times.

Any plant I've grown, from a reputable breeder, (dinafem, G13 labs, Greenhouse, Barneys, etc) has been fairly accurate to within the breeder suggested harvest time. They almost always go beyond the earliest suggested, but never beyond the latest suggested harvest time... but that's purely anecdotal. I'm sure someone else can say breeder times have never been accurate for them.. but again, without the ability to view terps, you gotta work with what ya got.

Terpenes are an aromatic compound in plants. I think you are confusing that and trichromes.

 

[BluntMoniker]

Terpenes are an aromatic compound in plants. I think you are confusing that and trichromes.

Not confused; misspoke. I understand the difference, but nothing I can do about it now... post is 8months old so people will just have to use context clues ;p

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

I’m a first timer. I am at the stage where I don’t know nothin yet! But I’m so so so freaking proud of my two girls thus far check out my pics. I don’t want to pick too early since it’s gone so well so far but I had some green inch worm looking things and so I shook the branches off and broke a nice bud. It’s drying now. Pic also below. Anyone tell me if it’s time yet to harvest, View attachment 4684820I didn’t keep strict times or write a damn thing down. I’ll be kicking myself next year. Do the look closer to a week till I should cut them? I too have smaller bud on the underneath branches I was gonna leave on longer in hopes they will grow bigger once they get more sun. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

Your plants have at least 3 weeks to go, probably more. Advice? Don't chop them early. They look great. GL

 

[xtsho]

I’m a first timer. I am at the stage where I don’t know nothin yet! But I’m so so so freaking proud of my two girls thus far check out my pics. I don’t want to pick too early since it’s gone so well so far but I had some green inch worm looking things and so I shook the branches off and broke a nice bud. It’s drying now. Pic also below. Anyone tell me if it’s time yet to harvest, View attachment 4684820I didn’t keep strict times or write a damn thing down. I’ll be kicking myself next year. Do the look closer to a week till I should cut them? I too have smaller bud on the underneath branches I was gonna leave on longer in hopes they will grow bigger once they get more sun. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

Weeks away