Shit I actually meant to do that
I don't know what else to worry about other than stigmas not being white anymore.
If you handle them a lot reading the trichomes gets really hard to do, because like Herb and Suds said you'll damage a bunch and they'll look ready way before the plant is ready for harvest. The whole worrying about losing thc to being over ripe is way over hyped in my opinion. Letting them go until they're swollen, with the hairs receded into the calyxes and really bending the branches over from the last bit of weight gain is way worth the time in my own experience. Trichomes can help be a guideline but let the whole plant appearance tell you when it's ready.
Bro thank you, that was a very helpful description of what a swollen bud will look like. I'm going to hold out.
All those yellow leaves
I might try carefully to remove the necrotic leaves in the colas as the dead tissue can lead to bud rot in some cases. Fingernail scissors work really well for the tight stuff if you have steady hands.
I took about 45 min and got as much dead crispy as I could after I took these pics earlier today. When I opened it this morning it smelled like the first day of drying. Like that green smell. I thought "oh shit I gotta get this dead off here". I guess I'll chop next weekend most likely. I use those fingernail scissors too. I've got a few pairs. One for trimming, one for cutting up bud and one for toe nails. Thanks for the hell and info.
The good old wire to the tent pole that's my ghetto trick