Harvesting questions and Tips for Next Time

Hi guys, second grow almost finished up, just have a few questions.

I messed up harvest last time a bit and harvested a bit too soon... don't want that to happen again so I've been researching a lot and it really seems like to comes down to trichome color. I did this last time and I thought most were cloudy.. so I harvested.. but it wasn't as couch-locking as I wanted it to be. I think I need to actually wait for that amber color to appear, right? I've uploaded a few pictures - but they look more like clear/cloudy trichomes. can someone clear that up for me? are they in clear or cloudy stage? is my camera not doing a good job? too much light maybe?

It's been about 1 week since I switched them to water only. Would it be a problem if they went on water only for 3-4 more weeks? I mean, I don't think it should take that long- but just in case, would that be ok? I don't want that chemical taste so I flush early, but I also don't want them starving..

I tried to do the scrog thing and this definitely looks better than my first attempt, but my plant still looks pretty weird. It expanded out to the sides A LOT and then kinda fell. I'm thinking it was my scrog screen set up.. I need another layer of screen, maybe even two. Probably like 6in higher or so, to keep the plants straight up and to also avoid that nothingness in the center.

Also one last thing, what about my plant height? Is it just because I messed up the scrog that it went so short? Maybe I kept the light too far or too close at certain times? Or maybe it's just the strain? Either way, I want to keep it short because of my height limitations (about 5ft tent) but it seems like it's far too short this time. (last time it was growing into the light and burnt up most of the bud)

Any kind of suggestion/criticism is highly welcomed!

Here are some more pics

Wait for 5% amber to harvest unless you have some compelling reason not to (like plant's dying, etc.). You miss out on a lot of bud development when you harvest early. I would never go 3-4 weeks without feeding -- just wasting your time. One week is OK. There no reason you can't stop feeding, decide to 4 more weeks, and feed again.

I just harvested and when I look through my pocket microscope it doesn't look anything like your pics. Every trich in your pick looks super white, more than cloudy even. I don't think it's working properly to use as a guide on when to harvest.

those look like leaf pics, too. don't use leaf trichs, always look at the trichs on calyxes.
those look like they're mostly clear and the light is making them look that way.
i'd say you still have a long way to go.

The pistils are not right yet either.
I'm guessing 2 weeks, im not a pro but had a few grows Id wait a bit longer if it was me.

Start feeding again. When growing a strain for the first time I check the suppliers claimed time to maturity. I wait 7 days after flip then start counting down using his longest maturity time. Depending on time between waterings, I stop feeding in time to do 2 with water only and 4 days to dry. With more experience this is not so important but with judgement, has worked as a rule of thumb for me.

ok great advice guys, thank you very much.

I actually got a pocket microscope and checked calyxes like Roger recommended. They definitely do look clear.
Fed them last night with normal ripening strength. Unfortunantly that one week of water only kinda drained a lot of leaves, lots of yellow/dead looking leaves.

they won't come back, but whats left ought to stay good, and it might grow a few new ones if it feels like it needs them.

about 3 days ago

damn really improved in these last ~10 days!
really hard for me to tell by using my pocket microscope, but I think the trichs are still clear. im probably going to rip off a nug sometime next week and check it out under my PC microscope, I just can't get a good look at it while sitting next to the plant.. I really hate to harvest a nug too soon just for this.. but no other way it seems.

a few of the larger buds still have white hairs, so I'm guessing another week to two?
just hope those yellow leaves don't affect the bud too much.. some of the smaller trim leaves are dying and becoming yellow, kinda creeping into the bud

and what would you guys recommend for DWC flushing? I did a 2 week water flush last time, but it seems like a lot of people are recommended 2-3 days for dwc.. is that enough??

Looking at the pic just before the last one...Lots of "smaller" buds, which is a matter of perspective but, they are looking really close to being done, frosty, pistils are red and drawing back into the calyx's, the calyx's are swelling and swollen. leaves are dying and they flowers themselves are starting to take on the older golden hue!

But again it is all in a matter of perspective, your perspective as you have them there to look over and make that real time determination.

Cheers

They look close to me - at most a week out.

Weishen1121 said:

damn really improved in these last ~10 days!
really hard for me to tell by using my pocket microscope, but I think the trichs are still clear. im probably going to rip off a nug sometime next week and check it out under my PC microscope, I just can't get a good look at it while sitting next to the plant.. I really hate to harvest a nug too soon just for this.. but no other way it seems.

a few of the larger buds still have white hairs, so I'm guessing another week to two?
just hope those yellow leaves don't affect the bud too much.. some of the smaller trim leaves are dying and becoming yellow, kinda creeping into the bud

and what would you guys recommend for DWC flushing? I did a 2 week water flush last time, but it seems like a lot of people are recommended 2-3 days for dwc.. is that enough??

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That looks great man, don't sweat the small things your buds are beautiful. I see lots of amber pistils and just some white ones on small foxtails at the top. Don't worry about those much, check the trichs and pistols for the bulk of the plant to determine the harvest. I'd say maybe a week or less left. Some things you could try to do these last few days to push the buds to finnish fat and juicy is get a dehumidifier in the room or close and drop the humidity as much as possible, also try putting the plant in 24 hours of darkness right before harvest. If you need to water at this point obviously don't add any nutrients but adding a few cap fulls of black strap mollasses mixed with your water really helps the buds carb up and get sweeter. Also it's very common for leafs to die off towards the end of the grow, buds just suck in all the nutrients from them so they turn yellow.

not sure what I did wrong.. but I left the buds in the dark about 36 hours and started chopping, but the buds are lookin kinda weird. the leaves are especially scary looking, rusty/crispy mainly in the center of the plant too..
the buds themselves.. just kinda look deformed maybe foxtailing from heat/stress. they just dont look like before, lots of weird new green growth/tips growing from tips of buds.
lots of hidden buds underneath canopy that were not developed, kinda worried she got overstressed and maybe turning male or something?

i couldnt harvest even 1/4 of it tonight.. should i chop the main stem below or just keep all the bud attached and just keep picking stem-by-stem and trimming? can it/is it overflowering?

Just keep picking stem-by-stem.

a little foxtailing is ok, may be from heat, may be from going slightly past prime, but that doesn't look bad, harvest all the ripe ones and let the rest cook a few more days

I did that last time pulled a extra o but finished a week early with the Johnson grow light. I pull a lot of the fan leafs off before harvest to let in more light!

combustible herbage said:

I did that last time pulled a extra o but finished a week early with the Johnson grow light. I pull a lot of the fan leafs off before harvest to let in more light!

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I'd cut the stem I like dry trimming its faster!