how do you really know when your plant is ready to harvest?

ok. I was wanting to know how do you now your plant is don and ready to harvest? I know you wait for the amber trichs on your buds and everything. I seen people say when the fan leaves start to yellow and die.But I have grown a few plants before and never have I seen the leaves to start to yellow and die. I have grown autos that are said to be ready in 8 or 9 weeks. I let them go to like week 10 or even 11 and still never seen any yellow fan leafs. My plants are always bright green still. so how can you really tell when your ready to chop her down?

I've been told the same thing about trichomes and their color change along with maturity. I also heard when they're 3/4's amber/brown colored. Personally, I'm probably going to test it out for myself and see how the bud turns out.

BuddySkunk said:

I've been told the same thing about trichomes and their color change along with maturity. I also heard when they're 3/4's amber/brown colored. Personally, I'm probably going to test it out for myself and see how the bud turns out.

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well I tried that and I have gotten some great smoke. But if you wait too long you can lose potency I have been told. And like I said I been told to wait till the fan leafs turn yellow and die off. The thing is my plants never do that. And autos are like 8 to 10 weeks max.

that bear smokey said:

well I tried that and I have gotten some great smoke. But if you wait too long you can lose potency I have been told. And like I said I been told to wait till the fan leafs turn yellow and die off. The thing is my plants never do that. And autos are like 8 to 10 weeks max.

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Well, I thought only the bottom leaves of the plant will die off? Since they're so far down in the canopy to where the light cannot penetrat ​as deep.

BuddySkunk said:

Well, I thought only the bottom leaves of the plant will die off? Since they're so far down in the canopy to where the light cannot penetrat ​as deep.

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well I was told that most of the fan leafs would turn yellow because the plant has no more food to feed its self and is dying off. Then thats the time to harvest. so thats why I posted the question.

Its not as much the hairs u go by but the crystals when they turn from a clear color to a milky white color, and if ur growing AF strains do u lst them at all might help ur yield.

tecnically, the trichomes, cloudy for couch lock, and white for mental, energetic high.

but really, each plant has its perfect time. some should be picked early, for the mental high, and some are better later for the couch lock. i usually break off a branch and dry it and test it first, sure its harsh cuz i havent stopped nutes yet, but if ya get high, or stoned, ya know its ready. aroma is key. stickyness is a plus. best is to clone a strain a bunch, and harvest each at different times and see when its the best, when the genetics of the plant, the taste, and the effects really come out, into a pleasant, fulfilling smoke.

the hairs will darken and everything shrinks after you harvest, so dont go by hair color or bud size.

trichomes i have 1 strain that ill harvest at about 5% amber, and another that is a super downer, and that i wait for 50% amber.

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Are you flushing your pots out because that's when the fan leaves will really start to yellow up....last week of grow when you are supposed to be flushing out the container with 3x as much water as substrate....

Plus autoflowering plants grow for only about 2-2.5 months from seed to harvest and stay fairly small (less nutrient requirement) than larger regular plants that are vegged for a month and then put into flowering (big nutrient requirement).

cc08150 said:

Are you flushing your pots out because that's when the fan leaves will really start to yellow up....last week of grow when you are supposed to be flushing out the container with 3x as much water as substrate....

Plus autoflowering plants grow for only about 2-2.5 months from seed to harvest and stay fairly small (less nutrient requirement) than larger regular plants that are vegged for a month and then put into flowering (big nutrient requirement).

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hello yes I do flush. But I still never get yellow fan leafs. Its like I could let it grow for ever and its still bushy and green. lol

that bear smokey said:

hello yes I do flush. But I still never get yellow fan leafs. Its like I could let it grow for ever and its still bushy and green. lol

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After your flush, you discontinue all nutrient use?

althor said:

After your flush, you discontinue all nutrient use?

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yes I do. I give nothing but water.