Is this harvest time?

It kinda looks like it's ready for chopping but it's my first grow and only one plant. Some feed back on the timing would be so greatly appreciated! I way over trimmed her due to inexperience so there aren't any fan leaves left on her and the bud leaves that are left are dying off. Also, about three days ago, I flushed her because of low ph (3.86) in the runoff; however, a soil test (2 or 3 inches below surface) showed a ph of about 7!? Got the runoff up to about 5.6 after several gallons of plain water (I upped the ph to about 8 on about 30% of the water). I'm a little concerned about letting her go for much longer in fear that she'll eat the last of her leaves and then start on the buds (unless I feed her nutes right up to harvest). I am planning to leave her in darkness for a day or two and then chop and hang but I wanna be sure she's ready to meet her maker. Here she is:

I'd give it at least another week, possibly even two. You want to make sure any areas of new pistils in the canopy get a chance to develop. A few white pistils on shaded popcorn buds at the bottom of the plant are ok, but if the main bud still shows any white hairs then it's too early.

Edit: The exception might be if the new pistil growth is pure foxtailing. But that's not happening on your bud.

Just looked again...maybe just a week...

Preference really. I like 20-35% amber and pretty much all the rest milky on my indica’s. Gives me the couch lock/ pain relief.
If you are worried about it not finishing all at once, take it as it matures

Thanks for the comments! I was thinking about doing it piece meal but wasn't sure how much skill was required. Didn't wanna screw it up. So, taking a bud or few buds at a time isn't going to shock the rest of the plant? I'm a little concerned about extending harvest time because of the lack of leaves on her. What do you suggest?

Here's a pic of one of the cola's... they're all the same... just don't have enough leaves on them to get them through without feeding nutes right to harvest. If you've had a similar situation I could use some guidance on how to handle this. Really it's the absence of leaves that is making me think it may not make it another week. Has anyone had experience running nutes right to the end? Will it screw up the quality and raunch me out? Thanks....

Uber Auxintaller said:

Thanks for the comments! I was thinking about doing it piece meal but wasn't sure how much skill was required. Didn't wanna screw it up. So, taking a bud or few buds at a time isn't going to shock the rest of the plant? I'm a little concerned about extending harvest time because of the lack of leaves on her. What do you suggest?

Click to expand...

Nope, wont hurt it just pick a cola that looks ready and chop.

I would say you have at least 2 weeks though.
You want to wait until all those white stigmas/pistils have turned orange and the calyces have swollen. Once you dont see anymore white hairs, then you can take the scope out and you want to only look at the trichomes on the calyx and not on any of the sugar leaves, those will mature and amber before the calyx have swelled to their peak size.

If you harvest before this, you are giving up weight from the size of the swelling, potency, flavor and smells because the majority of those smells and flavors and active compounds, those things are developed after that stage of the white hairs... So the trick is to get the most calyces swollen, without compromising other parts of the plant. Like the other poster said, you can harvest if there are white hairs on some of the larfy bottom branch nugs, you dont want to go past the peak potency point waiting for some airy buds on the bottom to finish... With that said... You can definitely cut the colas off as they ripen. Any shock may even help kick start the others to finish up quicker.


One more thing when looking at trichomes using the scope, remember to always look at each mushroom trichome from the side, and not the top. Sometimes they will look like the mushroom cap is cloudy and white, but really its the mushroom stalk that you are seeing through the clear mushroom cap
.

I've included a few pictures to show what Im talking about as well as some others to give you a good idea of the life cycle of a calyx and when you want to pick them... Ignore any seed breeder times of X weeks flowering XX day flowering or whatever.. Just focus on the life cycle, and take your crop when they are at their peak. Post plenty of pictures when you think that is... But for now... Just keep her happy until those white hairs have changed.. I would say it will be about 2 weeks, but sometimes they just pop one day and mature real quick sometimes they take forever it seems,, But one things certain, they will have a plump look to them when they are ready, and eventually you'll learn to recognize that.


Good luck.

wow.... that was awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my personal concerns with specifics on the matter. I really appreciate your help, dunphy. Do you think the bud in the pic has enough leaves to feed off herself until harvest or should I continue with light nutes (canna boost accelerator 2ml/1.8L and pk 13/14 1ml/1.8L). They do seem to help the growth and save the leaves from being eaten too early but, of course, I will lose the benefit of the flush (if there really is a benefit).