Length of flower/ripeness

I'm not including pictures here, and that's on purpose.

I read everywhere that most flowering takes anywhere from 8 - 10 weeks.

Sometimes I see 7, and sometimes I see extremes like 11 or 12.

Okay, fair enough.

I'm starting to think those numbers are completely inflated.

After four home grows, I'm seeing that full ripening (e.g., 90 percent cloudy/10 percent amber trichomes) takes 11 - 12.

Sativas, indicas, counting from the first day of 12/12, counting from the first day of physical flowering signs, it doesn't matter. . .

I think 11 - 12 is about the right window for most weed. I think 8 - 10 weeks is a marketing ploy designed to appeal to the impatient. Period.

Thoughts?

I can count on one hand how many plants were done at 8 weeks, most were at least 10, closer to 12 weeks, had a few that went 15 weeks. In any case, I don’t think I’ve ever had one come ready when the breeder-seller’s description said it would!

Yep what he said ^^

Bud Sweetman said:

...
Sativas, indicas, counting from the first day of 12/12, counting from the first day of physical flowering signs, it doesn't matter. . .
....

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10-11 weeks from 12/12 flip has been fairly typical for the stuff I've grown, regardless of breeder's claims.

Counting from the day of flip is most certainly different than counting from the first "flowers"; that should be obvious.

Bud Sweetman said:

I'm not including pictures here, and that's on purpose.

I read everywhere that most flowering takes anywhere from 8 - 10 weeks.

Sometimes I see 7, and sometimes I see extremes like 11 or 12.

Okay, fair enough.

I'm starting to think those numbers are completely inflated.

After four home grows, I'm seeing that full ripening (e.g., 90 percent cloudy/10 percent amber trichomes) takes 11 - 12.

Sativas, indicas, counting from the first day of 12/12, counting from the first day of physical flowering signs, it doesn't matter. . .

I think 11 - 12 is about the right window for most weed. I think 8 - 10 weeks is a marketing ploy designed to appeal to the impatient. Period.

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Half the “breeders” that have popped out of the woodworks in the last couple years don’t even test their gear to know how long it takes to finish them out. Always keep that in mind. The times that are printed on these packs are pure guesses at best. Again, not all breeders.

It'll be strain dependent as well. Some pure sativas can take 16-20 weeks. All in all..... the plant is done when it's done. They don't read calendars, and they're not in a big hurry.

Also, trichomes only tell part of the story. Usually, ALL the pistils browning, and receding, is a good indicator, that the plant is at least close to being done. At least imo.

Hollatchaboy said:

Usually, ALL the pistils browning, and receding

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I've noticed same -- all of them should be, most of the time. I've read instances of people saying "some with be whitish still," etc. Nope. (Then again, I think it is REALLY routine that people are confusing trichomes and pistils all the time.)

Bud Sweetman said:

I've noticed same -- all of them should be, most of the time. I've read instances of people saying "some with be whitish still," etc. Nope. (Then again, I think it is REALLY routine that people are confusing trichomes and pistils all the time.)

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Now you have seen a ripe flower with white pistils.

Mac1 is 63 days on the dot so it depends

Ive noticed breeders flowering times have been off by at least 30% every pack I've ever grown I had 1 Ethos hash plant bx1 finish in 8 weeks, closest I ever seen

Controversial post of the day: I often harvest what's considered by most "early". I personally believe weed (in most cases) is at peak potency much earlier than most people think. If I see mostly cloudy/milky (I actually dont even look at trichomes that closely) I chop. Amber doesn't concern me at all. The extra time to get a bit more volume isn't worth it to me. I never get complaints about taste, potency, or smell. Ok start firestorm and tell me how wrong I am. hahaha

pegboy said:

Controversial post of the day: I often harvest what's considered by most "early". I personally believe weed (in most cases) is at peak potency much earlier than most people think. If I see mostly cloudy/milky (I actually dont even look at trichomes that closely) I chop. Amber doesn't concern me at all. The extra time to get a bit more volume isn't worth it to me. I never get complaints about taste, potency, or smell. Ok start firestorm and tell me how wrong I am. hahaha

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Have you tried letting them go longer, just to see the difference?

11/13 will get you to the finish line faster and that is the timing some breeders use to determine flower duration.

Some also use flowering time in relation to clones, not seed.

I have two phenos from the same strain that are maturing at vastly different speeds.

Hollatchaboy said:

Have you tried letting them go longer, just to see the difference?

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Oh definitely. I've just come to prefer mostly milky. One of the main considerations I take into account is when my plants stop drinking. My current grow is in week 7 and they are drinking about 1/3 of what they were just a couple of weeks back. I certainly won't chop now but I think in a couple of weeks they'll be very close (for my liking that is).

Back in the mid 90s (my first intro to growing) the general rule of thumb was 80% red pistils. We've moved WAY past that since then and I personally feel we may have moved a bit too far. Of course its just my personal preference. I'm not arguing that this is the best way. Just a personal preference. I wonder if growing hydro helps with a bit earlier finish? Aside from a few plants grown outdoors I've never grown in soil.

Get your environment dialed in.
I consistently finish in 8-9 weeks- every strain- I grow Indicas or indica leaning hybrids.
This wedding cake was harvested exactly at 8 weeks

I have had plants that are fully ripe at 8 weeks. I've also had plants that I took to15 weeks waiting for milky trichomes to develop. There's no way of really knowing anything outside of a ballpark figure and that's because the hybrid lineage is SO complex and deep now. Any number of traits could pop up from any number of combinations of all that lineage. Some hybrids are more stable than others, but that's still no guarantee that you might get a recessive trait that you don't want or expect -like longer or shorter ripening time.

There is no "flipping" in an outdoor grow unless you are light depping

Let's keep this shit on track