New Grower. Need opinions on pics of trichomes. Is it harvest time? Thank you

Hi all,

I am a first time grower, and my Diesel autoflower is on day 81 from the day she rose above the soil. I have researched trichome color and pistils and everything I can find to help guide me, but I am still unsure. This autoflower came from an order of photoperiod seeds, so I treated her as one until she revealed her true nature. Before this, I had also manifolded and lollipopped the auto expecting a huge growth spurt in flower. The flowering stretch had apparently already occurred, and she never got any taller, so she basically became a crown of nugs. She has been in the flower tent on a 12/12 schedule since the start of week 7 since I did not have a separate setup to keep her on a different light schedule.

I've been having some issues with heat and/or humidity at night in the flower room recently, which I believe I may have resolved, but my plants have definitely been stressed out by it, and the auto is showing what I believe is fox tailing and also has a few seeds on some of the buds. I discovered a banana on the photo she shares the tent with the other night and removed it, and have been keeping a close eye on it since (no new bananas in the past week). I'm not sure if the auto got hit with some pollen or if the seeds are from stress or what.

I'm including some photos of the auto and some closeups of the trichomes. If anyone has any input, I would greatly appreciate it, as I am kind of freaking out right now. I feel like she is ready and I don't want to jump the gun but I'm worried I may be forced to by this seeding situation. I'm looking to harvest at peak thc time when around 90% of the trichomes are cloudy and 10% are amber. From what I've gathered, autos don't play by the same rules when it comes to trichomes turning amber. What do you think?

Thank you.

Just going based on your last 2 pics it looks like you need a couple more weeks. If you can see seeds forming the damage is already done. May as well let her finish.

mikeyboy2121 said:

Just going based on your last 2 pics it looks like you need a couple more weeks. If you can see seeds forming the damage is already done. May as well let her finish.

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Thank you for the reply. I guess that sort of alleviates some of my anxiety, but it's a shame that the damage is already done. I am noticing another seed here and there as the days go by, but I assume they were already there and are just now poking out? I'm worried that they are taking over buds in places that they would not reach if I harvest sooner rather than later.

I was hoping for a little sooner than 2 weeks, but I don't want to rush it unless I have to. Does anyone else have an opinion on harvest time for this lady? Thanks again.

Neverwhere said:

Thank you for the reply. I guess that sort of alleviates some of my anxiety, but it's a shame that the damage is already done. I am noticing another seed here and there as the days go by, but I assume they were already there and are just now poking out? I'm worried that they are taking over buds in places that they would not reach if I harvest sooner rather than later.

I was hoping for a little sooner than 2 weeks, but I don't want to rush it unless I have to. Does anyone else have an opinion on harvest time for this lady? Thanks again.

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At least 2-3 weeks.

PadawanWarrior said:

At least 2-3 weeks.

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Hmm well at least I'll get a chance to use the uvb supplement light, which just got here late, in the last couple weeks of flower like I had planned. Thank you.

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Nice job Neverwhere!

It really does look like a crown of buds.

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Hobbes said:

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Nice job Neverwhere!

It really does look like a crown of buds.

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Thanks Hobbes! She really has impressed me so far considering how much I took off of her in early flower.

It has been about 10 days since I was told to give her another 2 or 3 weeks, and I want to keep her going, but I'm getting slightly paranoid about some coloring/discoloring going on in the buds. Can anyone tell me what they think this looks like? I'm hoping it's just some coloring late in flower, but am watching like a hawk for signs of bud rot. Here's to hoping I'm just being overly cautious.




Also, here are a few update pics since the last post.





I found some tiny bananas on her last night, some of which looked like they were part of an opened pollen sack, so I'm getting even more itchy to harvest considering there is another tent in the room. I nearly chopped her last night after plucking them, but I've calmed down enough to seek advice since not finding any more this morning. I plan to keep her going at least until 2 weeks have passed since my post, which is coming up on Wednesday. We are currently on day 92. Thank you.

Heat stress will definitely throw ya plants a bit off. Last time I had sudden seeds, it was after a heat issue and before I installed a dehumidifier/ac unit specifically servicing my tent. Personally, I harvest when trics are above 10% because they do keep ripening as they slow dry. I like a kick initially with a calming aftermath. I love it when my topped plants form a crown of buds. I usually top/fim one and don't touch it's sister on new strains to determine which is better...newer strains seem to grow taller than autos did back a few years requiring adjustment for even taller tents.

Oldreefer said:

Heat stress will definitely throw ya plants a bit off. Last time I had sudden seeds, it was after a heat issue and before I installed a dehumidifier/ac unit specifically servicing my tent. Personally, I harvest when trics are above 10% because they do keep ripening as they slow dry. I like a kick initially with a calming aftermath. I love it when my topped plants form a crown of buds. I usually top/fim one and don't touch it's sister on new strains to determine which is better...newer strains seem to grow taller than autos did back a few years requiring adjustment for even taller tents.

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Thank you for the reply. I'm currently just closing the door on the room to keep them on their 12/12 cycle but I may need to focus on light-proofing the tents so I can leave the door open and give them access to cooler air. I was so paranoid about light leaks that I just closed them in a room for the nights. I have a dehumidifier that gets closed in with them overnight which is hooked to a regulator so it keeps the humidity around 48 at night, but that dehumidifier heats things up quite a bit even so since the room is basically a giant closet with no access to the air conditioning. I'm looking at about 83 - 85 degrees max at night in the room, usually 83. I've done what I can to make it work without trying to light-proof the tents as I don't have confidence that there will not be any light leaks, but these night time temps are obviously not ideal. The girls are currently experiencing 74-78 degree days with 40-45% rh and 83-85 degree nights with 45-49% rh, which must be confusing to them. I can't really afford an ac unit for them, but I may look into it in the future.

Do you think we are on track for next Wednesday as harvest? If you could, please tell me what you see that guides you to that time frame, or what sorts of developments I should be looking for when she is ready? I'm seeing 90% or more pistils having turned brown and a decent amount of amber trichomes. I'm not sure if they are at 10% yet but I'd say we're getting there if not. Am I seeing things wrong? Or am I missing something?

If the other tent is also close to finish, I wouldn't worry about any more accidental pollination