not compact buds... did i harvest wrong?

I recently harvested my first grow. Two plants: one AK-47 and one Chronic. Dried them upside-down for two weeks and now they are curing in mason jars. However, the buds are not very compact - very light and fluffy. They look very crystally and are sticky, and they are almost too strong to smoke (couldn't help trying it)! But I'm wondering - did I harvest too early or dry them wrong?

I didn't do a good job at writing down when I moved them to flowering. I also didn't have a good magnifying glass at the time... so I just waited until ~80% of the hairs went brown.

Fortunately, I've got 6 more plants flowering now from cuttings... so I'm hoping a little hint from the community might make the next harvest even better.

Thanks much for any insight!

might not have been enough light

hmmm... i'm using a 400w HPS, and it is just inches away from the top of the plants. 12-12 hours. if this is the case, do you suggest a larger light?

other info: this is an indoor, hydroponic grow. i'm using General Hydroponics "Flora" series for nutrients. Using the little chart for the "simple recirculating program" as a guide to the amount of FloraGro, FloraMicro and FloraBloom. Not using any other nutrients. Perhaps there is something better?

other suggestions?

Thanks!

I kinda don't see the problem....you have sticky buds....could it be the WAY you cured them? You should seriously look at some of the other FAQ's sites...Jorge Cervantes has a cool site...do some research on the web....google your question and see if that's all good or something you mist. Just a thought.

you might be right... there might not be a problem cause the shite is strong! (actually, seem stronger than anything i've ever bought). and i have a ton of it now... but it's just not looking normal (compact). i don't particularly have a problem with the way it looks, just wondering, since i'm new, if there is an obvious answer out there.

my drying/curing is:
1. clipped all the big fan leaves at harvest time, plus any of the smaller leaves i could easily cut.
2. hung them upside-down in a dark room for 12 days. they are nice and dry and break easily off the branches.
3. cut them all off the branches and put them in air-tight, glass mason jars.

they are only one day into the jars at this point... but i read somewhere that it is during the drying that they will become compact. they did somewhat, but not much.

thanks!

Hey stay online....I'm gonna go get my book. Well get down to the bottom of this. Let me help you out dude.

According to Jorge Cervantes, you did many of the harvesting & drying steps very well. My question is, before you put them in the jars, how many days did you let them dry? It appears to be the key here, and I think I know why your buds are wet.

Supposedly the strains are AK-47 and Chronic. I don't have a way of verifying this, as it was from an acquaintance.

I just continued the watering/nutrient schedule right up until harvest. (Never heard of stopping the watering before harvest.) I have heard of using a water-only (no nutrients) for a week or so before harvest, but I didn't do that.

The drying was for about 10 days. I'm in a very dry climate (colorado). It's a good question... the main stems of the plant were not breaking when i started curing them - just the little tiny stems that connect the buds to the main stems. The buds are not "wet" so much as sticky.

hmmmmm u really should of flushed at least week before u harvested....would of made ur bud taste better ......as for it being fluffly airy buds....i just finished my HK clones and i can tell u i got some airy buds too but not as bad as my last grow with cfls ...this time around it was a result of all the lower buds being popcorned out but i do have some really rock hard buds i also used a 400w hps really not much you can do.....if anything just keep curing and hope that it starts to tight'en up ............

mosts of the time your buds will be fluffier than you are used to just for the simple fact that allmost all of the weed you buy on the streets has been vaccum sealed for transport; thus condensing the buds. that being said, you could have chopped them too early, had not enough light, or it could just be the strain. some strains make some rather wispy buds, whereas others develop rock hard nuggets. as long it is good smoke, i wouldn't worry about it at all. congrats on your harvest man.

you said you harvested when the hairs were brown. this isnt really an indication.

you want to use a magnifying glass to look at the trics. they will turn from clear to cloudy and finally amber. i harvest when most are cloudy and a few starting to go amber

how many weeks did you flower?

It really seems like you did everything right....I'm including a couple of other sites here for you to view. I'm pretty sure you like them. It will answer many of your questions. Got me stumped too.....

HARVESTING AND DRYING Weed (Cannabis) Growing Guide:

Harvesting and Drying Cannabis

These should help you dude. Let me know what you find out, OK. See ya later.....

Hey - thanks for all the help and advice.

You're right - watching the hairs isn't the best idea. I did recently invest in a little 30x jewelers magnifying glass, so I'll watch the trichs next time.

Also, I'm counting the days this time before harvest - I didn't do that last time! (it's all a learning experience.)

In the end, I think everything went pretty darned well. Best bud i've ever smoked, and it is so very satisfying having grown it myself!

When will we have to stop hiding! Let's make it legal!

is your light bulb brand new? older bulbs give less intensity and ur buds will be fluffier.

i could be the seed itself

i planted 9 seeds last year

5 were male

1 was very fluffy and tasted harsh and funky

1 was a hermi

the last two kicked ass
-big tight buds
-reeked of fruity pebbles
- and a very nice stone

of the nine i found 2 good mothers.

im still running clones from them.

i agree with gogrow. people new to growing always expect big rock solid nugs coz their used to getting vac pact shite of street dealers. I was the same to, but you can still grow solid buds you just need the right equipment and right environment

did you use bud booster near the end of flowering? if not, maybe try it next time? i've been told that the high phosphate content will make your bud denser, as the plant will use this to fill in the spots where it would usually produce seeds.

i'm not 100% sure about this because i've never grown (starting in a few months) so hopefully someone who really know what theyre talking about can chime in and let us both know. as of now, i'm definitely planning on using it.

lay the bud onto the newspaper. put another one on top. and let a normal house fan breeze throgh it. dont put the fan on to strong. worked for me bud becomes dry and crispy. put them in the jar after and the smoke should be chronic. try a few buds first. see wat u think