When to pick...

This is my third grow. My first grow I figured out how to sorta keep a plant alive. My second grow I learned some more advanced ways of cultivating marijuana and, the value of an HPS setup. To this point no viable smoke. This my third grow I have taken all previously learned lessons and applied them(with tips from this website). I ended up with some fat nugs and some sticky fat colas. (Thank you HPS) Now I have finally grown something worth harvesting, but, my questions. When to harvest? I think it must be nearing full maturity. The large fan leaves are browning on the tips and I would say roughly half (on some nugs) of the hairs are red hairs. It smells great and I have been waiting to hopefully increase potency. I know the attached photos suck but from what you can see is it harvest time? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

If you need more pics, post and I wil try to get 'em up.

Thanks.

I harvest based on trichome maturity, but not everyone has a scope. i like to harvest around 60% red hairs. but most recommend 75% red hair before pulling. you can also harvest the mature branches first (usually the top half) and let the rest finish. harvesting at different times effects taste, potency, and high. if you want to find the best stage to harvest, you can harvest some now (50% red), some at 60%, and some at 75%. label the stages in jars or whatever you cure it in. then smoke it and record the results. be sure, and i cant stress this enough, DO NOT SKIMP OUT ON THE CURING PROCESS. drying takes about a week, but dont cure for any less then 2 weeks. hold out for a month if you can but dont go much longer than that (unless you plan to freeze for long term storage).

How should or, what are recommended ways of curing and drying buds. I was thinking that I could wold simply hang some string across my grow room and simply clip the stem to the string line, will the rooms light cycle effect the quality. What would you personally recomend? Does a lack of highly crystallized leaves indicate a lack of potency lack of maturity or something else?

Any help from anyone is apperciated.