harvest tric formation in sativa/indicas

[ValkyrieAg]

Don't be afraid to Q/A or advise

Fairly new grower - less than 30 plants harvested so far ever. (but have been getting better and better) Aside from 4 NLXBB, I have only been growing bagseed. Its great bagseed - A friend of mine gave them to me and he smokes some of the best stuff around. Anyway, I read some things about the stability of bagseed; that it is not great compared to bought seeds/clones. Any truth to that? If so, it is ok because I have so many seeds and can pick and choose my best ones.

However, as with growing bagseed, you don't know if you are gonna get some skunky short forgiving indica or a tall finiky sativa. Who knows if they even do well indoors? Anyway, I have gotten 3 obviously different strains so far.

1. I believe to be northern lights. Short, high yeild fat flowers, dense buds. I am guessing NL because I grew NLxBB prior and can *"see"* the NL. Grows well in my closet. Easy to grow, easy to see tric formation/color. No issues here.

2. Tall sativa. No idea what it is, but it doesn't grow great, but not too bad either. Buds are a little thin. Avg about 1/2oz off a 3.5 foot plant. I have a really nice one fixin to harvest at the moment. However, it seems like this sativa doesn't have the pronounced and heavy and obvious trics as the NL.
Questions: What is the formation "schedule" like? Will more trics appear after 7 weeks? How long should I leave it?

3. Med Sativa/Indica im guessing. No clue what this is, but the buds are good looking. Med yield. This plant has a cola, but it isn't fat, but rather the buds pack along the mainstem the last 8" or so and finishes into a point. The plant is sort of 'waxy'. The calyxes are a bright greenish color. The stigmas are really bright and whispy. After 6 weeks, there isn't a whole lot of trics on it. Not much of a smell. Nothing like the above two. I am wondering whether this was a cross pollenater that just doesn't show results.
Question: Will this possibly start showing tricomes? How long should I leave it?


Yes, I do have a 60-100x eyepiece that I use. I am slightly colorblind so above colors may be different. I understand what to look for in the tricomes, but that doesn't mean I can make good decisions about harvesting. These plants were flowered while sexually mature and are currently 46 days old.

I planned on harvesting week 8 day 56 or so. Should I leave #2 and #3 in for another week? What exactly does a ready-to-harvest sativa look like? What should the stigmas look like? What is the maximum week that you should keep a bagseed sativa? Is there any reason that #3 isn't forming trics? Maybe I grew it wrong or soil is wrong or something. Most likely im guessing that it needs more time.

I want feedback.:cool:

BTW, if this thread needs to go elsewhere, please feel free to move it.
Thnx in advance.

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

Pictures. We need some.

[ValkyrieAg]

400w hps btw plenty of light. 10-10-5 fert

[ValkyrieAg]

All I have is a webcam. Think that will suffice?

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

Pics. sorry, we crossposted. Yes, that will do.

[ValkyrieAg]

All these pictures are plant #3. day 46 flower Plant is fairly tall.

1. fan leaf. Looks like a indica/sativa mix
2. you can see how wispy the stigmas are. They feel waxy
3. another shot of the main cola. I trimmed leaves from the area so you can see the bud.
4. a small whispy haired bud. As you can see there is zero tricome on the leafs.
5. full shot of the plant. As you can see, it looks healthy, produces some decent weight in bud. Plant looks happy, just not producing tricomes like I want.

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

Hey babe, what are your temps like? And how is your drainage? I'm seeing some overwatering or wet feet.

What is your relative humidity?

[ValkyrieAg]

temps shouldn't be an issue. I am sure it never gets over 85F

I am unsure of the drainage. There should be plenty of sand in there but it is the same soil mix as I have always used and gotten good (i think) results with. It is just this particular strain.

It shouldn't be overwatering. I let the soil dry out before I water. Alot of times they are already wilting by the time I water.

As far as humidity, I have no idea, but I live in a humid area 81% at 10:15am currently...not that it matters because these are indoor, but I figured with the humidity of the area, I wouldn't ever have to worry.

Tell me more about drainage and how it can affect a plant. Perhaps I should switch to a different soil. My soil currently is 45% topsoil 45% planting mix 10% sand i believe.

As I search a little, maybe I need to just wait and see. Perhaps I'll take the plant to 10 weeks instead of just 8.

[ValkyrieAg]

Last harvest, I had one of this strain. It was beautiful. Had about 5 fat ass colas. It has a lemony/salt/pepper kind of smell. It had an OK high, but definately lacked something.

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

Okay, hang on. I'm a noob, so let me step back a pace.

Get some perlite. Drainage is crucial, and sand can sometimes fuck up your pH. Plus, that shit is heavy.

You live someplace with that superhigh RH. Your plant knows this. The lower the humidity, the more crystal. It gets like concentrated kwim? From evaporation?

See, this is why I'm not a teacher. I don't know how to put things.

Also, everytime my furnace kicks on I get a killer vibration under my butt/area. Random I know, but I had to say it.

[Markass]

Also, everytime my furnace kicks on I get a killer vibration under my butt/area. Random I know, but I had to say it.

You're probably the only person that could actually just type that and turn me on...for whatever reason, it did. :thumbsup:

[Scarlet Sky]

Also, everytime my furnace kicks on I get a killer vibration under my butt/area. Random I know, but I had to say it.

that's it! i'm moving to your house...

[Scarlet Sky]

You're probably the only person that could actually just type that and turn me on...for whatever reason, it did. :thumbsup:

back off! i got dibs... :D

[Markass]

back off! i got dibs... :D

I call second :)

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

that's it! i'm moving to your house...
Woots. We need more estrogen around here, and I've been girlfriendless for a year.

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

I call second :)
That would be the good kind of sloppy seconds.

[Markass]

That would be the good kind of sloppy seconds.

:D :thumbsup: yes ma'am.

[ValkyrieAg]

Hard Water?

I looked up on the net and it says that my local water is around 8.5. From what I understand that is way too high. What should I use to lower it?

[bejay]

the pics that you have posted of one plant looks good and if they have made it this far wouldnt be changing anything at this point in the grow like transplanting to add perlite or even adjusting your ph as they would look alot worse if something was very wrong.
some strains will produce alot of trichomes and even have alot on the leaves some will have less trichomes and may be mostly only on the bud itself.
either way viewing them through the magnifing glass should help you decide when to harvest and from your description plants 2 and 3 will probably take a little longer to finish and may not be ready at 56 days considering that flowering times could vary from around 46 days to 90 days or a little more depending on strain and your using bag seed would suggest you just be patient and give them some time.
and you would really need to check the ph of your water with a meter after letting it sit for 24 hrs and not rely on something youve read on the net it may not be that bad.

[Mrs. Greenjeans]

the pics that you have posted of one plant looks good and if they have made it this far wouldnt be changing anything at this point in the grow like transplanting to add perlite or even adjusting your ph as they would look alot worse if something was very wrong.
some strains will produce alot of trichomes and even have alot on the leaves some will have less trichomes and may be mostly only on the bud itself.
either way viewing them through the magnifing glass should help you decide when to harvest and from your description plants 2 and 3 will probably take a little longer to finish and may not be ready at 56 days considering that flowering times could vary from around 46 days to 90 days or a little more depending on strain and your using bag seed would suggest you just be patient and give them some time.
and you would really need to check the ph of your water with a meter after letting it sit for 24 hrs and not rely on something youve read on the net it may not be that bad.
Am I the only one who thinks this is funny?

All the rest of your advice is good, but that^ seems like a contradiction in terms.:)

[ValkyrieAg]

well i know for a fact that the water is hard here. To someone who is not used to the water, its literally the *first* thing people notice when they shower.

I think im gonna go pick up about 10 gallons of distilled 7ph water and some superthrive.


Do yall think a regular regimen of distilled water will bring the PH down?

[ValkyrieAg]

I guess what I am asking is this:

Will more trics appear after 7 weeks? We are at day 47 of flower.

[madeline]

Val, I have super hard water too but fix it by running it through a Brita Water Filter which brings it down to a 6-6.5 simply by running tap water into the pitcher. I see you are in a different country so you may have to mail-order for one but maybe you have them in stock already or another brand of water filter that has the same workings inside. I haven't gotten inside of the replaceable filters yet but they appear to be filled with tiny charcoal-type nodules. I really don't know how it works but just know it does...some kind of ju-ju maybe, but seriously, it really does work!

[madeline]

BTW, many sativa's don't produce the trichomes like indica's are known for so maybe you have one of those. Kali Mist was one I have grown where I was very disappointed with the no-show of trich's but extremely pleased with the final results, which still lacked the trich's I was expecting at harvest. I doubt if you will see much more than you already have now other than a little filling in however if they are hard core sat's you still have another 3-6 weeks of flowering and plenty of time to grow more. If they were mine I'd boost the P and lower the N but your fert is good enough to finish with as it is. But I would get that water PH fixed asap.

[ValkyrieAg]

Im here the US. I just got a little paranoid and changed my flag for time being. I read something about the brita bringing down the PH; but it didn't seem like everyone was sure. I really like drinking from the brita too anyway.

I actually went and bought 6 gallons of distilled water, superthrive and some fertilizer earlier today. I'll see if the superthrive and distilled water makes a difference. If it does, i'll go buy a brita.

Thanks madeline. I was kind of figuring that this sativa just isn't the type to make the big thick trichs like my #1 indica but i couldn't confirm. It has trichs under the scope, just not the magnitude like i want. I will definately keep it for at least 10 weeks instead of the 8 I was planning.