52 day flower cycle, still not ripe

[irishbud]

Guys, great to be back on here, im on my second grow and a little worried. Im growing 4 sweet dreams plants in a home made grow box. Im using a 250 hps light system and plants are in soil. Today is the 52nd day in a 52 flower cycle and at the moment all the pistels are still white...... The buds them selves ar huge and very smelly and when i squeeze them the resin does be on my fingers. I have done every thing the same this time round that i did with my first plant (same sweet dreams) With this been the last day of the flower cycle should the pistels not be nearly 80% full (changed color)??? Any feed back will be great you guys....

Thanks again...

[Zandor]

You can't tell if it's harvest time by pistols. Only Trichomes will tell you when it's time to harvest. Look in the FAQ there is a post on how to tell when you should harvest.

[irishbud]

I have tried to find the post but it doesnt seem to find it.... What is Trichomes anyway??? Anything i've read has always said when 80% of pistels have changedd color its time to harvest...Anyone else any input please....

Thanx

[lemonboy]

Trichomes are the little crystals that cover the flowers. You'll need some maginfication to see their colors. As Zandor said, you can't use pistil color. They come in all shades.

[Zandor]

Click Grow FAQ's - then click when to harvest.

Not to hard to find.
http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=25001

[LOC NAR1958]

Go to radio shack for 10 buck they have a lighted hand held microscope, kind of small. You will want it on 30x, goes to 100x. Look close at a bud the cystals look like a golf ball on a golf tee. Awsome looking up close. When they are almost all cloudy not clear then they are ready to harvest. If they start to turn amber they are past there prime for THC. I don't know how many times Zandor has said that but would like to have a dime for every one. Hope this helps.

[Sage of Bud]

Trichomes are the resin producing THC glands on the female plant. They come in several varieties....cysolith....bulbous....stalked...capi tate-stalked. The capitate-stalked glands are the major THC producers and they coat the buds profusely. You can view these glands using a 30x magnifying-viewer,..available at Radio Shack.When the glands start to turn milky white to amber then the THC is beginning to degrade after peaking...try to harvest later for heavier feeling stone.