TRICHOMES QUESTION , SOMEONE??

[fivefingerlid]

Can anyone tell me the the different stages of the trichomes shape in relation to approximate time during flowering stage? how close to harvest are you when you see the golf tee and golf ball standing up straight ? and how far into flowering do they start to form.?when is it time to remove fan leaves?


and one other thing will flushing with just ph corrected water suffice ?

any information on the trichomes would be appreciated?
thanks

[Marc Benson]

Trichs. Go by their colors not their shapes. Clear not ready. Cloudy go out and do a bazillion things because you're so pumped up and amber lay on the couch because you can't get up. Or a combination of the two to whatever degree YOU want. And it no doubt varies from strain to strain.

"and one other thing will flushing with just ph corrected water suffice"

Suffice for what? When? If you mean for the final flush before harvest I've read that for the last few weeks that it really doesn't make that much difference as the plants have pretty much done evereything they're going to do. But I'd use the adjusted water since that's what you used up to that point. Why switch.

Most people suggest never removing fan leaves unless they're hanging there dead. Then they do no good. But if they're still green they still help regulate the plant and process light so leave 'em on. Unless of course they're covering up some flower sites, but then just tuck them under those and leave 'em there.

[fivefingerlid]

No I realize the color of the trichs are what is important but before they get cloudy or amber they lift off the surface(golf ball on a tee ) of the leaf or bud what I was curious is how long into flowering are you when the trichomes first start to form and how long before harvest or when they start top turn amber.

taking off fan leaves just before harvest is appropriate to let the buds get the last bit of light I think about 10 days before harvest thats why I am asking trying to gage when to remove fan leaves by the trichomes stage of development? And wondering about how far into flowering they form and once they start how long approciamately till harvest ? The trichomes must have an average life span
??
thanks

[Marc Benson]

"what I was curious is how long into flowering are you when the trichomes first start to form and how long before harvest or when they start top turn amber"

Way too many variables to answer accurately as there's no doubt differences in strains and also slow downs in maturation caused by problems during the growth cycle. But possibly if you tell us what strain it is someone might be able to better answer that question.

[fivefingerlid]

white rhino , white russian, early skunk. I know theres no set time and there are variances I am just try to get an idea . like "the trichomes start forming about three weeks before havest the stem up like golfballs 2 weeks before harvest last week they are turning amber ", (for an example) Just like to get some input if anyone has been keeping notes . I'm not to good at thinking let alone typing and thinking ....lmao I may be wording it awkward , sorry man appreciate your reponses though
thanks

[HARDDON]

Never pull off your fan leaves. Who told you to do that? The plant needs them to produce energy but also to respirate.

Take those and it can be death in hours.

The flowers get all the light they need at that stage of their lives, or else they wouldnt even be there to begin with.

Trichs form as the flowers start. The longer they flower, the larger the trics get, and the more numerous they become.

During the last couple of weeks is when the fill with the most THC.

The older trichs degrade first. I am not sure the trich has a 'lifespan' as you put it as it really isnt alive.

Trichs will last several years after being harvest so they dont die.

The THC in the trichs will degrade in by products while still in a living plant.

I would probably estimate they will turn from clear, to cloudy, to amber in approx 6 weeks for most indica strains and maybe 8-9 weeks for sativa.

Just generalities, but if this is because of the fan leaves you want to remove I wouldnt do it.

Hope that helps. :)

[fivefingerlid]

Thank you Hardon for the general times for trichs . so they are most active the last couple weeks before harvest? I wasn't talking about removing the fan leaves until the trichomes show signs of of getting close to the end . Fan leaves are a debatable subject but I agree with you they should remain until the end or very close to it they can be removed in the last week I think without detrimant to the yield, I may be wrong but don't think so

why do sativa take so much longer ?
thanks for the info good to know

[HARDDON]

Sativa is, if I am not mistaken, the 'original ganja plant.'

Indica is a variation.

Remember....Weed has now been grown thru so many successive generations of artificial lighting.....who knows what else can change ??

Indicas for the most part, just grower shorter and more compact and flower more quickly than her older cousin.

At least that is what I think...perhaps someone more familiar with the Indica strain can answer.

I think the way you ask...."why do sativa take so much longer?"

could also be asked...."why do indica flower so much earlier?" :) :)

[fivefingerlid]

ah thanks hardon never looked at it from that point of view , well to be honest wasn't really sure what the differences are between Sativa and indica other than indica was a good crop for indoors thanks again for the response

[spydurmyte]

Historically, indica strains come from parts of the world where the growing season is foreshortened by the harshness of the elements. Those plants would need a pretty accelerated life force to grow, flower, and produce viable seed to ensure the survival of the genetics.
Sativa is more of a temperate/tropical species, growing where the environment is more conducive to a longer lifespan, closer to the equator, latitudinally speaking, more sunlight, longer days, shorter nights, different growth cycle altogether.
I've been planting the same strain of indica outside for twenty years now, never crossbreeding it with anything, and it's still as good as ever.
Ever grab a plant by the cola, jam your face into it, inhale, and feel like you've just been spotwelded to the ground?
'Old world' vs 'New world'-give me the old!

[fivefingerlid]

SPOT WELD ME .... :D lol , Got a couple cola's now that are pretty sticky but not to the welding degree. I can think of a a thing or two I have jambed my face into and felt like I should have been or would like to have been welded to it :eek: but never a cola, wouldn't mind that experience a bit though . thanks for the sativa / indica info kinda old school myself

[fivefingerlid]

Somehow I can't help thinking that the trichomes can be a good tool for determining important stages and development of the plants flowering stage. Don't really know what it is I am searching out but there must be a significance. I have one plant just dripping with trichomes another two of a different strain forming trichs rapidly and three others with the largest of buds with barely any trichomes at all. All started at the same time, same lighting (2-1000watt hps)all veg'd for 5 weeks under 400 watt MH. Three part GH nutes. I know different strains different length flowering stage but why are some almost completely without trichomes while others are covered with them? Even with a 2 or 3 week difference in strains it seems they should all have a good development of trichomes it would seem, by now?

Can you flush just using ph corrected water or is a flushing solution necessary to flush before harvest?

Don't mean to be repetative people but something tells me theres something there I need to learn and understand better. If I'm beating a dead horse just shoot me lol :eek: thanks

Peace :D

[HARDDON]

Well there are some simple rules to understand.

A trich by itself is useless. It must be filled with THC to be any good.

If there are no trichs, odds are, there isnt much THC.

I think flushing is a matter of what is it you are trying to flush? Some pro's advise no nuting for the last 3 weeks, so the plant will use all the nutes left in the soil...and all the nutes left in the leaves.

I didnt flush and couldnt be happier with the taste, the smoothness and blend of the herb.

I dont nute for the last 3 weeks so I didnt have much to flush I guess. Many people swear by flushing as they say it helps produce more THC.

Its your call.

[Zandor]

This may help

First you will see small drops all different sizes and shapes. Then next you will see the little odd shaped round parts rising up. After that it starts to look like an odd shaped ball on a stick sometime bending or falling over. The "T" part will stretch and the odd shaped ball will start to get rounder and larger. The "T" part will straighten out and bet stronger. When you are close to harvest you will see round balls sitting on a "T" it will look round and full then turn cloudy. Amber is after cloudy and you harvest on the average of about 10-20 percent of what you see when you look through the microscope is amber and 70-80 percent is cloudy. There will still be some clear so you harvest on the average. Check in many places all around the plant and give it your best guess is all you can do.

[fivefingerlid]

about how many days/weeks before harvest are you when you first see the t-part of the trichome start lifting the clear ball?? (approxiamately) AND DO THE TRICHOMES START FORMING how long before harvest or how far into flowering stage on an average?? iS IT POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT YOUR PLANT AND SEE VERY FEW TRICHOMES AND THEREFORE KNOW YOU ARE STILL QUITE A WAYS FROM HARVEST ?

[Marc Benson]

"iS IT POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT YOUR PLANT AND SEE VERY FEW TRICHOMES AND THEREFORE KNOW YOU ARE STILL QUITE A WAYS FROM HARVEST ?"

If trichs are what gives cannabis the ability to cause your brain to go numb and there aren't very many that you can see, we could assume you're quite a ways from optimum harvest.

[HARDDON]

"iS IT POSSIBLE TO LOOK AT YOUR PLANT AND SEE VERY FEW TRICHOMES AND THEREFORE KNOW YOU ARE STILL QUITE A WAYS FROM HARVEST ?"

If trichs are what gives cannabis the ability to cause your brain to go numb and there aren't very many that you can see, we could assume you're quite a ways from optimum harvest.

You can also be in possession of IMPOTENT POT.

Get it...?

IM-POT-ENT....... lol......damn i am ammusing myself today.

decided to work from home. :)

[AngryJohnny]

look for trichs on the fan leaves or on the hairs?

[Zandor]

look for trichs on the fan leaves or on the hairs?
More so on the smaller leaves around the flowers and on the hairs then the fan leaves.

The amount of time it takes for trichs to form can and will vary from strain to strain.

[HARDDON]

Its a rare strain where you will find the trichs covering th fan leaves. Like Zandor says, its on the samller one fingered leaves that sprout between flower pods and the ods themselves and the hairs.

Those hairs are hard to see so just look at the trichs on the flower pods and single fingered leaves.

[fivefingerlid]

how can I have a good strain seed be 6+ weeks into flower with good size buds on the plant and not have trichomes anywhere but the pistils and few on them??? Especially when the rest of the plants have trichomes and they are all growing under the same lighting temps nutes and same overall conditions?? could the trichomes form in the time left and increase dramatically just in a couple weeks left??

what can be done to increase thc in plants? nutes? what is the main factors for the production of thc?

thanks guys for the input not that its not good info cause I am learning , I am just a lil slow :D

[fivefingerlid]

read a post elsewhere where the guy had plants from a good seed source that just never produced trichomes . experienced grower , drove him crazy trying to figure it out . good strain gone belly up

[HARDDON]

5fingers...

Yes, there are simply some duds in the world of good strains.

Running MH bulbs in conjunction with HPS can help increase THC production but not if there arent any trichs to hold the THC.

Cunt was really nice but wasnt loaded with THC like Whore was. Good...but better for hash oil than smoking for my tastes.

You might...as a last deperate attempt...subject her to drought like conditions where she wavers constantly between wilt and life with her moisture level.

Do not allow her to be fully watered. She should actually go limp then given just enuff water and checked in 10 minutes for recovery....then again the same routine.

This is a very time consuming and dangerous game to play....but it may be your only hope. When putting to sleep at night...give just a little bit of water to keep her alive for 12 hours...but start the cycle again in the morning....

You have to ride the thin life line.........

What ever you choose, good luck :)

[fivefingerlid]

mIGHT HAVE TO GIVE THAT A TRY HARDON , MAKES SENSE. THATS WHY I WAS TRYING to get a time line on trichome development to determine if the plant was a dud or just not far enough along because I have 5 different strains on same grow some mioght finish sooner. I know what trichomes are and where to find them , I have read through numerous items of information on them but find no reference to any time line . I know thar it varies with strain buit so does overall life of plants but still you can find reference to approximate days a plant may take to harvest then why not approximate days till trichomes. how many days does it take for the trichomes to fill appoximately :eek:

well I have over done the subject already but if anyone can find any reference to a trichome timeline I am interested.

thanks guys