Are these done?

This is my first grow and I'm having a little trouble coming to a decision on when to harvest. I haven't seen any amber trichomes, but most of the pistils are dead on some of the buds. I had decided to take the buds that looked ripe, but now the most advanced colas seem to be noticably frosting up--like a fine spider web of soft sparkle. It's a strain called endless sky, mostly indica, I guess, and I don't think I want any more of a body high than I'm already going to get with a not-over-ripe indica. On the other hand, this frosting-up is something I hate to interrupt. I'd welcome opinions. Thanks. Steve
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My only opinion is they are absolutely stunning.

They look pretty good man. But you need to look at the trichomes really to see if ther done proprly...

Peace

i'd say those top colas are done, those "dead hairs" you mentioned are the amber hairs your looking for, i pick my buds right after the growth spurt and 50-60% of the hairs are amber, how big around is your main colas? they look super fat, i'm licking my lips as we speak, how many plants and what size room and light?

Thanks for the kind words. The colas DO seem pretty fat, but this being my first grow, I don't know. I mean, you see pictures in books, but it's difficult to compare those images with what you've got in your own garden.

As to the garden, it's in a cabinet I built, 2' X 3', with a CFL-powered clone/seedling chamber on top, and a 400W MH/HPS switchable main chamber below. Here's a picture:

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I'm currently using a home-built aeroponic system (from How-To Hydroponics) for the main grow and a little DWC for the clones, but building a different system for my next grow--that damn resevoir takes up too much vertical real estate. These were grown from seed. I sprouted six seeds, but ended up with just these two females.

As far as size of the colas... it's hard to say with any precision, but most are bigger around than a beer bottle.

So y'all think these are ready? They're at their peak?

Thanks again. Steve

i disagree w/ caliorburst ,
ignore color of hairs . go to radio shack n buy a 30x or 100 x pocket microscope n look at tricomes col,or , not hair color . at 100x trics look like a golfball on a golf tee . when 50% of trics are milky and 50% amber it's time to harvest . don't be misled by hairs color .
peace n enjoy all your hard work .

xcrispi is absolutely right, I'm actually in the same boat as you. I have 100x and will harvest when the first amber trics show on the youngest top part of the buds. Soon I hope.

its been said, Ill reasure you; hairs have nothing to do with maturity. A wide variety of factors can make your pistils die...ranging from nutrient overload, high temps, lack of circulation, etc. I have had grows where only about 25% of the hairs changed color but the trichromes were majority cloudy with a small amount of amber trichromes. Ive also had other grows where the pistils were nearly 85% dead but the trichromes just became mature.

A lot of dead pistils early on is usually an indicator that your temps and/or humidity are too high or that your plant is going hermaphrodite.

A 30x microscope is really enough to see, but a 50x is better. Like its been mentioned, there are 3 distinct trichrome maturities. Clear, Cloudy, Amber. Everyone has their own take, but its generally said you want majority cloudy with a few amber. Wait to long and your dank will lose potency and be more of a couchlock. Harvest to early and you will not have achieved full potency and the high will fade to quickly.

Practice makes perfect. Harvest most at one time, then leave a few so you can try the difference for yourself. Its not as if picking early or late wont get you high, but when you put that much effort into a grow, put the final effort into harvesting at the perfect time. I personally like just majority cloudy (whether there are a mostly cloudy and a few clear or mostly cloudy and a few amber doesnt matter to much too me).