Help! Not sure if I'm ready to harvest.

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Originally Posted by airdawg13

How long have the plants been flowering? It looks like they are still way too young to think about harvesting. The buds can still double in size before they are ready. You can usually eyeball it when ready to harvest by checking out the pistils. But like everyone else is saying you have to use the microscope and check out the trichromes to be 100%.

The pistils start out a lighter color, then will turn dark. Usually they start white then turn brown or red. The bud starts to put on the most mass when the pistils start to wilt up and die. That is the perfect time to check out your trichromes. An early harvest will be an energetic head high, a late harvest will be more of a couch-lock high. The trichromes start out clear, turn milky white, then turn amber brown. I am planning on harvest when they are 75% white, 25% amber.

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It's been flowering for a little over a month. I got the pocket microscope, but it's not that easy to use. Not sure how to hold the leaf ... I guess you want to look at it from the side to see the trichromes.

I am NO expert here, but those buds do not look like they are near ready! My plants have way more going on in size, trichs and red hairs! My plants still have at least 2 weeks left! The trich reading is the key like everyone has stated!

I would guess that you have about 3-4 weeks left to go. Once it starts to get closer to October I bet they will start looking ripe. The bud packs on the most mass during the last week or two of budding.

I picked up a microscope from radio shack for $15. It has 60x-100x zoom and a little light on the bottom. I like to pick off a smaller leaf from a cola. Then I turn the leaf upside down and go 60x zoom. Sometimes it is hard to get a side angle on a trichome, but with a couple of tries you should get it. It is always fun looking at a forest of crystal mushrooms.

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Originally Posted by lumisi

It's been flowering for a little over a month. I got the pocket microscope, but it's not that easy to use. Not sure how to hold the leaf ... I guess you want to look at it from the side to see the trichromes.

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snip a very, very small piece of trich covered bud leaf and put it on a white paper plate...:thumbsup:..take samples from several places..(top, middle & bottom)...an only use the 60x power adjustment

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Originally Posted by lumisi

Thanks. But what is it that you see in the plant that leads you to that conclusion?

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5 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254918]

9 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254919]

12 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254920]

Which one would you want? :D

heck of an example biggs. I choose 12 weeks. Patience is somthing we all struggle with when we are newbies. But with time comes better results

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Originally Posted by bigtopsfinn

5 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254918]

9 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254919]

12 weeks flowering:
[attachment=o254920]

Which one would you want? :D

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Wow. That's a great example. My plant still has some time to go.

Patience is a virtue when it comes to growing and curing. You have gotten good advice here. Now just watch your trichroms, give it a nice slow cure, and you should have some nice bud.

Just remember PATIENCE!!!

Thanks for all the advice.

High All, does anyone have any pics of examples of the clear, milky and amber trichome colors everyone is mentioning? thank you.;)