harvest time?

Ok, so started 12/12 cycle two weeks ago today. Preflowers showed 2 days after starting the cycle. There's at least 50 buds, but probably closer to 100, all varying in size. It's under a 400 watt hps. Since this is my first, and my personal stash is virtually gone now, I'm excited to harvest, but I also don't wanna screw myself over in potency and yield.

Would it be reasonable to harvest in 1 week (3 weeks flowering total)? I definitely wanna harvest a little early, to achieve a more energetic high, but I don't know if I'm being practical. I do know about looking at the trichomes, and I'll use that to look for nearing completion.

3 weeks total flowering is just crazy talk. If you want to harvest early for a more energetic high wait till all the hairs turn then you will get a second turning. After most of the second turning has developed is the soonest I would harvest it. The thc converts into other compounds with heat, and age. Pure sativas do not degrade nearly as quickly as the strain is the oldest on earth native to Africa.

Second turning? I had the understanding that the trichomes gradually turn amber and once about half are amber, the THC is as potent as it will be. I haven't heard about a second turning. Could you explain further?

Basically if you wanna harvest early, give it 8 weeks minimum. 3 weeks is insane. That would be the biggest waste i have ever heard of.

The hairs turn orange the new ones will come out on the second turning. Most people harvest when the second turning is 75% turned. There is accually a third turning but not much wieght is gained at all. I think all highs are energetic but the thc will convert to cbcs and other compounds at this stage

8 weeks? I thought you generally let it go about 4 weeks in flower unless you have a slower maturing strain? At 3 weeks in flower, the plant will be 7 weeks old.

Cheers! And thanks for your help :-)

Nah, you got some bad info. Generally you let it flower 8 weeks. Some strains take closer to 10 weeks. This is regardless of how long the plant grew before flowering.

If you want to harvest early, you might be looking at 7 weeks or so.... but definately not 3 or 4.

Wow, I'm glad I'm clear on that now!

i disagree with using the hairs as a judge for harvest as environment can easily cause them to age early. they're a decent gauge for when to begin looking closer but for a true test of ripeness, i use the trich's color to guide me and wait until about 10% have turned. waiting until half have turned reddish-amber will most likely bring a more lethargic buzz, the opposite of what you say you're looking for. if i were you and looking for the ripeness i prefer then i'd take a small sample once all have become cloudy then another at 5-10% reddish-amber. once you've found what suits your needs you'll know for the next time and won't need to sample so much.

good luck

The triches turn when the thc begins to convert into other compounds. People judge by the hairs as that tells when the plant is done growing.

When the hairs turn orange the ovula, which is where the hairs come from( and also where the seed would go if it were pollinated) starts to swell making the bud thick, when you first see hairs let them die(orange) and let it happen again to the new hairy growth( hence second turning) , let that go aroange and the trichromes should be everywhere by then(week 8) all those trichromes on the hairs and leaves and the ovula start to get large,...

wait for 7-10 weeks minimum

I agree with DEL. My plant's hairs (pistils) were 70-90% amber after only 3 weeks flowering. Surely the plant was not done growing then.

The most accurate way to tell is by looking at the trichomes under a microscope. When a few of them turn amber from THC degradation, then its time to roll.

P.S. I believe my pistils turned amber so early from a pH problem.

they will turn if the light burns them

even the bottom ones turned. If it wasn't pH, it was because miracle grow soil caused over fert.

So mountainman,

You now that know you will need at least another six to eight weeks of flowering before harvest. There are a few other thing to consider. Potency will be determine by the genes you have selected to grow nothing can increase or decrease this item. What you should be considering is how to maximize the yield at your harvest date with that 400 watts. How you ask? Well, there are factors that you as the grower can address or ignore. They include pot size, available fresh air, amount of fertilizer and the amount of additional CO2 added. I will now leave you to ponder each of these issues on your own. Each one of them make up a small part of the overall picture yet each one equally important in maximizing the yield. Happy growing.

Loco