Some info on Pistils

[oldmac]

Hey CountDaMoney,

The concept of trail and error with a new strain is always a good idea to do. As an example we grew out a few auto flowers, just for shits and giggles. The auto-ak47s according to the seed packet would take 9-11 weeks. At week 9 we looked at the three plants, noted they were all at about the same stage, abt all cloudy trichome wise. Cut the smallest down. 1 week later noted what the other two where abt same, abt cloudy with some amber. Cut the middle plant down. At week 11 took the last one, which was now abt 50% amber.

After drying, trimming and curing the fun of trying them begins. Remarkable difference in the three plants, and the only way to know which is your favorite to to try them.:thumbsup:

Plus now, you know how to repeat those results.....by looking at the trichomes.

[CountDaMoney]

Ok mac, I dont know if you remember, im new at this so these questions might sound a little dumb,but you wont know if you dont ask :thumbsup: Now when your saying 50% your talking from the tip of the leaf to the center? Cause as of now mine are abt 50%. Halfway up the leaf the trichomes are amber. Its done right? Almost sounding over done correct?

[oldmac]

There's no such thing as a dumb question......there are just dumb answers.

From the sound of it, your done. When I look at trichomes, I try to look at the small bud leaves or buds themselves. This is what you are going to use to vape or smoke, the trics on larger leaves will be left over in your trimmings of the buds. This stuff is what you can use to get kief or hash makings from.

Many times you will find, especially if you grow large (4'+) indoors, that the tops of the plant will be starting to turn amber, but the lower bud sites are clear. The answer is simple, harvest the top 1/2 of the plant and let the bottom, which will now get more light, to ripen.

This process that takes place in the trichomes is very dependent on the light you are using. A CMH bulb does a great job to get to full ripness while most LED grow lights will never get to amber.

[CountDaMoney]

Alright then, your saying the trichomes closest to the bud and actually on it are the ones to look at. Now those are partially cloudy,no amber ones in that area.So any day now? Just keep a real close eye? Or I can go ahead and pull it? It's probably just as cool im guessing. I'll make up my mind in a day or so :thumbsup: Thanks for all your insight bro! It really helped alot. Just remember....puff puff pass :smokin:

Peace

[JackdaWack]

When the pistils are browning the plant is the ripening stage, thats basically the only indication they reveal. New pistil can grow, and i've seen it happen myself. So the plant will have white and brown pistils...how do u know which ones indicate the plant is done? the white ones say its still not done yet, but the brown ones say it is? To much guessing going on in that equation. The trichomes should all be at the same stage unlike pistils and bud size/denseness. Sometimes when the top colas reach max growth, the lower parts of the plant will start to use all of the stored energy and nutes that were utilized by the top part that gets the most light where growth is optimal. So u get new growth at the bottom, even tho the plant is ripening, but the top part is done and so is the older growth at the bottom, New growth can throw you off, and u say to urself, oh i guess its not done yet because i have new white pistils, not true. The plant will keep producing becuase unlike in the real world, we control the thermostat, the plan will keep growing because u dont change any factors, but degradation of thc and other chemicals will happen becuase the plant utilizes them, we just cut them down before that happens. Most people harvest the plant as a whole, and there not going to let the big top colas degrade, so they chop it down even tho the minimal small growth at the bottom isnt done yet, not really a big deal unless your plant is really starting to pop buds at the bottom. It's better to cut it down where it counts, no point in letting the small bud sites finish when the mass majority off the plant is done. I prefer to chop when 80% has hit cloudy. It ensure that i hit the middle ground of the plants smoking characteristics.

[Joefarmer]

There's no such thing as a dumb question......there are just dumb answers.

From the sound of it, your done. When I look at trichomes, I try to look at the small bud leaves or buds themselves. This is what you are going to use to vape or smoke, the trics on larger leaves will be left over in your trimmings of the buds. This stuff is what you can use to get kief or hash makings from.

Many times you will find, especially if you grow large (4'+) indoors, that the tops of the plant will be starting to turn amber, but the lower bud sites are clear. The answer is simple, harvest the top 1/2 of the plant and let the bottom, which will now get more light, to ripen.

This process that takes place in the trichomes is very dependent on the light you are using. A CMH bulb does a great job to get to full ripness while most LED grow lights will never get to amber.

Oldmac, I've heard that LED do take longer to finish. Mine are at 14.5wks flowering now and still have all clear trichs, with a few ambers. I've been more than patient. IF they don't turn amber under LED, how do we know when to harvest? Being a bagseed adds another ? to the equation as well. Also, I still have a handfull of white pistils.

[JackdaWack]

It just sounds like it's taking a while, if ur pretty much cloudy on all trichs ur good to harvest. CFLs take longer as well. You dont have light intensity working on ur side.