
Originally Posted by
Klonzinc
I got this info a very long time ago from an old pro and have been using this advice for the last 10 years...........works for me.
Peak Harvest
With all the so called experts and confusion created by these experts I have decided to post the true harvest indicators. What makes me an expert you ask? 45 years of cultivation experience along with 25 plus years of education in botany and horticulture. 7 yes I said 7 masters degrees and the owner of the worldâ??s largest cannabis research farm. Enjoy this scientific proven advice and please pass it on to all of the so called excerpts you know so as they may learn the true tried and proven scientific harvest methods of the real excerpts. Remember you will run into those who will say I am wrong but keep in mind my credentials and ask yourself, â??does the individual you are conversing with have the experience or education to dispute this article, and do you want true top shelf cannabis or what your friend THINKS is top shelf?â?ť
Trichome development and harvest time: how to get the best high In this article, weâ??re going to explore the final phase of your plants? Growth cycle: the flowering or budding phase. Specifically, we want to look at the last two weeks of the flowering phase in what is known as the? Window of peak maturity?. The window of peak maturity is when trichome development and the level of THC production in your plants have reached their maximum point, which is when you would harvest your plants. By being patient and paying close attention to certain indicators, you can reap fantastic buds that provide you with precisely the type of high that suits you best.
Cannabis plants produce THC and CBN on their stems, leaves, and vegetation surrounding the buds and are developed in trichromes, which emerge on the surface of most of the plantâ??s parts. On the stems and the early fan leaves, the trichromes are small and hug the surface. As the flowering phase continues, the glands develop on the more mature parts of the plant, including the smaller leaves and the first calyxes (which exist to develop and nurture seeds if male pollen fertilizes the female plant). The trichromes that develop on calyxes no longer hug the plantâ??s surface, but are on stalks like mushrooms with bulbous caps. During this time, more and more trichome-covered calyxes develop and create densely packed clusters, called? Bud?. As your plants enter the final stages of their life cycle, the calyxes begin to swell and ripen, while more and more resin glands develop on the surface.
Examining Trichromes
As the amount of trichromes covering your plant increases, you should take a closer look at them, maintaining a light touch to avoid crushing the resin glands. Your best bet is to purchase an inexpensive 25x microscope (available at most electronics stores), and most pocket microscopes have a small light to help you get an illuminated peek at your trichome development.
When you cut small buds from your plant to test them, you want to concentrate on the stalked glandular trichromes. The coloration of the gland heads can vary with different strains and maturity, but most start with clear or slightly amber heads that gradually become cloudy or opaque when THC levels have peaked and are beginning to degrade. Regardless of the initial color of the trichromes, with careful observation you should be able to see a change in coloration as maturity levels off. Some cultivators wait for about half of the trichromes to go opaque before harvesting to ensure maximum THC levels in the finished product. However, you will also want to try samples at various stages to see what is best for you. While you may be increasing the total THC level in the cannabis by allowing half of the glands to go opaque, there will also be a larger percentage of CBN, which is why some people choose to harvest earlier while most of the trichromes are still clear.
Now you understand how trichromes develop on your plants and how to examine them as they turn from clear to opaque, indicating THC breakdown.
If you choose to harvest later in the window, your buds produce more of a body high, which is conversely more pronounced in Indicas than in Sativa. A body high is similar to a narcotic down effect, usually associated with being stoned. A down type of high is often desired in the late evening to calm nerves and drift into sleep. A late-harvest yield is often sought by medicinal cannabis users to ease pain and increase appetite. If you choose to harvest somewhere in the middle of the peak window of maturity, you donâ??t necessarily get the best of both worlds, but more of a happy medium. If you arenâ??t sure what type of high you like or want, aim for the middle and you likely wonâ??t be disappointed.
As you continue to examine your plants, you will be tempted, even compelled, to start pulling buds off of your plants to test them out. There is a right way and a wrong way to try out your buds before they are ready, so letâ??s take a look at your options.
There are lots of different ways to quick dry your bud, but one of the best ways is to use your lighting ballasts in the grow room. First, cut up your fresh bud and spread it out evenly in an envelope. Close the envelope and place it on top of your ballast, then leave it there for two to three hours while the light is on. After the buds are dried out, put them in an airtight container and allow the last of the moisture to move from the stem into the bud. Considering this is a quick dry method, the taste is usually good and the potency is acceptable. Also, the use of a vaporizer will allow you to concentrate on your high rather than being distracted by the odd taste of quick-dried weed smoke.
By now you know what trichromes are and how the chemicals in them evolve from producing a head high to a body high over a couple of weeks. You also know that the pistils on your buds change color from white to reddish-brown as the window of harvest opens and closes, as well as what type of high to expect depending on the percentage of new and mature pistils. Throughout the window of harvest, you took small buds from the middle of the plant, quick dried them, then tested them out to determine the type of high you want your crop to give you. Now, you can harvest your plants with confidence in knowing that they will be loaded with resin that produces just the right kind of high you were looking for. Enjoy your harvest.
MYTHS
With all of the peak harvest information I have read and seen posted the myth of the trichromes swelling to the point of eruption has got to be the most absurd. The fact is trichromes do not explode. The genetic structure of the plant prohibits this.
The pistols should be all red and the leafs beginning to die off is also another absurd method, by this time the plant has finished its life cycle and the THC and/or CBN oils have already degraded and lost most of their high/stoned qualities.
Always follow the breeders recommended flower times. This is okay if you are a rookie, but this would only apply if you had the exact same grow setup as the breeder, like any other plant, cannabis also has to acclimatize to its environment.
There are many other myths out there, too many to list and I do not want to waste your time or mine posting them. These are the top 3 that I hear frequently. Following my harvest indicators and with time you will be able to produce the most diverse crops.
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY TOKING