Trichomes & Harvesting

[Crankyxr]

I just got my 100x loupe today and I'm seeing a few amber trichomes. Looks like I need to harvest as soon as possible. Here are some pics i took today.

DO NOT HARVEST YET.
you have at the VERY least 5 weeks to go until harvest

 

[k0ijn]

Fresh question k0ijn; - and I reluctantly ask it because I so want to believe the answer is YES. Having learned about coconut water on orchid and pepper forums as well as here, I used it at 15:1 and the buds appeared to spurt. A few days ago I opened a fresh coco, not a can, and overnight they grew nearly 1" and are clearly loaded with fattened calyxes. Did coco water have anything to do with it, or is it just the plant's natural timing? ty, k!

Well that is a tough question.
I would like to say yes and it probably is a yes, the only issue I have is that we do not have much research on this subject.
I do think however that certain aspects of coconut water and how people use it to stimulate growth & prevent diseases in plants is rooted in facts and does have positive effects.

I haven't read all this research but what I've found is this:

http://www.pakbs.org/pjbot/PDFs/40(6)/PJB40(6)2355.pdf
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/47364201/mature-coconut-as-bio-fermentor-multiplication-plant-growth-promoting-rhizobacteria

What we can take from this research is that coconut water has properties which highly stimulate beneficial bacteria growth.
The type of bacteria in question is Rhizobacteria, which stimulates rapid root growth and helps prevent diseases.
If plants mediums are started out with a dose of coconut water the beneficial bacteria growth is increased and the plants will most likely show an increased growth rate compared to non treated mediums.

Another study showed that the growth of kiwi fruits were significantly higher when treated with coconut water, also the decay of the fruits was more rapid in plants not treated with coconut water, and this decay would reverse when put on a coconut water solution.


On top of what I mentioned above coconut water is also highly sought after because of plant growth hormones which it carries, the Cytokinins.
Let me quote a passage about these hormones:

some respects they are similar to human hormones with a similar name of cytokines. Cytokinins are also known as anti-aging hormones. Cytokinins regulate cell division and influence the rate at which plants age. Depending on the amount of cytokinins present, the aging process in plants can be either accelerated or retarded. One of the active sites of cytokinin production is in the roots. From here the hormone is carried by the sap throughout the plant—much like our bloodstream disperses hormones. Portions of plants that are deprived of cytokinins age faster than normal, Conversely, if additional cytokinins are added to a plant, normal aging is retarded.

Reference:
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/Coconut%20Water%20Dew%20from%20the%20Heavens.htm
There are references to scientific papers at the bottom of the page I linked above.

All of this is quite interesting and proves that coconut water has many benefits, not just to plants but also to humans, since the human cells react in a similar fashion to the Cytokinins as plants do.
Again, not as many studies have been done on this subject as we would like, but there is definitely scientific basis and evidence for the beneficial effects.


So to answer your question, yes coconut water does help stimulate growth, improve disease defenses & somewhat halt aging in Cannabis, whether it works flawlessly in every situation and how the variables affect this is however not really known.

 

[abuilder]

All of this is quite interesting and proves that coconut water has many benefits, not just to plants but also to humans, since the human cells react in a similar fashion to the Cytokinins as plants do.

This is one of THE reasons I became an indoor farmer....the correlation between plants and people is a mirror image in so many ways. Growing plants is one of the greatest tools in understanding how we as humans grow...get sick and get well...and when done right..it'll even get you high in all kinds of healthy ways...

 

[Father Ramirez]

k0ijn; "So to answer your question, yes coconut water does help stimulate growth, improve disease defenses & somewhat halt aging in Cannabis, whether it works flawlessly in every situation and how the variables affect this is however not really known."

Great articles referenced, and I will read those, so thanks again for more than thorough work, k0ijn!

 

[Father Ramirez]

abuilder: "

• Growing plants is one of the greatest tools in understanding how we as humans grow..."​
  
  
  
  

Over the course of growing this plant, I began to pay better attention to what I fed myself. I made sure I gave myself the right nutrients at the right times, and I stayed hydrated. I exercised a lot. I've lost 25 lbs since April and I've built muscle mass. I feel fantastic, and I don't think I'd have gotten into such good shape had not my caring for this plant been my inspiration.

 

[Father Ramirez]

k0ijn, thanks again for the coco water analysis links. I found it helpful, and curious, to learn that a 20:1 ratio delivered more vigorous growth than either 15:1 or 25:1. It also retards aging and heals sick plants; could that account for the fresh growth spurt as the plant was nearing maturity? HA... one more way I messed with its bio-engineering.

Today's coco contained 14oz of water, so I drank half myself, and added the rest to a gallon for feed. Let's hope it retards aging in humans too.

The bud below is typical of the 14 small colas. The sample for the microscope was taken from the single most mature bud, and from deep in the top. While I can't steady the camera better than that, it looks to me like that one cola is done. The others show more clear and less amber trichomes, and fresh pistils at the top and perimeter. We had loosely planned to harvest on day 70, September 19, the Harvest Moon, months ago, and now she looks like that could be the day.

 

[k0ijn]

This is one of THE reasons I became an indoor farmer....the correlation between plants and people is a mirror image in so many ways. Growing plants is one of the greatest tools in understanding how we as humans grow...get sick and get well...and when done right..it'll even get you high in all kinds of healthy ways...

It is indeed a pretty great addition to the already wonderful experience of growing.

 

[k0ijn]

k0ijn, thanks again for the coco water analysis links. I found it helpful, and curious, to learn that a 20:1 ratio delivered more vigorous growth than either 15:1 or 25:1. It also retards aging and heals sick plants; could that account for the fresh growth spurt as the plant was nearing maturity? HA... one more way I messed with its bio-engineering.

Today's coco contained 14oz of water, so I drank half myself, and added the rest to a gallon for feed. Let's hope it retards aging in humans too.

The bud below is typical of the 14 small colas. The sample for the microscope was taken from the single most mature bud, and from deep in the top. While I can't steady the camera better than that, it looks to me like that one cola is done. The others show more clear and less amber trichomes, and fresh pistils at the top and perimeter. We had loosely planned to harvest on day 70, September 19, the Harvest Moon, months ago, and now she looks like that could be the day.

View attachment 2824534View attachment 2824535View attachment 2824536View attachment 2824537

You're welcome,

And yes that probably is why the growth spurt occurred, although there were probably several factors involved in what happened.


The cola does look near peak, although it isn't really as swollen as I would like to see it, but that might be because of other variables (I'm thinking your lighting setup).
Giving it until the 19th sounds like a good idea, you could probably go a few days more if you wanted to, but who can argue with the Harvest Moon.

 

[smokin away]

Thank you for your kind words.

I guess it does come down to tradition and routine for some people, it can be hard to let go of things you've done for a long time, and certainly the brain can easily be taught/fooled into taking fiction for facts even when faced with evidence.
I don't personally have anything against people who pre-harvest flush, the only thing I ask is that people don't claim it's scientifically proven to work and/or try to teach it as fact/evidence to impressionable people.

Regarding sugar/molasses (or even honey which some people use) I would say that we need to make a distinction between the fictional, subjective fantasy part of the argument and the scientific.
The discussion surrounding sugars is very muddled and has as much to do with personal preference as it has to do with science, which is why the distinction is important to make.
Some of the things these formulas are mentioned to help with include; hardening the buds, growth spurts & flavour improvements.
I would argue that these three topics are highly mythical and subjective, some have to do with the conditions of the grow, some have to do with genetics & strains and some are just flat out myths.
I would not use any sugar additive to achieve any of these things since I personally see it as fairy stories and placebo/marketing successes.
What I mean is there is no concrete science backing up the claims.

I do think however that molasses & sugar formulas can help with stimulating the enzymes and beneficial bacteria environment in the grow medium.
This subject is not really up to debate (in contrast to the three previously mentioned), it's scientific fact that these sugars have their uses in soil and/or mediums which have an active living root system (presence of -and thriving Mycorrhizae).
In basic terms: The sugars & carbohydrates feed the bacteria which helps maintain a thriving root environment which in turn produces healthy plants.
If you do have access to molasses for example I would give it a go to see if you can improve the general well-being of your plants.
The root environment is also stimulated, however saying which exact formula works best is difficult as it depends on a lot of variables.
I would go with the basic molasses though and not fall into the marketing trap of the huge companies trying to make a quick buck.
I hope that explained it well enough.


If you do want to cut off parts of the plant while leaving the rest to flourish a bit longer I would just make sure the equipment used is as sterile as possible and then make sure you do not touch or add anything to the "open wounds" for at least 24h-48h after cutting, to reduce the chance of diseases.
You always run the risk though, you can never be 100% sure of no diseases setting in, but as long as you keep a clean environment and don't purposefully try to infect the plants with bad crap then you would probably be surprised at exactly how resistant some strains are to diseases etc.
Just try to cut off as little surface area as possible.

You're welcome, I hope the info helped

Your tip about using molasses is the rave. I used it on a bud with clear going to cloudy tri chromes. I could actually see the bud fatten up overnight. Just simply amazing and wonderful idea. Enclosed is a link from eHow explaining and backing up what you said. I went with Dark Molasses at 1Tbs/gal. I just love simple organic items for final stage as it's much safer than "God knows what's in the other stuff".


http://www.ehow.com/info_8787392_molasses-water-plant-food.html

 

[Father Ramirez]

k0ijn wrote:

The cola does look near peak, although it isn't really as swollen as I would like to see it, but that might be because of other variables (I'm thinking your lighting setup).

I know you need big light if you want big buds, but I believe that pH imbalance, nitrogen deficiency, and maniacal defoliation were other factors in this grow. I'm confident that correcting those conditions will improve yield even with those household LEDs.

 

[k0ijn]

k0ijn wrote: I know you need big light if you want big buds, but I believe that pH imbalance, nitrogen deficiency, and maniacal defoliation were other factors in this grow. I'm confident that correcting those conditions will improve yield even with those household LEDs.

In either case you should be happy with the result given what you're working with.
Many people who have better setups end up with less.

 

[k0ijn]

Your tip about using molasses is the rave. I used it on a bud with clear going to cloudy tri chromes. I could actually see the bud fatten up overnight. Just simply amazing and wonderful idea. Enclosed is a link from eHow explaining and backing up what you said. I went with Dark Molasses at 1Tbs/gal. I just love simple organic items for final stage as it's much safer than "God knows what's in the other stuff".


http://www.ehow.com/info_8787392_molasses-water-plant-food.html

I'm glad to hear you found it helpful.
I wish ehow would use scientific references though.

 

[pinkymalone]

My first time growing(SD). All of the hairs are orange. Got a loupe & think the trichomes are clear. Is it a noticeable difference when they get milky?

 

[pinkymalone]

What's the 2 days of darkness about?

 

[k0ijn]

My first time growing(SD). All of the hairs are orange. Got a loupe & think the trichomes are clear. Is it a noticeable difference when they get milky?

I suggest you read (or reread) the first post in this thread.

 

[Medipablo]

2nd time grower here. Trichs trichs trichs, the only sure fire Way of knowing when to harvest. If you harvest too early you will want to chop your balls off later. Also, check the trichs all over the plant. Tops mature faster.

You will know the difference of clear, cloudy, and amber, trust me. Ignore the trichs that are close to red hairs, they arent really amber, especially if you use those pocket scopes with led lights on them. Seriously, harvesting early sux donkey balls. Your weed will suck, will not be potent, will not last long(the high), and you will want to sever your balls, or vagina.

I Díd, Saved them in a jar though, to remind me to always be patient, cuz its a virtue bitches

My first time growing(SD). All of the hairs are orange. Got a loupe & think the trichomes are clear. Is it a noticeable difference when they get milky?

 

[Father Ramirez]

Bumbling and faltering at nearly every step like a pregnant teen caught by surprise, thanks to the good folk on RIU we managed to finish with a small volume of top tier product. Thanks to all. I'm officially hooked. I even experienced something like post partum depression: I miss the bright lights!

 

[chuck estevez]

Your tip about using molasses is the rave. I used it on a bud with clear going to cloudy tri chromes. I could actually see the bud fatten up overnight. Just simply amazing and wonderful idea. Enclosed is a link from eHow explaining and backing up what you said. I went with Dark Molasses at 1Tbs/gal. I just love simple organic items for final stage as it's much safer than "God knows what's in the other stuff".


http://www.ehow.com/info_8787392_molasses-water-plant-food.html

Gonna stir up the hornets nest here a little. First, I'm calling Bullshit on this claim. Second, i only read this last page, and it appeared to me that Kojn said

• egarding sugar/molasses (or even honey which some people use) I would say that we need to make a distinction between the fictional, subjective fantasy part of the argument and the scientific.
  The discussion surrounding sugars is very muddled and has as much to do with personal preference as it has to do with science, which is why the distinction is important to make.
  Some of the things these formulas are mentioned to help with include; hardening the buds, growth spurts & flavour improvements.
  I would argue that these three topics are highly mythical and subjective, some have to do with the conditions of the grow, some have to do with genetics & strains and some are just flat out myths.
  I would not use any sugar additive to achieve any of these things since I personally see it as fairy stories and placebo/marketing successes.
  What I mean is there is no concrete science backing up the claims.
  
  
  
  ​
  
  
  
  

 

[chuck estevez]

and trace amounts of micronutes?? go spit in the ocean, there is now trace amounts of your spit in there. A good read on molasses http://www.thesoilguy.com/SG/Molasses

 

[smokin away]

Gonna stir up the hornets nest here a little. First, I'm calling Bullshit on this claim. Second, i only read this last page, and it appeared to me that Kojn said

• egarding sugar/molasses (or even honey which some people use) I would say that we need to make a distinction between the fictional, subjective fantasy part of the argument and the scientific.
  The discussion surrounding sugars is very muddled and has as much to do with personal preference as it has to do with science, which is why the distinction is important to make.
  Some of the things these formulas are mentioned to help with include; hardening the buds, growth spurts & flavour improvements.
  I would argue that these three topics are highly mythical and subjective, some have to do with the conditions of the grow, some have to do with genetics & strains and some are just flat out myths.
  I would not use any sugar additive to achieve any of these things since I personally see it as fairy stories and placebo/marketing successes.
  What I mean is there is no concrete science backing up the claims. ​

• 
  I'm photographically challenged at the moment otherwise I could show you a photo. Kojin also went on to say:
  
  
  

  • I do think however that molasses & sugar formulas can help with stimulating the enzymes and beneficial bacteria environment in the grow medium.
    This subject is not really up to debate (in contrast to the three previously mentioned), it's scientific fact that these sugars have their uses in soil and/or mediums which have an active living root system (presence of -and thriving Mycorrhizae).
    In basic terms: The sugars & carbohydrates feed the bacteria which helps maintain a thriving root environment which in turn produces healthy plants.
    If you do have access to molasses for example I would give it a go to see if you can improve the general well-being of your plants.
    The root environment is also stimulated, however saying which exact formula works best is difficult as it depends on a lot of variables.
    I would go with the basic molasses though and not fall into the marketing trap of the huge companies trying to make a quick buck.
    I hope that explained it well enough.
    
    This is pretty much what is said on the site you posted. ​

  ​
  The results I achieved were on an outside grow planted in the soil. I have been adding it once week at a Tbs/gal. and getting great results. I use Dark Molasses made from sugar in Louisiana. It has great flavour as well.
  
  ​