Trichome Color is a Waste of Time

Jogro

Well-Known Member
I take a "moderate" position here. Trichomes are definitely not "worthless". To the contrary, they are probably the best SINGLE indicator of ripeness. If you want to go by one thing and nothing else, the majority of the trichomes going from transparent to cloudy is the best signal.

But there are other non-microscopic clues worth looking at too: Calyx swelling/fullness, pistil* coloration change, pistil withering/receding, and yellowing of the upper fan leaves are also all clues that the plant is ripe, or close.

Again, the exact changes will vary from strain to strain: Some plants pistils will either start off non-white, or simply won't change color from white until its way late. Many plants also won't yellow until its way past peak, plus of course poor nutrition can cause any plant to turn yellow early. You do have to know your strains.

In my experience, with most plants, its basically not worth it to even start with the microscope until you start seeing the physical maturity changes listed above. Once you know your particular strains well, you can usually determine peak ripeness (or pretty darn close) without a microscope.

For examining trichromes, personally, I prefer a 40 or 45x loupe.

They're cheap (you can get one on Ebay for literally under $5), much smaller in overall size than the pocket microscope, require no external focusing, give you a wider field of view than a 60-100x scope so you can look at more trichromes at once, and you don't have to push the objective right up against the plant to see what's going on.

But its largely a matter of personal preference. The 60-100x microscope has one big advantage of massive magnification, and you can really get a good look at individual trichomes with one. It also lets you focus externally, which might be helpful depending on your particular eyesight.



* "Pistil" is a part of a female flower. "Pistol" refers to a firearm designed to be operated by one hand.
 

homebrewer

Well-Known Member
75% red hairs and swollen calyxes, those are my signs. I bought a scope a few years back and found that these indicators correspond with trics that are clear-to-cloudy in appearance.
 

dirtysnowball

Well-Known Member
i take test samples for every week of flowering. remember lots of thc = intense but short lived high.

test samples of; 1/2 grams from my 75% sativa:
-@4weeks: slightest head change -----30min
-@5weeks: slight head change-----------40min
-@6weeks: acceptable head change --1hr
-@7weeks: good head change -----------1.5hrs
-@8weeks: strong head change ----------2hrs
-@9weeks: to be determined
 

Beansly

RIU Bulldog
Trichomes are a part of the bigger picture you should be looking at, but I agree that saying to harvest based on trichs is to general and shouldn't be given as advice anymore in this day and age. For example, my SSH didn't develop cream white trichs, it went from clear to clear-amber.
 

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
There are those who believe in keeping their plants green right up until harvest. I have seen some breeder information on strains say to get the best results keep the plant green right to the end. If someone believes in keeping plants green or grows a strain where the breeder says for best results keep them green then there will not be any "Fall colors." What would you then use to judge when to harvest?

There has been enough research and enough written on the subject of trichome color and harvesting and other ways to judge when to harvest and how they are not as accurate as trichome color that there should never be any discussion of it other than to inform noobies. It should be accepted common knowledge.

Anyone who claims that trichome color is not the best way to judge when to harvest might as well also say that seeing the first light of the morning is not an accurate sign that morning has arrived and a more accurate way to judge when morning has arrived would be when the temperature begins to rise.
https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/465868-jelly-fish-like-leaves.html

That's the stubborn, sativa dominant lady(from a month ago)that is still clear after 10 weeks. Another factor in trich color is genetic quality of the strain. I have a feeling this particular plant is average, since I don't recall where the seed even came from. All I know is it isn't my usual 2 strains. I have heard that those growing "bagseed" never see cloudy let alone amber due to poor genetics.
 

Brick Top

New Member
how can you tell if purple Trichomes are done
The only purple trichomes I have ever had were a clear purple to begin with and when they were cloudy they were ripe. If trichomes begin a clear color, yellow, amber, reddish, purple, whatever else may occur, you go by clouding.
 

novice11

Active Member
Actually, it would be a service to all if someone would post a comprehensive link or pictures to describe what you are talking about. Calyxes swelling, pistils retreating, turning red, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words.
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
I've already seen this thread, outside of the intro posting it doesn't go into much detail.
do you really need more?

noobs i tell you, noobs. :sleep:

keep arguing over stupid shit, it's what this site runs on. :hump:

you've been here 2 and half years. are you seriously STILL confused? :?
 

doser

Well-Known Member
do you really need more?

noobs i tell you, noobs. :sleep:

keep arguing over stupid shit, it's what this site runs on. :hump:

you've been here 2 and half years. are you seriously STILL confused? :?
I've been around for close to sixty years and most of the time I'm confused
 

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
do you really need more?

noobs i tell you, noobs. :sleep:

keep arguing over stupid shit, it's what this site runs on. :hump:

you've been here 2 and half years. are you seriously STILL confused? :?
Yes, I did...this is what I was looking for:

"Every strain has its own unique window of peak maturity, typically one to two weeks long. However, there is a difference between har vesting early or late within that window, depending on whether you want a head high or a body high.

As cannabis matures the chemistry of the plant changes, as does the type of effects. While these differences in chemical nature still require a lot of research to fully understand, you can utilize them to produce different types of highs for different needs.

By harvesting earlier in the window your buds tend to produce more of a cerebral head high, an effect much more pronounced in Sativas than Indicas."

http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/articles/4822.html

Nobody is arguing here, simply looking for info you don't have.
 
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