Can't decide when to harvest/start-flushing; cloudy trichomes, but 90% white pistils

Hey guys, I have 1 BIG plant that is really close to harvesting time. Its in soil and I'm using fox farms nutes. Today is day 55 of flowering. I've looked at my trichomes with a 100x microscope and the trichomes really vary from bud to bud. For example, my main cola, and most of the other colas (the higher branches) that are DIRECTLY under my hps aren't looking quite done yet. Almost all of the hairs are still white and the trichomes are about half cloudy and half clear AND the buds are still gaining girth. The very top of my main cola is as big around as a coke can and still stretching. The pistils definitely aren't receding yet.. in fact, I think new ones have been growing. The main cola is not where you would think to look in the pictures because I broke the stem at a 90 degree angle 2 different times (because of growth height restrictions) so it is in kind of an "L" shape. If you watch the video you'll see what I'm talking about. On the other hand, some of my other colas that aren't directly under the light (my lower limbs) are looking RIPE and completely READY TO GO (see pics.) Another thing that is starting to happen now is the fan leaves around my biggest colas (top branches right directly under light) are starting to turn yellow... some are even dying off. Its concerning because those are the buds that still have almost 100% white pistils. Yet, my lower branches have really dark green healthy fan leaves. The ones that are looking ready to go have about 40% brown hairs and mostly cloudy trichomes (a few amber.) I've been on egg shells about when to start flushing, because I don't want to wait too long, but my biggest main buds don't look ready (almost no brown hairs) and I don't want to starve them of nutes. Every time I feed it nutes, i see these new shoots of buds swelling out... but I know I need to start flushing soon. I ordered some Clearex via emergency overnight shipping to help me flush faster if I need to. Being that it is bagseed, I don't know what strain it is (and how much sativa or indica,) but it was a very bushy plant so I'm thinking mostly Indica. I'll post a whole lot of pics so hopefully you can kinda see whats going on. I'll post a video as well.

Quick Update: I got the clearex in, and flushed with about 6 gallons of ph adjusted water (with clearex.) After my runoff was clear, I mixed up half-strength nutes and fed her again. I think its too late for most of the yellow leaves, and I'm almost positive now (after reading for hours about other people with similar issues) that that is due to the plant saying "hey I'm finishing flowering," and not due to nutrient deficiency. No idea why they don't look ready then... One thing I have noticed is that my lower branches that are getting light mostly from 2 cfls I have hanging from the side are getting some brown pistils, and even some of my middle growth that is being hit by the HPS. But my big colas that are 4 inches from the glass of my hps (sealed and air cooled with a 450cfm fan, i can touch the glass very comfortable, not hot) are the ones getting yellow leaves and all white pistils... Too much light?? I don't know... Thanks for the help guys. Looks like If I do a proper 2 week flush, I am going to be almost 10 weeks into flowering before harvest.






























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Link to video: VID_20120611_215725[1].mp4 - YouTube

Hate to tell you, but you're not that close. Almost all of her hair is white, judging by your pics you've got a good 2-3 weeks.

I know that I have AT LEAST 2 weeks left, because I want to give it a proper flush. I'm not disappointed if I'm not that close. I'm patient, but I'm mostly concerned now about why my leaves are turning yellow if she is not close to done. I found these 2 pics of a white widow strain that looks almost exactly like mine. Check it out:

has 2.5-3 weeks left. start flushing with pure water in 1 week or less

Byd3s1gn said:

I know that I have AT LEAST 2 weeks left, because I want to give it a proper flush. I'm not disappointed if I'm not that close. I'm patient, but I'm mostly concerned now about why my leaves are turning yellow if she is not close to done. I found these 2 pics of a white widow strain that looks almost exactly like mine. Check it out:

Click to expand...

The leaves yellowing quicker is probably just a function of how much N you gave her early on in flower (if any at all). You still need to give a plant in early flower some nitrogen. Really, I see no issue with giving a little N throughout, but I use organic nutes.

I've been using Fox Farms nutrients. The last several weeks I've been giving them Tiger Bloom and Big Bloom like the feeding schedule says. Big bloom has a little bit of N and Tiger Bloom has a lot of N, so unless they need more when the buds start getting really big, I'm not sure why they would have started yellowing... I guess I haven't really been giving them their full dosage the last week and a half or so, cause I've been trying to decide whether to keep saturating them with nutes or start flushing. I appreciate you guys input. Sounds like the best thing to do would be to feed it one or two more times then start my flush. When I checked on her last night (I flushed and fed 2 nights ago) she had drank a TON of water and my main cola had sprouted all these new buds on top of buds... its just getting bigger and bigger. I think I'll feed her another 1/2 - 3/4 dose of nutes tonight if she is ready to feed. Should I be giving her molasses when I give nutes and/or water? I hear everyone doing it, but I haven't tried it yet. Is it good to use molasses when you are flushing the last 2 weeks? Thanks so much guys! Any opinion on how she looks would be appreciated. This will be my 1st harvest.

looking good, i dont see yellowing that you're talking about, if the lower leafs turn yellow the plant can use it best for nutes then it can for light, it happens all the way thru its life cycle.
wait till the pistils get brownish, as long as that doesnt happen your buds are only getting fatter
peace

Looks good, but I'd give it atleast 2 weeks. My blue dream when I harvest still has about 15-20% white hairs. After about 3 days of hang drying I notice that my hairs will become darker like the rest of the nugs. Also IMO i like to keep my plants as healthy as possible until flush. Some people tend to start to drop the nitro intake which will cause yellowing in the leaves quicker. And when you do that IMO it stresses out the plant because it has to focus more energy to kill off the dying leaves or to try n re coop the dying leaves. Either way taking up pressicous nutes from the bud to heal the wounds. Just my 2 cents.

Soz to jump in.im just getting ready for my first harvest and am still unsure how long to leave it as i have no yellow leaves at all.do some strains just not yellow?

Those yellow leaves are what I've been dealing with too, they won't die because of it. But see it through and don't cut them early. And I'd say easily 3 weeks at the earliest,

Just chopped 2 kera dwarfs,first grow.300w cfl.came out ok i think.9 weeks from germ to chop.

The yellowing leaves are normal, when you get towards the end, the plant is feeding off it's self to supply the energy for the buds to mature, don't add nitrogen as in the bloom phase they need K and P not N to survive and mature. There are plenty of threads with this advice if you look for them to verify what I'm saying.