# Just clear and amber trichomes, is it possible???



## muha (Nov 30, 2011)

Hello growers,
I went to my friend to see his plant (sativa dominant strain, 59 days in flowering stage) and to find out is it ready to harvest it. We took illuminated microscope and tried to see the trichomes. We looked together and we couldn't conclude is it ready to harvest it.
What is the problem, I could't find milky trichomes. We just saw clear and amber trichomes (10-20% are amber). Hair isn't red/brown, it is white and light brown (50/50). Is it possible that there is no milky trichomes? We saw something like milky trichomes, but we could see through them, not complete "head" or trichom were milky. This is his first time to grow and he don't know can he see throught the milky trichomes or they are opaque? Does he have to wait?
BTW, he wants more energetic effect, NO stoned.


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## Mr.GrÃ¸nn (Dec 1, 2011)

I would cut off a little sample bud, and view the trichs far away from the HPS light - which easily can make you see amber when there is only clear. And then smoke it and decide.

If you have amber trichomes already, my guess is that you have plenty "milky" thrics too.
Milky is not completely opauqe, at least I've never seen completely 100% white opaque heads - so CLOUDY is a better description.

Or am I wrong, are cloudy trichomes supposed to get completely white and opaque? (I've never seen that in my plants, only "cloudy").


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## watchhowIdoit (Dec 1, 2011)

chop now before before budrot sets in.......


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## k0ijn (Dec 1, 2011)

watchhowIdoit said:


> chop now before before budrot sets in.......



No need to confuse the newbies mate.



OP:

It's practically impossible to have amber trichomes without having any cloudy/milky trichomes.
You should take a sample and test it away from your lights as to get the real colour image.
HPS tends to add a yellow tinge to anything looked at under it.

Pistils (what you call hairs) colour do not determine maturity, what you should be looking for is:

Cloudy trichomes
Receding pistils
Swollen calyxes


Those are the main harvesting signs.


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## muha (Dec 1, 2011)

We cut off small leaves from the buds and watched them away from HPS. He has illuminated microscope 160X - 200X, but when he zoom and focus he see through them (I think that microscope is to strong to see it good, and because of that I see through them and it is very sensitive in focuse). When he defocus a little bit, almost all are cloudy/milky.

Can he have all types of trichomes (clear, cloudy and amber)? I am asking about this because I would like to know, do all clear trichomes disappear, or there have to be all types of trichomes, that you have never seen all cloudy and amber without clear trichomes.


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## k0ijn (Dec 1, 2011)

muha said:


> We cut off small leaves from the buds and watched them away from HPS. He has illuminated microscope 160X - 200X, but when he zoom and focus he see through them (I think that microscope is to strong to see it good, and because of that I see through them and it is very sensitive in focuse). When he defocus a little bit, almost all are cloudy/milky.
> 
> Can he have all types of trichomes (clear, cloudy and amber)? I am asking about this because I would like to know, do all clear trichomes disappear, or there have to be all types of trichomes, that you have never seen all cloudy and amber without clear trichomes.



Since some parts of the plant will be ahead of other parts you will almost always be able to to see clear, cloudy and amber trichomes on one calyx.
All clear trichomes will eventually disappear but not if you keep growing the plant, since new pistils and bud sites might appear with clear trichomes waiting to develop.

However if you just let your plant grow without any care the bud sites first developed will eventually turn all amber and be close to useless.
So you see, it's a combination of things, and since it's a living organism things will develop differently across it.

This is also a reason why most experienced growers harvest in stages, as to take the mature calyxes off and let the still underdeveloped bud sites keep growing and mature.


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## rocknratm (Dec 1, 2011)

Mr.Grønn;6709758 said:


> I would cut off a little sample bud, and view the trichs far away from the HPS light - which easily can make you see amber when there is only clear. And then smoke it and decide.
> 
> If you have amber trichomes already, my guess is that you have plenty "milky" thrics too.
> Milky is not completely opauqe, at least I've never seen completely 100% white opaque heads - so CLOUDY is a better description.
> ...


I have seen solid white trichs. My friend was telling me his plants were ready, they didnt have much for trichs at all, I said they werent ready. Sure enough they were solid white for most of the trichs. His bulbs were so old, like 6 months over the lifespan lol. 
Anyway I have seen solid white ones. and there was little to no amber


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## k0ijn (Dec 1, 2011)

rocknratm said:


> I have seen solid white trichs. My friend was telling me his plants were ready, they didnt have much for trichs at all, I said they werent ready. Sure enough they were solid white for most of the trichs. His bulbs were so old, like 6 months over the lifespan lol.
> Anyway I have seen solid white ones. and there was little to no amber



"Solid white trichomes" is a description of milky / cloudy trichomes.
To some people they might look solid and pure white, they are in fact cloudy / milky.

Since THC is fully realized in milky / cloudy trichomes, your statement about the plants not being ready because they had milky / cloudy trichomes is wrong.
If a plant has an abundance of milky / cloudy trichomes (like your friends plant(s) had), it is harvest ready, fully mature and at it's peak.

Your friend was right.


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## Illegal Smile (Dec 5, 2011)

Just remember that hundreds or thousands of plants are harvested too soon for every one that's harvested late. When in doubt, give it some more time.


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## lookatmydick (Mar 27, 2014)

I have noticed amber trichs and clear new trichs on a plant near ready for harvest. I believe some plants, maybe different strains (sativa dominant?), have cycles of trichome growth and can put on a new wave before the end, depending on growing conditions. Also if trichome heads get knocked off or damaged, they begin to degrade and turn amber which may be another reason why you see some amber but mostly clear.


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## dr.tomb (Mar 30, 2014)

Make it easy or the guy... Pics speak a thousand words.


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## CannaBare (Apr 14, 2014)

I have a new theory on trichomes. This whole grow I had brand new lights but I feel my newest part of the room was the UVB reptile lights I bought. I recently watched this video *



 *and really bought into what the guy was saying about how they capture the energy and turn it into THC. So I researched UVB lights and found this thread that said UVB reptiles *http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00101GDIG/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1* were the best for our uses. I though what the hell and bought one to go with my lights. A little over 10% of total light output. This round my trichomes are white under my MagnaScope! 

So I think it could be a lack of UVB and the trichomes go from little THC to degraded because the light spectrum to make the THC is missing. Just a theory 

Canna


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## greasemonkeymann (Apr 18, 2014)

Illegal Smile said:


> Just remember that hundreds or thousands of plants are harvested too soon for every one that's harvested late. When in doubt, give it some more time.


 This is absolutely priceless advice. Also you said it was mostly a sativa? At day 59 that'd be a helluva fast sativa


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## taintedDove (Jan 11, 2017)

My Harlequin is driving me crazy. The trichs look pretty clear compared to my Granddaddy purple and my Unknown plant. I know all plants are different, especially ones that are like Harlequin. The first 4 pics here are of the Harlequin. There are verrrry few brown pistils, but they are finally changing fast over the past 2 days. The trichs seem clearish to me but there are a good amount of amber heads even on very very clear trichs. So it can happen. Then next 2 pics are of the GDP and unkown, much more cloudy trichs. I find it very easy to tell the difference between cloudy/milky and a clear/glassy one.


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## chemphlegm (Jan 11, 2017)

physical damage causes trichome degradation too, seen when it turns amber-degradation


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## taintedDove (Jan 11, 2017)

chemphlegm said:


> physical damage causes trichome degradation too, seen when it turns amber-degradation


Physical damage... As in... say you bent your main stalk one day but it kept growing. Something like that?


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## Budzbuddha (Jan 11, 2017)

Pics of plant - pistils and all.
I already suspect it will correct with more time .. Sativas get better with longer weeks.


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## chemphlegm (Jan 11, 2017)

taintedDove said:


> Physical damage... As in... say you bent your main stalk one day but it kept growing. Something like that?


 if careless and rubbed against buds while bending them


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## rkymtnman (Jan 11, 2017)

isn't Harlequin a pure CBD strain? do the trichs behave the same? i know thc degrades into cbn which leads to amber ( i think at least). does a cbd strain do the same? 

i have no idea. just throwing it out there


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## White boy in hawaii (Jan 16, 2017)

Is it normal for a plant to have cloudy trichomes only 2-3 weeks in flowering , because this plant dose


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## noob12345 (Nov 29, 2017)

I recently had to harvest my outdoors a little early because of some wet/humid weather in mid oct. Im not sure whether it is genetics as I grew all the same strains i grow indoors or because of the weather or a mix of both of these things, I wanted to know why my outdoor is ok but no where near the potency of my indoor as trichs looked ok when i harvested but yesterday i got my big microscope out and put a few samples of dried under to look at and i noticed a lot of clear and some amber, not many cloudy! It has go to be something to do with light, Next year I will be choosing some diff genetics for my outdoor....


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## Puff_Dragon (Aug 6, 2018)

imo - for newbies (or when you are dealing with a new strain you've never grown before), I'd recommend:
harvesting one bud from each strain/plant each week (from beginning of week 5 / 6 say). What this allows you to do is examine how YOUR plants (or plant, if they are all clones) are expressing their high and flavours over the course of the flower cycle. This will give you a true understanding of your plants (like how grape/wine testing is done) ..as opposed to using a 'best guess' technique. You will then (if you work clones from the first run) know all the strains quirks and can harvest in future with pinpoint accuracy (even changing where you harvest for specific end user needs


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## trinketswittrichs (Oct 2, 2020)

taintedDove said:


> My Harlequin is driving me crazy. The trichs look pretty clear compared to my Granddaddy purple and my Unknown plant. I know all plants are different, especially ones that are like Harlequin. The first 4 pics here are of the Harlequin. There are verrrry few brown pistils, but they are finally changing fast over the past 2 days. The trichs seem clearish to me but there are a good amount of amber heads even on very very clear trichs. So it can happen. Then next 2 pics are of the GDP and unkown, much more cloudy trichs. I find it very easy to tell the difference between cloudy/milky and a clear/glassy one. View attachment 3873616 View attachment 3873617 View attachment 3873618 View attachment 3873619 View attachment 3873629 View attachment 3873630


That is a very nice scope. What brand is that? I have a cheap 5 dollar lope 40x which I think is a lie because I have a hard time even telling if any are milky at all.I need a good trichoscope like yours.Thanks


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## HydroKid239 (Oct 2, 2020)

trinketswittrichs said:


> That is a very nice scope. What brand is that? I have a cheap 5 dollar lope 40x which I think is a lie because I have a hard time even telling if any are milky at all.I need a good trichoscope like yours.Thanks


Clip the loupe to the camera on your phone and use that to zoom even more.


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## trinketswittrichs (Oct 2, 2020)

HydroKid239 said:


> Clip the loupe to the camera on your phone and use that to zoom even more.


will try that!


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## Queenbees (Mar 26, 2021)

taintedDove said:


> My Harlequin is driving me crazy. The trichs look pretty clear compared to my Granddaddy purple and my Unknown plant. I know all plants are different, especially ones that are like Harlequin. The first 4 pics here are of the Harlequin. There are verrrry few brown pistils, but they are finally changing fast over the past 2 days. The trichs seem clearish to me but there are a good amount of amber heads even on very very clear trichs. So it can happen. Then next 2 pics are of the GDP and unkown, much more cloudy trichs. I find it very easy to tell the difference between cloudy/milky and a clear/glassy one. View attachment 3873616 View attachment 3873617 View attachment 3873618 View attachment 3873619 View attachment 3873629 View attachment 3873630


I have this same problem because of light intensity and heat problem in the middle of flowering

Now the trics are clear n amber.

Should i wait the clear to become cloudy since the buds already turnd brown n white lol?


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## Richalpha (Nov 18, 2021)

Queenbees said:


> I have this same problem because of light intensity and heat problem in the middle of flowering
> 
> Now the trics are clear n amber.
> 
> Should i wait the clear to become cloudy since the buds already turnd brown n white lol?


Lol we are late to this post but turn your lights down and check the buds below the top canopy, preferably the buds that are dense but have not been affected by the high light intensity


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## Geeked (Nov 22, 2021)

Do you foliage feed? And do any of the nutes makes a brownish color appearance? My guess is maybe the nutes color foliage feeding is just making the trics amber looking? Because I have that same issue and that’s my only guess to why there might be some amber and clear trics with no cloudy.


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 22, 2021)

Geeked said:


> Do you foliage feed? And do any of the nutes makes a brownish color appearance? My guess is maybe the nutes color foliage feeding is just making the trics amber looking? Because I have that same issue and that’s my only guess to why there might be some amber and clear trics with no cloudy.


You *shouldn’t *spray ANYTHING on flowering buds.

The reason that long deceased poster had issues with clear triches was because it wasnt ready and probably judged leaf instead of calyx areas for true maturity. Touching flower can damage triches PLUS the fact it was Sativa Dominant- which can run long flower time. His 59 day old plant was no where near time to chop.


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## Geeked (Nov 22, 2021)

Budzbuddha said:


> You *shouldn’t *spray ANYTHING on flowering buds.
> 
> The reason that long deceased poster had issues with clear triches was because it wasnt ready and probably judged leaf instead of calyx areas for true maturity. Touching flower can damage triches PLUS the fact it was Sativa Dominant- which can run long flower time. His 59 day old plant was no where near time to chop.


Yeah I didn’t know until today when I read about the trics. I was foliage feeding mine all the way to harvest. That’s the reason why some of my trics were amberish. Just trying to figure out why you would have amber and clear but no cloudy. That’s what he’s saying, his was no where near but had amber trics…


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## Left thumb (May 14, 2022)

muha said:


> We cut off small leaves from the buds and watched them away from HPS. He has illuminated microscope 160X - 200X, but when he zoom and focus he see through them (I think that microscope is to strong to see it good, and because of that I see through them and it is very sensitive in focuse). When he defocus a little bit, almost all are cloudy/milky.
> 
> Can he have all types of trichomes (clear, cloudy and amber)? I am asking about this because I would like to know, do all clear trichomes disappear, or there have to be all types of trichomes, that you have never seen all cloudy and amber without clear trichomes.


Your looking where the white hair now red comes out of the caylx


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## Kinker (Jul 30, 2022)

Budzbuddha said:


> Pics of plant - pistils and all.
> I already suspect it will correct with more time .. Sativas get better with longer weeks.


Hello how do I post a question?


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## Amaximus (Jul 31, 2022)

Kinker said:


> Hello how do I post a question?


Yes.


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## Kinker (Jul 31, 2022)

How do i,


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## hillbill (Jul 31, 2022)

Trichs on calyxes are the only ones that you should be looking at. Trichs on leaves go through phases more quickly than the ones on the buds.


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## Gorilla grow person (Nov 2, 2022)

Puff_Dragon said:


> imo - for newbies (or when you are dealing with a new strain you've never grown before), I'd recommend:
> harvesting one bud from each strain/plant each week (from beginning of week 5 / 6 say). What this allows you to do is examine how YOUR plants (or plant, if they are all clones) are expressing their high and flavours over the course of the flower cycle. This will give you a true understanding of your plants (like how grape/wine testing is done) ..as opposed to using a 'best guess' technique. You will then (if you work clones from the first run) know all the strains quirks and can harvest in future with pinpoint accuracy (even changing where you harvest for specific end user needs


Do you have to dry and cure the bud before you sample it? Is there some quick way to do that? Thanks.


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## dbz (Nov 2, 2022)

Gorilla grow person said:


> Do you have to dry and cure the bud before you sample it? Is there some quick way to do that? Thanks.


How has this thread been alive this long. Most pets alive when it started died.


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## Nope_49595933949 (Nov 2, 2022)

Gorilla grow person said:


> Is there some quick way to do that? Thanks.


First you need a variable power microwave. You want to set it to 735 watts exactly and run it on half power for 14.6 seconds. Through extensive research I've found that to be the best quick cure method.


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