# Top Bud Drying Out Before Harvest...w/ PICS



## Jerry Garcia (May 28, 2009)

So I am just about ready for my first harvest, 3 bagseed girls 70 days into flowering today--400w hps in Ocean Forest w/ FF Nutes. Temp is around ~84 during the day and a few degrees cooler at night. RH is ~40% during day, 55-68% with the lights off (I use a portable a/c during the light cycle and a 12" fan for the night to reduce risk of bud rot).

I take the plants out every morning (8pm) and give them a general inspection and check the trichs using a 30x radioshack scope. In the last couple days, I've noticed the top buds on a couple of my plants are starting to feel a little more dry than usual. They have been flushed for almost 2 weeks now, and get watered every 2-3 days. The two plants feeling the most dry are the one's sitting ~7-9" from my 400w hps (actually, it's a 360w Eye Sunlux Ultra Ace HPS conversion bulb that runs in my 400w MH system...puts off 45,000 lumens).

Is it _bad_ if the buds dry out a little before they are taken down? The trichs are mostly cloudy-headed, though some are still clear, and some are clear but have a distinct amber tint to them. I have seen probably 5-7 completely amber headed trichs between 3 plants, over a 4-5 day period of checking.

Here's a couple pictures now that I've given a little background. The fan leaves and even some bud leaves had a bit of a deficiency about 3 weeks ago (possibly a lockout issue due to one watering with a slightly-basic water) but the buds never seemed affected and continued growing just fine.

The first three are of the tallest plant, ~31" with good lean on her...






Here's a closer shot of the top. It looks fine, though I think the smell has begun to change a little in the last 24 hours. When I touch the top, it doesn't feel as wet as it did a few days ago.






Here's a couple middle buds. Pardon the cat hair...






Here's the other plant getting a little dry. She's ~28" and much different genetically from the tall one.






Top looks nice though, but also getting a little crispy to the touch. No visible sign of this however...only tactile, which makes it hard to share I suppose...






Another top shot.






A close up of one small projection of calyxes.







So, I think they are looking pretty good, but I'm still waiting on those amber trichs. I've been considering chopping parts of the plant tonight and letting the rest go for a couple days, so if I had to chop the tops I wouldn't be crushed. But if they are in fact drying out while still on the stem I will take the tops for sure.

Thanks for reading all that...comments are welcome and appreciated!


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## twnty8gramz (May 28, 2009)

I would prob plan on having a trimming patry this weekend!!! get the crew together man. I personally have never noticed my plants having dry buds. But then again i dont ussually ever sqeeze the buds. rarley do i even touch them. They do look very ready to me though, and i think you cant go wrong harvesting them now. good luck man keep posting updates


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## Sir Psycho Sexy (May 28, 2009)

I really wouldnt worry about it shes ready to come down anyway. 

Maybe when plants get ridiculously tall like that they have trouble pumping the water up... i dunno it would make sense


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## Jerry Garcia (May 28, 2009)

Thanks guys. I'm leaning that direction anyway.

Anyone else care to comment on the situation?


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## Otacon (May 28, 2009)

Yeah, I agree, it's probably nothing to worry about, especially since they're close to harvest.


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## Cheech Wizard (May 28, 2009)

Hey Jerry.. Looking good brother.. I had a Mikado plant, a few days before harvest and I noticecd the top cola was completely dry!?!?! It freaked me out and then I noticed a spot of bud rot deep inside the center of it... it attacked the main stem and everything above the point of attack was completely dry. Anyway, cut out the rotted part and it was all fine.. but, maybe you should just check it out to be safe cuz it sucked throwing away a quarter of bud.... now I have more fans for circulation and it hasnt happened since.. anyway, good luck with everything, looking good man.


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## Jerry Garcia (Jun 1, 2009)

Thanks Cheech and Otacon. I ended up giving the top 12" or so the chop Thursday evening (5/28 ). They weren't exceedingly dry during trim, but I pulled them down today (4 days of drying) and put them into jars to cure. They weigh 20, 16 and 12 grams each.

So I don't think the excess dry thing was anything...just me being overly cautious.

Thanks again and +rep for your time!


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## nilz (Jun 1, 2009)

it was just the top being closer to the light and heat


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## Jerry Garcia (Jun 2, 2009)

nilz said:


> it was just the top being closer to the light and heat


I thought that as well, but they were the same distance from the light for the last month or so of their life cycle, so I'm not sure that is really the case...oh well, they turned out fine and are stinking up my house as they dry.


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## Young Macdonald (Jun 2, 2009)

Eww cat hair on the precious buds! i hate cats


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## twnty8gramz (Jun 4, 2009)

man i cant wait to get the dry weight on that!! I say 20 ounces.....you have 3 plants right? are they all around they same height?


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## Jerry Garcia (Jun 4, 2009)

Well most of the buds are drying or curing now, so we'll see about the weight. 2 oz might be a more realistic estimate...


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## DaMidnightToker (Aug 22, 2009)

I know its a little late Jerry, but my buds are also feeling dry. I'm 52 days into flowering bagseed indica dominant. A few days ago my buds began to foxtail which is somthing I've never heard or seen. I started to sorta push the small tops out a bit and you can kind of feel them breaking... IDK. Kind of like breaking up bud. Well I watered and problem has somwhat been handled, still kinda dry though. I've stopped watering till harvest which should be about a week. Just wanted to share my experience brotha. " I bought Jerry Garcia in a bag maaannnn!!!"


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## <stealthgrowing> (Aug 22, 2009)

Young Macdonald said:


> Eww cat hair on the precious buds! i hate cats


May a thousand angry cats chew on your extremities. ROFL


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## guest420 (Aug 22, 2009)

your pics looked awesome, my cat was born on april 20th (4/20) i am not joking! i love her so much, i saw her being born. the mother cat came into the house and walked into our closet and starting having her kittens. she has been my baby ever since and she knows what budz are haha


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## <stealthgrowing> (Aug 22, 2009)

guest420 said:


> your pics looked awesome, my cat was born on april 20th (4/20) i am not joking! i love her so much, i saw her being born. the mother cat came into the house and walked into our closet and starting having her kittens. she has been my baby ever since and she knows what budz are haha



Right on, my cat was an abandoned stray from my previous apartment. All black with bright green eyes. Potty trained already when I found her. Perfect cat, couldn't ask for a better pet.


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## Jerry Garcia (Aug 23, 2009)

DaMidnightToker said:


> I know its a little late Jerry, but my buds are also feeling dry. I'm 52 days into flowering bagseed indica dominant. A few days ago my buds began to foxtail which is somthing I've never heard or seen. I started to sorta push the small tops out a bit and you can kind of feel them breaking... IDK. Kind of like breaking up bud. Well I watered and problem has somwhat been handled, still kinda dry though. I've stopped watering till harvest which should be about a week. Just wanted to share my experience brotha. " I bought Jerry Garcia in a bag maaannnn!!!"


Yeah, it turned out to not be as much of a problem as I made it out to be. They ended up drying, curing and smoking just fine!

Mine doesn't appear to be nearly as bad as your situation though. Sounds like they should make it though to harvest though. On the bright side you won't have to worry as much about mold if they're already desiccating themselves...


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## Da.Midnight.Toker (Jan 10, 2012)

Young Macdonald said:


> Eww cat hair on the precious buds! i hate cats


Random comment but made me rofl . totally agree


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