How fast can trichomes turn?

I have a plant showing all the signs of being done, not drinking much, stagnant growth, swollen clayx's, red receeding pistils and frosty as could be.

It feels early yet though as it's been looking this way since day 33 or so, and I'm now only on day 40. In addition, the trichomes are cloudy or clear, I have not yet stumbled on any amber on the tip of the main colas to other areas of the plant...none.

I'm inclined to keep it growing, but am curious...

When people say the trichromes turn quick, should I be checking daily, or are we talking hourly? I swear this thing is right on the verge but am a very patient person, just dont want to miss the window, or the go overboard hovering with the microscope.

Thanks!

You dont have a 40 day strain and you're not going to let it go too long... post pics

@IrkinBollikans pics posted.

Oh I know 40 days would be unnaturally early, I'm just very surprised at how far along it looks and how slow it's drinking for the length of time.

Lack of experience plays a part but ive seen a lot of flowering plants in person in my circles and this seemed oddly fast.

I don't know if you still check trichromes, or just get a feeling, but when/if you think a plant is near ready, how often would you check?

Daily or every other day when it looks done. But I mean when it's really done. What medium and what nutrients are you using?

It's an unknown seedsman seed. I'll provide all the details I can.

I premade a 70/30 botanicare coco and perlite mix, then added Gaia Green all purpose 4-4-4 dry organic. I watered and let it break down for 3 weeks before using it.

I went from #1 to #3 pots in this mix as well as mykojordan mycorhizzae during veg. Lst'd it into a shrub.


I premixed powerbloom 2-8-4 and a bit of the 4-4-4 and let it break down for 3 weeks as well. I lined the 7gal pot with it and transplanted in a week before flower.

I have topdressed an 80/20 mix of the all purpose and Gaia at end of week 4.

Plain tap water let to sit for 1 or more days for watering ph Down'd to 6.2 to 6.8; depending on how I felt at the time. A couple times I watered in an organic calmag at 3/4 the recommended strength.

I also watered just to the first drips of run off, and then periodically I'd water a little more to get a good flow through and hopefully drag more oxygen in. I know organics don't need runoff typically but didn't think it would hurt.

Side note: my initial research before jumping back in (I grew a couple runs 20 or so years ago) says dry organics in coco is not a recommended approach. I have seen it work ok for people (my father, a website called marijuanamama420.ca, etc) and it seemed so easy, and seems to be working for me ok. I am running 4 plants this way (the other 3 have 3 weeks to go at least I would guess), and have 3 in coco using future harvest synthetic nutrients beside them so I could do some the "proper" way as a comparison and fail-safe. Sorry I got pre-defensive there, didn't want to be judged too harshly haha!

Anyway, that was more than you asked!

I have heard good things of Gaia green

@mista32 I am seeing good things as well so far. 2 of the 4 plants look perfect (the one in this post has some light burn on the tips when I tried to see how close I could keep my light).

The other 2 plants are showing some deficiencies that as an inexperienced grower, I'd have to say look like Cal Mag problems but I'm not sure, especially since at this stage in my grow game, all nutrient problems seem to resemble Cal Mag problems. I'm sure I'll get better!

As far as harvest time, I'm just at the end of week 6 today, and have noticed a burst of new pistils and increased swelling in the lower portions of the buds. It makes me happy to see the plant do something that shows it's still productive. I'll keep waiting and watching for now.

Ok, ok it's still going now, just looked like it was ready to finish.

My current situation is that I'm at the end of week 8 since flip, the fan leaves are fading, bud development seems to have slowed or stopped, and the very tips of the main colas are starting to look almost dried out/crispy with the odd dead/dry brownish looking tip on the occasional calyx. It's still drinking and praying when I get the temp/humidity right.

When I use the 30x loupe, everything seems completely cloudy, and the pistils are very dry and shrivelled, but not an amber trichrome to be found on the buds,btop colas or sugar leaves. Some trichromes seem to be shriveling.

My worry is that I have made a grower mistake and the plant isn't going amber because it's run out of steam, or that maybe this unknown strain is just not one that goes very amber at peak ripeness.

Could I be waiting for amber that is never going to show?

Pics coming.

It will show but any issues you have during the grow make the finish slower
Looks good but not ready

@Herb & Suds those are old pictures from 2 or 3 weeks ago. Just added 2 but need better close ups in regular lighting. My HPS are running now.

More pics under HPS. 6pm lights out and can take better pics.

I should add that my instinct is to wait for the yellowing to spread to the rest of the plant and to wait for at least some amber.

I'm now mostly worried about the dry appearance of the tips of the colas and the possibility if I keep waiting the buds will actually suffer rather than improve.

I'll try get pics of trichromes at lights out with the 30x loupe held up to my camera. It won't be the best quality but it might help.

Better pics

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