Trichomes & Harvesting

In the beginning of the thread it was mentioned that the trics will continue to change so that being said. If I chop my girls down at say 80% cloudy trics what percentage of cloudy/amber could I expect once they are completly done? This is my first grow and I'm fixing to harvest soon and this is the only knowledge I haven't been able to scour off the Net so any input is appreciated.
Good Luck and Good Grow!!

Antihero17 said:

In the beginning of the thread it was mentioned that the trics will continue to change so that being said. If I chop my girls down at say 80% cloudy trics what percentage of cloudy/amber could I expect once they are completly done? This is my first grow and I'm fixing to harvest soon and this is the only knowledge I haven't been able to scour off the Net so any input is appreciated.
Good Luck and Good Grow!!

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The trichomes continue to develop even after you harvest.
But it doesn't mean that you can harvest early and let the trichomes mature while you dry & cure since your buds will not be fully developed and you'll end up with airy/small/underdeveloped buds.
I cannot give you a precise answer regarding your early harvest chop without knowing more about strain, conditions etc.
There are so many variables that play into it, no one could possibly answer that question fully or factually.
If it's a slow flowering plant, you might not see much change if it's not you might see 5%-10% change, but then again, temp, RH, drying time, curing time etc. all affect this.

You just need to keep in mind that the trichomes will keep developing and that you should take care in the drying & curing process (especially with temp and light exposure and handling) to not lose any trichome nor cause any THC to degrade more than what is normal (exposing your buds to UV light and high temps can cause this).
What you should take away from the 'trichomes keep developing' statement is that you should never harvest too late, since you won't end up with the amber % you had when you harvested (because trichomes keep degrading (in case of cloudy to amber) / developing).

k0ijn said:

The third state is amber. Amber trichomes contain degraded THC --> CBN. CBN represents a loss of 90% potency (from THC). CBN is not desirable in any harvest, since it not only represents a huge loss of potency but research into the substance has also shown that CBN does not produce a high like THC does, CBN produces a more sickly feeling not a true high.

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Couldn't agree with this more! Soooooooo much MISinformation pertaining to amber trichs on this site and a whole lot of others as well. "Don't chop until you see at least 30% amber." WTF??!! I hear that bullshit all the time. My first harvest I let it go a week too long and consequently started flushing way too late as a result. Bud was still bomb, but it was very noticeable at least to me that the overall effects had drifted far from the psychoactive to the medicinal part of the scale. Now don't get me wrong I love a little bit of couchlock, but my ass being put straight to sleep after a few hits is not exactly what I'm aiming for.

panhead said:

One bit of additional info,you mentioned being at 60 days flower,when did you start the day count ?

If you started counting as soon as you went 12/12 then you skipped a step,all strains have a transition period where the plants metabolism switches gears from veg to bud phase,this is also when the plants will stretch out,you shouldnt start a day count until the plants fully transition from veg to bud.

Keep in mind most strains have a different length of transition,some as fast as 5-7 days & others as long as 14-18 days,most indica dominant strains are around 7 days & the more sativa in the strain the longer the transition period.

Transition from veg to bud is complete once most of the stretching out of the plant is finished & when the plant starts putting out new pistils.
I dont start a day count till see new pistils comming out of most bud sights.

If you started counting as soon as day 1 of 12/12 then you still have atleast 7 days.

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That's the first time ive ever heard that. i always have been counting from the day I flip. Do you have a source for this info?

Hi again, I'm stumped again. I had one plant that i chopped 2 weeks ago with 20% amber. Now the other plants are just stubborn and now they are at 71 day into flowering and 84 days since i shut the lights out for 2 days to trigger the flowering stage. They are purple kush grown in FF soil. I stopped giving them nutes about 23 days ago. Most of the plants are all cloudy and no sign of going amber. 18 days ago i did a 2 days lights out so i can get more trichomes but now the plants are not turning amber...is it because of the lights out or is it because i stopped giving nutes?? Oh and the plant that i did harvest....are the leaves suppose to be brown?....I thought all buds are suppose to be green and where is the purple in the purple kush. Yes this is my first grow and i am stumped at the end...atleast i get to smoke one plant until i figure it out,...thanks for any help.
these pics of the purple kush that is so brown.
these are the stubborn plants

is'nt purple kush an 8 week (56 days about) strain?

I don't follow, why did you stop giving nutes 23 days ago? Your plants look famished, they are basically eating themselves to stay alive.
I don't understand why you did a 2 day light out either, that has undoubtably stressed your plants.

The third picture plants look alright but they look famished as well, all fan leaves look mostly dead or well on the way.
You should never stop giving nutes at the end of flowering, it's the critical time, when your plants really need nutrients to grow calyxes and produce.


If you want to speed up flowering you can change the light schedule to 10 (ON) / 14 (OFF).
It's shown to speed up plants, making them finish quicker, however it's not scientifically proven yet.

Your plants look almost finished though, don't be discouraged that no amber trichs are present, it's a good thing.
By the size and colour tinge of your plants they mostly look ready, taking into account what you have done with the nutrients and the light schedule I'd advise you harvest.
You won't get much more out of those plants in the state they're in, you should harvest before the plants start eating more of themselves to survive.

Supersoul said:

Hi again, I'm stumped again. I had one plant that i chopped 2 weeks ago with 20% amber. Now the other plants are just stubborn and now they are at 71 day into flowering and 84 days since i shut the lights out for 2 days to trigger the flowering stage. They are purple kush grown in FF soil. I stopped giving them nutes about 23 days ago. Most of the plants are all cloudy and no sign of going amber. 18 days ago i did a 2 days lights out so i can get more trichomes but now the plants are not turning amber...is it because of the lights out or is it because i stopped giving nutes?? Oh and the plant that i did harvest....are the leaves suppose to be brown?....I thought all buds are suppose to be green and where is the purple in the purple kush. Yes this is my first grow and i am stumped at the end...atleast i get to smoke one plant until i figure it out,...thanks for any help.
View attachment 2134293View attachment 2134294these pics of the purple kush that is so brown.
View attachment 2134296these are the stubborn plants

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I like to harvest when all are Cloudy personally. Waiting until Amber is the point of degredation to many people and not necessary. I run my Indica 60 days and Hybrid 70.

• I don't follow, why did you stop giving nutes 23 days ago? Your plants look famished, they are basically eating themselves to stay alive.
  I don't understand why you did a 2 day light out either, that has undoubtably stressed your plants.
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I stopped the nutes to clear out any chemical taste in the organic FF soil and nutes that i was using, seems like i did it prematurely because i was timing it according to the schedual of an 8 week strain. Was that the wrong thing to do since i read in many places to do that. To stop the nutes a week before cutting?

Also i heard that 2 days of darkness before cutting brings out more crystals. Is that a myth also?

Supersoul said:

• I don't follow, why did you stop giving nutes 23 days ago? Your plants look famished, they are basically eating themselves to stay alive.
  I don't understand why you did a 2 day light out either, that has undoubtably stressed your plants.
  ​

  
  
  ​

I stopped the nutes to clear out any chemical taste in the organic FF soil and nutes that i was using, seems like i did it prematurely because i was timing it according to the schedual of an 8 week strain. Was that the wrong thing to do since i read in many places to do that. To stop the nutes a week before cutting?

Also i heard that 2 days of darkness before cutting brings out more crystals. Is that a myth also?

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Nutrient storage in cannabis plants is rather complicated, I've written extensively about it on this forum, you can find it if you search my nick and nutrient storage so I won't go into much detail here.
Suffice to say that you cannot 'clear' chemical taste out of cannabis, since it won't have any chemical taste in the first place, unless the particular strain you're growing has that trait.
Nutrients are not stored directly in the buds or calyxes. Nutrients are stored in the leaves and roots and transported around to fit the needs of the plant.
But nutrients moved to the calyxes are used up very fast, it's almost impossible to have an abundance of nutrients in the calyxes, where it is quite possible to have that in the leaves and roots.

Therefore there is no need to clear anything out of your plant.

You should not stop giving nutrients to your plants at all, it will slow growth and production in the most critical phase of flowering (end flowering).

Yes that is also a myth.
Most of the stuff you hear or have heard about 'bringing out more crystals, pushing out more crystals, explosive growth due to bla bla bla' is here say and a myth.

What you can trust to work is giving a balanced nutrient supply so your plants are as close to critical nutrient mass (neither abundance nor deficiency), which will allow critical production (get most out of your plant possible).
Keeping a proper light schedule is also key, as is air circulation and a ton of other things.

Why do people abuse their plants so much in the end????

This I will never know...

JJFOURTWENTY said:

Why do people abuse their plants so much in the end????

This I will never know...

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From all of the reading I did here, in books and growing sites I was completely confused and had no clue what to do on my first run, flush, not flush. My gut instinct was why would you deprive the plants at the time they needed nutrition most. But all I read was Flush, Flush, Flush. So Flush I did, but luckily it was short lived as with the help of k0ijn I found that my trichs had just started turning amber.https://www.rollitup.org/members/k0ijn-355103.html I will not make that mistake again. It can be hard sifting through all the information available. An experienced grower friend stated that "You really hit the landing" on my first crop, to this I credit and THANK k0ijn and his straight forward advice!!

FrostyTheBudMan said:

From all of the reading I did here, in books and growing sites I was completely confused and had no clue what to do on my first run, flush, not flush. My gut instinct was why would you deprive the plants at the time they needed nutrition most. But all I read was Flush, Flush, Flush. So Flush I did, but luckily it was short lived as with the help of k0ijn I found that my trichs had just started turning amber. I will not make that mistake again. It can be hard sifting through all the information available. An experienced grower friend stated that "You really hit the landing" on my first crop, to this I credit and THANK k0ijn and his straight forward advice!!

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You're most welcome Frosty

I'm glad it worked out well and that you got a great start to growing and all the wonderful joys that brings!

FrostyTheBudMan said:

From all of the reading I did here, in books and growing sites I was completely confused and had no clue what to do on my first run, flush, not flush. My gut instinct was why would you deprive the plants at the time they needed nutrition most. But all I read was Flush, Flush, Flush. So Flush I did, but luckily it was short lived as with the help of k0ijn I found that my trichs had just started turning amber. I will not make that mistake again. It can be hard sifting through all the information available. An experienced grower friend stated that "You really hit the landing" on my first crop, to this I credit and THANK k0ijn and his straight forward advice!!

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So now you're not flushing?

Lucius Vorenus said:

So now you're not flushing?

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I grow in somewhat "organic" soil now, don't overdo the nutes, Fox Farm trio, CalMag and some molasses as flowering moves on to benefit the Mycro I have added at transplant and feedings, no I will no longer flush. The one "flush" I did the first time did probably benefit my first run, as I had over fertilized an already hot soil. Live and learn. Such a great and rewarding hobby! We learn from experience and we learn from each other.

how long u watch tricholmes for and do i flush while waiting cos my strains flower for 7 /8 weeks max and just passed 6 weeks going to start flushing for last week or so thx for any info

see another person that thought as i did that flushing is require before harvesting

I've not flushed before and had weed that would not stay lit in joints (nitrogen) and also would occasionally spark (phosphorous)

That was before I started using straight Maxibloom though for flower. Maybe i'll give it another go.

Lucius Vorenus said:

I've not flushed before and had weed that would not stay lit in joints (nitrogen) and also would occasionally spark (phosphorous)

That was before I started using straight Maxibloom though for flower. Maybe i'll give it another go.

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How do you attribute the fact that it won't stay lit to nitrogen? The same with question with regards to your phosphorous statement.
If that would even be possible (I have never seen or heard of it before) you must have overfed your plants with extreme doses to attain such high nutrient levels in the calyxes that what you describe would even be possible.

Tbh I think your weed was just too wet/damp to stay lit. The part about phosphorous being the spark could just as easily have been a stem bursting from the heat.

OK, so in organic soil when I have mostly cloudy trichs, would it be enough to just flood them good once the last 2-3 days before chop? Also when you curing, how do you know when the bud will be fine in the jars without burping daily anymore..will the moisture quit building up in the jars when it's time?