harvesting questions

[lookimrory]

ill be simple and to the point:
how long before i harvest my crop should i water? the day before? 2 days before? 3? should i fertilize on that last watering?

and...i know and understand you have to look at trichomes to decide WHEN to harvest, but when will my white hairs change color? is there anything else i should be looking at besides the trichomes for harvesting at the perfect time?
muchos gracias

 

[Guest]

I would say your last watering should be no later than 2 days before chopping.. although its really up to you and your plants conditions to decide.. i assume you're aware about flushing when using chem ferts right?

going by the pistil hair color isnt a good indicator of harvest time.. some strains will naturally have different colored hairs, and also the pistils color changes just dont reflect the plants trichomes colors.. get a microscope and you'll be able to see the tricomes colors... naturally you want to look for your plants having produced the biggest buds possible, if they look a little small you can consider letting them go a week longer.. your plants should basically look like they havent been growing much in the last week and peak bud production has occured

 

[Guest]

Growing in soil you want to harvest when they are about ready for their next watering. (Depending on container size this could vary) This way they are not stressed, and there is not excess water weight that has to dry. As for ferts, you will want to flush the ladies for at least a week prior to harvesting in soil. Technically you will want to have been checking the runoff water for ppm's ect, this gives a reading as to what the ladies are keeping in them.....Sometimes a long flush is needed (if they were overferted), and sometimes a short flush is needed (if they weren't), shit sometimes people don't flush (in soil, not recommended).

Definetly only use trichomes as harvest indicator, as mentioned above pistols have diff maturing rates. I find that the pistols change more rapidly after harvest anyways, so don't worry about them....also if you are only looking at them under the lights, the pistols will look lighter anyways. Take em outta the light, and they should show more color....

Happy Trimming

Dont forget to dry the harvest in a good dark area, you want lower humidity and cool temps (but not freezing). A gentle crosswind (not directly blowing on the plants) is also good, just to mix up the air.

 

[locomark]

Well Lookimrory,

I guess you have not grown this strain out before so I'll add my two cent. You should start taking samples now and noting the days in flowering. The reason? Even if your peak is this weekend you may learn the you prefer the smoke several days before or after the peak harvest time. Only after growing this strain out over and over again will you know your preference in harvest date.

Loco

 

[lookimrory]

well the reason why i ask the 2nd question is because im on the 45th day of flowering but when i go through some of the pics on this site my buds dont look nearly as big as everyone else's....
might it be related to my lower wattage HPS (70), or the fact that it was flowering on fluro's for the first 7-9 days of flowering? should i leave it go longer or just look at the trichomes for when to harvest and ignore the size of the buds?

 

[DocLeaf]

In soil:
stop adding feed 2-3 weeks before harvest
stop watering one week before harvest (2-3 days under 1000w+)
harvest when 60-70% hairs are amber/orange/red

all the best dL

 

[mrjim5000]

I'm currently on day 43 flower of my first grow. I dont have any magnification to look at the trics (no money to buy one atm either), and wondering how much longer to go. A few of the hairs have turned orange, but not many, and i still think my girls have a week or so to go.

Does 50 days sound about right? I have 2 girls, one which seems more sativa, and one which seems more indica (although they are both the same strain (NLxShiva)). I have taken a sample bud or 2, and the got really high off a bong, but that might just be me not smoking for a while...

I know this is probably a stupid question, but is 50 days about average for an indica\sativa cross?

cheers,

 

[EcoNepenthe]

My approach

My approach

Two weeks prior to cutting you should flush heavily w/h20. Stop feeding nutes and water w/only h20. W/o a magnifying lupe(sp)...wait for the pistils to turn 50 -60% amber.
A day or 2 before you xpect to chop, place plant in darkness for 24/48 hrs. Chop, hang to dry or use a screen, once dry, jar for curing n smokin. If done correctly and timely, you will have the most enjoyable, smooth smokin 'erb around.
Enjoy!!!

Stay safe.
Success w/ya grow

Eco

Watch em grow!!!

 

[buckeye-leaf]

mrjim, on the seedboutique website it says nlxshiva will take 8 weeks to finish roughly around 56-60 days give it another week or two, maybe ask your friends or relatives if they have a magnifying glass and check out those trichromes the cloudy trichromes which you probably have now will have more of an "up buzz" and if ya let 'em wait a week or two probly have more amber trichomes which will give you a full body buzz and a couchlock effect.

buckeye-leaf

 

[Guest]

I dont have any magnification to look at the trics (no money to buy one atm either).........A few of the hairs have turned orange........Does 50 days sound about right?.............I have taken a sample bud or 2, and the got really high off a bong, but that might just be me not smoking for a while...

I know this is probably a stupid question, but is 50 days about average for an indica\sativa cross?

I took a few things outta the quote to save space anyways.....

You don't have 8 dollars to buy a mag glass from radio shack? Its the only way to know when your herb is "ready"

Hairs turning colors don't mean shit.....it does indicate the plant is maturing, but tells nothing about what stage its at with tch in mind.

Taking sample buds are great, but you will want them to cure for a lil bit in order to get an accurate measure (from what I have heard, I don't have the willpower to let sample nugs cure haha)

Yes, they get you really high because you aren't smoking constantly.


That last question is far from stupid, it is actually fairly accurate. Given the fact all plants are very different, it is rule of thumb around my swamp to set harvest date for 50 to 55 days...unless trichs tell otherwise.

My .02, don't waste what you have put hard work into for a few extra days. It seems soooooo close to the time you have been waiting for, when in reality you still have another month or so after harvest. You want to dry properly and get at least 2 weeks cure. If not, well then you are cutting yourself short my friend.

 

[DocLeaf]

I took a few things outta the quote to save space anyways.....

You don't have 8 dollars to buy a mag glass from radio shack? Its the only way to know when your herb is "ready"

Hairs turning colors don't mean shit...

hehe... (this could be where we were growing wrong all along,,, didn't go to radio-shack for a magnifying glass, dahn,,, hehe)

Ditto: took some things out to save space, anyways...

Agreed, trich development is best viewed under magnification,,,
However, we've met many an experienced grower (old-stoner) that doesn't even understand exactly what a trichome is (for real),,, let alone looking at them with a tool from radio-shack(!)
These people harvest crops when individual plants are ready for harvesting and judge this via the balance between new and withered floral growth (hairs). and yes they harvest bukku,,, dank,,, call it what you will...

Your other points of advice are spot-on Too Triv
peace dLeaf

 

[Guest]

No doubt people can harvest buds by judging the hairs, but they are not the indicator. Bud can be bukku/dank if its chopped at day 50, or day 70 with many strains....but to actually harvest it when ripe one must look at trich's. Hairs will get you in the ballpark, but you could be in the same ballpark without even looking at hairs, and just chopping around day 55 or 60. I have harvested strains that were peak ripeness with hardly any change in the hair color, as well as strains with almost all the hairs changed. To each their own, I will still continue to harvest by trich's

 

[GoaT Is Nice]

one of my plants side buds are a lot more mature than the main cola so should i harvest the side branches first and then the main one when it finishes or will this kill the plant?

 

[Guest]

it wont kill the plant, and many people harvest like that

i dont myself, but that is because I like the variety of highs. certian buds will get slightly diff highs if they are more mature than others....its just easy for some to harvest when most trichs are at their specified peakness. some like a headier high and harvest when most trichs are clear to milky, where some like a more heavy stone and harvest when most trichs are cloudy and amber

 

[EcoNepenthe]

Suggestion: any salvation army, goodwill, thrift store, toy store, toys r us, pick an inxpensive microscope. Like such, which cost me $2.99 @ salvation army, works the bomb, just need a flashlight to shed light on leaf.

Well, success w/ya grow.
Stay safe.

Eco

Watch em grow!!!

 

[DocLeaf]

what the fuck are you tripping on, DL?

sinsemilla...



repeat: in soil we stop feeding 2-3 weeks prior to harvest. for the last week no water (under 1000W). this is our method! simple as that... no trip!

Please explain your hostility highonthechroni ???
thanks dLeaf

 

[DocLeaf]

one of my plants side buds are a lot more mature than the main cola so should i harvest the side branches first and then the main one when it finishes or will this kill the plant?

it is ok to harvest individual buds as they ripen, just try not to damage the main stem peace dL

 

[TNTBudSticker]

Bring out the yellow leaves...you know how ?? Just plain water..that stops the feeding and semi-cleans the soil...water when dry...When hairs are mostly curled down 80%,leaves are yellow,bud is green,finger getting itchy,,,3 weeks mostly,,400 watter,,, maybe more weeks with lower wattage...cant imagine feeding with lower wattage anyways

 

[highonthechroni]

err..? what can i say. i really miss the OverGrow peeps.. the ones with brains!!

sigh.

 

[DocLeaf]

^^^ get a grip kid (DocLeaf was known on OG)!!!

you are showing your ignorance for sure, hehe

1) soil substraits hold nutrients, something to do with negatively charged soil particles holding positively charged plant foods. so when gimps start adding extra nutes 14-7 days prior to harvest, they are infact over feeding. This is why most dope from short sighted-fools,, taste like shit...

2) STFU! if/when I post karma it is only positive. (note I n I do not take part). Since I have the ability to post you karma again now, this would suggest that it wasn't me!
Perhaps someone else thinks you are a twat also... STOP TRYING TO BAD-MOUTH ME!

3) take a close look at my gallery before claiming it... what you see ya might not get... and then, if ya still unhappy, bring it on... you can have a lesson on me

peace DocLeaf