How much longer till harvest?

[reia]

Here is a pic of a typical budding site on one of my plants, taken today. This is my first grow and I've been doing it hydroponically with GH nutrients, a ph meter and an ec meter.

Thing is I kinda had to veg it a lot longer than i intended to because I didn't have a growtent. And then I switched it over to flower on a whim one day, before i even got the tent.

Anyways this is Northern Lights... how much longer until I cut it down? I haven't flushed yet either.

 

[fonzee]

post a picture of the whole plant, not just the top of one bud.

 

[reia]

k

 

[buddah]

5 weeks

 

[etinarcadiaego]

What type of light are you using for flower?

It looks like you are either flowering under CFLs or using them as supplementary lighting. Nothing is wrong with either of those 2 scenarios, however if you're flowering under just CFLs I would advise in the future that you trim off those bottom buds, anything most than 12-14" below the canopy, depending on light intensity, as buds that far from a not-so-intense light source seldom "harden" up and add unwanted days to the maturation time that could be saved if you trimmed that off.

Sometimes I leave 'em on anyways for hash or baking, but my AK and Sour D both finish about 5 days faster if I trim that off, and the bud weight that I lost from trimming that growth off is generally redistributed back to the buds in the canopy if the form of added girth, so nothing is really lost. Just thought I'd mention that . . .

I'd agree with buddah, you are maybe halfway and have a good 4-5 weeks left, that's a big plant under what looks to be a low-intensity light source (IF I'm correct that you're flowering under CFLs, if not I apologize), so it could be a while. But honestly it's so worth it to let it mature vs. cut it early.

It's looking good so far! Keep us posted with pics as you get further along!

 

[Aerohead]

5 weeks looks right, you might want to lower your EC from the looks of the leaves..

 

[reia]

What type of light are you using for flower?

It looks like you are either flowering under CFLs or using them as supplementary lighting. Nothing is wrong with either of those 2 scenarios, however if you're flowering under just CFLs I would advise in the future that you trim off those bottom buds, anything most than 12-14" below the canopy, depending on light intensity, as buds that far from a not-so-intense light source seldom "harden" up and add unwanted days to the maturation time that could be saved if you trimmed that off.

Sometimes I leave 'em on anyways for hash or baking, but my AK and Sour D both finish about 5 days faster if I trim that off, and the bud weight that I lost from trimming that growth off is generally redistributed back to the buds in the canopy if the form of added girth, so nothing is really lost. Just thought I'd mention that . . .

I'd agree with buddah, you are maybe halfway and have a good 4-5 weeks left, that's a big plant under what looks to be a low-intensity light source (IF I'm correct that you're flowering under CFLs, if not I apologize), so it could be a while. But honestly it's so worth it to let it mature vs. cut it early.

It's looking good so far! Keep us posted with pics as you get further along!

Yes I am using CFL's, a 150W 5500k that was the first light I bought which i've been using from the start and then a couple weeks ago i added in the two hanging ones, which are 68W 2700k. Would you recommend I cut off the bottom branches, since they aren't going to grow well even though I'm halfway done?

 

[kayaN0W]

ever thought about tyin (LST) that chick down...im talkin no mercy bondage lol. then u can get ur lights right on top of the canopy all nice an even.

 

[reia]

5 weeks looks right, you might want to lower your EC from the looks of the leaves..

I think the reason for this is the very small reservoir I am using combined with how lazy I am about watering it.

 

[etinarcadiaego]

Yes I am using CFL's, a 150W 5500k that was the first light I bought which i've been using from the start and then a couple weeks ago i added in the two hanging ones, which are 68W 2700k. Would you recommend I cut off the bottom branches, since they aren't going to grow well even though I'm halfway done?

I've done it as far into flower as you are and it did help considerably regarding maturation time. When I leave them on I find the plant stalls as it nears maturation, the smaller the container it's in the more it stalls . . . some strains can hermi if you go crazy and remove so many branches the plant stresses and hermis in a last desperate act of self preservation . . .

Based on your pictures I honestly think some of those bottom most buds can definitely be trimmed, they won't mature and still may save you days when the plant starts to finish and ripen.

 

[reia]

You were exactly right etinarcadiaego, the top 1/3-1/2 of my plant now looks really ripe and mature (due to the proximity of the lights).

What would happen if I cut the mature portions (about 1/3 of the plant) off and moved the rest of it closer to the lighting? How would the plant respond?

 

[Zelindor]

Hi reia,

If you cut Upper buds, it'll only make the rest of the budsites fatten up and mature,so only advantages imo.
This Way you can chop at different stage of ripeness, from the first to second harvest.Improve your Yield and allow you to choose which stage best matches your preference about the final product.

But looking at your pictures, it doesn't seem like the top is ready, bro! you might be patient, you'll be rewarded!!

 

[reia]

Hi reia,

If you cut Upper buds, it'll only make the rest of the budsites fatten up and mature,so only advantages imo.
This Way you can chop at different stage of ripeness, from the first to second harvest.Improve your Yield and allow you to choose which stage best matches your preference about the final product.

Thanks for your quick reply. This exactly what I was hoping to hear. I'm going to do this very soon.

 

[KrazyieFosho]

i heard you should never trim when put into flower the plant waste energy to heal itself instead of doing what it should be makeing buds triming should be done atleast a week b4 flower but if your saying it wont do much wich i dont think it would cuz my last 2 harvest i trimd here and there takeing off small budsites but when i read that i wanted to let the plant do its thing this time because it makes sence and i like to try everything and yea that plant def has about 5 weeks wait till most of the hairs turn red and go back to the plant and it swells from my exp the more i can hold of the better the bud is

 

[yesum]

The hairs will turn red and shrivel and the 'sugar coating' will turn cloudy and then amber. You should get a 15x magnifier or higher is better, and look at those trichomes.

You can get those lights about 1 or 2 inches inch away(they look farther) from the plant and get bigger buds. If you have more lights, I would hang some lower on plant and then higher. Those lights are mostly just lighting right out the side and not much above or below them. If they are smaller lights you could make beer can reflectors for them and get more light also.