Are they ready for harvest

[Taktookato]

plants haven’t been growing lately nor the buds. It’s been 7 weeks plus into bloom.
Are they ready for harvest
First time grow

 

[oldfogey8]

Look at the trichomes (they are what makes the buds look frosty) with an eye loupe or handheld microscope. If you have mostly cloudy and some amber, you are probably close or close enough, depending on the effect you like. Too many clear trichomes make the effect really jittery. Too many amber makes for a more couch-lock effect.

 

[DaddiiDiiDii]

Foe a first time you should be well happy mate. I'll be happy if mine turn out like yours.

 

[Rosebud]

It is sooo tempting to take your plants early. I have done that and regretted it. Let them finish. Like OF, said, get a loupe. Most folks wait to have one amber trichome before they harvest. If you are going for real stony bud, better wait.

 

[stinkyattic]

Dont be afraid to give them the time they need to go cloudy. Even if the plants themselves start to look scruffy, it's fine. You are in a good place where the plants are showing severe nitrogen deficiency, which will make for a much smoother finished product.
Congratulations on a successful grow, those love nuggets look tasty and plump!

 

[DaddiiDiiDii]

Not wanting to hijack here but there's no need for me to make another thread. I'm currently in the same boat as the OP here and have my very first plant coming up to harvest. Getting yellowing and dying leaves and there has been a few but only a handful of amber trichs for a good few days so I'm all itchy fingered about starting the flush process etc or just wait. It's a blue cheese sleepy bud I'm going for so I do want to leave it as long as I can before it degrades too much. To flush or not to flush that is the question.

I am interested in knowing the OPs setup as they really do look like some great buds.

 

[stinkyattic]

If you already have some amber and haven't started flushing, you may commence... yesterday ; )
The higher percent amber, the more your tush will Velcro permanently to the nearest comfy chair. Not a bad thing, if that's what you want...

 

[DaddiiDiiDii]

Thing is it is very difficult to see under the purple lights but it looks to me that there has just been a handful of amber for over a week and the buds really seem to need more mass to them. I don't even have a decent camera to try get any pics. It's a blue cheese so will be used for my bedtime bud so more amber the better.

 

[sopappy]

Why doesn't anybody talk about how the strain matters in all this? I'm confused as **** as usual.
ya ya ya clear, cloudy, and amber... clear/cloudy vs cloudy/amber heady vs couchlock
WHAT ABOUT THE SATIVA STRAINS, DAMGODDIT?
Do you get couchlock if you wait for max (some amber) or are you heady to the max?

 

[stepheneking]

Why doesn't anybody talk about how the strain matters in all this? I'm confused as **** as usual.
ya ya ya clear, cloudy, and amber... clear/cloudy vs cloudy/amber heady vs couchlock
WHAT ABOUT THE SATIVA STRAINS, DAMGODDIT?
Do you get couchlock if you wait for max (some amber) or are you heady to the max?

Yes under perfect conditions, you can use the characteristics of the strains genetic growth, you will see it though too. You will have to take your environment into consideration. If not perfect a 9wks strain can go for 11wks Thats where the jeweler loop comes in handy.

It is also a personal preference. I have harvested when they just become milky(cloudy) and I have done this just before because I didn't want the couch effect. With time and some more grows you will be able to tell by listening to your girls! They always are talking to you! Visually too!

 

[JimmyNugs]

strain matters

Very true.
I started what I thought was a perpetual for my first harvest got my ducks in a row for week 8 and they didn't amber. Week 9, no amber...week 10 still no amber (it was Amnesias and turns out they are 12 Week finishers, fudged all my plans a treat.
I lost a few in the rotation error and took a few samples of premey amnesia before full term and regret that now, was just wasted weed.

A loupe on Amazon is about a fiver of the queens money, worth every penny, trouble is you can't buy the most important feature of growing your own: patience.