# First Harvest Approaching



## Brian Fleury (Dec 21, 2018)

Here is my Northern Lights Auto.  I'm flushing after a Sledgehammer drink.  I have no idea when to harvest but it sure the hell looks soon.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.  Brian


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 21, 2018)

I have never grown an auto flower strain but I am a chronic early harvester. And I usually regret chopping when I do. Most experienced growers say to give it more time when I think my plants are ready. That being said, I think you have more time to go before harvesting. I am sure you know to check your trichomes with an eye loupe(magnifying glass). I frequently harvest when I have mostly cloudy trichs with some clear and some amber. That usually gives me a really energetic buzz. The more amber trichs, the more couch-lock(in general). If it were me, i’d give it another couple weeks. You will get more weight...


----------



## Brian Fleury (Dec 21, 2018)

Thanks.  I have yet to getting anything under a scope.  What mag?  Thanks. I am amazed at how this particular plant has gone.  I have a few Blue Dreams.  They are growing bushy and slow.  I have another Tangerine Dream a few weeks behind the pant above.  Nice, not nearly as beefy as this one.  Don't want to F&^% anything up now.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 21, 2018)

I think 20 or 30x is fine. I got one from HTG supply that is a dual 30 and 60 but I don’t like the 60x and can see just fine with the 30. You just want to be able to see the globes on top of the stalks. I’d look on Amazon but the wife is pestering me to watch a movie...


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 21, 2018)

Beemoon Jewelry Magnifier, 30 X 60X Illuminated Jewelry Loupe for Gems Jewelry Rocks Stamps Coins Watches Antiques Models Photos https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K0BGNNC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is similar to what I have


----------



## Brian Fleury (Dec 27, 2018)

Thanks.  Picked up a cheap digital one.  I like it.  Here are my trichomes.  I think they are almost all cloudy.  No amber ones noticed.    Thing stunk my place up on her way to the photo shoot :}.  Should I hold for a few amber ones?


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 27, 2018)

I would wait. I know it is hard to wait but the buds will bulk up so you will get better yield. That being said, I am horrible at waiting and almost always harvest too early. Also, those are some nice looking buds.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Dec 27, 2018)

Thanks.  I am doing much better than I could have imagined.  How would describe trichome color?  I think all are partly/mostly cloudy?  They certainly are not as clear as a week ago.  I have zeeero experience looking at these.  I am going to wait as you say Mr. Fogey.  I wish I could give you a sample to test.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 27, 2018)

Yes. They are mostly cloudy. If you look in the harvest section here, there should be some good pics of trichomes in various stages. You are indeed doing very well.


----------



## Sctanley007 (Dec 28, 2018)

At least 2 weeks if you want any amber.  Longer for more. 

Yeah the waiting totally sucks but is worth it. Once they’re cut they’re cut. After so many weeks waiting one more is difficult. To me it always seems like they stall for a period of time.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Dec 29, 2018)

I'm in no hurry.  I want the highest quality I can get.  I am on the lightweight side with THC.  I have anxiety.  I will try a low THC, high CBD strain next grow. Most of whatever I get will be given away.  I always wanted to grow pot since the 70's.  Now it's legal and more fun than I thought.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 29, 2018)

I give away much of what I grow too but I also hold onto a stash of what I have grown for a long time. Old weed, if kept sealed up in a Mason jar, I’d really nice and mellow. I am not a big fan of jittery weed either. I have some from my first grow in 2012 and it is really nice and chill. I keep my old strains sealed up with a Boveda pack(I use #62’s) and break out an old bud from time to time. I even have a Thai bud that was pretty uppity when I first harvested it that is nice and mellow now. I think the THC degraded into CBN. Someone correct me please if I am mistaken but I think CBN is more couch-locky.


----------



## GodzWeedz (Dec 30, 2018)

oldfogey8 said:


> I give away much of what I grow too but I also hold onto a stash of what I have grown for a long time. Old weed, if kept sealed up in a Mason jar, I’d really nice and mellow. I am not a big fan of jittery weed either. I have some from my first grow in 2012 and it is really nice and chill. I keep my old strains sealed up with a Boveda pack(I use #62’s) and break out an old bud from time to time. I even have a Thai bud that was pretty uppity when I first harvested it that is nice and mellow now. I think the THC degraded into CBN. Someone correct me please if I am mistaken but I think CBN is more couch-locky.


THC can degrade into CBN and yes, indeed it can cause a couch locked type of medication. Personally I don't have a problem with that myself. As most of my maladies react better to a heavy Indica. Sativa is nice through the day but stops short of dealing what I need for Rheumatoid Arthritis. So depends on how the day is treating me as to how I medicate.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Dec 30, 2018)

I find I am enjoying my aged doobage more than my fresh buds. Much more mellow.


----------



## GodzWeedz (Jan 1, 2019)

oldfogey8 said:


> I find I am enjoying my aged doobage more than my fresh buds. Much more mellow.


Oh C'mon, theres nothing like taking a hit and hacking and coughing until you would swear you felt your shoelaces tickle the back of your throat


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 1, 2019)

One 'meh' picture of the trichomes on a top cola.  It was stinging my eyes it schtanks so much.  Looks all cloudy and I definitely saw a smattering of amber. < 1%.  I haven't watered or fed in a few days.  I read stressing the gal right at the end through Cheney-like water deprivation will increase yield of THC levels...  The premise being she goes all out in a last ditch effort to procreate.  Made sense and I am Republican.  Thanks for your help guys.  I'll show some pics soon.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Jan 1, 2019)

I’d hold out for some more amber (and give her a little water too)but I understand. It is like a scab screaming to be picked...


----------



## GodzWeedz (Jan 2, 2019)

Brian Fleury said:


> One 'meh' picture of the trichomes on a top cola.  It was stinging my eyes it schtanks so much.  Looks all cloudy and I definitely saw a smattering of amber. < 1%.  I haven't watered or fed in a few days.  I read stressing the gal right at the end through Cheney-like water deprivation will increase yield of THC levels...  The premise being she goes all out in a last ditch effort to procreate.  Made sense and I am Republican.  Thanks for your help guys.  I'll show some pics soon.
> 
> View attachment 251128
> View attachment 251129


First, Lmao at your Republican crack, I needed that.  Secondly, hold out for a tad bit more amber and you'll be tight. I'm the last one to ask about CBD plants, I never have grown one. Although, Internetual Interconnections indicate that there are some very nice strainage going on with them


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 2, 2019)

Stressing your plant does nothing at all to increase THC--in fact the opposite.  Procreation and THC production have nothing at all to do with each other.  You are more likely to cause it to hermy if you stress it than you are likely to get more THC.  While it is okay to cut back on nutes and let it use what it has stored, stressing it in any other way is detrimental.


----------



## HerbWatcher (Jan 2, 2019)

I agree with The Hemp Goddess. Well said.  We spend our whole grow trying not to stress our girls out. Then at the end of the grow you want to stress her out. It seems counter  productive to me.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 2, 2019)

Very pretty leaves.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 2, 2019)

I gave her a last feeding.  I'm guessing a few more waterings should wrap it up.  I will let the trichomes let me know I guess.  I read/heard ~ 5% amber is good?  The foliage is really pretty.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Jan 2, 2019)

Some people will harvest in stages. Might be a good experiment to judge what buzz you get(and like best) from different ratios of trichome development. That is a pretty plant, dude. Well done.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 9, 2019)

Still waiting.  Plucked a small branch off near the bottom that was dangling.  The other colas have the same trichome profile.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Jan 9, 2019)

it kills me sometimes how it seems these plants take forever to ripen. i still would wait based on these pictures.


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 16, 2019)

Just cut and trimmed the 2 largest colas.  There are 10 remaining maybe 1/2 the size of these.  I thought I saw more amber before cutting.  I'll wait on the others I guess.  Thanks for your help guys.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Jan 16, 2019)

I grew some Thai (that is what greenhouse seeds said it was) that took forever to go from cloudy to amber. I think I finally chopped the 2nd plant at 14 weeks of flower. As I recall, there was very little amber. My sons and their buddies loved it though and I got I think about 10 ounces off the 2 plants. Waiting is good but I think you did a great job with those plants.


----------



## oldfogey8 (Jan 16, 2019)

I’d prolly just chop the rest and see how it is once you dry and cure it. You have this post to give you an idea of how the grow went so you can use it as benchmark. Pretty sweet looking buds for a first grow(or for any amount of experience).


----------



## Brian Fleury (Jan 28, 2019)

1st plant (The NL Auto) came out far beyond my expectations.  4.25 dry.  Wow!  I trimmed it up so delicately and got out any larger stems.  My fly tying skills really helped.  Curing now.  Tried some, obviously.  My gal was goofing on me dancing in my living room.  Very nice high.   Thanks OF.


----------

