# Waiting for bigger buds, or insanity?



## naturalhi (May 12, 2007)

I have a little couriosity that I haven't seen explained before, maybe it's not that unusual, but thought I'd bring it up now 'cause it might help folks harvest bigger buds:>)

This crop is grown about 200 miles N. of SF, CA. in same type weather conditions (The coldest winter I experienced was summer in SF etc.>)

From clones, the lights are on at night 12/12 6PM-6AM (for warmth, nights=35-45F) average 65-100% humity, days=45-60F. 5x6x6 area, hydro, FF nutes,1KW HPS. 

OK, when the plants are getting close to harvest and the trics are 70-80% brown and we're thinkin' maybe tomorrow we'll harvest, then the next day when we go to see how they've faired over day. There's new hairs! The trics are still crystal clear so not too worried about them at this point so I say OK leave 'em a while longer. they go from 1 1/2 " diam. to 3-4" diam buds in a ferw days all white again and occationally the colas grow eye stalks or arms of slender small buds, This after 3 of these regrowths and trics are still  clear. I usually get bored at this point 12 weeks, wonder how big they'd get if I let 'em go?

I used to harvest at the first coloration, but since I been letting them reflower(?) I receive many compliments.

Is this normal, I ask because if it's normal this could be why folks aren't satisfied with their crop?>)


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## Stoney Bud (May 12, 2007)

Hey naturalhi, the process an MJ plant goes through is predictable.

1. Vegetative growth while light is 18 or 24 hours indoors.
2. Lighting is cut back inducing flowering.
3. Plant creates clear, potent thc.
4. The plant keeps creating thc until it's almost dead.
5. More and more of the thc will "age" into a couch-lock type high.
6. Finally, the thc will degrade until it's worthless.

That's the reason most people harves when about half of the thc has colored to "amber" but before "brown".

That way, you get as much new thc that has just formed and have the amber thc at the worst.


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## naturalhi (May 12, 2007)

Hey Stoney, How ya doin'!

Since ya didn't mention th' eye stalks I guess they're normal, haven't seen any in pics.

So your saying that under all the new buds there's golden trics? And how long would she keep multiplying if I letter rip?>)


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## Stoney Bud (May 12, 2007)

naturalhi said:
			
		

> Hey Stoney, How ya doin'!
> 
> Since ya didn't mention th' eye stalks I guess they're normal, haven't seen any in pics.
> 
> So your saying that under all the new buds there's golden trics? And how long would she keep multiplying if I letter rip?>)


 
I'm doing great man. Life is good.

I don't know what you mean by "eye stalks".

The buds and surrounding leaf are all covered with trichomes. The trichomes are what hold the resin. Don't confuse the hair-like pistills with the stalk and head trichomes that contain the primary source of thc in resin form.

When the trichomes start degrading, the thc will start it's transformation with a coloring of the resin. Pure, new thc is at it's most powerful when clear. When it's dark brown to black, it's lost it's psychoactive properties. The trick is to harvest when some amber is present, but mostly still clear trichomes are visible on the plant under microscopic examination.

This point will be reached at different times, depending on the parameters used to grow the plant and the strain of the plant.

You have to watch the color of the trichomes all over the plant. When you've reached a half and half mixture of clear and amber trichomes, it's time to harvest.

No one can tell you exactly when this will happen to your plants. You just have to watch them.

The seed breeders give approximate harvest times, but you should watch the plants before and after those approximate times to determine the exact harvest time.


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## Sin inc (May 13, 2007)

no body can say it better


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## naturalhi (May 13, 2007)

Guess I can't explain what I'm look'n for =>( Once more into the breach.....

imagine a nice ovoid cola atop the plant........the hairs are 80-90% brown, but the cola is only 1.5" diameter........ I think "should I harvest or not"...Trics are still crystal clear......OK I'll wait.

Tomorrow:
Same cola but now there's 3-4 new white hairs. suppose I should wait.

Several days later:

cola is covered with white hairs and more trics still crystal clear.

more days pass: 

Now the eye stalks appear, looks like these new hairs have created mini colas all over the original cola the 2 emerging from the top of the original cola are reminicent of eye stalks of a snail. now the original cola is 2" diameter + extra stalks of bud. 

This sequence happens 3 times 4times trics are still clear. the cola is about 3" diam. now 12 weeks into flower hairs still mostly white Trics still clear. Around the 4-5 repetition the start looking like an explosion with skinny little bud stalks growing out in all directions like me after electrical shock treatments.

I don't remember seeing any other buds online that look like this.


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## Stoney Bud (May 13, 2007)

naturalhi said:
			
		

> Guess I can't explain what I'm look'n for =>(Once more into the breach...


 
You've explained it perfectly.

First, the hairs mean absolutely nothing. New bud growth means nothing. Plant growth means nothing, your Aunt Matildas shoeshine means nothing. Nothing but what I've told you below means anything.

The "eye stalks" you mention are called "Trichomes" they are what holds the resin on the plant. "Trichs" is a popular term for them.

If the thc is clear all over the plant, then it's not time to harvest.

It makes no difference if you have a strain that takes 16 weeks to mature. You still shouldn't harvest until the trichomes are doing exactly as I said below.

Obviously, you've got a strain that has a long flowering period. Enjoy watching it get larger man. It'll mature when it's ready.


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