# Trichomes Check



## Hazedu812 (Nov 27, 2015)

Here are a couple of trichomes pics from my plants. I guess that they are still clear? Or are the cloudy? I am trying to figure how much longer they have to go. I am shooting for 20% amber. 

View attachment tri 2.jpg


View attachment tri.jpg


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## Rosebud (Nov 27, 2015)

Not quite ready yet. I see mostly clear and maybe 25% cloudy. Looking very nice. I would guess another 2 weeks or so... just a guess. Sure looks good.


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## Hazedu812 (Nov 27, 2015)

Rosebud, I am at day 42 of flower (Northern Lights Fem). I started counting from the 12/12 switch but I think I am actually closer to day 50 because I vegged for slightly over 2 months and the plants were already showing sex and pre buds.

I think around 2 weeks is a good number!
I think I have given them the last of the nutrients for now.

Should I give them a flush next week?

Thanks!:48:


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## Joe420Camel (Nov 27, 2015)

.

Veg time does not effect flower time.

I am in the process of flowering out a plant that was trimmed back as a bonsai-mom for 8 months before having to flower her. 



Flushing is a personal choice.
I, and many others here do NOT. (I grow in synthetic nutes DWC) 
Many others here do.

:48:


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## Rosebud (Nov 27, 2015)

i only flush the toilet.. Sorry, couldn't resist. I am an organic dirt farmer, I don't see any need to flush.  I would think another 20 days if you are at 42 days. Northern lights is a good night time so i agree you want at least 20 % amber.


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## Hushpuppy (Nov 28, 2015)

looking at trichomes under HPS or "flowering" spectrum lighting can fool you a lot of times. I myself can not see any amber trichs while they are under the HPS lights. I have to take a couple sugar leaves off from a couple different buds, and take them out into the daylight to see the amber and level of cloudy. Just an idea but also 42 days isn't close to ready. I would continue to feed them for at least another 10-14 days.


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## Gooch (Nov 28, 2015)

I am on day 43 so i am right with you, I am at full strength nutes till at least day 56, then i might cut it to 50%, then 25% ending with just water for the last day or 2, and i might go lights out with no water for a full 24 hours before pulling, not sure if this sounds like a good plan or not


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## Gooch (Nov 28, 2015)

Its also very difficult to judge cloudy through a picture as the focus in a camera can cause blur to some of the images and can look similar to cloudy heads, I can look inside the tent. I have a 4 inch 30x magnifier that lets me see the army of trichs ready to heal, I am going to take some epic pics with the usb microscope as soon as it arrives


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## Hazedu812 (Nov 29, 2015)

Checking the sugar leaves elsewhere is a great idea! Will do that!

I'll get a microscope for my next grow. My camera will have to do it for this one.

I am watering about twice a week and adding nutrients every other watering.I am going to try to get it so my last week of watering has no nutirents in it.

I also noticed that some of the bud sites seem further long than others. Some of the bud sites have way more red hairs than others?

Gooch, how many plants do you have growing? I have 2 going and as of right now, bye eye, it looks like I'll net somewhere in the range of 4-6 OZ's (if they continue to swell it could be way more than that). This is a straight up CFL grow. Will be going HPS on my next one.

Thanks for the replies!


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## Rosebud (Nov 29, 2015)

Here is the loupe I use and love. cheap too.  [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Toch-Illuminated-Microscope-Adjustable-Fluorescence/dp/B0177L942O/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1448806584&sr=8-22&keywords=loupe[/ame] Look around you can find them for 3 bucks. I have several. love these things.


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## Hushpuppy (Nov 29, 2015)

Its not unusual for the higher buds and "main colas" to get further along than the lesser/lower buds. That is why I like to do a staggered harvest and not cut off nutes too soon. I do a harvest on the top 1/3-1/2 of the plant. then allow the lower stuff another week or 2 to grow/ripen then take that, if for nothing else than to have better quality hash making material.


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## Gooch (Nov 29, 2015)

I had 5 plants going i lost one to spider mites in the first 2 weeks of flowering but since have cleared both tents of SM using mighty wash and high brix, so right now i have 4 plants going 2 plants were without good light for the first 5 weeks of flowering wonderwoman 1 and crown royal wonderwoman 2 and the hindu kush had the best light, I am not sure what i will get for weight i am looking for quality of quantity, whatever i get will be amazing and the next grow will be 10x better


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## Hazedu812 (Nov 30, 2015)

Hushpuppy said:


> Its not unusual for the higher buds and "main colas" to get further along than the lesser/lower buds. That is why I like to do a staggered harvest and not cut off nutes too soon. I do a harvest on the top 1/3-1/2 of the plant. then allow the lower stuff another week or 2 to grow/ripen then take that, if for nothing else than to have better quality hash making material.



Ok, I may have to do it this way also. One my plants it looks like the side big colas are getting closer than the huge one in the middle (more red hairs). I'll let the trichomes decide if the side ones are ready earlier or not.


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## Hazedu812 (Nov 30, 2015)

Gooch said:


> I had 5 plants going i lost one to spider mites in the first 2 weeks of flowering but since have cleared both tents of SM using mighty wash and high brix, so right now i have 4 plants going 2 plants were without good light for the first 5 weeks of flowering wonderwoman 1 and crown royal wonderwoman 2 and the hindu kush had the best light, I am not sure what i will get for weight i am looking for quality of quantity, whatever i get will be amazing and the next grow will be 10x better



I am sure my next grow will be even better than this one. I learned a huge amount from this grow and have everything on hand to make my next grow is even better. My next grow will probably start 2 months or so from now. One big switch will be that I will get HPS lighting.


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 2, 2015)

The reddening of the pistil hairs is an early warning sign that she is getting closer to harvest but it isn't a real good precise measure because as those pistils get old and die off, more are grown out to replace them that are white again. Once that process of replacing the pistils with new slows down (the buds should be fairly fat from the new calyxes growing), That is a better sign that you are very close and it is time to begin looking in earnest at the trichomes.

However, this trait doesn't hold entirely true for all strains. There is some variation there so you have to watch carefully and not just trust one thing.


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## Hazedu812 (Dec 3, 2015)

Hushpuppy said:


> The reddening of the pistil hairs is an early warning sign that she is getting closer to harvest but it isn't a real good precise measure because as those pistils get old and die off, more are grown out to replace them that are white again. Once that process of replacing the pistils with new slows down (the buds should be fairly fat from the new calyxes growing), That is a better sign that you are very close and it is time to begin looking in earnest at the trichomes.
> 
> However, this trait doesn't hold entirely true for all strains. There is some variation there so you have to watch carefully and not just trust one thing.



Yes, they are getting redder and redder by the day. You are right there are still some new pistils coming in and the trichomes are still pretty clear. I haven't seen too much fattening in the past week, the week before they swelled up big time.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 3, 2015)

Actually, IME, the reddening of the pistils may or may not be a sign she is getting close.  There are many things that can cause the hairs to get red that have nothing at all to do with readiness.  The only real way to tell if the plant is ready is by the trichs.  You have plenty of time to order a loupe or a small microscope before she is ready and I really encourage you to do that.

Also, as a side note, referring to post #3--regardless of how long you veg, flowering time is counted from the time you flip (or the time you see preflowers if you flip before they are sexually mature).  The plant does not start flowering until the light is cut to 12/12.  Preflowers just tell you that she is ready to be put into 12/12.  Count from the day you flip--you cannot add 8 days to the flowering time because you vegged for a long time.  So on Nov 27, you were at 42 days, not 50.


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## sMACkaddict (Dec 3, 2015)

gets the job done for under $5 shipped (if you have prime)

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-30X22mm-Foldable-Illuminated-Magnifying/dp/B00AKVF2CK/ref=sr_1_12?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1449162233&sr=1-12&keywords=loupe[/ame]


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## Hazedu812 (Dec 3, 2015)

sMACkaddict said:


> gets the job done for under $5 shipped (if you have prime)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKVF2CK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



Done!


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## sunakard2000 (Dec 3, 2015)

yeah no matter how long you veg the plant, the flower time will always be the same, a small 3 week vegged clone or a 5 month vegged mother will both take the same amount of time to flower and reach maturity. just because its showing a ton of preflowers means nothing except she is ready to bloom, the 12/12 light schedule is what triggers the flowering as it changes the hormone balance in the plant, it allows the plant to build up and produce more of the flowering hormone while slowing production of the veg hormone. so reguardless of veg length it still takes the same amount of time to flower.


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## Hazedu812 (Dec 8, 2015)

Have about 3/4's cloudy and a few amber's here and there.Getting closer!
Using the magnifying glass now.


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## Gooch (Dec 8, 2015)

excellent, you are on the right path.


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## Hazedu812 (Dec 28, 2015)

I chopped em on the 12/17. Most of the trichomes were cloudy and 20 % amber! They have been dried and now are in jars curing! I got just under 7 OZ's of dry bud from the 2 plants! It is excellent smoke, as good as any high end smoke as I have ever had! It tastes really good even without a full cure!

I am VERY VERY happy with the results!

Will start my next grow in a month or so.

Thanks for all the help!


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 29, 2015)

Congrats :yay: As repayment for our help, We would appreciate some bud porn from you. I remember the first time I did my first successful grow that had real good flavor. In fact I enjoy it every time I have a killer grow that hits the taste buds. I have to warn you that this hobby of growing your own buds successfully is EXTREEMELY addictive. Once you get that wonderful sense of accomplishment that you can taste and enjoy, its a feeling you can't beat. This is a great hobby.


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## Hazedu812 (Dec 31, 2015)

I didn't take too many pics......but this pic is 1/2 way through chopping the smaller plant! 

View attachment FullSizeRender (23).jpg


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## Hushpuppy (Dec 31, 2015)

looks like a nice haul


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