# Trichomes?



## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi folks! OK, I need a little more info here. I am not sure how to check the trichomes. The white hairs on my plants are starting to turn yellow. I have a magnifying glass but not sure what I'm looking for. It is time for another feeding, but I am under the impression that I shouldn't feed them when they are close to harvest. Is this correct? The buds are getting nice and thick and firm, but I want to harvest at the right time. Help please?!

tanks!!


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## Rosebud (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi Crater,
You need to get a 60x power lens. Radio shack has a microscope that i can't stand to use, but other people like it. It is 12 bucks or so. I ordered a 60x dealy from ebay that I love, but it takes a few weeks to get here. 
How many weeks in flower, what are you growing?


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Rosebud said:
			
		

> Hi Crater,
> You need to get a 60x power lens. Radio shack has a microscope that i can't stand to use, but other people like it. It is 12 bucks or so. I ordered a 60x dealy from ebay that I love, but it takes a few weeks to get here.
> How many weeks in flower, what are you growing?


 
I put them into flower on Feb 16th. I only had one 400 HPS lamp up until this last week when I added another 400. And I have no idea what I'm growing. I started with my saved seeds so ....your guess is as good as mine. I do have several different strains from the difference I see in their leaves, but I'm not sure what they are. I only saved seeds from the real good stuff though. I can see stuff with my magnifier, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for!
Thanks for your input!


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## Hick (Mar 28, 2011)

I think the harvesting curing section has pictures. Have you tried there?


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## slowmo77 (Mar 28, 2011)

craterlake said:
			
		

> Hi folks! OK, I need a little more info here. I am not sure how to check the trichomes.


 
 trichs are the things on the buds and leaves that look like sugar. when you look at them through a magnifing glass they should be clear,cloudy and amber colored. you want to cut when you see more amber color than cloudy or clear. i like to get as close to 50/50 amber cloudy. JMO good luck and if you think they're ready wait another week and look again


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## Hick (Mar 28, 2011)

yup.. lotsa' pictures still there.. http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18


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## Rosebud (Mar 28, 2011)

Your plants have only been in flowering for 5.5 weeks so most strain take around 8. Read up like Hick said, and look at the pictures. Clear and cloudy give a more Up high, amber more couch lock. Good luck.


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Hick said:
			
		

> yup.. lotsa' pictures still there.. http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18


 
Yes, I looked at all those pics and I don't see that on my plants yet! I do see what looks like sugar on the leaves by the buds though, so I guess I'm not ready yet to harvest. I do believe that I read somewhere that you shoudn't feed the plants nutes in the last two weeks before harvest. Is this true? I think I will give them another dose today as they are getting dry and I can see from the pics that I have at least a couple more weeks to go before things get serious!

tanks for the feedback!


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Rosebud said:
			
		

> Your plants have only been in flowering for 5.5 weeks so most strain take around 8. Read up like Hick said, and look at the pictures. Clear and cloudy give a more Up high, amber more couch lock. Good luck.


 
I looked at all the pics and have determined that I am not ready yet!! Or my plants aren't anyways!! LOL! I do see what looks like sugar on the leaves by the buds so I'm getting there! My magnifier may not be strong enough or my eyes aren't! I can see some of what is in those pics, but not a lot at this time. As I mentioned, my white hairs are turning yellow, so I may be getting close!!

tanks for the feedback!!


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## Hick (Mar 28, 2011)

the "hairs" (pistills) can die/turn for various reasons. Including stress, pollination, handling them, nutrient deff'./lock, "lotsa" things.  
IMO/E you need _at least_ 30X magnification to "see" the trichomes. If you have a good camera, with macro, and possess some photographic skills, you might be able to view them well enough, too.


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## Roddy (Mar 28, 2011)

As stated, get the magnifier and cut a few leaves off to check, not many and only the only the ones with the "sugar" (small 3 leaf clusters on the bud work for me). Make sure to take leaves from a sampling of buds so you get the idea of how the trichs are on several areas of the plant! 

It is hard to tell at first, make sure you have the leaf on a flat surface and slowly dial in the view until you can make out the differences. You're looking for the "bubbles, or water droplets" at the top of the tall trich stems, just zoom in and out so you can see the differences.

I do this daily at about the 7th week or so and on....

Magnifier...I of course mean a scope with at least a 60x zoom....


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Hick said:
			
		

> the "hairs" (pistills) can die/turn for various reasons. Including stress, pollination, handling them, nutrient deff'./lock, "lotsa" things.
> IMO/E you need _at least_ 30X magnification to "see" the trichomes. If you have a good camera, with macro, and possess some photographic skills, you might be able to view them well enough, too.


 
I believe I'm seeing them now. It looks like sugar on the leaves. On closer inspection, one of my plants pistils are turning brown, the rest seem to be turning a little yellowish. So...I think I'm getting closer!!  Yeah!! I know...patience is a virtue!!!

tanks!


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Roddy said:
			
		

> As stated, get the magnifier and cut a few leaves off to check, not many and only the only the ones with the "sugar" (small 3 leaf clusters on the bud work for me). Make sure to take leaves from a sampling of buds so you get the idea of how the trichs are on several areas of the plant!
> 
> It is hard to tell at first, make sure you have the leaf on a flat surface and slowly dial in the view until you can make out the differences. You're looking for the "bubbles, or water droplets" at the top of the tall trich stems, just zoom in and out so you can see the differences.
> 
> ...


 
OK, I see them and they look clear. So I have a ways to go!

tanks!!


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## The Hemp Goddess (Mar 28, 2011)

craterlake said:
			
		

> I believe I'm seeing them now. It looks like sugar on the leaves. On closer inspection, one of my plants pistils are turning brown, the rest seem to be turning a little yellowish. So...I think I'm getting closer!!  Yeah!! I know...patience is a virtue!!!
> 
> tanks!



You need to relax...you are less than 6 weeks into flowering.  You probably have at least 2-1/2  to 4 weeks or more to maturity.  Most strains take over 8 weeks to mature and many 10-12 weeks.  The color of the pistils have nothing to do with the maturity of the plant.  However, bagseed can mean hermies and brown pistils at this stage of growth could be pollination.  Are you keeping a good eye out for hermies?


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## StoneyBud (Mar 28, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> You need to relax...you are less than 6 weeks into flowering. You probably have at least 2-1/2 to 4 weeks or more to maturity. Most strains take over 8 weeks to mature and many 10-12 weeks. The color of the pistils have nothing to do with the maturity of the plant. However, bagseed can mean hermies and brown pistils at this stage of growth could be pollination. Are you keeping a good eye out for hermies?


 
You've again just said exactly what I was thinking! You keep saving me all that typing!  

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to The Hemp Goddess again."

So I'll thank you here!

​


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> You need to relax...you are less than 6 weeks into flowering. You probably have at least 2-1/2 to 4 weeks or more to maturity. Most strains take over 8 weeks to mature and many 10-12 weeks. The color of the pistils have nothing to do with the maturity of the plant. However, bagseed can mean hermies and brown pistils at this stage of growth could be pollination. Are you keeping a good eye out for hermies?


 
I know!! I'm getting excited! It's not a patience thing, I'm very patient! I just don't want to mess up at this point!!  No sign of hermies. I check everyday! Twice a day as a matter of fact! The leaves on most of the plants are looking rather sugury (if that's a word!) I took some pics but they all have that yellowish glow from the lights so not much detail shows. But I'm watching them very closely!!
I'm not sure what macros is when talking about a camera?? 

tanks!!


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## OGKushman (Mar 28, 2011)

People call em all sorts of names...

IMO they look like close to a fungal spore


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## woodydude (Mar 28, 2011)

Frosty!

Oh, the macro is usually a setting on digital camera's whose icon is a flower, tulip maybe. It allows for detail in close ups much better than "normal" settings.

Stay frosty dudes  W


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

Roddy said:
			
		

> As stated, get the magnifier and cut a few leaves off to check, not many and only the only the ones with the "sugar" (small 3 leaf clusters on the bud work for me). Make sure to take leaves from a sampling of buds so you get the idea of how the trichs are on several areas of the plant!
> 
> It is hard to tell at first, make sure you have the leaf on a flat surface and slowly dial in the view until you can make out the differences. You're looking for the "bubbles, or water droplets" at the top of the tall trich stems, just zoom in and out so you can see the differences.
> 
> ...


 
OK, I dug out an old OptiVisor that I had purchased years ago to help me when I was welding. I wore bifocals and it was difficult to weld under a truck when I had to bend my head way back to see, so I got this gizmo with a #5 lens_  and boy do the trichomes really pop now!! _They are definitely clear!

tanks for the feedback!!


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

woodydude said:
			
		

> Frosty!
> 
> Oh, the macro is usually a setting on digital camera's whose icon is a flower, tulip maybe. It allows for detail in close ups much better than "normal" settings.
> 
> Stay frosty dudes  W


 
Thanks, I will check my new digital camera and try and take some decent pics!!


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## OGKushman (Mar 28, 2011)

That is not gonna work for you. It magnifies something like2.5x.  Its a dentists shield pretty much.


You need a minimum of 30x. Thats over 10 times more magnification. You need the trics that big in order to see the color of the head.


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## OGKushman (Mar 28, 2011)

REMOVED!


 I cant upload a photo AND the quick reply box is now missing. Both since yesterday.


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## TheKlonedRanger (Mar 28, 2011)

That's odd. I posted pics this morning no problem and I only use the quick reply. I don't see a problem.


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## Hick (Mar 28, 2011)

TheKlonedRanger said:
			
		

> That's odd. I posted pics this morning no problem and I only use the quick reply. I don't see a problem.



And I just loaded pictures. I suggest you look into issues on "your" end ogK'... This end seems to be working _just fine_...
I don't see 'anyone' else having a problem, therefore, it only natural to assume it isn't "_the forum is dieing".._ :rofl:...


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## OGKushman (Mar 28, 2011)

not working for a bunch of google pic links. 

my link wasnt live hick, whyd u remove it?


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## craterlake (Mar 28, 2011)

OGKushman said:
			
		

> That is not gonna work for you. It magnifies something like2.5x. Its a dentists shield pretty much.
> 
> 
> You need a minimum of 30x. Thats over 10 times more magnification. You need the trics that big in order to see the color of the head.


 
I have four different magnifying glasses that don't show much of anything. With this Optivisor the trichomes stood right up and clear! I was hoping it would do!  They look really clear right now but you don't think I'll see the color change huh? I have heard 25x, 30x and 60x magnifier. I guess I'll have to go to Radio Shack or somewhere other than Walmart or the other store we went to and try and find a better one!

tanks for the info OGK!!


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## OGKushman (Mar 28, 2011)

hXXp://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=OptiVisor&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=6273915068960266940&sa=X&ei=aE6RTfWXN5OksQO53oChDg&ved=0CEwQ8wIwAw#

Hick removed this for some reason? Maybe it WAS live???

BUt is that it? it says a #5 is a 2.5 or 5x ...?


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## craterlake (Mar 29, 2011)

OGKushman said:
			
		

> That is not gonna work for you. It magnifies something like2.5x. Its a dentists shield pretty much.
> 
> 
> You need a minimum of 30x. Thats over 10 times more magnification. You need the trics that big in order to see the color of the head.


 
OK, I jumped on amazon.com and have a 30x, 45x and a 60x on the way. I am loving this. I will have everything I need by the time I'm done with this first serious grow! Next grow is going to be so easy! I've learned so much from all of you!!

tanks!!


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