# tricomes dont seem to be changing colour. advice please?!!



## mr_medi_bud (Jan 26, 2010)

Hello all! The tricomes on my girls don't seem 2 b changing colour at all. They just seem to be stayin clear. Problem is I oly have access to a 6x magnification. The hairs are all orange/brown on the bud,and my friend says he chops his when his hairs are 30% brown as the rest follow during drying/curing. The plants are covered in crystals and look ready,they've been in flower for 12/13 weeks and should(according to the website) only take 8/9 weeks. I've let them go longer because they've been stressed as I had to move them round the houses twice for various reasons. To me they look ready,but not according
 2 the tricomes!! I really need some advice here!!


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## ArtVandolay (Jan 26, 2010)

Hmmm... you're going to need more magnification.  How much zoom does your digital camera have?  You can buy a 30x jeweler's loupe on ebay for $5.  Radioshack sells a 60x-100x little scope for about $12.


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## BBFan (Jan 26, 2010)

:yeahthat: (Hi Art!)

Is it a sativa?  I let my last sativa batch go 12 weeks and didn't see any amber trichs- but mostly cloudy.

They're all clear?  How long has she had trichs?


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## mr_medi_bud (Jan 26, 2010)

BBFan said:
			
		

> :yeahthat: (Hi Art!)
> 
> Is it a sativa?  I let my last sativa batch go 12 weeks and didn't see any amber trichs- but mostly cloudy.
> 
> They're all clear?  How long has she had trichs?



They're skunk#1. And have had tricomes for about 8 weeks now,I would say they're a mix of cloudy and clear. 

Thanx


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## BBFan (Jan 26, 2010)

Hey Mr Medi Bud-

They may never go amber for you.  Based on what you've said, I'd start chopping, but that's me.  You're looking at her.

Maybe start a selective harvest?

Good luck to you!


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## legalize_freedom (Jan 26, 2010)

I have had plants that never would turn amber...went from clear to cloudy and stayed that way for weeks.  I decided to chop when there was little to no new growth going on with my buds.  I think some strains just don't turn amber, or maybe they need cold weather to help them along...I dunno but I've been in that situation.  If the buds are not producing new pistils, then I would say it's probably safe to chop.

But you still need to get a scope...most strains will tell you by trichomes.

I always heard 70 percent red/brown when harvesting by the hairs.  But this is not an acurate way anyway.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 27, 2010)

mr_medi_bud said:
			
		

> They're skunk#1. And have had tricomes for about 8 weeks now,I would say they're a mix of cloudy and clear.
> 
> Thanx



A 6x magnification is just not enough.  Unless you have at least 30x magnification, you cannot tell trich color.  You really need a 30X scope of some kind or you are just guessing.


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## smoove (Jan 28, 2010)

I apologize as this is not really going to help your current situation much, but for future reference... I've noticed that using supplemental Ultraviolet lighting _really _helps facilitate the ripening of flowers all around, including trichome color transitions.


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## BBFan (Jan 28, 2010)

smoove said:
			
		

> I apologize as this is not really going to help your current situation much, but for future reference... I've noticed that using supplemental Ultraviolet lighting _really _helps facilitate the ripening of flowers all around, including trichome color transitions.


 
Hey there smoove-

Tell me more.  What's been your experience?  I'm very interested in the UVB spectrum and it's impact on our hobby.

Thanks!


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## smoove (Jan 28, 2010)

BBFan said:
			
		

> Tell me more.  What's been your experience?  I'm very interested in the UVB spectrum and it's impact on our hobby.


First let me say that all of my results have been qualitative, meaning, I started with no set instructions or rules to follow and nothing to compare my results with other than previous experiences. Here's the quick and simple breakdown of my setup, schedule and results.

I use 2 60W external ballasted Mega-Ray UV-B Flood Lamps to supplement my 400W HPS. At 12" above the plant canopy the bulbs are rated to emit close to the amount of UV-B as the equitorial sun at high noon. The bulbs are on a timer, during veg they run for 2 hours and in flower they run for 4, all they way to harvest.

I mentioned in the previous post, trichome transition from clear to amber has been noticably accelerated. The plants I'm growing right now are on day 36 of 12/12 and I already have a good number of golden trichomes on a few leaves of both my indica dominant and sativa dominant plants. I hardly saw amber on a sativa dominant plant even after 60 days prior to using the lamps. Also, from the first appearance of trichomes on the plants they seemed to pop out mostly cloudy already. 

While I cannot say that I've notice any _difinitive_ increase in "potency" there is no doubt it has effected the intesity of aromas and flavor. Ultimately, I do believe UV exposure does have a significant effect on the cannaboid to THC ratio... to what effect though. I can't quite put the nail on that head.


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## BBFan (Jan 29, 2010)

smoove said:
			
		

> First let me say that all of my results have been qualitative, meaning, I started with no set instructions or rules to follow and nothing to compare my results with other than previous experiences. Here's the quick and simple breakdown of my setup, schedule and results.
> 
> I use 2 60W external ballasted Mega-Ray UV-B Flood Lamps[/URL] to supplement my 400W HPS. At 12" above the plant canopy the bulbs are rated to emit close to the amount of UV-B as the equitorial sun at high noon. The bulbs are on a timer, during veg they run for 2 hours and in flower they run for 4, all they way to harvest.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for the reply smoove..

Those bulbs look intense. Are you into reptiles? I just completed my first run (Indica dom) with supplemental uvb using a ZooMed Powersun 100w self-ballasted mv lamp in an aluminum reflector under 2- 400 watt HID's. I started in veg and gradually increased exposure ending up with close to 8 hours exposure during peak flower at a distance of about 10". Heat was a constant issue though.

I only exposed one plant to it so that I could compare results. While not conclusive, my initial reactions (and those of a another) are an increase in potency- but those findings are strictly anecdotal. Visual inspection appears to show more trich production, but again, difficult to quantify.

Interesting comment regarding taste and flavor. I honestly haven't noticed any discernible difference in terpenes between the subject plant and her sisters. Nor did she finish any earlier than the rest.

That being said, I don't think the bulb I used put out quite the intensity as the ones you are using. I am not into reptiles and don't know if I could get my hands on that set up based on the disclaimers I just read at the link you provided.

Was this your first run with uvb? Did you have any plants that were not exposed to the uvb for comparison?

Do you think the earlier finish (as far as trich color) resulted in a loss of bulk due to having to harvest earlier? I'm about to start a sat dom run to see if there is any noticeable difference with the uvb. It's a strain I've grown several times and usually runs almost 12 weeks, but really bulks up those last few weeks. While I'd love for her to finish sooner, if I had to harvest early, I don't know if the (as yet perceived) trade-off would be worth it.

Thanks for your input.

Sorry for the thread hijack Mr Medi Bud!


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## DRGnzo (Jan 29, 2010)

mr_medi_bud said:
			
		

> Hello all! The tricomes on my girls don't seem 2 b changing colour at all. They just seem to be stayin clear. Problem is I oly have access to a 6x magnification. The hairs are all orange/brown on the bud,and my friend says he chops his when his hairs are 30% brown as the rest follow during drying/curing. The plants are covered in crystals and look ready,they've been in flower for 12/13 weeks and should(according to the website) only take 8/9 weeks. I've let them go longer because they've been stressed as I had to move them round the houses twice for various reasons. To me they look ready,but not according
> 2 the tricomes!! I really need some advice here!!


 
Medi bud most are right 30x is only way to tell. from my experiance,hairs tell you absolutely nothing as far as Ive been told and from personal experiance but like was stated if no new growth probly done but wack a branch and try it if you like it take it if not go another week try again but 12 /13 should be way done? good luck


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