Should I harvest now?

[superreggie]

Howdy folks, so I'm a very lazy grower here in California. I just grow one plant at a time in my backyard. I just plant it, water it, and then cut it when it has some buds, don't pay it much mind, other than gaze lovingly at it throughout all stages (such beautiful plants! so captivating!).

So this plant was planted around early-mid June, and seems to have a lot of branches. There was a short patch of rain (unusual for here this time of year), and it started to bud early. So now there's some small buds on there, but those little hair things are starting to turn brown. I've attached a couple pictures of the ones that have turned the most. Some of the other ones are white almost to the top.

I can't deal with a microscope and all that, I'm sorry, I just want to learn to eyball it. Based on what I'm seeing, I'd say I need to harvest, but that could just be my inner stoner playing tricks with me...

 

[zipflip]

welcome to MP!!!!

how on erth do you sustain from growin as many as possible LOL
i could never just do 1 myself.

I can't deal with a microscope and all that, I'm sorry, I just want to learn to eyball it.

not sure ya reason for not able to mess wit a scope but nonetheless you have ya reasons im sure but if ya just gona go eyeball style i would say when teh hairs mostly orange but then again some strains the hairs dont all turn orange i dont think..?
or just take a sample nug off an quik dry it in day or two. puff it an if ya like it go for it...?
but how long she been flowering for tho?

 

[MindzEye]

From the pics it looks like like it needs a week or two more... Without a trich shot its hard to tell for sure...

Nice looking plant!!

 

[Flyinghigh]

Howdy folks, so I'm a very lazy grower here in California. I just grow one plant at a time in my backyard. I just plant it, water it, and then cut it when it has some buds, don't pay it much mind, other than gaze lovingly at it throughout all stages (such beautiful plants! so captivating!).

So this plant was planted around early-mid June, and seems to have a lot of branches. There was a short patch of rain (unusual for here this time of year), and it started to bud early. So now there's some small buds on there, but those little hair things are starting to turn brown. I've attached a couple pictures of the ones that have turned the most. Some of the other ones are white almost to the top.

I can't deal with a microscope and all that, I'm sorry, I just want to learn to eyball it. Based on what I'm seeing, I'd say I need to harvest, but that could just be my inner stoner playing tricks with me...

If u have a GOOOD camera and u then can take a pix and then see if the trich are amber.. I got one but I haven't played with it much to learn about my camera but i will this grow I also don't like microscope, but I used it before.

It to soon to harvest if u planted, mid june, give it another 2 months to grow to it true Bud size.... Time will be changing by next month and so that means dark will be earlyer and more Budding since ur in cali..

 

[Alistair]

Some say to wait until 75-80% of the pistils have turned brown, orange, etc., and have started to shrivel.

 

[Hick]

So this plant was planted around early-mid June,

...Unless your plant was in full flower for 'at least' a couple of weeks, when you planted it OD, there is no way it is "mature" at 6 weeks of flowering.
There are several things that can cause pistils to die(turn red) that have nothing to do with the plants 'ripeness'. The ONLY sure method of determining maturity, harvest potential, is by the trichomes.

 

[dirtyolsouth]

Yup... I think your pistils turning red might be strain related. I have a strain in my garden that reminds me of classic Cali Orangebud I call "Lucy" because she gets bright orange/red hairs in week 6, 2-3 weeks before she is finished when a tangerine scent comes on strong. Are you watering regularly? Make sure she gets plenty of water a couple of times per week and cheer your girl on for a big finish! I agree with Hick that if your plant is only at 6 weeks old she's probably only been flowering for a month and you have a ways to go. Most of the weight and usually most of the resin is put on the last couple of weeks so try to be patient. She's looking very healthy and the buds are nice and frosty already. In 3-4 more weeks she'll finish up fatter, more potent and with a much better yield.

Peace!


​

 

[Shockeclipse]

Like Hick and dirty said... No way for sure to tell without looking at trichs. Mine are going to orange pistils and have all clear trichs still.

 

[SherwoodForest]

I'm gonna say it's heat that has started to make the hairs turn. They are very fine and can be damaged easily. You might wanna try a light shade cloth to cover her in the hottest times of day.

 

[maineharvest]

looks like it has only begun to flower. Wait it out, dont cut it down now.

 

[StoneyBud]

I can't deal with a microscope and all that, I'm sorry, I just want to learn to eyball it...

Welcome to MP, superreggie.

The $20 expenditure for a microscope from Radio Shack is worth it. It's not a matter of being lazy or not, it's a matter of having weed that is ready for harvest according to the high you want to have.

Would you buy a car by "eye-balling" it?

Would you rent a house by looking at a photo of it in the paper?

Weed can't be "eye-balled" for ripeness of the trichomes unless you're name is really Clark Kent.

The plant you've shown us is definitely not ready to harvest. It's hardly got any buds on it.

After the buds are fully developed, the only way to tell the trichome ripeness is by looking at the trichomes. You can't see them with the naked eye.

Thc laden resin continues to form until the plants late life. That's *new* thc laden resin. If you chop too soon, all you're doing is depriving yourself of half the reason you grew the plant in the first place.

The "hairs" (Pistils) don't mean a thing. They can turn colors (as Hick has pointed out) for many, many reasons other than ripeness of trichomes.

"Ripeness" of Trichomes is kind of misleading in itself. They never really ripen. They are clear when the thc is fresh and at it's most psychoactive, but much more potent as a body high when past the clear and into the amber color. Lot's of people prefer them to be half and half clear/amber.

However, the point I'm trying to make clear to you is that you can't tell at what stage they are unless you use at least 30 power magnification, or have a lot of experience in growing that strain at that location, under exactly the same conditions each year and know when the trichomes are ready for your type of high.

Going to a used car lot and telling someone "I'm a lazy car buyer, I'll take....that one" would be nuts unless you're lucky as hell.

It's the same with weed. Break down and buy yourself the $20 microscope and you'll have weed that is exactly what you want, and more of it.

But if you truly just want to guess, then just yank them whenever you think you're ready. We can't tell what color the trichomes are either.

Good luck man!

 

[Flyinghigh]

Well Said.. I like the part of the car dealership and rental in paper...

 

[superreggie]

Well said, thank you so much. I'll get the microscope! What the hell, why not!

Welcome to MP, superreggie.

The $20 expenditure for a microscope from Radio Shack is worth it. It's not a matter of being lazy or not, it's a matter of having weed that is ready for harvest according to the high you want to have.

Would you buy a car by "eye-balling" it?


Good luck man!

 

[seyaat420]

Welcome to MP, superreggie.

The $20 expenditure for a microscope from Radio Shack is worth it. It's not a matter of being lazy or not, it's a matter of having weed that is ready for harvest according to the high you want to have.

Would you buy a car by "eye-balling" it?

Would you rent a house by looking at a photo of it in the paper?

Weed can't be "eye-balled" for ripeness of the trichomes unless you're name is really Clark Kent.

The plant you've shown us is definitely not ready to harvest. It's hardly got any buds on it.

After the buds are fully developed, the only way to tell the trichome ripeness is by looking at the trichomes. You can't see them with the naked eye.

Thc laden resin continues to form until the plants late life. That's *new* thc laden resin. If you chop too soon, all you're doing is depriving yourself of half the reason you grew the plant in the first place.

The "hairs" (Pistils) don't mean a thing. They can turn colors (as Hick has pointed out) for many, many reasons other than ripeness of trichomes.

"Ripeness" of Trichomes is kind of misleading in itself. They never really ripen. They are clear when the thc is fresh and at it's most psychoactive, but much more potent as a body high when past the clear and into the amber color. Lot's of people prefer them to be half and half clear/amber.

However, the point I'm trying to make clear to you is that you can't tell at what stage they are unless you use at least 30 power magnification, or have a lot of experience in growing that strain at that location, under exactly the same conditions each year and know when the trichomes are ready for your type of high.

Going to a used car lot and telling someone "I'm a lazy car buyer, I'll take....that one" would be nuts unless you're lucky as hell.

It's the same with weed. Break down and buy yourself the $20 microscope and you'll have weed that is exactly what you want, and more of it.

But if you truly just want to guess, then just yank them whenever you think you're ready. We can't tell what color the trichomes are either.

Good luck man!

WELL PUT,,,,,,,,,,,CHRIS