Hi! Quick question… I’m in the start of week 8, 6 different strains, but all projected at 8-10 weeks of flower. This may be a noob question but I’m noticing some amber trichomes mixed in with the clear ones. Usually it goes from clear, to milky white and then to amber… what causes early amber trichomes? It can’t just skip the milky white phase and jump straight to amber right? I did have some light burn in week 4-6 of flower so that might be it… only new pics I have handy have wife in the way… other tent has the 3 LST plants in 5gals… they have a few amber trichomes also, but most are clear…
2nd question is on one of the plants I’ve noticed that a few colas are starting to lose their conical shape and becoming more bulbous. Everything that I read said this means they are past harvest and getting too much light exposure or light burn. There are some large buds forming on the side of one or two of the main colas… does this affect the product? Can I just shave those off the final buds? And since these aren’t ready based on the trichomes should I just raise the lights or reduce the LED output?
This is my first grow btw. Any input on harvest time will be very much appreciated. Thanks!
Not sure what causes the early ones, be sure you’re checking the calyx, or flower and not sugar leaves. The sugar leaves will always be amber first.
This is the swell period. You’re getting closer to harvest. I usually chop when 95% of the pistils are brown, AND it went through the swelling period. A lot of plants pack on more trichomes at this stage, and a lot of people chop before the swell.
Looks like you have some foxtailing, and depending on how much amber you want or like, you can allow the new pistils to mature and brown, or you can chop the plant. It’s a somewhat of a growers choice on how much foxtailing everyone allows.
Thanks for the reply covert. What’s the benefit to “chopping before the swell” as you say? Is that just due to impatience or because they prefer the smoke at that level? I’d prefer not too much of a body high or CBD effect which is why I didn’t want to see amber. At the same time, I waited this long… I’d like to see it through to the true end… But I think you are right, i see amber mostly on the sugar leaves.
Looks to me like you have some time left. Here is a picture of a cola at what I consider ready for harvest. They get pretty wild towards the end of the grow haha.
Right, that’s what I would prefer… less couch lock… but I also want fat buds… is there anyway to get both? And does that mean I should chop now? Also, if I chop the whole plant at once, could it be that the buds in the same plant lower down on the plant will provide less couchlock since they have less amber and less swell?
The only way is to purchase a jewellery loop and check the trichomes on the calyx, you should aim at 5 - 10% amber or mostly cloudy. Plus you are having already fat colas there
Chopping in multiple stages is standard. You can check every cola and decide if ready or not to chop.
Thanks for the advise! I don’t have a 3rd tent to do multiple chops though… any advice? Also I just posted about a scary thing I just found… a few spider mites !!! What should I do?? A couple plants def have another week to go!! Is there something I can spray to keep them away until they finish flowering?!? Also, once I chop, do the spider mites stay or go away lol? They don’t seem to be on the colas at all.
