Seed: RQS Quick One Substrate: Gold Label Special Mix Nutrients: Gold Label A, B, Roots, MG, PK & Enzyme Age: 7 weeks and 3 days Height: 27” or 70cm Light: Mars Hydro TS 600 LED Schedule: 18/6
According to the RQS schedule I should start flushing next week but I wanted to ask you guys about that.
-How do I tell when to start flushing?
I have read and been advised to harvest auto flowers in two session with one week apart. Looking at the buds I can see that the top ones are larger than the lower ones, so I’m going to try out that advise.
-What’s the best way to do this without stressing or hurting the plants? -What should be cut down and how much in the first session?
Flush timing is done by looking at the trichomes and bud structure. The buds will gain a lot of weight toward the end of their life.
I have never harvested mine in stages. I have always taken the entire plant. The theory, as I understand it, is to take the largest buds, say the top third. Then leave the bottom to mature for a length of time. Removing that kind of plant material will stress the plant no way around it. Actually, that is what you are hoping to have happen. Think about the plant in the wild. Wind or an animal takes the top of the plant off the plant will send energy to the remaining buds, after all its goal is to survive to propagate the species.
I usually take my plants down in 2 stages since the lower flowers don’t seem to mature as quickly as those that are on top and getting plenty of light. Staged harvests are usually a week apart.
I am pretty sure that Santa will give me a new loupe this Christmas.
And hopefully I will be able to provide some photos of the trichomes with Santa’s present.
I will also add some photos of the bud structure.
I must have been good this year, Santa gave me a loupe.
Will need a bit more practice taking photos with it, hard to get a steady shoot.
But a few came out OK I think, hopefully they will show you what you need.
First a couple pictures of a whole plant, length from edge of pot to the top is about 20” or 50cm.
Pictures were great! Trichome development is coming along nicely. Let’s see if my very untrained eye gets the approximate Age correct. I’m gonna guess that you’re in week 6-7 of flower. By the looks of it, I’d wait about 2 more weeks before harvest. Trichs are still clear with mostly cloudy. That’s my opinion tho, I like 15-20% amber for a more full body sedation type high. You’re just about at peak potency now.
I just wanted to say thanks to all the people that has helped and supported me so far, especially @Bubblehead, @MidwestGuy and @Jake3 with some pictures.
I hope you had a great new years eve.
Today I took some close up photos of the top bud for each of the three plants.
Would really appreciate if @Bubblehead, @MidwestGuy, @Jake3 or anybody else could have a look.
Are they getting close to harvest or what do you think?
All three are 8 weeks and 5 days, but all differ in height, number and size of buds.
What do you think about flushing, should I consider starting it soon?
I think that at this point you should invest in a jewelers loupe or microscope if you don’t already have one of them. You’re getting closer but without being able to see the color of the trichome heads, it’s honestly Hard for me to say. Just by the white pistils I would agree that you probably have at least a week left for my preferred harvest time.
As for flushing, I still think you’d need to really check the trichomes. I start my flush at the first sign of amber heads.
I have a loupe but not my regular mobile today and the loupe does not fit properly.
But I managed to find an old iPhone, hard to get a good shoot with this setup though.
I hope you can read something out of the photo.
To me, the only clearly visible trichomes in that picture are on a small sugar leaf. If I’m wrong and that is a calyx, I’d say you’re mostly cloudy with a little bit of clear still. You’re just about at peak thc then and I like to wait till I see a few amber to start my flush then harvest around 15% amber. But that’s me. You could harvest now if that what you wanted to do, I just think that you would end up with a bit of a racy head high at this stage.
