First time with Auto Flowers ( GG#4)…I cracked the seeds first week of May, so in theory I should be getting close t harvest but still not confident with my eye and the loop for the Tricomes ID…Little help ? Ive also noticed some catapillers on one of the autos…how concerned should I be with harvest approaching ? I’ll continue to use the spray on those…
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Check the trichomes with a jeweler’s loupe. They look nice !
I’m growing my first outdoor auto now. Hope mine look half as nice as yours
Im horrible with the loupe - sometimes I try to take a zoomed in picture with a DSLR camera which helps.
Thanks and best of luck to you on your first outdoor auto action. this was my first and very happy with results
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I see alot of white hairs (pistils) which tells me you are not quite there yet. Once like 60-80% of the pistils get dark n curly they’re close and it’s time to watch the trichomes for your preferred ripeness. It’s a pain in the ass trying to judge when to cut at first but the more you look n grow the easier it becomes, my way is to look through your loupe (or electronic microscope is easier) and follow the pistils to the buds so you know you are looking at bud and not leaves, leaves are liars. I cut early on when there’s just like 10% amber but it’s the high you prefer that matters. Here’s a pic to use as a reference… good luck your ladies are lookin good 
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Thanks for the tip especially the later portion of the message - I will check that tomorrow.
I always hard time with the loupe, getting to focus as well as my aging eyes, while keeping things still…and even then I sometimes have a hard time between clear and cloudy.
From your experience do you take the flush time into considering when judging by Trichomes and factoring in the 5 to 7 days, and where you will moment likely be when the flush is done ?
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I don’t flush I tried it out and couldn’t tell the difference in the smoke plus I couldn’t find the logic in starving a plant at the most crucial time, when I’m asking the most from it. I’ve since switched to an all organic living soil so now it’s definitely not necessary to flush.
My eyes are on their way over the hill too lol I had to buy an electronic microscope to make it easier to see and I even went further and bought a microphone stand to hold the microscope. Here are the ones I bought, I purposely got a wired one so I don’t have to mess with the internet to use it… I think they have bluetooth models now and then the stand I bought has a flexible end on it it kinda springs back out of position so I think a stand with a solid boom would be better.
Sorry for the book I’m getting sleepy and I babble a bit 
hope this helps you out
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Hard to tell from far away pictures but from your one up close I also think you have a good week or maybe two. It’s very exciting as the final stages approach but developing the patience to understand each part of the process matters.
In the final week or two, that’s when you’ll also notice the most growth on the buds. Allow them to do their thing and pull when the pistols are on fire !
Make sure you big leaf and cure properly, enjoy your first run ! 
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Also about the caterpillars, they will eat your bud way faster than you will expect. I would suggest getting in there and physically removing any that you see as soon as possible !
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Oh yes I got into trichomes and forgot about catapillars they will lay their eggs inside your buds and are the biggest cause for bud rot. The babies will eat your buds from the inside out and shit in there
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As if eating it weren’t enough
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