# Harvest question! **URL:** \ **Category:** Harvesting\ **Created:** [January 15, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289 "2021-01-15T18:12:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![i\_am\_a\_yeti](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/i_am_a_yeti/32/372709_2.png) [@i\_am\_a\_yeti](https://ilgmforum.com/u/i_am_a_yeti)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/1 "2021-01-15T18:12:24Z")
I’m pretty close to harvest time, but I saw in a different post a whole back that some people will do selective harvesting based on the top most buds being more ready than the lower ones. Does anyone have any feedback on doing this? I’m curious about it, taking the top most buds and drying them since they’ll be ready first, then letting the rest of the plants continue growing for a while in border to maximize the bud potential. 🤔 As always, I appreciate the help! ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/2 "2021-01-15T18:16:33Z")
It’s not so much maximizing potential as it is letting the lower buds ripen more before harvesting. I harvest in 2 stages about a week apart. I’ll take down the top and then let the lower flowers ripen more before harvesting them. ---
**Author:** ![Weedlover1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ee59a6/32.png) [@Weedlover1](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Weedlover1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/3 "2021-01-15T18:25:25Z")
I do the same as @MidwestGuy,a week at least after the first buds are harvested. ---
**Author:** ![i\_am\_a\_yeti](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/i_am_a_yeti/32/372709_2.png) [@i\_am\_a\_yeti](https://ilgmforum.com/u/i_am_a_yeti)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/4 "2021-01-15T18:34:26Z")
Awesome! Thanks for the help! ---
**Author:** ![msnae2u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@msnae2u](https://ilgmforum.com/u/msnae2u)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/5 "2021-01-15T19:00:13Z")
How to you handle the dark period with the partial harvest? ---
**Author:** ![MidwestGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/midwestguy/32/914277_2.png) [@MidwestGuy](https://ilgmforum.com/u/MidwestGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/6 "2021-01-15T19:02:15Z")
I don’t give any regard to light and dark periods when harvesting. When it is time to harvest, then I harvest. ---
**Author:** ![GomBoo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/gomboo/32/693987_2.png) [@GomBoo](https://ilgmforum.com/u/GomBoo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/7 "2022-07-25T16:56:34Z")
@MidwestGuy I do believe I’ll try the ‘top-of-plant’ harvest on my one plant gro. I believe it’s the perfect candidate as she was LST’d at 5 nodes and has a variety of young’uns down low. ![DSC09775](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/2/b/f/2bfffea43a6768e5a9744304a789ba95870a4e28.jpeg) Lost in the Sixties ☮ ---
**Author:** ![Storm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/storm/32/1066086_2.png) [@Storm](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Storm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/harvest-question/61289/8 "2022-07-25T16:59:22Z")
I also stage harvest larger plants. Typically a 2 week window for me top and bottom. All my lower goes to edibles and the extra ripening gives the pain/sedation effects my medical friends and I are looking for. Best tops get smoked.