I’m growing cannabis for the first time.(DWC) I’m at week 9 of my Pineapple Express Auto. I suspect it’s still too early for harvest. When should I start flushing and preparing for harvest? I’m a bit confused about the speed of trichome development. Could you please share your insights?
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Looks like you are around week 4 of flower? If so I’d imagine you have another 4-6 weeks to go, Flushing is more geared towards soil, however if you choose to flush I’d say the last 5-7 days. Though science is against flushing and says it’s more beneficial to feed until chop. A lot of varying opinions on this. So in the end you have to decide what you like by trying both. Won’t hurt either way unless your timing is too early. Specially in hydro. You can always add a week to flush if you choose. There is a decent window for chop. If your intention for flush is color, soil would have been a better option.
As for the trichome pictures you want to focus on the calyxes, the bud. Sugar leaves mature quite a bit faster than the bud. General rule of thumb, if you are going to scope them is to wait until the majority of pistols turn amber/brown/red and recede back and tighten up towards the buds. This isn’t true for all cultivars but it is the average.
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The party is just getting started. She will get a lot fatter and denser over the next few weeks and she will need plenty of nutrition to do that.
It’s not something that is set in stone. Each strain, pheno, and even plant will be a little different. Some will turn cloudy to amber in a week and some will have you questioning everything you ever knew about ripening cannabis while you wait for them to just finish already.
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I grow hydro and stop feeding the last week before harvest. I test my buds thc level when dry and if you don’t flush with water only for a week it will show up the chemicals in your test. However I’ve done it both ways and can’t tell a difference in the quality of smoke, flavor or buzz. By the way welcome to the community. This group has gained so much knowledge thru trial and error that you can’t go wrong with there help.
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Welcome !!
As previously mentioned, you have awhile … But typically flush 7-10 days prior to chop.
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Thank you for the quick response. It seems that we are nearing the end of the third week of flowering. I understand now that there is still quite some time to go. I will remember that flushing should be done in the last 5-7 days. The timing seems challenging, but I will do my best.
I almost made the mistake of harvesting based on the trichomes on the sugar leaves. Your advice has been very helpful. I will continue to closely observe the trichomes on the buds.
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Thank you for the insightful information. It’s reassuring to know that the variability in trichome development is normal. I will keep a close eye on the buds and ensure they receive plenty of nutrition as they continue to grow. Your advice has been very helpful.
I thought we were nearing the end, but it seems there’s still quite a way to go.
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I’ll strive to stop nutrients a week before harvest. Thank you for the warm welcome to the community! It’s reassuring to know that even if flushing didn’t happen on time during my first cultivation, it doesn’t seem to cause significant harm. The knowledge shared by experienced growers here is truly invaluable.
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Thank you for the warm welcome to the community!
I see, there’s still plenty of growth ahead. I’m glad I didn’t rush to start flushing. While I’m not sure about timing, I’ll do my best to flush a week before.
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I’m going to start flush when my trics are just about where I want them.
Thought I would try this approach.
And welcome to the community. 
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Im in soil and dont flush, but im organic.
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If your plant is not overfed then you shouldn’t need to flush nutes out of the medium or the plant. I have seen some evidence in my own grow that a flush can help promote more even ripening, but nothing remotely conclusive yet. There is plenty of scientific evidence to show that targeted stress can increase potency by retarding the growth of plant material without retarding the production of secondary metabolites like canabinoids and terpenes but that requires tight control to get just the right amount of stress. A little too much or not enough and you accomplish little. If it makes you feel better though, it’s not going to ruin your crop.
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I try to give only water for the last 2 to 3 waterings. I do not go by days because each plant drinks at different rates.
They say it does nothing but I find when I give staight water the last couple times the smoke gives a smoother hit. My friends that only make edibles I tell them its a waste of time.
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Dr. Bugbee suggests flushing only if overfed. Proper nutrient levels show no effect. Pretty much like our flushing when we do an overfeed. Also pointed out can target certain nutrients like nitrogen if too high without removing the other nutes. This mans seminars are just great. He looks stoned everytime. Should check a few out. Very informative on cannabis. Definitely 2 camps on this and both dont seem to harm the plant so a choice.
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It is indeed very important to carefully observe the state of the trichomes. I will continue to monitor them closely for a little while longer. Thank you for the warm welcome! I am delighted to join this community and look forward to sharing information with everyone.
Thank you. I’ll keep in mind that flushing isn’t always necessary.
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In my hydroponic setup, the EC value is currently around 1.3 mS/cm. Several weeks ago, at the start of flowering, it was around 0.6 to 1.0 mS/cm, indicating I probably haven’t been giving too much fertilizer. Perhaps I don’t need to be overly concerned about flushing after all. Thank you for your valuable insights.
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