Second time harvesting for me. First time was good. This second time, I’m wondering ,what happens if I don’t chop until the (either) plant dies on its own, or until the Trichomes are DARK? Another question I cant find an answer to is, what clear Trichomes mean as far as Buzz, compared to amber or dark colors. Thank you much my GrowMe’s..
If you wait to harvest until the plant dies or the trichomes turn dark, you’re letting it go too long past peak ripeness. At that point, THC starts degrading into CBN, which gives a more sedative, sleepy high and reduces the overall potency. You’ll also risk losing terpene quality and getting a harsher smoke. Trichome color tells you a lot about the effect: clear trichomes usually mean the plant isn’t fully matured and the buzz will be light, racy, and or short-lived. cloudy or milky trichomes are when THC is at its highest, giving a more balanced and euphoric high; amber trichomes indicate that THC is starting to convert to CBN, which gives more of a couch-lock, sedative feel. Ideally, most growers harvest when trichomes are mostly cloudy with some amber, depending on what kind of effect you’re after. With prolonged aging/seeing what happens, they’ll likely grow male parts, hermie.
Cloudy with a little amber is probably my perfect range..
Happy Growing
Yes , I let a moonrocks go too long , trichomes were all still crystal clear with a few going straight to amber . Then it grew bananas and seeded the whole tent . Not growing anymore varieties that don’t let their trichomes mature properly . Much younger plants of different strain had tons of milky trichomes at six weeks into flower . I blame constant interbreeding . Hybrids are getting out of control in my opinion . And I’m all out of 15 year old seeds .
I have had a few bangers that were ready at 7- would herm by 9. 
fast flowering strains you really have to keep an eye on.
SIGNS INDICATING A MATURE CANNABIS PLANT
80–90%+ dead, red stigmas
Visibly swollen calyxes
Visibly bloated trichomes
Age relative to expected harvest
Trichome darkening
All of this is part of the plant’s reproductive system and must align. If it doesn’t, it could indicate a problem.
Just looking at trichomes to gauge your harvest could lead to a premature harvest if all of these other signs aren’t in line as well.
The trichomes will always mature properly…this is the plants biology and its cycle of life…the plants just may not mature as one expects…or has been told to expect.
I’ve had sativas that never showed any amber (milky and clear at harvest) but were incredible smoke. There’s a huge variety in genetic expression in this plant and there are a lot of ways to get to a great chop!
I like the comment above about looking at it’s ripeness wholistically…not just trichimes. That said i am a strong proponent of and checker of trichome maturity as my strongest signal.