Double Runtz - Day 62 from white pistols (Day 73 from 12/12 flip)
The fan leaves are really dying off and the sugar leaves have visible ambering, but the trichomes haven’t moved past 3-5% in weeks. They stalled.
When is it time to pull it for fear of terp degradation?
You may get some moisture evaporation, but not terpine degradation. The vaporization temps for terpines is in excess of 200 degrees F.
You should be close, but there are still a lot of clear trichomes. Probably a few more weeks. Here’s a video that discusses harvest timing.
@MidwestGuy, you think the plant can even make it a few more weeks? Look at the severe crisping on the top cola.
During this level of senesence, the plant will soon start remetabolizing any internal compounds, including terps. Terps can also gas-off during late flowering. I’ve already noted a slightly muted smell compared to the weekend.
Breeders guidelines say 8-9 weeks and it’s day 73, and I’ve also heard zkittlez and gelato doesn’t amber up as much as other strains.
Temps cannot be high enough to gas off terpines. It takes temps >200F. The concentration is actually higher given that only moisture evaporates, and not the terpines themselves.
8 to 10 weeks is a better guideline. Your strain is a 50/50 hybrid. Plants with sativa content can take a week or 2 longer to amber up.
Ambering is the result of THC oxidizing into CBN. The process is independent of strain excepting the sativas taking a little longer. Sativas are genetically programmed to have a slightly longer flowering cycle. Zkittles and gelato are both indica dominant, so I don’t understand the perception that they take longer, but admit it might be something I don’t understand.
@MidwestGuy
Ok, my real question is how much longer can the plant go in its current level of senescence before it starts affecting the quality of the final product?
Several growers have experienced autos in particular never really gaining any amber after a certain point. I think you are in the window now but could ride another week or ten days like stated above.
Id bump your lights down a notch or so also. Ive found this also help the final few weeks…
I also realized I started tapering 3.5 weeks ago which probably led to the early senescence.
Patience my friend , the trichomes are still immature . one or two more weeks bro , believe it or not . Very , very nice grow .
Keep the temperatures down and you’ll be good for quite a while yet . I’ve let plants go so long all the trichomes started to literally fall off . Don’t do that lol . You want a milky white trichome for actual thca then they turn amber with all the other cannabinoids cbd cbn etc , there are lots . So a blend of milky / amber 70% 30% usually suits me . Don’t get me wrong , if you have to chop to make room or some other reason it will probably be fine but that last few days is really the key to a nice bud . Peace .
@Templeballs, you think this cola can go another week without getting dry?
You might want to raise your light a little , your buds shouldn’t be too crispy , just the used leaves not the flower . I’m about a week from harvest , for two weeks every day I raised the light a click . Peace .
@StonedCold13 those are white pistils.
New growth with new white pistils this far along is indicative of foxtailing. Not drastic, but usually either stress or last ditch effort to throw flowers that may still be pollinated. Gonna lean towards the last ditch effort. Just worth a watchful eye. Bangin looking buds!!!
PPFD is 650 on that cola, heat doesn’t go over 76 and no light leaks.
Unfertilized females will do that , sometimes you’ll even get a spontaneous seed forming which is sometimes a bonus . Yeah it’s a last ditch effort to get pergnant lol .
Boy can I relate to that
on these spots 
