Need advice from any of the experienced growers out there in reading the trichomes. This is only my second grow.
I’m on a deadline and will HAVE to chop these AUTOS in a week. Took these pics this morning. I’m thinking they will probably be acceptable to chop then. What do you all think? Thanks everyone!
@MidwestGuy @OGIncognito @kellydans @anon1893985
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I see mostly cloudy with some clear and a few amber. Are all of these pics from flower and not sugar leaves? If so, then you should be ready in a week if you don’t want much amber.
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I could be wrong but I’m seeing mostly (if not all sugar leaves)
You can’t gauge how done they are by these as they go amber waaay before tha actual bud that you want to determine
So in other words…two weeks lol 
(sorry, it’s a running joke that no matter the reality, you are always about 2 weeks away from harvest)
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Yes. All taken from the tips of the buds.
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It may still be a tad early, but she’ll get the job done in a week! Good luck!
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Thanks for the tag , The Chocolate Thai looks close to being finished to me Depending on your preference.The blue dream maybe week to 10 days behind. Good luck finishing up ! 
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I’d wait until the last moment you can to harvest.
Agree with @kellydans. If the trichs on the CT are on the buds it is ready whenever you are. Quite a bit of amber in the first CT pic.
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I like to see a good bit of amber on sativas myself but it looks like you are within a couple weeks or so depending on your preference
@MidwestGuy
I could use some help in where to check the trichomes. I know that the sugar leaves turn earlier than the flower. And it’s tricky to work with the hand held digital microscope to find just the right spot with these dense buds. I’ve been trying to check the very top of the bud. Is this a good spot, and if not where should I be looking? Thanks again.
Cut a piece of flower off and put it on a table, then look at it with the microscope on the stable surface. I don’t cut the tips of buds as those are sometimes newer calyxes that don’t ripen as quickly as older flower.
Which buds mature sooner, those at the top of the plant, bottom, or do they all mature about the same?
Generally the top mature faster. I cut off older calyxes and bring them back to my desk to scope them.
Great suggestion. Thanks.
Holding the scope still is tricky. A mic stand works well. I went to Jerry Riggs Engineering, Inc. for this scope stand:
And here is some info from Ed Rosenthal regarding maturation:
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LOL. I think I’ve used Jerry Riggs many times in my previous career. And harvesting the buds individually as they mature is really interesting. Might have to try that on my next grow when I’m not on a deadline to chop. Thanks for that info!!
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Does is say anything about the trichomes and the ratio of amber to cloudy white?