PlumberSoCal
? Guy Fire-y ?
Harvesting
When to harvest a plant is just as important as all the other things that have led to this point. Harvest too soon before the trichomes have matured and you won't get the full effects with a lite high. Too long and THC, taste & smell begins to degrade from light and oxygen. The terpenes do become more potent so it's a trade off if you allow trichs to go full amber.
A jeweler's loop use to be needed to see the trichs and their development but with today's modern cell phones and apps such as Magnifier Plus you can see enough to determine when the plant is ready for harvest.
They start out clear
then begin to turn opaque or cloudy
and then amber
All 3 stages
Since I'm old and still using an older flagship phone (s8) I have to use a jeweler's loop
The ones with lights are the best. It's very interesting to watch the trichroms development through the process.
When trichs are about 30% amber is the optimal time to harvest, imho.
Now none of this will be an issue on the MGDP or the Gherry as both are past being ready but this is information you'll need going forward?
To Flush or Not to Flush, that is the Question
Being grown with hydro nutes some can taste them in the finished bud so many will flush the plants for a few days to a week plus before harvesting. Instead of fertigating with the nutrient solution just use plain water. I usually go 3-4 days with the flush but I don't taste any difference either way. I'm currently flushing some plants I was going to harvest this past weekend but decided to wait until this weekend when our oldest arrives so these will get a 10 day+/- flush.
Best Time to Harvest
Believe it or not the best time to chop down a plant is early AM before the sun comes up. Now I've harvested plants at just about every time of day there is, except overnight and I don't see a difference. For what it's worth I still try to follow the above advice and chop early AM but if I feel like chopping one day at high noon I will. I'm a rebel that way?
I usually use my heavy duty pruners
but have had a few I had to get the sawsall out. Chop that plant off about ground level but before chopping you need to determine where the plant will be drying and how much foliage to remove, if any.
For drying I've found hanging them in the garage is best for me. I'll take some twist tie wire
99 Cent store find, label the plant and hang it from the rafters in the garage against the North wall. South wall gets way too much sun and here in sunny so cal we have a lot of sunshine and warm days, even in winter.
How to Dry a Plant
Boy, even rules on how to dry 'em? Yup, and folks will argue about this aspect too. All I'll say is the best way is to keep the area at about 60 degrees with 60% humidity. Unless you are growing a lot and have access to a spare room with an A/C, humidifier, dehumidifier, heater, etc and can keep that room at the recommended temperature and humidity then hang the plant in the garage near the North wall?
How Much Leaf to Trim
If I'm harvesting in the fall and the temperature is in the 3 digit range, which it usually is, I leave on all the leaves. If I'm harvesting in the winter/spring with colder temperatures I remove all the large fan leaves. This time of year plants can take up to 10 or more days to properly dry. In fall with the heat 3 days seem to be the average which is not ideal but it is what it is.
Okay pHenohunter Family, thoughts, suggestions and anything I've over looked or missed?
Next post in a week or so will be on manicuring and curing?
When to harvest a plant is just as important as all the other things that have led to this point. Harvest too soon before the trichomes have matured and you won't get the full effects with a lite high. Too long and THC, taste & smell begins to degrade from light and oxygen. The terpenes do become more potent so it's a trade off if you allow trichs to go full amber.
A jeweler's loop use to be needed to see the trichs and their development but with today's modern cell phones and apps such as Magnifier Plus you can see enough to determine when the plant is ready for harvest.
They start out clear
then begin to turn opaque or cloudy
and then amber
All 3 stages
Since I'm old and still using an older flagship phone (s8) I have to use a jeweler's loop
The ones with lights are the best. It's very interesting to watch the trichroms development through the process.
When trichs are about 30% amber is the optimal time to harvest, imho.
Now none of this will be an issue on the MGDP or the Gherry as both are past being ready but this is information you'll need going forward?
To Flush or Not to Flush, that is the Question
Being grown with hydro nutes some can taste them in the finished bud so many will flush the plants for a few days to a week plus before harvesting. Instead of fertigating with the nutrient solution just use plain water. I usually go 3-4 days with the flush but I don't taste any difference either way. I'm currently flushing some plants I was going to harvest this past weekend but decided to wait until this weekend when our oldest arrives so these will get a 10 day+/- flush.
Best Time to Harvest
Believe it or not the best time to chop down a plant is early AM before the sun comes up. Now I've harvested plants at just about every time of day there is, except overnight and I don't see a difference. For what it's worth I still try to follow the above advice and chop early AM but if I feel like chopping one day at high noon I will. I'm a rebel that way?
I usually use my heavy duty pruners
but have had a few I had to get the sawsall out. Chop that plant off about ground level but before chopping you need to determine where the plant will be drying and how much foliage to remove, if any.
For drying I've found hanging them in the garage is best for me. I'll take some twist tie wire
99 Cent store find, label the plant and hang it from the rafters in the garage against the North wall. South wall gets way too much sun and here in sunny so cal we have a lot of sunshine and warm days, even in winter.
How to Dry a Plant
Boy, even rules on how to dry 'em? Yup, and folks will argue about this aspect too. All I'll say is the best way is to keep the area at about 60 degrees with 60% humidity. Unless you are growing a lot and have access to a spare room with an A/C, humidifier, dehumidifier, heater, etc and can keep that room at the recommended temperature and humidity then hang the plant in the garage near the North wall?
How Much Leaf to Trim
If I'm harvesting in the fall and the temperature is in the 3 digit range, which it usually is, I leave on all the leaves. If I'm harvesting in the winter/spring with colder temperatures I remove all the large fan leaves. This time of year plants can take up to 10 or more days to properly dry. In fall with the heat 3 days seem to be the average which is not ideal but it is what it is.
Okay pHenohunter Family, thoughts, suggestions and anything I've over looked or missed?
Next post in a week or so will be on manicuring and curing?