Threads like these are what made me join grasscity. I'm currently planning my first ever grow and reading through my first book on growing and i read some stuff that's related to what we're talkin' about here. Here's an excerpt from "Grow Great Marijuana" by Logan Edwards, : (bold face added by me) "....The pistils of the young flowers are bright white and turn reddish brown with age. The pistils and flowers develop from the bottom of the bud to the top. The older, lower pistils are the first to turn reddish brown. For most basic indicas, this usually happens by the sixth week in the flowering cycle. It is about this time that the calyxes begin to swell. Calyx swelling is a major indicator of peak maturity. The lowest, oldest calyxes swell first and the swelling works it way up to the highest, youngest flowers on each bud. At peak maturity about 90% of the calyxes will almost look seeded because of their lush size. Three quarters to 90% of the pistils will have turned reddish brown as well. For a basic Indica, this takes well into the seventh week of the flowering cycle. By the end of the eighth week, most of the calyxes will have swollen and a surge of trichome development has coated most of the buds. It is now that the development of a very discerning palate comes into play to determine the best harvest time. The ripening signs for most Sativas are highly similar, except extended over a longer period of time. Occasionally, some Sativas have windows of peak harvest that actually open and close. That is, for a week or so the plant may exhibit signs of peak ripeness. However, a week later the plant may have a growth spurt, which lowers the trichome-to-fiber ratio and overall potency for a little while. Usually a fibrous growth spurt is accompanied by a corresponding increase in THC production. Again, time and experience are the key elements in this regard." (p.250, under the section labeled "Determining Plant Maturity") and another little excerpt: "....Generally, ripeness is defined as when the white pistils start to turn brown/orange and start to withdraw back into the false seedpod ... Most new growers want to pick early, because they are impatient and that's OK. Just take buds from the middle of the plant or the bottom and allow the rest to keep maturing..." (p.255, the introduction to the "Harvesting" chapter) So yeah the lessons here for noobs like me are: Buds develop at different rates. Look for your pistils to turn brown/orange and recede into the bud. And Sativas can be tricky. Mr. Edwards, of course, discusses trichome colors in another section, but i found it interesting he didn't really mention it as a way to determine when to harvest. Btw, great lookin grow.
This thread is a godsend to me.... thanks to everyone for great info! I also vote to make this sticky.
wow,great read...my plant is in week 5 of flower and it definitely doesn't look like that. i've got some waiting to do +rep
Great stuff man I'm almost done with my maui And purple 4wks into flower i think this is the best info i got lately
yes dude So many people harvest one week to early you want the plant to Just turn the corner towards death and then chop in my opinion. its true colors show just before death
Hey guys.. in need of some help. I'm trying to follow the guide here, but I'm confused because of how my girls are acting. Right now they're in 11 1/2 weeks of flowering (first day of pistils, started 3/19) However, even after almost 12 weeks, all my pistils have not receded at all!! Do I keep going? Its just bagseed, so not sure the exact ripeness time. Any help?
Hey everyone! I know a lot of you out there love this thread and frankly it sucks having to bump it all the time.. I asked a question on the website feedback for it to be a sticky.. If you support it stop by and through up a line or two.. possible sticky for growers
My latest ones are from 5/19, which is about 9 weeks into flowering.. As you can see. Pistils are still long!
Looks sativa so you may be in for a long flower.. Are you flowering under cfl or hps? If cfl then expect to add about 2 weeks longer than under an hps..That being said my first harvest was a sativa bagseed under cfl that took 16 1/2 weeks.. I'd guesstimate since that picks older and there are some fresh white hairs that you may be in for a 13-16 weeker.. I'd probably hold off.. Not necessarily till all the hairs receed, but at least until they double in size..
Thanks fellas. Samson I read your post regarding CFLs n the added 2-3 weeks they'll need so I set the harvest date for June 25. That will make it 14 weeks at that point. If pistils still have not receded, July 9 will make 16 weeks n hopefully by then its harvest time. Should I feed anymore nutes? Or just phed water? How about just molasses n water? How sure are you that they're sativas? I would love for them to sativas!! If that's the case I wouldn't mind waiting another 6 weeks for them to be ready! What's funny is that I had another girl that I started about a month after my first one.. hoping I can harvest one after another. I checked on my 2nd girl today and the hairs are starting to recede! In fact one bud looks to be ready! So I guess ill be harvesting my 2nd before my first! Lol
By looking at the leaves. They're long and skinny rather than short and fat. It may not be a pure sativa, but it might be like 70% sativa.
Pretty positive sativa and just like buddha said.. It also reminds me of the red dragon I grew out with those fresh pistils you have popping up which makes me think it could take an extra while.. I usually feed up until the last two weeks.. A lot of people flush at that point and go with water from there.. Personally I use clearex to clean the nutes out, but I'll continue molasses feedings until closer to harvest.. haha I've been there as well with thinking one girl will come out before another.. I've built my perpetual on putting a girl in when one comes out so it is always fun estimating when strains will actually be pulled and making sure I'll get a couple harvests bimonthly.. Goodluck with the rest of the grow! Stop by any of the links in my sig if you want to see some other girls finishing up/in the process.. A lot of good growers lurking around.. Feel free to post up..