Hey All, I've searched the threads and around the information super highway and can't find a good, solid answer on this. So, I thought I might post it up in here. I have a SCroG grow going right now. I have 8 plants under a 4 x 8 net. Two of my plants were really huge over-achievers - they just wanted to touch the sun. I got some light burn on 3 of the colas (which are MASSIVE by the way, biggest colas I've ever seen in person) before I had the chance to adjust the lights. They went from "almost harvest yellowing" to "fried" in like 6 hours... Anyway, that was about 2 weeks ago. Now, they are falling all over the place because they can't support their own weight (even though the stems are the size of a Volkswagen) and they're looking like they're ready to get harvested TODAY. I'm going to check the trichomes with my scope when I get home. If they are the nice, amber color I'm looking for, is it OK to harvest a few colas off this plant today? Scheduled harvest date is this upcoming Sunday 5/29 anyway, so it's not SUPER early but the rest of the plants need the extra days. Would love to hear from someone who has experience in this. As always, thanks in advance for any help you can give. Happy to upload pictures if you need some visuals. Burns
Sequential harvesting is the preferred method in my area as rarely do all trics mature at the same rate like apples, .. harvest when them 'apples'(trics) are ur color good luck
Thank you both for the advice. Looks like I'm heading out of work early to go harvest some colas.... I've been holding off on them, but I think the time has come... Thank you both again. Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
So this is the best pic I have right now. This is about 2 weeks ago. Now, all the leaves have "crisped" off the buds. The buds are MASSIVE. I mean insanely huge. I feel like they're only going to get bigger. They have fallen over and are toppling other colas. Just plowing through them making little crop circles... "Officially" harvest should be this Sunday. However, I checked the trics and they're clear. Not even cloudy really. So my gut tells me those aren't going to change in the next 5 days. I was hard pressed to find anything reminiscent of Amber. I have 4 colas like this out of about like, 40. They are, of course the biggest. The strain is CBD Crew Critical Mass. I have a Chocoloco in the exact same setup right next to it with no issues. I can't go any higher with the lights. I feel like the colas are better off laying on their sides (if they weren't crushing other growth) because they're not getting burned anymore. I want to put up a secondary net in the next day or so because of all the falling colas. My question(s) is this: Should I bite the bullet and early harvest the toasted colas? Should I put the net in and arrange it so the burnt colas can still lay sideways without wreaking havoc on the rest of the colas? Should I put the net up and straighten up the crispy colas along with everything else (might be able to squeeze and INCH out of height for my lights). Thank you for your help, and more photos coming tomorrow, I PROMISE. Burns Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Man that photos looks nuts, can't wait to see more. I would deffs try to help you but I am mid first grow and last person who should answer this. Can't wait to hear what you yield off this mysterious monster. Do you always grow one big plant or just finished harvesting other ones prior?
Ok, I have pics. Any advice based on the quoted post would be insanely helpful. Thanks! Helpful? Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I appreciate the check in and interest in my lovely ladies. I also cannot wait to hear what my yield is either. I'm actually doing SCroG. I have 8 plants under a 4'x8' net (2 x 3'x3' trays underneath for DTW). These plants definitely pick a cola or two to make just gargantuan. And it's not always the "mains"; the main 4 branches after I top once. I have 4 MASSIVE colas (at least) that are off-chutes. I'll definitely check in before, during and after harvest. If you check some of my other posts you can see some more pictures of my girls and my setup. Later, mate! Burns
Ok, put up a Mason Line support system. The CBD CREW Critical Mass is falling over like the crowd outside an Irish pub at 2 am... The Chocoloco is standing strong. A couple fallen colas around one edge, but that's about it. Just want to know if I should pull those crispy colas out or lay em flat or stand em up. Thanks again, ladies and gents. Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I had the same drama and resolved to let the buds ripen fully while trimming the crisp leaves daily. Turned out alright Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Awesome. Thanks for the advice. I was curious if I should trim off the crisped bits or not too, so.... score. Much Appreciated! Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I only trimmed so they didn't crumble and make a mess for me, best of luck Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Potassium silicate like agsil 16h will strengthen stems along with numerous other benifits like helping plants deal with stress and make nutrients more readily available. Those buds aren't that big, stronger healthier stems and there wouldn't have been an issue with them falling over
I would use yarn, and tie them up....this is when they will really put on weight. This is really a good sign....or I thinks so...I luv it when I have to tie them up. in 2 weeks they will be obese. Looks Great!
I also realized, as trimming up the crispy bits, I'm making room for light to get under the canopy. Those leaves are pulling in MINIMUM light, if any. So leave it to the lower leaves to feed the flowers. Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Fantastic advice, thank you. Didn't even know there was a formula for strengthening stems. I went back to my seed bank and read that this strain is known to be top heavy with stems not strong enough to hold up the large "caps" it makes. This is my second grow with this strain and I can tell you, they're "small" but DENSE. Like, crazy, insane dense. The seed bank recommends building a support structure for them for late flower. Guess I should have read that bit earlier... Anyway, they're propped up, letting 3-6 colas just lay over on their sides (resting on a secondary net) and they are doing GREAT. Trichs are about 30% amber now. Went from "all clear" to 30% amber in 3 days. I expect to have a nice memorial day pulling these ladies. Thanks, bud! Nick Sent from my SM-G930V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
What strain and what seed bank? Any links? I wouldn't want to purchase a strain that's known for weak stems. Those really aren't large enough to topple healthy strong stems, dense or not.
The strain for the weak stemmed group is "CBD Crew Critical Mass". It's a simple cross of Critical Mass and Harlequin BX4. It created a CBD DOMINANT strain. I got the seeds from Herbies. This is only my fourth grow, but I grow primarily CBD dominant strains. Something I've personally noticed is CBD dominant strains are very top heavy with relatively weak stems. They also produce EXTREMELY leafy and almost "stringy" buds too. Go buy some Charlotte's Web at your local dispensary. Instead of pulling stems from the buds, they pull leaves. Also note that the center colas that have fallen are some of the biggest colas I've ever seen. Ever... They are as thick as a softball all the way down to the net; about 16 inches. I even decided to look up "giant colas" on Google images and, what I have rivals the biggest ones I found on the Internet. The pictures don't really show that. Lastly, the most falling is on the outer edge colas. I added 100 watts worth of LEDs and aimed them around the edges of the canopy about 3 weeks into flower. So those went from little, weak flowers to HEAVY colas. Also, the density is off the charts. Just the top of one of these colas is heavier than an entire cola from my Chocoloco side. And the Chocoloco colas are no joke either. Oh, and right on the websites of both Herbies and CBD Crew, it says "be prepared to build a support system as they get very top heavy". So I wasn't COMPLETELY surprised. Especially since these same seeds did the same thing with my pure LED grow. That pure LED grow was a miserable failure and I only got 2oz/square meter... I'll never go pure LED again... so sad.... Thanks for the reply. I urge you to research the strain a little before swearing it off. It's one of the best medicinal flowers I've had yet. My patients have told me the same. Burns
There's your issue. Never heard of the weak stemmed group, nor would I order from it. Strong healthy stems is what efficiently distributes nutrients, water and keeps the bud up. Sorry bud they're just not giants no matter how dense in your pics. Post current pics if you want people to comment on your current situation. Never understood why people post old pics to ask about current issue. That's pointless and seems to happen right after someone has a different opinion. Strengthen those stems and you'll be set next grow. We're you using a fan blowing them around to strengthen the stems?