“I’d chop before then!”
I agree…
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Thank you. on all of these I went for one of the best buds that was NOT part of the main cola. So, about the top quarter of the plant, the first part that isn’t part of the main cola. The pictures themselves were a mix of the outside and then I took some of when I parted the bud to get an inside look. A good mix of all the above.
Just out of curiosity, which goes amber/cloudy first? The nice light-hitted bud or inside the bud structure? I mean if one were to choose, which would be the best to test shot?
In my early days when I didn’t have much, I only tested the lower tiny buds. Now that I’m established and have plenty, I have no problem cutting a bud off the best part that isn’t the main top cola part. Now that part, I want to save for last when I harvest.
Thank you.
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Thank you. I’ve only had two grows before now and not a lot of ‘high’ from my harvests. I harvested too early my first year due to gigantic Preybird plants that grew into early September in the rains and started to get bud rot. They could have used more time, but I freaked and harvested. Gorgeous plants.
Due to our rains and short growing season, last year, I tried autos and did NOT give them the attention they deserved and so I got what I deserved. Not a good buzz. Haphazard grow there.
So, this year I want them to have all the time they need and I have the time and I they are of a size that would be easy to move should it rain. I don’t want to harvest too early but I’ve also heard if one waits too late, the grow is negated somehow. So, I think I’m going for more amber and more of a couch lock.
Thanks again.
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I agree they are just about ready. Maybe a couple of days to get more of a couch lock feel. I’ve always harvested too early. Thank you.
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That’s what I was thinking. A couple of more days. So, #s 1 and 2 should be ready. Personal choice this time is couch lock, more high.
In the past I was stingy and only tested the lower wimpy buds. LOL. This year I feel confidant that I have enough and took a good bud from near the top. Like I asked Mr Monkey, what is the difference between checking the better buds and the lower buds in timing. If that makes any sense. I mean if one could only test ONE bud from each plant, where would you cut from for the best mean?
These plants are just the right size in that most of the plant got equal everything (care, sun, water, food, air, space, etc.). Nice and smallish, stout plants, easy to work with. I think I love autos. For a lot of reasons.
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Thank you, my friend. How are your autos so far? Do any tasting or are they all drying right now? I will harvest all of mine this weekend. Just having a little fun with them this week. Thanks for the heads up on the rain. Sigh. Not looking forward to the rains, etc. But it is what it is. Hope you are well. I hit Buzz’s tonight. Not the same as it used to be. 
But the view was nice.
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Hey bro, it sounds like you’ve been through some ups and downs with your grows. Don’t worry, we all start somewhere! Harvesting too early is a common mistake, but those gorgeous Preybird plants must have been a sight to behold.
Trying out auto-flowering plants was a smart move considering your short growing season, but it sounds like they didn’t give you the buzz you were looking for. That happens, man. Give 'em some extra TLC next time and they’ll reward you.
This year, you’re all about giving your plants the time they need. That’s what it’s all about, brother. And it’s awesome that you’ve got the time to make sure everything goes smoothly. Just keep an eye on the weather and be ready to move your babies if it starts raining heavy during flower.
But I feel you on that fine line between waiting too long and negating the grow. It’s a tricky balance, man and different for strains. If you want that couch lock, aiming for more amber trichomes is the way to go. Just be mindful that waiting too long can affect the “overall potency”.
In the end, just remember that every grow is a learning experience, no matter how many times you’ve done it! Beginner to Beginner. You got this! Keep the positive vibes flowing, take it step by step, and soon enough you’ll be harvesting some primo bud that’ll give you that ultimate high. Good luck, man!
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Well naturally the parts of your plant that receive more light ripen faster, meaning that those trichomes will also turn cloudy & amber first. Some judge the harvest readiness of their plant by looking at the trichomes of those parts only which could lead to a ‘distorted view’ of its readiness so it is advised to check deeper in the canopy & buds also.
Note that there’ll always be a difference between those buds (while trichs on the lower buds are just getting all cloudy the majority of those on the top colas might be going amber already).
For this reason some homegrowers harvest in stages. Not saying you need to do this, just know that the perfect readiness doesn’t exist.
Happy harvesting sis!
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They were! They were taller than me! I’m 5’2" … very healthy, just beautiful. When I retire (should I ever get there ha!), I hope to have oodles of time to garden and I’d go back to humongous weed garden in a nanosecond. But, yeah, what with working and our short growing season, I’m loving the autos. So easy to maintain and move and such. Moving the preybird trees almost needed a dolly truck! And I had to move them a couple of times. Ouch.
Thank you so much for the encouragement! I will say that I think it may be my choice of weed ‘delivery’ that is the problem. I don’t want to smoke because … lungs and all … my mom died of asthma and copd and while I’m pretty healthy, I’d like to keep it that way. So I make edibles and enjoy them a lot but not a huge high. I’m gonna double my cannabudder THC next time since I have so much harvested from that Preybird era and really should be using it. But using a pipe lately, as much as I don’t want to, seems to be doing the trick.
I ended up having to chop them all last Sunday after checking on them and finding rot starting in a couple of them. Unfortunately, those rains OlyBoy told me about surprised us a few days early and while it’s still summer and still warm, we had a couple of heavy showers last week. But, all is well. Got rid of the rot parts, dunked them in lemon juice/water; peroxide/baking soda water (not all at once, etc.), and rinsed them well and they are now drying in the other room. Checking with a moisture meter and they are just about done.
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Makes sense. Should have innately known that. LOL.
I’ve done this on a small scale, when possible. If I could keep bud rot away when the rains begin, I’d be able to do it more often.
Everything is harvested, washed, trimmed, and hanging to dry! Nice little harvest. I didn’t even bother to weigh it as I went. Maybe I will when they are ready to jar. That’s the true weight anyway, I would think.
Thank you for the reply! 
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I’ve never seen these specific charts before. Very helpful, thank you. Yeah, it’s the clear vs milky era that I’m always not sure of. That middle picture sure looks like a very hairy Bernie LOL and one I’ll never be able to unsee. LOLOLOL
Thanks, Gary!
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Looks like Bernie grew Trichomes on his back lol.
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Now, I loves me some Bern but … SHUDDER!!
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You’re correct there. When I used to harvest-weigh AND jar-weigh, it was only to see what percentage of weight loss I would get during drying. Eventually, I stopped harvest-weigh because I’d always be in the same percentage range. And I wouldn’t trim the larf and wouldn’t weigh that either.
When I weigh (when I jar), i mainly do it to see how close my “pre-harvest-gonna-guess-eyeball estimation” is to the actual weight. 
Do you have anything else still growing?
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Sadly, no. I’m a summer outdoor grower only until I buy a house. Then I’ll be able to consider setting up all the indoor grow stuff I’ve acquired. No idea when that will be. You know how housing is here.
But I move on. We now have salmon spawning, football, and something else I can’t remember at the moment. Gets me through the dark, gloomy rainy season. Do you ever watch the salmon? It’s AMAZING!
I’m pretty sure you still have things going. I have no idea how you keep things straight!!
My neighbor is tearing down the fence and rebuilding one so it was perfect timing to harvest. Not that I’m worried. Her husband works for a grower, so they are cool. But my backyard isn’t very secure at the moment and the tweakers still abide …
My grown kids are coming to visit tomorrow and we are going to Union to hear some music at Alderbrook. Several people in Union are posting photos of Orcas passing through yesterday and today. Sure hope I get a glimpse. Never did a whale watching and this would be in the wild. Well, Hood Canal. I love Union. Great music community and a beautiful area.
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We should have tshirts made that say this
No shit? My youngest had her piano recital last week at the little resort up there. It was really beautiful. I hope you get to see some orcas!
Hellz yeah we do. We even go watch the stinky ones that somehow make it all the way to to the black hills forest National Park. I figure if they can make it all the way up there… those salmon genetics deserve a round of applause. And maybe the kids will barf. And that’s funny too.
DID YOU GO TO THE DRONE SHOW?!?! I hope you did, because it was amazing. Ours is but the little city of Olympia and our first drone show was awesome.
My girlfriend took me to dinner downtown and i smoked a j as we walked to the port. Best drone show ever! OlyGirl said she had as much fun watching me as she did watching the drone show.
So much fun living here.
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Yeah of course we do. OlyKid seems to have an “even more hands off" growing attitude than me. And it’s a little bit frustrating. But everything is good so far.
The plants seem to look good. I saw a few leafhoppers a few days ago and sprayed lottie-dottie-everybody that night with some captain jacks.
F-ing moth and caterpillars coming soon too. I wanted to spray for them sooner rather than later.
And I would like the plants not to get any mold or PWM and to to make it past another freaking week like this.
I ain’t got time for this b.s. at the beginning of September. 
Did you see the 10 foot beauty @sdoyle has going on?
You should do that! I can’t even imagine. 
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Whew glad you amended that, NEVER let seeds with roots set underwater, it will kill them. Soak them till they just start to crack THEN put them in very moist paper towels, not so wet they are sitting in water just before they get to that point real wet, but no standing water, seeds sprouting LOVE oxygen, not being underwater. That and dark.
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Not sure how long you have been growing …me since the 60s…but each to their own.
Marty
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