I like 62 for cure and 58 for smoking
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Iāll be the first to acknowledge not understanding the metabolic processes of a plants lifeā¦but I have learned not to give them human attributes, personification or anthropomorphismā¦Iāve already upgraded our pet dog to replace the kids that have grown and moved out 
.
cellular, bacterialā¦as long as moisture is present, something is happening until the fuel runs outā¦in the light and in the dark.
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If my tents allow, I try to do a 2 day dark period, as well as harvesting in the dark, just to try to ensure thereās as little stuff as possible circulating through the plant at chop time. If my tents wonāt allow for 2 days of dark, I still always harvest after the plant has been in the dark for at least 6 hours.
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I also do this. I actually chop them right before lights are due to come back on the next cycle.
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I am an outdoor grower so not feasibleā¦lolā¦ but splitting the stem etc and stressing the plant has not provided me with any concrete evidence that one thing or any stress is better than anotherā¦
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I swear by 62% bovedasā¦lolā¦
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Yep the non-scientific we grow and know explanationā¦
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Oh Man this is an interesting thread! Iām about 10 days in on the flush of my first grow, so finding this via the search is great. Iām pretty stoked for my first chop!
Since this is my next technique to try, I have to ask, is there a down and dirty way to confirm Iāve finished my flush? I donāt have a PPM meter and getting one is for a later date. I checked my drip trays which I cleaned before the very first flush and checked for dried salts the next day. Iāve done this for each flush and the trays are drying cleaner with each flush. Todayās flush was totally clean. Itās the fourth one and the stems are getting very weak. Should I keep flushing for a full two weeks, or should I put these ladies to bed (dark) for a couple of days and then give them the chop?
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What do the trichomes look like?
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They have started to amber up nicely, maybe around 15% on the main koalas.
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Please keep in mind that many people have different preferences @modshot but my preference is to minimize amber and clears and maximize the milky trichomes which is considered highest THC.
Many people like to decide harvest time based on trichome color. They push their plant to more and more amber if they want a ācouch lockā and harvest cloudy/clear for creative and energetic highs.
I donāt do any of that. Whatever Iām growing I try to harvest at PEAK CLOUDINESS ONLY which again is your highest THC content. Couch lock highs or creative highs I let be determined by genetics, not trichome color.
If I want a ācouch lockā high then I chose a strain geared towards couch lock and harvest at peak cloudiness.
There might be different opinions out there about harvesting but the point Iām trying to make is if my plant was at 15% amber them Iām ready to harvest @modshot
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THX @tdubwilly.
Iāve saved the Trichomes chart that @missiles shared which shows with pretty pictures what you so effectively wrote. I thought that I had time to flush before they got too amber, but I am surprised how fast these ladies move. Itās been crazy hot and humid here and my dehumidifier called it quits and I thought that may have sped up the ambering. I was also getting the tips of the leaves to start turning brown which I chalked up to a bit too much N or P. So I started the flush. Iāve started what I think should be about 36 hours of dark, and these ladies will be coming down on Friday. WooHoo first harvest!!!
Iāve got clones from these waiting in the wings that Iām going to start a grow journal on. Iāve upped my wattage for lighting, got a tent (I did this batch with just a couple of silver photo reflectors and white walls), which will be good for a comparison. I also want to try doing a scrog this next round.
Iāve done a lot of gardening (veg & flowers), but Iām really enjoying growing these āweedsā quite a bit. I did it once before in my college years, but this crop is better than anything from those days. This place is part of that, lot of great resources.
Just for fun, hereās a couple of pics from my other gardens.
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Boy your other flowers are gorgeous 
very nice! I havenāt seen flowers that pretty in a long time 
such vibrant colors!
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Itās so exciting! Iām happy for you 
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THX @missiles! The callas are do very well this year. I think itās because I started them with my current crop and they shared the light and TLC.
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Exactly! I let the genetics do the talking by harvesting at Cloudy/barely any amber.
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I heard that u donāt run them in darknes while the pot or medium is still wet let it dry out first before going to 48 hr period
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Iām very interested in the last tasks to do before harvest, which includes the darkness period, flushing, and whatever else I come up with. Iām growing outdoors in bags, so have no problem sticking them in a dark shed or a bedroom with no lights for 12-48 hours before chopping.
I know Iām reviving an old topic, but Iām always being told to do my own researching before asking the same old questions already answered in the past, so here I am. LOL
Iāve spent the morning watching videos on flushing and bud washing. So, I think Iām going to seriously think about starting a 7-10 day flush soon, let the soil dry out a bit, set them in the dark and then chop and then wash and hang.
Still so much to learn but itās coming down to the wire with my girls.
Guess Iāll tag some current posters @bobette @boozer @CoyoteCody @ginger420 @happilyretired @LoCoRocK @mudman @OlyBoy @pptrsha1 @PreyBird1 @repins12 @TheMadFlascher @ravenchief @Slym3r @wayno and Iām so sorry for leaving some really great folks out but I went thru the @alphabet and these are the names I know from that LOL
Any advice on the last weeks of an outdoor grow would be SO much appreciated: flushing, darkness, chopping, washing, anything, anything! And, no, I have no idea how to identify when itās time and donāt want to buy another device to read trichomes. LOL Thanks!!
EDIT: I was just given an older iPhone and I have a device I can attach to it to take closeup pics but canāt figure out how to view them just yet, so MAYBE Iāll be able to see those trichomes. Also, Iām feeding Jacks 321 and recently added on some Terp Tea Bloom to the Jacks 321. I grow in bags outside.
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For my outdoors I try to use the trichomes as much as possible because things can move pretty quickly when the weather starts turning colder (like now 
) with the bud rot and constant wet weather some girls got chopped a little earlier than I would have optimally liked but all goodā¦
I just started washing this summer and I LOVE IT and recommend it -
I donāt have the means but if I did I would definitely put the girls in the dark for 24 hours before chopping.
I personally donāt flush for more than 2 days but I know many that flush for 2 weeks - If you are more on the organic side then less if you are more salt based synthetic then more would be my guidanceā¦
I tend to load up in the last weeks on pk - I use banana water and other natural sources as boosters
If I think of anything more I will add - its a very exciting and bitter/sweet time for me and I am sure will be for you - the girls get all dressed up in their Sunday bests and then get chopped haha - I placate myself with knowing that is what they are here for but I still get emotional
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