Harvesting for first time - need advice

[SeeMyEyes]

I’m nearing the harvest stage of my first grow and I had a question or two. I basically just followed this very helpful guide (thanks Nebula!) http://www.growweedeasy.com/cfl-coco-coir.


Currently on Day 77
Veg for 30 days (counting the day they sprouted as day 0)
Flowering for 47 days (and counting)

3 feminized Northern Lights
7 42-watt CFLs - I have it set up so each plant gets good light from 4 CFLs
Closet grow - maybe 3’ width, 3’ length, 4’ height
2-gallon smart pots for all three plants
Coco coir
General Hydroponics Flora trio + Calimagic

I did lots of LST (I got super into this aspect of the growing process!). No topping or FIM, I just pulled down the main stem as it grew to keep it flat. I trained my plants to be very short and bushy so that I could light them evenly using CFLs. They came out looking a little different than most examples I’ve found online, but I’m happy with the results! The canopy of all three plants are relatively flat, and generally I’ve had no problem adjusting the CFLs to get each of the colas good light, especially after they flowered for a weeks and stopped growing and I took all the little plant ties off.

I also did a little defoliation. Probably too much. I wish I wouldn’t have done that! It started off with just plucking a few individual leaves that were covering up new flowering sites, but then I started to go overboard. One of the three plants I definitely did way too much, a second I did a little too much, and the third still looks good, so it’s not a total catastrophe.

So here’s my question: Do my buds look underdeveloped to you all? I’m about to go into week 12 overall (week 8 of flowering), and there are still tons of pistols sticking straight out. It’s my first time so I don’t have any direct experience with it, but from the guides posted here and other places, it feels like I have another 3-4 weeks to go until harvest? This seems odd because my plants are relatively small, only 2-gallon plants and very short and bushy, and Northern Lights are expected to be harvest ready in about 8 weeks. Unfortunately I can’t tell how the trichomes are doing - I recently ordered a magnifier that got lost in the mail, and my eyesight is TERRIBLE. So I have no idea.

Normally I’d just be patient and let them grow, but I have to head out of town for several days around Christmas and I was really hoping to have them harvested by then. (I have a question related to that, too, but I’ll save it for later!). Following the handy nutrient schedule (http://www.growweedeasy.com/sites/gr...s-schedule.pdf), I was hoping to do a week of flushing, starting in just a couple days, and then it would be ready to harvest by maybe December 19 or 20th. But looking at the buds right now, they just don’t look like they’ll be ready in a week. Not even close.

What do you all think?

Crappy iphone pics:

[insomniaczzz]

Fantastic looking plant(s). Not ready yet. Like you said, way too many white pistils still sticking straight out. But you've got big fat buds, so just be patient (the hardest part of growing). Once more of the pistis start turning dark and curling start to keep an eye on the trichomes. Clear like glass, not ready. Milky like plastic, harvest window has begun.

[kingfish]

Right on insom. Couldn't have said it better.

[Tika]

IMO they have a bit to go. Check GWE harvest/cure tutorial.
it is a good looking plant...don't rush her.
also being a coco grower I suggest vigoro perlite ( no added nutrients just plain) a finer but not too fine crumble. You might also consider a 5 gal smart pot.
She looks good to me!
Still white pistils, do you have a loupe to check trichomes?
best regards

[SeeMyEyes]

Thanks to both for your feedback! I was hoping that this would be my christmas present to myself, but looks like it will be more of a new year's kind of thing.

No loupe yet, but I plan on getting one soon. For my next grow I'll definitely go with a 5-gallon smart pot. This first time I was trying really hard to keep to a 12-week overall schedule and by the time the plants were starting to get big enough to think about transplanting to 5-gallons, they were already in flowering mode and I didn't want to disturb them. Next time around I plan on vegetating for at least a few weeks longer.

[kingfish]

They may be done by Christmas, but you still have to dry and cure them. My guess is the second week of January before you can smoke them. DON'T RUSH THEM.

[SeeMyEyes]

That leads me to my other question...

I'm headed out of town for about 5 days around Christmas. If I harvest and dry them during this time, am I risking coming back and finding that they're all really brittle and too dry and kinda ruined? Would it better to give them a bunch of water before I head out and let them grow another 5 days, but risk underwatering? I'm using coco coir, and it's generally dry 2 days later, no matter how much water I use.

[kingfish]

If those are the options, I would cut them down the last possible day before you go on your trip and hang them to dry. It will take about 5 days to dry them. Just don't blow a fan on them, otherwise they be drier then a popcorn fart when you get back.

[insomniaczzz]

Thanks to both for your feedback! I was hoping that this would be my christmas present to myself, but looks like it will be more of a new year's kind of thing.

No loupe yet, but I plan on getting one soon. For my next grow I'll definitely go with a 5-gallon smart pot. This first time I was trying really hard to keep to a 12-week overall schedule and by the time the plants were starting to get big enough to think about transplanting to 5-gallons, they were already in flowering mode and I didn't want to disturb them. Next time around I plan on vegetating for at least a few weeks longer.

I went with a 30 day veg period also, thinking it would keep them smaller and have an quicker harvest. Didn't work out. One week after the 12/12 flip had to transfer from 2 gallon buckets to 5 gallon buckets. The plants, especially healthy ones, have a mind of their own. LOL

[insomniaczzz]

If those are the options, I would cut them down the last possible day before you go on your trip and hang them to dry. It will take about 5 days to dry them. Just don't blow a fan on them, otherwise they be drier then a popcorn fart when you get back.

I agree with kingfish. hang last possible moment. If you were in soil, I'd say water the heck out them and harvest when you get back. But coco dries out quicker. Can you hang to dry in your grow space and leave closet door open. I think they will dry a little slower that way, being in a bit more of a confined space, instead of having them hanging out in the middle of a big room.

[Tika]

Your dry will depend on your ambient heat/ humidity, how you cut them: more branch = slower dry, I personally like 60/60 for ambient..nice and slow. If you are going to go away for 5,days- flush well before you harvest by 2 days, cut and hang
just my opinion.

[SeeMyEyes]

Thanks everyone! I guess all of this depends on the harvest window even being open by Dec 23 (that's when I head out of town). Looking at the pistils right now, it's hard for me to imagine most of them being brown and tucked in by then! But hopefully they will be, and I'll definitely do a big flush a couple days before I cut them down.

Tika - what did you mean by 60/60 for ambient? Is that temperature/humidity?

[Tika]

Yes..temperature and humidity in drying space. Where you hang them.

[NebulaHaze]

Just wanted to add that your plants look great! The buds are already a nice size but they're going to get quite a bit bigger from the looks of it! As far as when to harvest I'd really avoid letting them dry without supervision if you possibly can, but I think it depends a lot in how far along they are right before you leave. If they can go longer I'd water them thoroughly the day before and the day of, and possibly leave them with an automatic waterer if you think they're still going to dry out (even an upside down soda bottle with water in it will do the trick) to keep them moist until you get back But if they're ready to harvest definitely you want to harvest them at the right time!

[gbauto]

Congrats on the grow! Sounds like your eyesight is about as bad as mine so some type of magnification is ABSOLUTELY necessary to be able to see the trichs. That is the only accurate visual indicator to say when it's best time to harvest. Also plan on adding at least 30 days to dry and minimum cure. Waiting is the cruelest part...