SOIL Harvesting crop after 5-6 weeks flower, opinions wanted

[RobertKing]

Hey all, this is my first grow and I've made a rookie mistake and am looking for opinions...
I am flying out of the country in 6 weeks, and only just changed my lights to 12/12 yesterday

What's my best course of action to get the best harvest possible?
- Flower for 5.5 weeks, dry for 3 days and store?
- Leave for whole 6 weeks and let the plant die due to dehydration while im gone, in the hope that the buds ripen up? I'll be away for 4-6 weeks though...
- ???

As for my setup:
- 2 plants in soil, unknown strain, 100W basic eBay LED (spent $16 in total on everything, trying to save some cash and get a couple oz smokable bud for personal use)
- Been growing for 6 weeks already at 18/6 light schedule

Thanks a lot all opinions appreciated!

[CaptainWiese91]

A little hard when you don’t know the strain is a sativa dominant or an indica..
If you left it for 5-6 weeks with my water - I don’t even think the buds will ripen after that - because water is vital for the plant - and the process will be slowed down or pretty much stop actually.
Really hard choice you have here.
no options taken it outdoors. ?

[RobertKing]

I'll definitely buy identified seeds and give myself enough time for them to flower next time!

Unfortunately outside is not an option in my high-rise apartment but thanks
I suppose after 5 and a half weeks the bud will be extremely mediocre and under developed?

[RobertKing]

Damnnn right cheers! Let's hope it's an indica and my harvest is useable.. I'll ask around, and if no one can help out that's the current best strategy!

This means that i'll have to dry the buds and chuck them straight in a ziplock, and will not be able to 'burp' them... Will this be an issue?

[CaptainWiese91]

A zip lock ?
Never tried this method. I use a glass jar.
But if you must be away - would take a glass jar - like from a jam, there you have a tin capsule on top, so you can make tiny holes in it. Like when you catch a salamander or a spider - for the air to get out/in.

[RobertKing]

Yup alright sounds good thanks. I'll go buy a jar then

[Papapuff559]

Maybe make a drip system and hook it up to a timer or find someone trustworthy to water them for you? Tough spot to be in. I'm first-time grower too so not much else I can think of

[RobertKing]

Thanks for the suggestion, definitely worth me thinking about but I'm a little sketched out about leaving my lights going while I'm away for weeks... They kick off a fair bit of heat I'm sure they wouldn't start a fire but it still sketches me out a bit thinking about it!

Don't think I know anyone to water them for me either unfortunately...

[CaptainWiese91]

I wouldn’t do it.
Even if I go out to eat or have fun, I have a bad feeling when my light is on actually.
Never tried a fire. I have dogs, but could never forgive myself if It all burned and my dogs were inside..
you don’t have a friend you trust ?

[Papapuff559]

Yeah I understand that. I think they make light timers you can control with your mobile device if that's an option

[RobertKing]

That's fair enough, I have similar concerns for sure so i'll rule that out i'd say

Maybe, but I live in a big city, I'd be asking a college mate to travel 90+mins to water my plants... I could try ask around but I'd say likely not

[Gingerbeard]

Hey RobertKing Do you have someone you trust who could take care of things while you're gone? Lights on a timer. Easy watering if maybe your friend may not be cool with nutes. But molasses, at least, during flowering. Quick harvest when it's time. By 'quick' I mean cutting all the main branches and letting them hang instead of a full trim of nugs and colas.

Hey! Maybe we could start some sort of plant care thing for people who go out of town. Like Air BNB. Buds-n-buds. Buds taking care of your buds when you are unable.

[CaptainWiese91]

Buds’N’Buds - sounds fucking awesome 😆👍🏻

[RobertKing]

Great buisiness idea! You should start that haha.

I'll ask around, definitely the best solution. It's just a very big ask as the city I live in would have even my (geographically) closest friends taking hours out of their day. Perhaps i'll knock on some neighbours doors in the apartment and ask.

[Gingerbeard]

Offer your buddy four to six weeks of free vacation in the big city. Room, only. And he'll have to work for it.

[Gingerbeard]

All my plants are OG because I live 1.5 miles from the beach in San Diego. Our women are pretty enough. This a cause for a cuz' in buds. We do it for love.

[RobertKing]

Not sure mate all I know is bud is 100% legal here no worries around that! 🤣 Must be nice having a wife to take care of your plants for you!

[RobertKing]

Sounds like you're sorted Gingerbeard ! But that exotic getaway is still on the table! (at your expense!)

[CaptainWiese91]

Gingerbeard I’m going to use this name, Buds’N’Buds for my grow shop / Head shop 😁👍🏻 Perfect for my shop 🙏🏻

[Gingerbeard]

How does 'Buds-N-Buds' translate in Portuguese? I want a t-shirt, too.
No Rasta images. Don't be cliché and use some ubiquitous reggae image in your branding. Go with a lenhador vibe. Discount according to beard length. We can work something out for non-bearded women.
I think I sound like I would make a solid business idea partner.

[CaptainWiese91]

I love reggae really much ! New school reggae, but my head shop isn’t going to get a reggae theme, trust me.

Discount in beard length 😂. Fuck yea! People who buy paper, bongs etc. here don’t have beards 😂. They are too young for that 😆 I’ll go with it !

I fucking send you a t shirt for free - when I get em’ made for the shop 😎.
Buds’N’Buds in português is Botões’E’Botões. I keep the English name - sounds more legit 😂.

[CaptainWiese91]

Maybe I should make a Off Topic thread about ideas to the shop - lots of stoners here with awesome ideas 🤔👍🏻

[Thunderfirst]

My first grow started 10/15/2019 till 12/20/2019 in veg. with cheap $16 lights. After contacting forum I decided to buy 1000w Viparspectra for 100 bucks on Amazon. Felt I needed it to insure enough light for flowering. Fortunately they were all female. Flowered till Feb.15,2020. Had about 28 grams of Bud that cured by mid-March that tasted like sweetened grapefruit. My point being, make sure you have proper lighting. Pot needs intense light to Bud and you won't even know if they are male or female till a week or so after the switch to 12/12. Get better lights and your best friend to tend them for you.

[Thunderfirst]

My second grow I followed the grow light schedule suggested by manufacturer and had four plants crowding my 2 x 3 grow room. Fortunately (?) two of them were male. Found the sex about a week after the switch. The two remaining have filled the space nicely. The light has made a BIG difference. DID I SAY BIG. I MEANT GINORMOUS.

[RobertKing]

Wow I would have thought my light would do the trick but I suppose not. Thanks!