Traveling around harvest time, should harvest early or harvest late?

[SLX]

Hi all,

It seems I mistimed my grow a bit and I'm faced with a problem.
on July 12th I'll be leaving my home (traveling) for 14 days, during that time I could potentially get back once or maximum twice for a limited amount of time.
For obvious reasons I will not be able to bring anything with me during travel, but my harvest time is near, I'm guessing the plants need about a month now before harvest.

I can see 2 scenario's in my head right now and I'd like some input on which would be the best way to go.

1. harvest early
I harvest the plant about 10-12 days before I need to leave (so in 3 weeks), let them dry for 3 or 4 days (wet trimmed to speed up drying) and start curing (while burping etc). once I have to leave I put a humidity control pack in the jar during my 14 day travel and hope for the best. I'm a bit scared of leaving the jars closed for such long periods of time (but could get home once or twice for a burp during the 14 days away).

2. harvest late
I let the plant grow about halfway my travel time, then I go home about 7 days before the end of my travel (so in 5.5 weeks) and hang them drying (the whole plant to make sure drying is slow). That way I can start curing when I get back home and fully dedicate my time burping them etc.

I'm leaning towards the second option but I'm not sure if letting the plant grow too long will ruin the harvest.
I know I'll probably be sacrificing quality here whichever option I take, but that's better than losing my harvest.

What would be the best way to go? Or anyone has better suggestions?
For reference, I posted a thread with my plants for other issues where you can see how far they currently are: https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...early-in-bloom

Thanks

[bboyfromwayback]

All those months tending to your grow deserves a proper harvest. According to your schedule, if you chopped early you wouldn’t be around to properly dry and cure your buds. Better wait

[SLX]

Thanks for the input!
Guess I'll be waiting then.

Just for reference, what would be the maximum time you can keep them after the harvest "sweet spot"? Sweet spot meaning 75% milky, 25% amber trichomes as I've read
Do they turn bad quickly when growing them too long or do you have a large time window? Couldn't find any info in that.

[cybersmib]

When to harvest is such a personal topic as when you harvest will have an impact on one’s experience when medicating. The earlier you harvest the “speedier” the experience, the later you harvest the more “couch lock” the experience. Pick your poison.

[BR2K]

Let 'em be. I bet you come back to a POTENT harvest!

[OldManGrower]

#1

I can provide my experience in a similar circumstance. I got caught between a harvest date and a travel date to Tuscany. When I realized that my dates may overlap, I turned 12/12 about a week early. Then, I harvested a week earlier then I might have liked. Dried the crop for 5 days and was able to cure for 7 days. Came home to some awesome weed but a disappointing yield. Still, it was all fun and more than enough to exceed my needs until my current grow is complete. Harvesting late was not an option as I was gone for 18 days.

[Diesel200034]

You can also use a jug of water , make sure higher than your plant pot . And just a piece of twine from bottle to your plant and will slowly drip to keep them from drying out . Many videos on YouTube for it

[SLX]

Thanks, but watering isn't the issue. I have an auto watering system for such travel times, the main issue was my projected harvest time was just before I had to leave.

[alltatup]

Number b. Not worth it to harvest before the triches are mature.

[SLX]

Thanks for the input, as most have indicated, I'll indeed be going for the second option.
Great to get such great answers

[alltatup]

SLX Yeah, the thing about cultivating cannabis is the plants do take over your life!! I will have been growing for six years on July 21, haven't been on a vacay in that time (not that I used to take them anyway), but I am a prisoner of my beautiful plants!!! ;-}

[bboyfromwayback]

So very true!!!!! We tie these plants down but they hold us at bay 😂