HELP! Is it Just Me or is Reading Your Trichomes Really Hard (Pre-Harvest Help Needed)

[GreenArmadillo]

Man, I started monitoring my trichomes to see where i'm at, and how many weeks left i'm looking at. And damn, that $hit is difficult.
I have a 40x jewellers loupe, a 60x phone attachment magnifier, and a 200-240x magnifier.

The loupe isn't strong enough to show me the trichome heads clearly, and the 200x magnifier is really hard to keep still. Cause it's so zoomed in any slight tremor of the hand or the bud and you can't see jack-all. Not to mention that when the magnifier touches the bud, it moves the bud and once again, you can't see jack-all.
The 200x magnifier is great. Like I'm getting glimpses of the trichomes and the image is really clear and distinct, it's just that I can only see them for a split second before the image moves or disappears.

Am I missing a specific technique on how to look at the trichomes?
It ain't as easy as I imagined.

/rant over/


These are the pics I managed to snap with the phone magnifier. What do you guys say?
Honestly, I can't make much of it. I'm not sure what it means?
Like, I know that i'm best of harvesting when 50% of all trichomes turn cloudy, but it's just not easy to tell.
Help a brother out. Pretty please.

[GreenArmadillo]

Here's all the pics that came out relatively decent, for analysis purposes:

[Minoo96]

Hi! Im a new grower, never harvested even once. So my experience is none. But my eyes are as good as anyone From what I can see, there are none amber. Most cloudy. And some still clear. So, its almost ready to harvest for a mind high rather than a body high? (I personally look for body high, plan to harvest when amber color show up...)
I clicked on your post wondering "what more problem will come up now", seems looking at your trichomes is not as easy as it sounds! Sigh...

[GreenArmadillo]

I'm definitely a head high kinda guy. I love me some trippy weed. =D

[Minoo96]

As soon as there are none clear, harvest I don't think you should wait for amber then. But remember, I've never harvested once, so... Its an almost worthless opinion. Just read so much online.

[GreenArmadillo]

Nah fam, really glad you shared. Happy to learn and hear from others. Thank you. <3

[HobbyGardener]

I'd give them another week at least, as Minoo96 said, no amber trichs yet, and some are still clear. You're best harvesting when you get some amber trichome and ALL milky/cloudy, no clear ones.

[9fingerleafs]

I agree with the others. When you see some amber the time has come

[Beach_Town_Brit]

Hi Armadillo, I'm with the others, they don't look quite ready yet.
You ideally want all your trichomes to have swollen cloudy heads, the cloudy bit is the THC. Once they turn amber the THC is transforming, personal taste dictates how many amber heads but I've never heard of anyone doing more than 50/50 cloudy/amber.

It is certainly very tough to get focused pics of trichs! I use the USB zorb microscope and find that if I take a video there'll always be some frames that are in focus. Otherwise you really need a little tripod. Remember, that it's the trichs on the buds that you want to look at rather than those on sugar leaves

The good thing is that you don't have to be that accurate. I've heard people say the optimum harvest window is anywhere from 3-21 days so it's not like you'll miss it and your harvest will be ruined.

[Potted]

Need more time to rippen for sure, it's comming right along,don't forget to flush and have a good harvest.peace

[alltatup]

Here's all the pics that came out relatively decent, for analysis purposes:

GreenArmadillo I totally feel ya!! It's VERY HARD to hold one of those stupid hand-held things and get a good view of triches. After buying two cheap hand-held scopes and a jeweler's loupe, I find this one works best BUT I GOTTA TAKE MY GLASSES OFF:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It moves like you describe, but I can get glimpses of the triche color. It helps if I drink a glass of wine to steady my hand.

When I know that I'm getting into the harvest zone, I have best luck using this one that connects to my computer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've taken it into the grow room a few times, and since the microscope suctions onto the pad that comes with it, if I get it situated right, I can catch glimpses of triches. What has worked best for me is to snip off a little bit of bud, and I can see exactly what state the triches are in. It allows you to take pics and even make a video!!

[GreenArmadillo]

WOW!! I love how clear your trichomes are in the pictures! Correct me if i'm wrong, but these pics represent ready for harvest, yeah? I'm clearly seeing lots of cloudy trichome heads.

I may just have to invest in a usb microscope it seems. I like the idea of scanning a video for stills rather than trying my luck in real-time with a handheld. =D

[alltatup]

Yes, Armadillo, those pics were from right after harvest.

[oldjarhead100]

thats a good scope that alltatup suggested I try to let my trichomes get to about 30 percent, and its better to harvest a week late than a week early alot of magic happens in that last week .that being said when I see amber I start to think about flushing, I grow in coco and I like to get at least two watering cycles in before I harvest

[alltatup]

I like that: "a lot of magic happens in that last week." I'ma have to wait till I see a bit of amber...

[DW2]

Howdy GreenArmadillo, I use a 20X lens attachment on my iPhone to photograph the tricomes. I do not use the flash (the light reflects back) and try to get some background illumination, so of to see 'through' the tricomes, this makes it easier to see their condition. I have trouble holding steady as well and usually wind up taking several photos before getting one or two usable ones.

[GreenArmadillo]

Excellent feedback y'all. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and infoz.
Could I trouble you guys to post some examples of amber trichome heads? I'm trying to imagine what it'd look like, but my mind is drawing a blank, haha.
I thought that when people were talking about amber, they were referring to the pistils, lol.

btw, just from looking at the pistils today, i'm sure I still got a while left till i'm at proper harvest time. Although I have a decent number of orangey pistils, most are still sticking straight out. Barely any of the pistils have started curling into the buds.

But if i'm not mistaken, my buds are already showing some cloudy trichome heads, yeah? So that means i'm definitely in harvesting territory, am I right in saying this?
As far as I understand..The next step is to keep monitoring till I see pistils curling in AND the beginning of amber trichome heads.
Is that when I should start flushing, or is there a sign before that to let me know it's flushing time? (I assume a flush should go on for 2 weeks, right?)

I'ma go as far as to guess I got another 4 weeks of flowering growth, followed by a 2 week flush, then harvest. Sound about right from the look of things?

[alltatup]

http://www.growweedeasy.com/make-buds-sparkle-with-more-trichomes#stages-of-trichome-development

[GreenArmadillo]

YES, I see them! Thank you. =)

Another thing I just picked up from that read, my trichomes are still lanky with small heads. I'll know i'm on harvest schedule when my trichomes are screaming at me because they are so big and juicy. It's nice to know that they'll be easier to see when they are ready.

[GreenArmadillo]

Yo, Yo, YO! I have an update and am in want of y'all sexy opinions my buddies and buddettes.
Basically what alltatup said about the video microscope got me thinking, and voila! I thought, why the hell not attach the phone magnifier to my phone lens and SHOOT A VIDEO instead of taking pics.

So i've shot videos of each of my girls up close. One video per girl.
I've decided to harvest my girls incrementally. So one first. The next baby a week or two later, and so on. That way i can compare the results and smoke from each phase of harvest. Pretty neat, yeah?
It's mainly because, from what I can see, I have lots of cloudy trichome heads already even though my buds are still pretty small (but the small bud is probably due to my inadequate light levels).
I don't wanna miss the chance for a purely "head high" as that is definitely my favourite. Not to mention that Nebula told me in my other thread that because my girls are such pure oldskool sativas, they might not ever show amber trichomes, so I may not be able to depend on them ambers as a sign of harvest-ready.
So i'd appreciate your help in determining which girl to harvest first!

I'm thinking of starting to flush one girl next week, which would be week 10 since I started seeing sex (the switch to 12/12 was done about 3 weeks prior to that, so would be week 13 since flippin to 12/12).

My personal choice would be to harvest Daphne first, just because she is the bulkiest of my girls and takes up so much space, not to mention that she is the closest to my supplemental 400 watt HPS floodlight. If I harvest her first, it gives the other girls a lot more chance to get some HPS exposure for the last few weeks.

NebulaHaze I would especially appreciate your super experienced opinion. Your word is gold! <3

Without further ado:

Alicia
https://www.sendspace.com/file/lqpvxi

Brittania
https://www.sendspace.com/file/edtds9

Daphne
https://www.sendspace.com/file/wueag6

Esmerelda
https://www.sendspace.com/file/fnwwxc




Sorry if the videos are annoying, but gaddamn is it hard to keep a steady image throughout, haha. >.<
Feel free to skim the videos. Much appreciated guys and gals.
Can't wait to experience my very first harvest.

[alltatup]

Armadillo, 40% is good!! I'm not an expert on what will up the trichomes, so maybe post that as a thread, or maybe it's already on GWE. Anyway it's gonna be the best weed you ever done smoked...

Fuckin A right swearin is good for the soul!!!

[GreenArmadillo]

I actually done some reading up for the last hour or so (fuckin love reading up, I get really into it), and four methods for boosting trichomes at the end of the flowering phase are:
- lowering humidity
- making a cut through the stem and then leaving toothpicks or nails in there
- something called girdling (not sure what it is, but something to do with scraping of bark from your main stalk?)
- bending the main stalk quite heavily, so as to force the plant to suck up nutes to heal it

[GreenArmadillo]

And oooooooh man, it's practically giving me the shivers thinking about the smoke this is all going to result in. Damned right fo sho it's gonna be the best I ever done seen, smelled and smoked. \(-_^)/

[GreenArmadillo]

This is what the buds look like, for good measure. (Pics taken from all 4 babes)

[alltatup]

You have way too many white pistils to even contemplate harvest yet. Your buds have a ways to go, and they should put on weight, the pistils will darken and turn in, there may be more trichomes. If your humidity is high and if you have a dehumidifier, you can lower the humidity to around 30-35% to get the girls to produce more trichomes.

This is the hard part; hanging in there for a few more weeks or a month while they slowly ripen.
I am in week 4 since switching to 12/12, and I'm barely beginning to see the buds emerge. It's a whole new experience with this kind of sativa, and you must practice patience. It will be worth it. Wait until you compare pics three weeks from now with these pics: your pistils will look very different.

[GreenArmadillo]

So I drove down to my hydro shop today absolutely believing in the powers of the universe that I would obtain a sexy new HPS grow light. Full of optimism.
Now when I arrived, I was saddened to hear them tell me that they still have no reflectors in stock. No LEDs. No nothing. Just bulbs and ballasts.
Now upon further prying and investigating, I discovered that they haven't even put an order in yet!! Can you believe it?! About a month ago they said that they had an order in place and were waiting for the shipment. Not gonna lie, this upset me.

So I left the shop, wracking my brain on what to do. My girls DEFINITELY want more light.
And then it hit me. I was like, BRO, just buy another 400 watt HPS floodlight and add it to the grow room. It won't be as good as a proper grow light, but it will definitely add some more light power for the girls to eat up.

So I bought one, and will add it to the grow room tomorrow upon daylight hours. Really excited and happy. I also picked up some GH FloraKleen, so as to be prepared for the flush.


And here's my plan of attack for the rest of this grow.

-On Saturday we will be starting week 10 flower. I will give the girls another nute feed at 1/4 strength.
-Starting week 11, I will begin flushing one of the babes. Either Esmerlda or Daphne. The reason being that my girls have been systematically discarding leaves over the past 2 weeks, and now Brittania is showing some yellowing and wilting on the last of her major fan leaves. This isn't due to underwatering, i'm sure. Whenever I water I always measure moisture levels beforehand, and they haven't dropped below 4 (out of 10) for a few weeks now.
- I will flush the chosen girl on her own, using water and FloraKleen (still not sure what quantities to use yet) for 2 weeks.
- Week 13 I will harvest the chosen girl, and most likely start flushing another girl or two.
- Week 15 I will harvest the next two girls, and start flushing the final babe.
- Week 17 I will harvest the last of my babies. She will be a super mature woman by then. Gonna be so proud. <3

Does that sound like a good plan?

[NebulaHaze]

Sounds like a good plan to me!

[alltatup]

GreenArmadillo my exact same experience with 12/12 bud development: switched to 12/12 on April 1, and it's been a very slow process. According to a buddy's grow journal, in another 4 weeks we will see a lot of bud development.

[Minoo96]

Hey greenarmadillo. Yeah its "bro".
Yeah I had heard of sativa like that... But that's crazy Those must be hard to grow and very special in the effects! I hope everything will go as planned for you!

[GreenArmadillo]

Another thing I am now fully convinced in (thanks Nebula & Alltatz) is that I should shorten the light time.
I'ma switch to 11/13 on Saturday.
And possibly shorten by an hour every two weeks from then on. Or should I shave of an hour every week?

That would make it:

* Week 10 ------> 11/13
* Week 11 ------> 10/14
* Week 12 ------> 9/15
* Week 13-17 --> 8/16

Or

* Week 10-11 ----> 11/13
* Week 12-13 ----> 10/14
* Week 14-16 ----> 9/15
* Week 17-18 ----> 8/16

[Minoo96]

8 hours might be a bit short for week 13-17. 4 weeks with minimum lights, that might not turn the best results... I prefer the second solution. Its my preferences though!

[alltatup]

I'm going to follow what my buddy from another forum did, which was not to change the light schedule until the end of the flush. Plants spent the last 4 days of flush in darkness with 65 degree water.

[NebulaHaze]

I'd go with option two, and in fact you may not even need to shorten it past 10/14 unless the plant still stubbornly is flowering slowly. You still want to give it as much light per day as possible to maximize your yields, so it's a balancing act between trying to give your plant as many light hours as possible while getting the plant to be ready to harvest in a reasonable time