When are seeds ripe?

[UndergroundFarmer]

I've got enough books on the subject of breeding but they don't quite get around to answering this question, so I'm asking y'all: When you're growing for seed production, do you harvest according to trichomes or is there a better way? I'd hate to cut the girls in Psychonaut down too early and be left with "preemie" seeds after all this time and effort.

 

[ChadWestport]

I disregard trichomes and focus on the seeds, considering I grow plants for seeds not for the harvest. But I also have my smokable tent too. Seeds take 4-6 weeks from pollination to reach maturity, I have gone longer when needed. This means that a 60 day strain has been flowering for about 80 days. No worries though, we want seeds.

Once you take the seeds out of the pods, they still need to dry some. Keep them in an open container, not stacked deeply upon themselves. I usually just use a paper grocery store bag.

 

[UndergroundFarmer]

Thanks. It's hard to find advice like this in the grow books. I can check the dates on my pics and get a rough idea of how far along they are since they were being pollinated as soon as they had stigmas!

 

[Korn]

Unless you are in some kind of rush or deadline, its better to leave them in the buds until they are fully mature. How to tell? Pull a few out here and there. You will have hundreds if not thousands, so it’s OK to sacrifice a few. If the seed is full sized but the seed coat is still green and somewhat soft, then it is not ripe. Look for full-colored firm-shelled seeds that often are showing through the separated seed brachts. When I determine that they are ripe, I withhold water for a week or two and let the plant dry out. You can leave under lights or remove from lights but keep good ventilation and dry cool conditions. The seeds will be easier to remove then. Good luck!

 

[ChadWestport]

I also like to check up and down the plant for ripeness (color, shape, size, strength) too. You aren't going to damage or make a seed less effective by going longer in order to get more to ripen up. There is a good post below and like it suggests, you can always take a few out and check for ripeness. It's important that it is fully formed, meaning there will be a well defined dimple / crater on the bottom of the seed. Keep in mind, not all seeds get the tiger stripes, but most will.

 

[UndergroundFarmer]

That's good to know. I've noticed a few buds where bracts are separating but only slightly. There is no real rush here except for the anticipation of the next project in this tent. Even then, everything will have to go down for at least a week for cleaning and reassembly along with giving the tent walls a good scrub to get rid of remaining pollen.