Trichromes

[crud]

i've read that a bud is at it's peak & ready to be harvested when the trichromes start to turn brown?firstly what do the trichromes look like?can i see them with a normal magnifying glass?i'm thinking of cutting the top buds off my plants that have been flowering for 6 weeks(buds are fairly large) & letting the light in on the lower branches for a couple of weeks.

[Ozzy420]

Hey crud i think what u are talking about are all the hairs that come out of the buds, the rule of thumb is when about 70% of the hairs have turned red it is ready for harvest and another way it to have a close look at the resion that is on the buds it will turn a milky colour then thay will turn amber when it has done this it is harvest time that is the best way fron what i have read but some one eals should be able to explane it a lil better than i can.

[crud]

hi ozmade,i allways thought it was the hairs on the buds as well,until i read a book(closet cultivator i think)they talked about trichromes & using a magnifying glass to see them,the hairs are called pistils aren't they?

[Guest BudWaver]

Luke Skywalker would the the one to chat to about this.....hes something of a trichome technician

 

It can make the difference between good smoke and great smoke...

 

Especially if you use a product like Superbud...

[Brainstorm]

ok then, the trichromes are small stalks of resin on the bud (and on the leaves around the bud), to see them properly you'll need something like a 30x magnifying glass.

 

There is basically two stages that most growers like to pick their buds:

 

Early - when the resultant high can be expected to be of the light heady high type. The trichromes will have turned from clear to cloudy.

 

Late - when the resultant high can be expected to be of the heavy couchlock type. The trichromes will have turned from cloudy to amber.

 

If you are going to use trichromes as your harvest indicator you will definitely need a 30x magnifying glass or stronger, you won't be able to see the trichromes properly without one. When you view them you'll recognise them easily.

[F420]

http://www.overgrow.com/edge/gallery/3676/sp1r500w.jpg

 

Is the trichomes,

 

 

 

I found this at high times magazine. Hope it helps.

When using a magnifying glass or loupe to determine ripeness, you’re examining the resin glands on the buds for signs of maturity and/or decay. During flowering, these glands start out small and increase in size as they fill with resin. As they near maturity, the head of the gland will begin to expand and it will start to look like a tiny mushroom. This is the first sign that they’re nearing the point of diminishing returns. This is the point at which production of fresh THC laden resin has slowed and is equal to the rate of decay of THC into CBD.

 

The decay of THC is accompanied by a change in the color of the resin from clear to amber. This is the other sign of ripeness that can only be determined by magnification. What you’re looking for is the point at which the production of fresh resin is still just barely outpacing the decay. It’s impossible to know the exact moment. You just need to keep checking and go with your gut. 30 power magnification is enough to make the call, but 100 power would be easier to see clearly.

 

Info from http://www.natureshigh.com