Ready for harvest? And is this beyond saving?

[simonH]

Hey Guys

 

This is an Auto Purple on Day 84. I've been feeding it plain pH'd water for the past 3 weeks or so, and I think its ready to harvest. However some of the lower buds aren't as developed yet. Shall I harvest the whole plant, or just cut the more developed buds off and dry them?

 

I've already the best way to dry is actually in the pot, just stop watering and it will die and dry itself. Thoughts on this?

 

Pics:

 

  

 

 

 

 

Also this is a northern lights "auto". I say "auto" as it didn't really bud properly until 12/12. Anyway, I was away for 5 days, came back and it was all wilted and dead like this. The pot was light, but there was still some moisture in the coco. Anyway I've given it a good watering, but I'm doubtful whether it will come back to life. From looking at the pics, do you think theres anything worth smoking or not, is the whole plant a loss?

 

Pics:

 

 

 

Pretty sad I know  Also, it smells very strongly of tea bags!

Edited December 29, 2013 by simonH

[merl1n]

Hey Simon,

At 12 weeks (84 days), this is when I rip. The discoloration of the leaves is pretty normal, especially with the flushing you've been giving it. Personally Id say 3 weeks of flush is 2 weeks too many, but that's me. The reason I say this is that the plant will naturally fight to survive and will start using all of its own reserves to survive hence the pale leaves. I have found that the smoke becomes very course and rough to smoke after the first week of flushing. Your flushing is to get rid of the salt build up from your nutes and once those salts are gone the plant starts to 'cannibalize' itself. In the right conditions this can also force the plant into reproducing itself and it can turn to seed. To stop this I'd be ripping it and hanging it to dry, leaving it in the pot can only result in further deterioration.

At this point Id be chopping the lot, you could just take the tops and allow the lower buds to get more light, but again, after 3 weeks of flush there should be very little salts for those buds to mature any further. Also adding more nute now it will take 2-3weeks for the plant to be showing any great improvement. This is part of the reason I SCROG my plant and strip all the undergrowth, I want maximum crowns getting maximum light with minimum 'popcorn' bud.

 

Now this is all my opinion (Well it's what I do). Lets see what others have to say.

Hope it helps

 

Merl1n

[simonH]

Thanks buddy. I understand the yellowing is normal, its basically using the nitrogen in the leaves for food if I understand correctly?

 

I've put the smaller plant, the Purple Auto one up to hang. However, since it hadnt been watered for 5 days, it was already quite dry, but has a nice pleasant smell. I figure just another 2-3 days drying in the dark, then in jars, as the leaves were quite crumbly.

 

With the leaves and off cuttings, what can I do with them? Im gonna just give the stems to the worms, but could I use the leaves as well as popcorn buds for anything?

 

Now with the big plant that is obviously dead as I looked this morning and no change since the big watering, is it worth drying and curing it, would there be any worthwhile smoke in those small buds? It has a smell like tea bags! I was thinking that since its already completely dry, the leaves are shrivelled up, i shoudl snip the bigger buds off and put them in a jar? Then use the cuttings and tiny buds for something else?

 

Cheers