Another is it ready post

[crow]

OK, so I'm not really sure I've nailed this when to harvest thing as I've been a little disappointed with the potency of plants harvested to date.

 

 

This is Mandala Seeds 8 Miles High outdoors in soil.  

 

 

Started flowering around 10th Feb so has been flowering for approx 8 weeks.  Breeder's description states flowering time of 9 weeks or early to mid October.

 

Most of the pistils are brown  

 

and, a few amber trichs from what I can make out from the digital USB microscope pics.        

 

 

Should I harvest now or give it more?  Having an operation on my [non-dominant] hand on Tuesday so manicuring will be difficult after that.

 

I'm looking for a nice sativa dominant high.

 

 

[itchybromusic]

yep there done mate , i would have pulled a week ago , but that's me

see what everyone else thinks

[louise]

Harvest? yes, definitely harvest... have to agree with itchy about it being a tad late. I don't let them get that much colour unless I am looking for a bedtime smoke.

[merl1n]

Yep, its time to harvest. Flush it, give it heaps of water.  Chop and hang
Some say 'a bit late', but I disagree, I love the fuller more mature taste and effect.
And for me, that's looking sweet

 

Merl1n

[crow]

Thanks Itchybro, Lou and Merl1n.   I pulled the 8 Miles High first thing this morning.  Now I've got a couple more I'd like some advice on.

 

 

 

This is also 8 Miles High planted exactly the same time in the same hole in the ground as the one I just harvested but I don't think this is quite ready yet?        

 

 

 

And this Fast Neville which has been flowering for 6 weeks but is supposed to take 8 - 9 weeks.  Shade leaves have been rapidly yellowing for the last 3 or more weeks and pistils are all very brown.  

I think I will pull this one up because it seems to be at least as ripe as the first one.       

   

 

 

[itchybromusic]

if me they'd all be cummin down " I'm Yellin Timber "

But merl1n has a point , how do you like ya smoke ?

you mention sativa so i'm thinking a bit more up high , So , TIMBER !

Edited April 6, 2014 by itchybromusic

[merl1n]

Itchy is correct, how do you like your smoke

For a head stone you want the trichomes to be milky

For a body stone you want the trichomes to look a light caramel colour

For me I want/need a heavy narcotic effect so I want a darker caramel colour.

Now I'm indoors and I control the environment and I allow my hairs to die off and regenerate 3 times, this improves the flavours and stone heaps imho. After the 3rd browning I inspect the trichome colour before the final flush. Once I start my final flush the browning of the tricomes slows/stops so 5-7 days flushing, clean pH adjusted water replaced each day. Then chop.

 

Merl1n

[crow]

Thanks itchybro - I am looking for a head high - so may have to pull the other 8 Miles High as well.  It will serve as a useful learning experience to compare the 2 - one harvested on time, one late.

 

I have been mostly concerned with harvesting too early and compromising yield or potency.  I had to harvest my Super Deluxe what I thought was early [because it was too close to the letterbox and stunk to high heaven!] but maybe it was just right!

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Merl1n, I've read posts of yours concerning the 3 brownings before.  I've sort of watched my plants trying to notice such a thing but without noticing much of anything!

 

I am mostly looking for a head stone although I do plan to leave a couple plants to go longer so I've got some bed time smoke.  The strains I've chosen are all sativa dominant to that end.

 

You mentioned flushing a couple of times - I'm growing in soil so haven't bothered.  Is it worth giving them a good watering the day before harvest in soil?

 

I've also read extensively about the whole clear to milky to amber trichomes but just find it really difficult to see that with my 40x pocket scope, so have been using this USB digital microscope but find the images are not sharp enough.

 

Thanks for the advice and taking time to reply.

 

 

 

Cheers,

crowsange

[merl1n]

Hey Crow,
Personally a flush can never go a miss, even in soil imho
You say you cant get a clear enuf pic with your digital microscope. Here's a few from my scope

These are all from the earlier stages, before the first browning, although the 3rd is close to the edge, a nice light amber
But you can see them clearly with this scope, its just a bit fiddly to focus
I have other pics on this computer somewhere, but I cant find them at the mo. But you can still see the clear trichomes in the pics shown here.

Merl1n