Beginners advice on Harvesting

[RougeDiablo]

Thanks for the advice on Vaping. Never really thought of myself as a Vaper, but maybe I need to start.

While I'm waiting in a more relaxed, and confident state, thanks to your advice, before Tuesday's new images, where I'll ask again for you Guys to check on the plant's Harvesting status, could I ask another question? 

I took on board the point that I should be looking for the trichomes on the 'buds', rather than the leaves. Yet in it's current state, you can hardly see any buds, it's all leaves? 
Am I right in thinking that when the colas are ready, and finished swelling, that when I start trimming, the buds are underneath the leaves, and they will all be exposed? 
I've included a few images, to show the general plant, and then one cola which has buds protruding at the top, but then an example of 90% of the others, where buds are hard to spot.

I'm sure if I ever grow another plant, I'll retain all your advice, and won't be so needy for info. 





 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Owderb
Pics removed. Please upload to here. Thanks

[MindSoup]

Trich checking is never easy, especially with quite a leafy plant like the one you have. A jeweler's loupe, clip on macro lens for a phone camera or maybe a handheld digital microscope can be invaluable at getting a good look and getting good pictures. 

 

From what I can see from your photos I'd say your in the harvest window, but in the early half of it, so 5 days to a week will probably get you there, but more photos would definitely help. 

[MidgeSmith]

@RougeDiablo it is very different to vaping liquids

The thing is that it cuts out 99% of the carcinogens and harshness and gives you all the flavour and much more of the cannabinoids than smoking.  It will probably still tickly your throat at the hot end, but it is much healthier and easier to deal with.

As Mindsoup says, a little more time and some amber trichs and you are away.  I am waiting on mine to amber too.  They've been sitting still and looking much the same for a couple of weeks. However more resin is appearing and the trichomes have lost their glassiness now, soon they will swell the last little bit and the white pistils will be produced no more.  As the bracts (or is it sepals, I can never quite remember) swell, the pistils will almost all be red/brown and shrivelled, the trichomes will have a proportion of amber and the smell and effect will be at their richest.

Swoop in before first light - before the sap rises - and reap her and away you will go  

[RougeDiablo]

19 minutes ago, MindSoup said:

Trich checking is never easy, especially with quite a leafy plant like the one you have. A jeweler's loupe, clip on macro lens for a phone camera or maybe a handheld digital microscope can be invaluable at getting a good look and getting good pictures. 

 

From what I can see from your photos I'd say your in the harvest window, but in the early half of it, so 5 days to a week will probably get you there, but more photos would definitely help. 

 

Thanks MindSoup. I'm taking all that onboard. 

I was going to wait until Tuesday for a better update, but as you mentioned more images, here's a decent one of the top of one of the colas, and I'm not seeing any amber yet? 
So sounds good that I'm roughly 5 to 7 days away from seriously considering harvesting? 

On a very obscure point, I'm trying to 'like' all the helpful hints, but it doesn't let me post that like? Probably need a reboot, or empty the cache/cookies, etc, but I'm am reading everything, and appreciate it.  

[MindSoup]

Yeah definitely need some way of zooming in further, for reference this is how close you want to be getting, (and ideally have steadier hands than mine  )

 

This site is pretty jacked up at the moment, so there will be a lot of strange functionality issues, but rest assured the mods are currently working on a full revamp so it shouldn't be for too much longer.

[RougeDiablo]

@MindSoup
Very good......I can see that your images have more clarity. 

I thought the 'macro' on my smartphone was enough, but clearly I need something better, like that Jewellers aid. 
As we are only days away, I suspect I'll probably just try with my phone, and use a tripod for as much stability as possible.....and buy better if I grow more plants, once I've had a taste. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Owderb
Quote removed

[MidgeSmith]

I have the same problem.  Apparently the cheeses are updating the server the website is on and it is causing some problems for most browsers.  Firefox is the most successful in using this site, but I don't use that for this site, so for now, many of us are having issues.

With my £30 USB microscope, I can see the amber trichs when I freezeframe the video.  Working on attaching it to a boom arm!!! It is worth it to get up close.  Not sure if this image will work, but I am having problems uploading to this site atm.
 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Owderb
Pic removed. Please upload to here. Thanks

[5Lip]

I've tried a variety of those "one hitter" style pipes over the years but got fed up having to continually clean them, the one day I made a "one Skinner" of "pure" (joint / spliff / Blunt) and found the flavour / hit / taste sooooo much better so now I just have a few tokes and that keeps me more than happy for a few hours 

[RougeDiablo]

17 minutes ago, 5Lip said:

I've tried a variety of those "one hitter" style pipes over the years but got fed up having to continually clean them, the one day I made a "one Skinner" of "pure" (joint / spliff / Blunt) and found the flavour / hit / taste sooooo much better so now I just have a few tokes and that keeps me more than happy for a few hours 

So that is just a really small cannabis cigarette then? Interesting. 

[RougeDiablo]

40 minutes ago, MidgeSmith said:

I have the same problem.  Apparently the cheeses are updating the server the website is on and it is causing some problems for most browsers.  Firefox is the most successful in using this site, but I don't use that for this site, so for now, many of us are having issues.

With my £30 USB microscope, I can see the amber trichs when I freezeframe the video.  Working on attaching it to a boom arm!!! It is worth it to get up close.  Not sure if this image will work, but I am having problems uploading to this site atm.
 

https://ibb.co/gM8T7by

 

 

 

Thanks. 

Once the first plant is a success, and the smoking enjoyable, I'll enjoy learning from it all, and having another go. Clearly finding a better magnification product, like what you suggest, will be a priority during that one. 

[MidgeSmith]

Just now, RougeDiablo said:

 

Thanks. 

Once the first plant is a success, and the smoking enjoyable, I'll enjoy learning from it all, and having another go. Clearly finding a better magnification product, like what you suggest, will be a priority during that one. 

It is one of those rabbit holes that is hard to escape once you are in.  Forgive the information overload, it's hard to resist

[5Lip]

1 hour ago, RougeDiablo said:

So that is just a really small cannabis cigarette then? Interesting. 

Yes I just spark and take a few tokes then let it go out, spark again a few hrs later 

[5Lip]

Bysameyee USB Digital Microscope, Handheld 40X-1000X Magnification Endoscope, 8 LED Mini Video Camera for Windows 7/8/10 Mac Linux Android (USB Microscope+Case)

 

Best £20 you'll spend on Amazon

[DutchFox]

3 euro on aliexpress

 

[RougeDiablo]

Good morning. 

I set off this morning with my macro camera, testing it out for tomorrow's harvesting update. I realised by trying a few things, that although I'm just short of the required magnification, using the flash and a tripod seems to help a little? 

As I feel I am so close to a potential harvest, I'm not buying any better magnification device right now, but will do for any further grows. I'm hoping these sorts of images I'm getting will give me a rough idea, and be good enough for this first attempt? (Please advise if I am taking too much of a risk, but I suspect not)

And in examining the images, what is clear to my untrained, and inexperienced eye is that there is no sign of any amber trichomes. So therefore the wait continues. 
(Again, if anyone disagrees with that, please let me know?) 

Having read up on numerous websites, as well as listening to your advice here, I think I am aiming for 20-40% amber, to get a good mixture, but with a definite anti-anxiety flavour within it. 

So with all that in mind, I may as well post an example of this mornings images...










Edit:

If you can't 'zoom' on this forum, here's what I'm seeing when I zoom. 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by RougeDiablo