In the early bird #3, Harvesting the High, they said you would know when to harvest when 70-90% of the pistils turned red. Why does everything else say to watch the color of the trichomes?
i think that lesson went over trichomes also, dont remember but…
…observing the pistils is 1 way to help determine harvest time. but it less accurate than the state of your trichomes.
examining trichomes is a far more accurate indicator.
and then there is options for what kind of “high” you are looking for…but either way trichomes are the way to go.
Stress and other factors can often cause the pistils to brown early, this is one of the main reasons it is less accurate.
Also the pistils contain no THC, the trichomes are where the most concentrated amounts of THC can be found, and the cloudiness and amber coloring inside them is direct evidence of the THC forming inside.
Happy growing,
MacG
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That video never mentioned trichs once. Just the pistils. Very misleading.
BTW, this whole 70-90% of the pistils to have browned is greatly misunderstood. It can be a loose guide, but in the context of a healthy plant that had no problems through flower. The reason this suggestion is looking for nearly all the hairs to have browned is because of the way the plant continues to grow and “bud” during flowering.
If the plant has no nutrient problems nor other extreme factors that can damage the pistil development, then what normally happens during flowering is continued calyx development, or “bud” swelling. Each new calyx that develops will have tons of new trichomes on and inside it, as well as shooting out new fresh white pistils/hairs. So as long as it is still growing and devloping new calyxes, new white hairs are showing up as well, only the oldest hairs will have “browned” indicating at least those calyxes they are attached to are done “growing”, but with the new ones still developing and showing up, there will be probably at least 20% or more new white hairs still on the bud indicating it is still growing and making new calyxes and more trichomes and THC.
So if the plant has stayed totally healthy, then when this new calyx/pistil development slows, only then should less than the 10, 20 or 30% of hairs will be remaining white, and this indicates the plant is nearing senescence, or the natural decline towards death at the end of flowering, indicating the plant is not going to produce much more and is about the most or best it will get.
And in the end, still the best and most accurate way to get the proper level of ripeness to your personal preferences, mostly milky cloudy trichomes with a little amber for more “up” cerebral high, or a lot more amber and more of a sedative and couch lock like relaxed “body” high, is best determined by looking into those trichomes.
~MacG
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I appreciate you clearing that up for me.