Picking your cannabis at the correct time will influence its strength, taste, and amount. An early or late harvest can mean the difference between great and disappointing food. Since plants develop at their rate, it’s important to watch them closely.
Deciding when to harvest is something that requires skill as well as knowledge. Harvesting at the right time brings you the best results.
Know Your Cannabis Strain
Every strain has a different time when its flowers will bloom and show signs of maturity. Because indica plants mature sooner than sativa ones, the dates at which you can harvest them can be different.
Learning the genetics of your strain aids in predicting the right harvest date. Be sure to review the contents of the seed bank or the notes from the breeder. It helps you organise your harvests in the best way.
Check the Trichomes for Clarity
On the buds and leaves are small crystals known as trichomes, which hold the plant’s important oils. While the cannabis is maturing, the trichomes begin as clear, turn into white milky ones, and finally turn amber. Clear trichomes are not ready, while milky ones have the most THC.
The trichomes will turn amber when it’s time for more relaxing effects. When you watch the fruits under a magnifying glass, you’ll know when to pick the right fruits for harvest. This is a very dependable way to make a choice.
Watch for Changes in Pistils
Pistils look like small hairs when they are white, then change to a darker colour. As pistils become brown or orange and curl under, it means the flowers are ripe. Yet, you still need to check for trichomes as well. The presence of pistils shows a sign that it may be time to focus more closely. The combination of pistil and trichome studies gives the most accurate results.
Use the Flowering Timeline as a Guide
Generally, the flowering period for every strain is about 7 to 12 weeks. It can provide the framework you require to make arrangements in advance. Make a grow journal to see when flowering began and then track the weeks.
Even though it is not flawless, it cuts the range of possible answers. Using it becomes useful when growing various plants that come from the same line.
Environmental Factors Affect Maturity
If you want your cannabis to ripen quickly or slowly, use the right temperature, light, and humidity. A drop in temperature while grapes are harvested usually leads to very slow growth. Too much humidity may cause mould and make farmers pick the crops earlier.
Pay close attention to your environment as the crop gets ready to be harvested. Consistent plant growth happens when conditions stay unchanged.
Indoor vs Outdoor Harvesting Timing
Since indoor growers adjust the environment, their plants can be ready at the same pace as the breeder’s schedules. Environmental factors like the seasons and the weather can change your outdoor plants. Most of the season’s harvests take place in late September until early October.
Make sure to notice when rain and humidity could harm your outdoor cannabis buds. Harvesting should be performed when the weather is suitable for that process.
Flushing Before Harvest Matters
You should clean the soil of your plant by watering it with plain water for 1–2 weeks before the harvest. It makes food even more tasty and gives off clean smoke. Choosing the right moment for your flush is important since it can affect the final result.
Harvesting right after flushing the plant will do it no good. You might not get the best flavour if you wait too much time.
Signs That It’s Too Early to Harvest
If the buds are thin and the colour of trichomes is crystal clear, it may mean the plant isn’t ready yet. At times, the scent will be very mild and not completely present. Harvesting crops too early results in less of an impact and smaller amounts of harvests.
Being patient for a short period can give you much better results. A patient approach will always produce better results in the final piece.
Signs That It’s Too Late to Harvest
If cannabis is too old, the THC in it may turn into CBN and result in a couch-lock feeling. The buds will have lots of amber trichomes, and the pistils will be nearly gone. You could notice that the buds are starting to decay or have mould.
Once the harvest is late, the fruits may taste stronger and lose their fine aroma. You may see that the medication doesn’t feel or work as well as it did before.
Using Smell and Bud Density as Clues
When mature, cannabis flowers have a unique and very strong smell that is different for every strain. The buds will start to feel firm and tightly packed, not flimsy as they used to be. The features you find under a magnifying glass should agree with the sensory indicators you see.
If the scent is full and sticky, you are almost done. Sometimes, aroma and texture give more detail about the state of the food.
Dry Weather and Timing Your Cut
Pick a few dry days to gather your outdoor-grown plants. It will stop mould from forming and also keep your bud clean. Wet plants are more likely to bleed trichomes and become contaminated when they are harvested. When you plant outside, check the weather first.
Having continuous days of drying makes the grain higher quality and preserves time during the drying process.
Harvest in the Morning or Evening
A lot of growers find it best to gather crops either early in the morning or in the evening. More terpenes are produced by the plants under these conditions. When the day is warmest, essential oils may be lost, and the power of the plant is reduced.
During cool weather, more stress is reduced while cutting the trees. If fruits are harvested at the right time, they will keep their flavour and fragrance.
Harvesting in Phases for Better Results
At times, the buds on one plant mature at different paces. Harvesting your buds in different batches lets them have more time to finish ripening. Thanks to this procedure, both the crop’s total yield and selection of cannabinoids improve.
Grab the biggest colas at the beginning, and come back for the smaller buds when you have finished using the top ones. Even though harvesting crops in several phases takes more time, the results are exceptional.
Drying and Curing Start Immediately
You must also pay attention to the ways the plant grows after you have cut it. The process of drying and curing determines how the taste and potency of the marijuana will be. After drying for 7 to 10 days, the wood needs to be cured for 2 to 4 weeks.
Wait to harvest at the right moment, but don’t be impatient while cleaning or preparing the vegetables. Drying the crops properly is necessary to avoid wasting a good harvest.
Read Also: If you don’t want cannabis, just say no with confidence.
Conclusion
Every serious quality seeker must know the proper time to harvest cannabis. Combining your knowledge, seeing how it grows, and some patience makes it easy to pick the best time. Carefully monitor the appearance and growth of trichomes, pistils, and when the flowering happens, and don’t forget about your growing conditions. Picking at the right time keeps the product strong, makes the harvest bigger, and offers the best results. Holding on a little longer can help you get better results.
FAQs
Which tool should I use to look at trichomes?
It is easier to see the different colours of trichomes with a jeweller’s loupe or digital microscope.
Does the harvest have to wait until trichomes turn completely milky?
The best way to brew is to wait until half of the milk is milky and some is amber colored.
What could happen if I collect cannabis after the best time?
The process turns THC into CBN, which calms the user and lessens the quality of the cannabis.
Is it necessary to flush plants before harvesting them?
It plays an important role by improving the taste, taking off bitterness, and giving a much smoother result.
Does outdoor farming have more risks than indoor farming?
This is possible due to weather conditions, pest hazards, and unwanted moisture affecting the plants’ progress.