Sick of clear trichomes!!!

[StickyBandit]

What strain is it?
What medium is it grown in?
Here is a pic of some wedding cake I'm turning the light off today for a couple of days before harvest. Grown in standard vegetable potting mix
It's just starting to get a few amber trichomes and I don't want a cloudy buzz
The pics is just taken with my galaxy s9 phone

 

[HempKat]

Significant temperature and light reduction is the only thing I havent really tried, so going to have to look into making this work

I suspect this will get you where you want to be but I would caution you from shooting for that 50/50 cloud /amber mark. The reason I say this is on my first harvest after I learned about examining the trichomes (I had harvests before where I didn't have the ability to examine trichomes and didn't really know too much about them) I tried to shot for 50/50 and I found myself going a frustratingly long time past the suggested harvest date and the closest I felt I got was about 85% cloudy/12% Amber/ 3% clear and I was completely satisfied with that result. The thing is I felt like I hit the 85% cloudy first and then the last extra bit of time was when the amber came in. Of course what was really happening is that some of the cloudy was turning amber while some of what was still clear was turning cloudy. So from that I realized that really what you want to shoot for is mostly cloudy and just don't worry about the amber at all.

If you were trying for that 50/50 cloudy/amber because you heard that would give you more of a couchlock/body high then just grow Indicas or Indica dominant hybrids as it is Indica strains where you really find the couchlock/ body high put you to sleep early effect not in amber trichomes which is just degrading resin. If you shoot for almost completely cloudy I think you'll be very please regardless of the strain.

Now a couple of more observations on amber trichomes, just because you harvest the plant doesn't mean the trichomes will lock into the state they are in, especially if you dry and cure them slowly (a week or two of drying and 1 to 2 months curing). As long as there is moisture still working it's way out of the harvested bud I feel the trichomes will continue to mature. The reason I say this is I've had bud that when I harvested were almost all cloudy with a few amber triches here and there (less then 1%) but when I examined the same bud after a full cure there were definitely more amber triches in them then on harvest day. Also when I noticed the most development of amber it was always at the point in my grow when the outside temps were bringing the grow room temps down because circumstances basically forced me to grow from fall thru early spring. I never had to mess with the lighting other then on occasion if I felt a plant was unusually slow to finish I might bump it down from 12 on/12 off to 11 on/ 13 off but that only happened a few times and with sativa dominant hybrids. The lighting change may have influenced the development of amber triches but to me it always felt more like it was cooler temps and with cooler temps you also tend to get lower RH. For the plant one of the main purposes of the resin is it acts like an insulation to protect from falling temps and humidity commonly associated with the fall when growing in cannabis' natural habitat, the outdoors.

Ultimately I feel amber triches are overrated, the medicine is always present in the resin it's just when the triches are clear the medicine hasn't fully been activated. I have serious doubts based on my experiences that cloudy = just THC nor do I believe you only have CBD with Amber Triches. To me cloudy = the medicine contained in the triches is fully ripened and at it's peak. Amber = that the medicine inside is fully ripened but now starting to degrade so slightly less potent. Given my experiences over the time I've been examining trichomes I would have to say now that I would never want to have 50/50 cloudy/amber. 100% cloudy would be the ideal state for me but I'll settle for as low as 85% and then give it a good slow cure.

I do hear you on the way it's different when the triches are mostly clear,. There's still a buzz but it's just not right somehow. Given your reaction to what people have said is why I think you'll get what you want from reducing the light and temps. Your reaction suggests you've held those two things steady thru out your grows which usually is a good thing but maybe at the end is not triggering the flowers quite the way you want. Now if you know this already don't be offended I'm just mentioning it because I don't know what you know. When you are judging whether trichomes are clear, cloudy or amber, you're just looking at the round head on the top of the trichome, the shaft or whatever you want to call the part the head sits on (I believe there is a proper name for it but I forget at the moment) that part generally stays clear.

Below is an example of what the triches usually looked like when I harvested:

As you can see it's mostly cloudy triches with a few amber and a few clear scattered here and there. Definitely no where near 50/50 and yet it was some very satisfying smoke later on.

 

[BobChronic6505]

Grow more nld style plants and you will get that cloudy/ amber back in your life . All these poly hybrid wld strains never finish like I like

Recommend me some shit bro!!

 

[BobChronic6505]

I suspect this will get you where you want to be but I would caution you from shooting for that 50/50 cloud /amber mark. The reason I say this is on my first harvest after I learned about examining the trichomes (I had harvests before where I didn't have the ability to examine trichomes and didn't really know too much about them) I tried to shot for 50/50 and I found myself going a frustratingly long time past the suggested harvest date and the closest I felt I got was about 85% cloudy/12% Amber/ 3% clear and I was completely satisfied with that result. The thing is I felt like I hit the 85% cloudy first and then the last extra bit of time was when the amber came in. Of course what was really happening is that some of the cloudy was turning amber while some of what was still clear was turning cloudy. So from that I realized that really what you want to shoot for is mostly cloudy and just don't worry about the amber at all.

If you were trying for that 50/50 cloudy/amber because you heard that would give you more of a couchlock/body high then just grow Indicas or Indica dominant hybrids as it is Indica strains where you really find the couchlock/ body high put you to sleep early effect not in amber trichomes which is just degrading resin. If you shoot for almost completely cloudy I think you'll be very please regardless of the strain.

Now a couple of more observations on amber trichomes, just because you harvest the plant doesn't mean the trichomes will lock into the state they are in, especially if you dry and cure them slowly (a week or two of drying and 1 to 2 months curing). As long as there is moisture still working it's way out of the harvested bud I feel the trichomes will continue to mature. The reason I say this is I've had bud that when I harvested were almost all cloudy with a few amber triches here and there (less then 1%) but when I examined the same bud after a full cure there were definitely more amber triches in them then on harvest day. Also when I noticed the most development of amber it was always at the point in my grow when the outside temps were bringing the grow room temps down because circumstances basically forced me to grow from fall thru early spring. I never had to mess with the lighting other then on occasion if I felt a plant was unusually slow to finish I might bump it down from 12 on/12 off to 11 on/ 13 off but that only happened a few times and with sativa dominant hybrids. The lighting change may have influenced the development of amber triches but to me it always felt more like it was cooler temps and with cooler temps you also tend to get lower RH. For the plant one of the main purposes of the resin is it acts like an insulation to protect from falling temps and humidity commonly associated with the fall when growing in cannabis' natural habitat, the outdoors.

Ultimately I feel amber triches are overrated, the medicine is always present in the resin it's just when the triches are clear the medicine hasn't fully been activated. I have serious doubts based on my experiences that cloudy = just THC nor do I believe you only have CBD with Amber Triches. To me cloudy = the medicine contained in the triches is fully ripened and at it's peak. Amber = that the medicine inside is fully ripened but now starting to degrade so slightly less potent. Given my experiences over the time I've been examining trichomes I would have to say now that I would never want to have 50/50 cloudy/amber. 100% cloudy would be the ideal state for me but I'll settle for as low as 85% and then give it a good slow cure.

I do hear you on the way it's different when the triches are mostly clear,. There's still a buzz but it's just not right somehow. Given your reaction to what people have said is why I think you'll get what you want from reducing the light and temps. Your reaction suggests you've held those two things steady thru out your grows which usually is a good thing but maybe at the end is not triggering the flowers quite the way you want. Now if you know this already don't be offended I'm just mentioning it because I don't know what you know. When you are judging whether trichomes are clear, cloudy or amber, you're just looking at the round head on the top of the trichome, the shaft or whatever you want to call the part the head sits on (I believe there is a proper name for it but I forget at the moment) that part generally stays clear.

Below is an example of what the triches usually looked like when I harvested:



As you can see it's mostly cloudy triches with a few amber and a few clear scattered here and there. Definitely no where near 50/50 and yet it was some very satisfying smoke later on.

This was an awesome response and Idk where to begin. The main goal for sure is to end this clear trichome nonsense. I'd love to get 85% cloudy. But as u can see in the photos, it may not even be 5050 clear cloudy.

 

[BobChronic6505]

Which narrow leaf of yours shows amber at harvest window, I wonder.





Harvest with amber as a signal, no. I want the plant taken at it's peak, and some amber can be past peak,
likely much of the plant is amber that you don't see.

Cloudy clear is better to me than cloudy amber in the cuts I flower.

Choose the cultivar for effect, avoid the amber trap.lol.

I wonder what your drying/ sweating method is, and how long in the jar your stash is before using,

There are a few points in flowering/ drying/ sweating you may have overlooked.

Assuming the plants are taken in the recommended harvest window + time allowing for watts/temp, etc.

That your nute regiment allows for tapering off near the chop.

Your pics show decent development, no amber, but still worthy.

Re examine your process step by step and perhaps you may pinpoint the reason for the lackluster stash you make.

Were all hoping you to get better results, so good luck and keep us posted.

Thank you for your response.

The drying method I've discovered that have given what I think are decent results are as follows: hang plant for 3 to 7 days in 70f 50rh. Then cut all buds off and into paper bags for a week, maybe two, and then into a glass jar with a paper bag over it for darkness. I try to keep the drying room as dark as I possibly can, but there is some ambient light in there.

I've wondered about if there is a significant difference to drying in pitch black, but idk that theres any way I could make that happen and still keep conditions right. I've made drying boxes out of cardboard that I think did ok, but I need to be able to get airflow moving through there. I've learned my lesson trying to dry dense bud with no airflow. I've definitely fucked more crops up than I've had successful ones.

I tried the shit some ppl say about jarring buds while they are still kinda wett, like after 7 day hang and constantly burping down to 60rh, but that made the bud smell like weird cardboard hay. It never got to smelling like weed like ppl say it should.

Tbh the weed I've had in jars for the longest actually smells kinda stale now, so I have mixed feelings on jars. All the best weed I've ever had in life came out of plastic baggies lol

 

[BobChronic6505]

And what is NLD? Northern light diesel? lol jk

 

[Cvh]

And what is NLD? Northern light diesel? lol jk

It stands for Narrow Leaf Drug cultivar aka a Sativa dominant strain with thin leaflets.

BLD is the opposite and stands for Broad Leaf Drug cultivar aka an indica dominant strain.

 

[BobChronic6505]

It stands for Narrow Leaf Drug cultivar aka a Sativa dominant strain with thin leaflets.

BLD is the opposite and stands for Broad Leaf Drug cultivar aka an indica dominant strain.

I knew of the narrow leaf and broad leaf designations, but the d was throwing me off

 

[HempKat]

This was an awesome response and Idk where to begin. The main goal for sure is to end this clear trichome nonsense. I'd love to get 85% cloudy. But as u can see in the photos, it may not even be 5050 clear cloudy.

Well try what others said about reducing the light either by moving it a bit higher or dimming it if that is an option. Also if you can try to reduce the temps a bit. Nothing too radical, like maybe low 70's F lights on and low 60's - upper 50's F lights off. This should have the side effect of reducing RH as well but don't worry about that unless it falls to the low 40% or lower range. If you start doing those things towards the last week of two of flower I'm thinking you'll get the result you're looking for.

 

[HempKat]

I tried the shit some ppl say about jarring buds while they are still kinda wett, like after 7 day hang and constantly burping down to 60rh, but that made the bud smell like weird cardboard hay. It never got to smelling like weed like ppl say it should.

Tbh the weed I've had in jars for the longest actually smells kinda stale now, so I have mixed feelings on jars. All the best weed I've ever had in life came out of plastic baggies lol

If you're happy with your current method of drying then by all means stick with that. I just wanted to chime in on the comment about jarred buds smelling like hay, that's not all that unusual for the first few weeks and then gradually the resin smell that we all seek and love starts to take over. Also I don't know who told you to put wet buds in jars even kind of wet buds, that's taking a big mold risk in my opinion even burping the jars daily. When you put buds in jars they should feel fairly dry to the touch but have a soft spongey like quality because they still have some moisture (very little) in the center of the bud.

Again I'm not trying to resell you on jars but rather correct what sounds like maybe bad information you were given.

 

[exploziv]

Well try what others said about reducing the light either by moving it a bit higher or dimming it if that is an option. Also if you can try to reduce the temps a bit. Nothing too radical, like maybe low 70's F lights on and low 60's - upper 50's F lights off. This should have the side effect of reducing RH as well but don't worry about that unless it falls to the low 40% or lower range. If you start doing those things towards the last week of two of flower I'm thinking you'll get the result you're looking for.

Isn't reducing temps gonna increash RH tho?
cooler air can take less humidity so RH rises with same amount of humidity into the air, but lower temps.

 

[BobChronic6505]

Isn't reducing temps gonna increash RH tho?
cooler air can take less humidity so RH rises with same amount of humidity into the air, but lower temps.

This is what the dehu is for

 

[BobChronic6505]

If you're happy with your current method of drying then by all means stick with that. I just wanted to chime in on the comment about jarred buds smelling like hay, that's not all that unusual for the first few weeks and then gradually the resin smell that we all seek and love starts to take over. Also I don't know who told you to put wet buds in jars even kind of wet buds, that's taking a big mold risk in my opinion even burping the jars daily. When you put buds in jars they should feel fairly dry to the touch but have a soft spongey like quality because they still have some moisture (very little) in the center of the bud.

Again I'm not trying to resell you on jars but rather correct what sounds like maybe bad information you were given.

I cant remember one exact source of this info, but alot of ppl other places really recommend this. Reddit is one place that sort of info runs wild on. Alot of real experts there. /s

 

[Switcher56]

I cant remember one exact source of this info, but alot of ppl other places really recommend this. Reddit is one place that sort of info runs wild on. Alot of real experts there. /s

Then perhaps Reddit is not the best source for info.

 

[airplane]

try a 24-36 hr dark time before harvest is one thing folks do to help trichiome turn amber - then again some strains don't change amber they stay white (China Yennem - Ace Seeds) is one example

 

[BobChronic6505]

Then perhaps Reddit is not the best source for info.

I agree that's why I ask the experts here

 

[PassionForMJ]

I have serious doubts based on my experiences that cloudy = just THC nor do I believe you only have CBD with Amber Triches. To me cloudy = the medicine contained in the triches is fully ripened and at it's peak. Amber = that the medicine inside is fully ripened but now starting to degrade so slightly less potent.

Totally agree with this, it makes sense.

 

[chilliwilli]

Hey BobChronic6505 under what light do u grow?
there is a big discussion in an other forum that lm301 grown trichs turn amber very late, for some guys its cloudy is the new amber.
from my own experience i know that under lm301 some trichs will get more light yellowish than amber and its easy to overlook for me.

 

[HempKat]

I cant remember one exact source of this info, but alot of ppl other places really recommend this. Reddit is one place that sort of info runs wild on. Alot of real experts there. /s

Well I wasn't trying to get your source because even here it's possible to get bad advice. Not intentionally of course, it's just sometimes people think they know the answer and so they run with it but the reality could be that their answer might have work for them because of something left out of the equation that they didn't realize was a factor.. An example of that, not a great example but it was the first that came to mind, is nutrient deficiencies. Many times you'll see people posting in the cannabis infirmary forum with something that looks like a nutrient deficiency in the photos they post. And they'll say something like I started seeing this happening to my plant and I think it's a nutrient deficiency but I can't figure it out. More then likely someone will come along and say with certainty yeah that's a (insert nutrient here) deficiency, I had that on my plant once and I gave it (fill in the blank) and it fixed it right up. Now if it was a deficiency and the person answering it, identified the correct deficiency their answer would probably be spot on. The problem is more often then not what looks like deficiencies are actually ph issues because when the ph is off it will mimic a deficiency because it's blocking certain nutrients. This is why it's important when asking for help to specify things like what medium you're growing in, what you're feeding it and how often, what the temps and humidity is, what stage of growth it's in and if possible what the ph is (I say if possible because lots of people don't bother to check the ph levels). Now let's say the same person asks the same question stating that they think they have a certain deficiency but they also share that they are growing in soil and they have a ph of 7.5. Then they would more likely get an answer that it's a ph problem and that the ph is too high for soil (in soil ph should be right around 6.5). Let's also say what the sign is on the plant is pale green leaves (classic symptom of a nitrogen deficiency. If someone told that person they had a nitrogen deficiency and didn't connect it to the high ph level that grower would probably try giving the plant more nitrogen. If they didn't correct the ph though then it would continue to block the nitrogen and the signs (pale green leaves) would continue because the nitrogen is still being locked out, They could be making things worse by adding the nitrogen because all the old nitrogen is still there and now more is being added and so it's building up a toxicity. Then lets say someone comes along, asks what the ph is and when they're told it's 7.5 they say, oh well that's your problem you need to lower the ph because the nitrogen is being locked out. So the grower lowers the ph to 6.5 and maybe even makes the smart move to just give water the first time after correcting the ph but then the plant still gets nutrient burn because of the toxicity of the nitrogen already in the soil.

Now going to places like reddit for growing advice is probably not a great move, better to come to a place like here where you have lots of folks doing the same things, many with decades of experience. Even here though it's best whenever possible to get lots of input and then go with what the consensus is because unless you know or have been following the person answering your question you don't know if the person is just trying to be helpful but lacks experience or if you're talking with someone who really knows what they're talking about.

Anyway good luck with your trichomes going forward, hopefully the ideas you've gotten from this thread will solve your problem.

 

[HempKat]

Totally agree with this, it makes sense.

Makes sense to me too because as long as I've been coming to sites like this and looking at pics of buds ready to be harvested I can't recall a single time I ever say 50/50 cloudy/amber yet I still hear people talking about how good their weed was when they finally get to smoke it.