How long for trichs to change color?

[Hawk]

I'm on day 64 (first grow) and have been watching the trichs. I'm using a RS scope. I think I'm just now starting to see some of the cloudy ones pick up a hint of color. But they're hard to find and nothing I'd label as an amber trich. Bear in mind this is my first time evaluating trichomes (I've looked at lots of pictures though--I'm pretty sure I know exactly what I'm looking for).

How long does it normally take trichs to transition from cloudy to amber? My far from perfect notes indicate "some cloudy trichs" about two weeks ago, if that helps.

I guess I was shootin' for 65ish days without really knowing. I'm a little worried I started giving plain water too soon. They had their last nutes 10 days ago (that's two waterings back for me). They did start yellowing some while they where still getting nutes, so I don't know how that factors in. Regardless, in another two weeks I bet LOTS of the fan leaves will be gone. I'm trying to get a better handle on my remaining timeline.



Here's one of the them and then the trio. The one strain is different. It might be maturing a bit faster than the others even though I think it's actually several days younger. It's getting more and more purple. I don't see any purple calyxes but some of those little embedded bud leaves are turning purple. It's my favorite of the three.

 

[blackone]

Beautiful plants you have there - I'm guessing it won't be long, perhaps a week?
What strain is it?

 

[Hawk]

These pics probably aren't so helpful because they're two weeks old (Day 50 flowering). But here's how they were lookin' when I made my note about "some cloudy trichs". I don't have any new ones only because trichs are a PITA for me to photograph. But new ones would just be more of the same except less clear, more cloudy, but not quite amber yet.....

 

[Hawk]

Beautiful plants you have there - I'm guessing it won't be long, perhaps a week?
What strain is it?

Your guess is as good as mine. The seeds were miscellaneous bag seeds of unknown orgin. Actually, if the one (solo pics and the center of the trio) looks like any particular stain I'd welcome any guessers.

 

[blackone]

Whoa they're definitely mostly cloudy at day 50, strange that you're not seeing any amber. Perhaps the amber color isn't that noticable in your strain? I would think they would have started turning dark brown by now.

 

[Hawk]

Whoa they're definitely mostly cloudy at day 50, strange that you're not seeing any amber. Perhaps the amber color isn't that noticable in your strain? I would think they would have started turning dark brown by now.

Dunno. That's the kind of feedback I'm looking for though.

BTW, those trich pics may look more cloudy then they really were. I think a few of them that look cloudy in the pics might actually be clear. It's hard to get the sharper, truer view I get without the camera as an intermediary between scope and eyeball.

 

[hazy]

IMO some strains just never seem to get to amber. Some don't cloud heavily. I'd chop those babies now... no more than a week anyway.
they look done, and those trichs looked good at day 50.

 

[JustEnoughForMe]

with the wide fans leaves it looks like an indica dominant strain, so i don't think you're in for more than 65 days flowering...

... the old school way was to judge by the pistols, though less accurate, you can use both in conjunction when unsure of the strain... when the pistols die (the hairs shrivel), that calyx segment is done producing resin, so when 80% of the pistols are dead it's "finished".

beautiful plants. love your LST tie job.

 

[oldtoker]

look at the calyx instead of the leafs,,,,, often leafs will ripein faster then the calyx, when i cut down, sometimes the leafs tricromes are brown or turning brown if you look often the nicest buds i smoke have a golden leaf hue but the inside is the pure cloudy milky trich's to feed your head,

the head will stretch and eleongate from the plant a bit, let them stretch,

harvesting a mostly indica plant i would let the trich get 30-50% brown but thats just because thats what i was growing a indica for...... if you want to not sit around all day then try 10% brown trichomes on the calyx

brown trichs are decaying..... losing thc..... gaining other things,,,, go with 10%

oh and look towards the bottom 1/3 of those buds if they have many white hairs wait a few days, many times a few days can surprise you.

cut 1 down and leave the others and harvest at differnt times,,,,,, then you could see what you liked best......

many options....spend time with them for sure.

 

[Hawk]

On day 65 I cut one cola.

This is the best pic I could get of the most mature looking (amber) trich I could find. It was on a calyx. Not a great picture but they ARE starting to turn. Funny thing is the strain that looks the most done to the naked eye seems to have fewer "starting-to-turn-amber" trichs. I guess that's nature for ya. This trich shot is from the least developed looking plant [shrug], not the one I cut from.



I took the bud from this plant. There's three colas in the front-->the middle one, then one cola back and a little to the left--->that's the one I cut. It is not one of the bigger ones from this plant. I figure there's no harm in a somewhat staggered harvest. I've never smoked bud that I knew was harvested late/early. So I'd like to experiment a bit with the difference.






That bud weighed 18 grams in the last pic. 18-20 hours later in 78F/47% air it weighs 12.5g. It's physically about the same size though. This is all fascinating to me since I've never seen how this all goes down.

I wonder how much weight loss is typical in drying?

 

[dontstepongrass]

75-80% loss

 

[Linenoise]

Nice first grow!

I just started harvesting my second grow a few days ago. I too have been using bag seed as I learn the ropes of this wonderful hobby. as such, I too have a little trouble knowing when exactly those trichs are telling me to chop.

During my first grow the when to harvest was what gave me the most trouble (some of the plants did not display noobie friendly trichs to look at). A few people on these forums told me when in doubt chop a popcorn bud off, quick dry it and smoke it. Sure it will taste like crap but it will give you a good indication of the high to expect.

I still use my RS microscope and I am getting better at using the thing (I have very twitchy hands and terrible eyesight) but I will also take a popcorn sample to sort of reaffirm what I "think" I am seeing under the scope.

 

[stoned teacher]

Yeah, all other stuff aside....great first grow, congrats, and enjoy.

Man I'll never forget my first harvest! Enjoy it!

Plants look great for your first grow and I'd at least be flushing at this point if you're not already! You're almost there!

 

[blackone]

Yeah expect 75% on the bud on the picture - not much stem and it's well trimmed. I normally get 20% if I leave stems and sugarleaves when drying.

 

[Guest]

do not forget that trichomes change after you chop the plant down to.it does it in the decomposition proses. i learned that from bog him self on overgrow when firsts started growing .i like mine mostly cloudy with a 50/50 sativa/indaca ,then clear to cloudy on a pure sativa,for indaca i like 60 %amber 40%cloudy. DAN

 

[Tony Danza]

On day 65 I cut one cola.

This is the best pic I could get of the most mature looking (amber) trich I could find. It was on a calyx. Not a great picture but they ARE starting to turn. Funny thing is the strain that looks the most done to the naked eye seems to have fewer "starting-to-turn-amber" trichs. I guess that's nature for ya. This trich shot is from the least developed looking plant [shrug], not the one I cut from.



I took the bud from this plant. There's three colas in the front-->the middle one, then one cola back and a little to the left--->that's the one I cut. It is not one of the bigger ones from this plant. I figure there's no harm in a somewhat staggered harvest. I've never smoked bud that I knew was harvested late/early. So I'd like to experiment a bit with the difference.






That bud weighed 18 grams in the last pic. 18-20 hours later in 78F/47% air it weighs 12.5g. It's physically about the same size though. This is all fascinating to me since I've never seen how this all goes down.

I wonder how much weight loss is typical in drying?

First Grow?! Bag seed?! Nice job!!!

Those girls look great, If you want to know when to chop, Start Choppin'! Cut down one or two colas today, one or two tomorrow or the next day, and so on until they're all down, keep track on when you cut what and whatever smokes the best, there's your answer. By the look of those plants, you are past the point of chopping too soon, those plants are at least 80-90% as potent as they're gonna get, now it's just a matter of what kind of high you're looking for. Spreading out the harvest will have other benefits too, like a little smoking variety, and no mind-numbing 8 hour trimming session ( you wouldn't think this chore could get old, then you start your third big cola and notice a blister forming on your scissor hand and a major headache from all the terpenes you've inhaled.)

Good luck, looks great.

 

[Hawk]

I just wish these darn trichs would change! It's been six days now since I started this thread. They're at 69 days in these most recent pics. My concern is the loss of fan leaves, the overall "look of maturity", and the possibility that I cut off the nutes too soon. It's been two weeks of plain, pH'd water.

The plant that is a different strain is looking quite bedraggled. To my naked, inexperienced eye it sure looks fully mature. Yet there are basically no amber trichs. I took 4 different snips from this plant and here's what I saw...lots of clear and cloudy but nothing that's really amber



These shots are from one of the other two. The other two plants' buds don't look as "old" as those on the above plant but the loss of fan leaves still concerns me.


This branch spit into a Y making this two headed bud (almost looks like three with the left one shooting out a foxtail I think it's called).


Here's an overall shot of the three plants.



Do I need to stop fretting about the trichs? I just don't want to sacrifice anything by cutting prematurely.

 

[Hawk]

thanks all