When to harvest plants for highest CBD?

I think the true answer to this question is, "it varies". Many of the different high CBD strains are sativa hybrids which are going to reach their peak level of CBD at different times and that takes lab testing to confirm with any real accuracy.

In general the answer is "earlier is better" though. Because the moment a cannabis plant produces CBD it immediately starts degrading into CBN and THC, so any extra time waited after the plant stops making CBD just means more CBD being lost unnecessarily.

Also i think when they say "less cbd" if harvested later, i think its more of a lower ratio ie increase in THC, not lowering of CBD.. ie u are harvesting before CBG turns to THC. so there also would be a higher % of precurser cannabinoids. in theory. As I think there is some finer points that need to be found out/confirmed.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PrimalHaze said: "There's not much info online about harvesting CBD plants. CBD crew says their CBD enriched crops take longer from start to finish than normal THC plants.

This book about SATIVEX production from GW pharma details harvest dates and light schedules for maximum CBD production. It's around page 130:

https://archive.org/stream/CANNABISS...ge/n1/mode/2up"
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Wow, PrimalHaze - this a great read and indeed it does show some serious research that meticulously answers the question posed in this thread - and more! Thank you for posting that.

growfree said:

as long as possible, i would suggest this: just make sure that every trichome is brown and flush another week then harvest. that way the cbd will increase but the thc will drop. good luck

Click to expand...

Oh, this WILL decrease the THC. It will also create maximum CBN, so anyone taking a toke will fall asleep in 15 minutes. Wanted or not.

I've always advocated to harvest on time. You get the maximum potency and length of high/stone/medication time. If you want more CBD, grow a strain with more CBD in it. Speedy cannabis? Seek out the really racy strains. Sleepy cannabis? Well, you can let nearly anything go full amber and it's going to be lower THC than when ripe, and suuuper sleepy.