Please supervise my harvest

Ive got 5 small grows under my belt (1-4 Plants Ea) and all looked and smelled great before harvest and ended up tasting horrible and being harsh smoke, smelling like hay, and not very potent. Ive spent a good 30 hours reading up on all aspects of the whole process over the years and want to do it right to a T this time and have you guys watch me as I undoubtedly screw up all my hard work again! ;P

Last time I flushed 10 days, Checked Trichomes until cloudy and a few amber, dried slow 7-10 Days, started curing when stem snapped but still had moisture inside buds and it was 60% in jars and let it breathe once a day.3 Weeks cure later it still ended up being garbage, not sure where I went wrong but will try to do each part perfect this time.

Here are my grow details:

1K HPS
14 Plants From Seed in 3G Pots
Pro Mix HP
Strain - Female seeds - Skunk Special, Pure AK, Blueberry Cheesecake, Sexbud
Temps - Day(20-26C) Night(15C-20C)
Humidty 50-65%
Nutrients - Pure Blend Pro Bloom Soil
Tap Water - 190PPM

I know the most important things that need to be done right in order are, I have done the research, I just need you guys to watch over my shoulder step by step this time.

1) Flush em! 14 Days before Harvest
2) Trichome Maturity (Cloudy/Amber) / Pistils Red/Brown
3) Drying as Slow as Possible 10-14 Days - Dark, Low Temp, Humidity not too dry
4) Cut in dark before lights on
5) Trim Fan Leaves when cutting down and dry Trim the rest of the sugar leaves later
6) Strain Dependant


Yesterday I started with step 1. I flushed 4-6 Gallons through each plant until run off was 300 or less. I used my Tap Water at 190 PPM, and Ph adjusted it to 6.2 I will watch and measure future run offs to and assume the the rest will be used up and flushed from run off over the next 2 weeks.

Yesterday Week 8 started, Planning on cutting at the end of 9 weeks, I know some plants might be done sooner or later so we got to be getting close pretty quick here.

I will post pictures and report the status before I do anything so I can take into consideration everyones input!

Heres some pictures of them so far. I had a lot of deficiencies, but thats another story and post!

Will pull out the 120X magnifying microscope and start watching the trichomes in the next day or so and report back here.

Hi Paulie I think you were unlucky with your genetics if it was garbage but do remember that you will be your harshest critic. You will go nose blind by end of harvest, dry and trim so things won't smell as potent to you. If you smoke a lot of weed, you may have tolerance and might underestimate potency too. Ive grown weed I thought was crap but everyone thought it was great.

Ive just grown Blueberry Cheesecake. Only one as it was a freebie with an order so not sure if my experience is representative but it took 9 weeks from first pistils till it stopped drinking. That was 10 weeks 12/12 total with 4 weeks veg. It yielded well, has a lot of flavour and a pretty balanced effect. average/medium potency id say. Not a keeper for me but a nice guest strain in my jars for a while. Mines curing nice now. Im at maybe 5 weeks cure and you get cheese from one hit, dark berries the next. I ran Canna Boost so mine may be extra tasty. I don't sell but those who do may have a problem with bag appeal. buds are frosty, calyxes are swollen but buds are a bit stringy structure-wise. not to leafy though. Just a bit twiggy. Again I did only one so may be an oddball runt anyway, your may be totally different but I can tell you theres definitely quality in the line if your lucky with your selection.

"I had a lot of deficiencies, but thats another story and post!"

Imo a grow thats been through alot of deficiences is apt to have problems with taste and burn qualitys.....

Try to avoid deficiences like the plaque...

In those pics the plants still look very green...

Step 4. Cut in dark before lights on? Try cutting a couple hrs after light go out i find mine stink the most then.

You say you just started the flush yesterday week 8 but plan on harvest at week 9? Thats not a 14 day flush is it?

Tip after the flush make sure your pots reach a nearly complete bone dry state before you cut. Dont cut plant from wet soil.

Good taste can't be rushed... Just my .02$

Stonehedge out!

Spaventa,

Good to know you did well with the cheesecake, So far mine is looking really good as well - it was a single freebie too. Its super frosty, smells like blueberry and is quite purple, and my temps don't go below 18C at night either. The Sexbud was also a freebie and it looks really great so far as well very frosty, nice fruity smell and pretty cyrstally, its genetics are the grapefruit side from c99 If i remember correctly. Its funny that the free seeds are the best ones out of all 14! I will post some nice pics of the plants soon. Just had a group shot of the room from a week ago.

As far as genetics from my past runs it mostly been female seeds and I know they aren't a high end breeder but theres no way there as bad as what Ive been experiencing, I will take the blame fully here.

Good point with me being critical of myself, Its true but I do share my stuff with friends and family, I have had some people literally return it to me with this last run. I can smoke it and get a light buzz (proudly) but I know its something in my harvest process as It looks and smells pretty amazing before harvest and always ends up being a huge let down after all that time and work!

Heres hoping with everyone watching me step by step that this time is finally different!

Stonehedge,

Yes the pic is from a week ago, will post new pictures in the next few days. Yesterday was the first day of week 8, and Im cutting at the end of week 9 - so 14 days total. Sorry for the confusion, I don't know how else to word this, Im sure theres a better way.


Thanks for the tips, I was definitely gonna let them be nice and dry before chopping. and was thinking about 2 days of complete darkness as well.

If deficiencies have a big impact on final product then isn't the last 2 weeks of flush one massive deficiency ? Ive tried avoiding deficiencies but trust me its not happening, even after 300 hours of research on this (another Post on this!)

Stonehedge said:

"I had a lot of deficiencies, but thats another story and post!"

Imo a grow thats been through alot of deficiences is apt to have problems with taste and burn qualitys.....

Try to avoid deficiences like the plaque...

In those pics the plants still look very green...

Step 4. Cut in dark before lights on? Try cutting a couple hrs after light go out i find mine stink the most then.

You say you just started the flush yesterday week 8 but plan on harvest at week 9? Thats not a 14 day flush is it?

Tip after the flush make sure your pots reach a nearly complete bone dry state before you cut. Dont cut plant from wet soil.

Good taste can't be rushed... Just my .02$

Stonehedge out!

Click to expand...

Paulie said the beginning of week 8 to the end of week nine - 2 weeks.

Plants develop terpenes and cannabinoids during lights off. you harvest before lights on. You are fooled because your room smells more with lights on because of temps. Paulie is doing it the right way.

The odd slight deficiency isn't as bad for end product as nutrient toxicity. Paulies makes a good point about flushing.

PaulieWaulie said:

Stonehedge,

Yes the pic is from a week ago, will post new pictures in the next few days. Yesterday was the first day of week 8, and Im cutting at the end of week 9 - so 14 days total. Sorry for the confusion, I don't know how else to word this, Im sure theres a better way.


Thanks for the tips, I was definitely gonna let them be nice and dry before chopping. and was thinking about 2 days of complete darkness as well.

If deficiencies have a big impact on final product then isn't the last 2 weeks of flush one massive deficiency ? Ive tried avoiding deficiencies but trust me its not happening, even after 300 hours of research on this (another Post on this!)

Click to expand...

14 day flush good deal...

Last two weeks about getting the plant to use up the stored nitrogen i think a plant thats been through defs and lockout may still be holding salts/minerals. I believe a flush may or may not help.

Again just my .02$

One thing i can tell ya people are always telling me they like they way i make my flowers taste, the blueberrys taste like blueberrys, the lemons taste like lemons, the oranges taste like oranges etc... Im into organics fyi to each his own tho...

Im rooting for your success my friend happy gardening.

Stonehedge out!

Spaventa said:

Paulie said the beginning of week 8 to the end of week nine - 2 weeks.

Plants develop terpenes and cannabinoids during lights off. you harvest before lights on. You are fooled because your room smells more with lights on because of temps. Paulie is doing it the right way.

The odd slight deficiency isn't as bad for end product as nutrient toxicity. Paulies makes a good point about flushing.

Click to expand...

Sorry i misunderstood his plan on a 14 day flush i thought he was only gonna do a 7 day.

I avoid defs like the plaque just my .02$

My suggestion was to cut a few hours after the lights go out. I find my plants stink the most then.

Always down to help a fellow gardener out the best i can,
Peace!!!

Stonehedge out!

Everyone is right about the defiecenies, avoid them as much as possible
Don't set a day limit on flushing, when the large fans yellow, she's done
If you wanna speed up flush , defoliate most of the big fans
Use 3x pot volume of water to flush out any buildup from the meduim
Then only ph adjusted or RO water to finish
You can always use a flushing agent to flush the meduim quicker but lots of water works good too.

Your doing everything else right so if you get a bad product after you watched the leaves yellow off then you need new genetics

Next time try not feeding over 800ppm and your plant won't get as much food buildup , you'll get the yellow fade quicker , cannibis is a hyper accumulatior and will absorb extra nutrients even when they don't need them to grow.

PaulieWaulie said:

Its funny that the free seeds are the best ones out of all

Click to expand...

hehe same for me with that order - the Nev Haze I actually ordered isn't worth a damn lol To be fair its ok for a 10 week sat (if thats even possible) but no Nevilles Haze quality really. Its getting better with cure, a little bit of church incense funk emerging now after some cure but Im far more impressed with the Blueberry Cheesecake.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the input

Stonehedge - I will definitely give them the full dark cycle, maybe even 48 hours darkness depending on the timing of everything.

Spaventa - Ive included some of the Blueberry Cheesecake Pics, maybe its similar pheno?

Ogtg - Yes makes sense to not just go by the 14 days, you should be able to tell if its all flushed based on how all the leaves are yellow, and of course trichome maturity

Heres some Pics of the Sexbud and Blueberry Cheesecake, Still experimenting with best lighting for good pictures so I apologize.

Ive been taking pics for a quick 5 mins after lights out, Im thinking those 5 mins extra shouldn't interfere with the light cycle!

Ive been having a hard time focusing in on trichomes with my 60X microscope, I can usually only focus on a couple of trichomes but not for very long, then my hand or the plant moves and it goes out of focus. Im thinking 60X might be too much, So ordered a 24X scope pen, and a 30 jewellers loupe to try as well.

I prefer to not remove buds to inspect trichomes. How do you guys do it ?

Blueberry Cheesecake


Sexbud


Skunk Special


Pure AK

The reason why you have defs is those huge amounts of perlite in your pot
while your plant will rather prefer pure soil buffered with some agro-lime,some mycoriza
and beneficial bacteries to feed plant easier.

That will keep her longer whithouth a deficiences...

With what you feeding your plants Paulie??


Also your plants perform heat problems if i read a leafes.. like light come too close to plants.

Dog Star,

Im using pure blend pro bloom soil right now, between at around 900 ppm, my tap water comes out at 200. I keep ph between 5.8-6.2, temps don't go higher than 25C and usually sit around 23C. I have the 1000 watt HPS 24" from canopy top. I have a 10" Exhaust fan so theres pretty good airflow out of the room. They are in Pro Mix HP (high porosity) which has lots of perlite, but what you can see in the picture is just perlite that has risen to the top. If you go in inch down its all peat moss. As far as soil beneficials I was using Liquid Karma (5-10 ml/G and Blackstrap Molasses (10 ml/G) with a total ppm of 950, and then I started getting deficiencies and decided to just stick to basic Pure Blend Pro Bloom. During that time I was also watering until I had 20% run off. But once again it wasn't giving me great results and I was wasting Nutrient Mix, so now I have a new system for the next cycle after this one where I am pre flushing with 2 Gallons of water every 3rd watering (every 2 weeks).


Thanks For Helping out! I have been following all the schedules and guidelines so I'm stumped on where I went wrong so far.

Peat moss and perlite dont feed plant,peat need some time to be decomposed
and this dont happend too fast,specialy when we grow in pots.

I like you use good organic line but i think they are not complete with nutes,
think our plants excpect lot more from us,also this high perlite or vermiculite
mixes are practicaly empty with nutes and in them its a big possibility
that PH will not be of proper values so plant have problems to feed self
properly,lot of PH swings.

Look good to give your plants a most purest soil of best quality,wormcastings
also of great quality,organic amendments to feed proper soil on longer runs,
dont use mixes with aerators but pure soil mixes so a PH will be more stabile,
use mycoriza and beneficial bacteries,aerate your nutes for few hours before you give them to plants,dont use dangerous PH downs but use Apple vinegar for that job,etc..,
use vitamins and amino-acids,use mineral part as azomite,granite dust,maerl,zeolite..
buffer with agro-lime..


all this advices need to give your plants much better health than they showing now.


Kind regards

Hey Paulie because of topping and LST its hard to compare structure but leaf shape and buds appears the same.

Sup. Not here to argue just gonna try to help. Health of your plant is related to quality of smoke. Understand that u grow with chems not organicly like your bottle suggests. Also the myth behind flush is a commercial way of getting product out the door faster with no cure. Also u must use ro water. Flishing with tap leads to black ash non free burning crap.

Try to forget what u hear about flushing.

Last 2 week use a low feed approx 25 to 30 percent of your normal feed of base nutes. No boosters. Its called fade. Faded them out. U can chop em no flush when ready.

Now ur gonna need to cure for 3 weeks approx. U can try a little and will see it burn freely and with a white ash.

I think u feed a little high. 600 ppm has worked for me. With a starting tap of 150 ppm. 900 means almost double so to me id say its high.

With tap water i highly suggest u try floralicious. Neutralizes the nasties and u wont believe how next level it takes your plants... good luck!!

UPDATE UPDATE !! 1 WEEK LEFT

so a week ago I flushed until my run off was 300 ppm, and I wanted to see if they would use up some of that during a week of growing, but run off yesterday was still 300, so I decided to flush until my run off was same as my tap water of 200 ppm. Total between those 2 flushes was 9 Gallons on 3 Gallon pots so 3X container size, just as everyone said!

I also removed all the fan leaves, about half of those where yellow already. They look nice and clean now!

Got my Jewlers Loupe and 24X microscope pen in the mail so will have some trichome updates in the next few days.

Dog Star,
I stand corrected, I double checked the temps and it jumps to 27C with the spring sun hitting the window in the afternoon, Leaf temp measured with my infrared gun gave me a reading of 29C on the closest buds to the light, which as well isn't 24", but 18"! Was it the taco leaves that told you of heat stress? After Chop on Sunday, I will switch the flowering cycle to Night Time and it "SHOULD" stay at 21C.

You are right there is nothing in the pro mix its just a soil-less mix so I am 100% relying on whatever I feed them. I am thinking on my next run after I move I will try DWC, because I have more control, or go the organic soil way, like the KISS Method, or Super Soil, Subcools Recipe. That way I don't need to second guess what Im giving them every feeding, which can be challenging in the beginning. Until then I have my fridge full of pure blend pro and several bails of pro mix left, I will finish off and improve what I can, I do have seen many people get really good results with PBP and Pro Mix so there is room for improvement for me. Side note - there is mycorrhizae in pro mix so at least I have that.

Sourpuss,

I will try fading out in the future to compare the results, I can see how it would improve yields for sure. For now I will stick to what the majority of people are doing on here until I get that down. Flushing can't be bad for the taste. My next cycle which is on day 45 of flowering I have stopped feeding and am doing just Molasses at 15 ml/G for the next 10 days = 436ppm, then flush and go another 10 days. my Tap is 200 ppm so we are pretty similar what nutrients do you use, and do you do every watering? I am scaling back on my nutrients levels, currently doing 600ppm for veg and getting good results ( 5ml Pure Blend Pro + 5ml Liquid Karma (plus there is some starter nutrients in pro mix so that adds to it for the first week or so), going try and keep it under 800ppm during flowering.


Over and Out!

I don't know why those pictures flipped. They were proper on my desktop. I can't spin them around either now that they are on here?


Also where is the edit button ? I always make mistakes on my posts that I would like to fix. I can't find the edit button.....

I spent a good hour looking at the Trichomes. The new microscopes were useless so Im suck using the 60X which is hard to focus, but I managed to get a pretty good look.

Of course each plant was somewhat different but It was half clear half cloudy on most, and some had a few amber trichomes. I haven't found too much info on this window of maturity. I have 4 days of 12/12 left. Is it likely that they will become all cloudy in the next 4 days?

I don't want to go past 9 weeks as I have perpetual cycle, and have 24 plants taking the place of these and there pretty big now so 4 more days is pushing it. As well, all these strains are supposed to be quick flowering. Pure AK should be similar to ak47, skunk was chosen for fastest flowering out of 10,000 plants on the special skunk, and the sexbud is a quick flowering grapefruit ancestor of c99 heritage. Ordered a 4th microscope to arrive on friday so will hopefully get a better look then again.

PaulieWaulie said:

a few amber trichomes

Click to expand...

A lot more will turn amber over drying and cure.
Really, the perfect time to pull varies from grower to grower and plant to plant. It takes me a few runs with a clone to get it dialled and when to pull is part of that. You have to add time if you had problems that stalled them and always add a week to finishing times. They work it out from first pistils appearing not when you go 12/12. My BBCC had 10 weeks 12/12. Id still call that a 9 weeker though. To be honest, it could have gone another week too.