When to Harvest Marijuana

Harvest season is one of the most awaited times of any cannabis cultivator. This is the period where all the hard work will eventually pay off. Though it is the most awaited time, this is also the season when cannabis growers should be very much knowledgeable of the many things to consider before harvesting. As the saying goes, “there is time for everything.” This means that harvesting too early or too late may result in less potent and lame effects.

In this article, we will be discussing when to harvest your marijuana. Just like any other guide, we will present you determinants for consideration. Before we even go further, let us first talk about the essential factors.   

What are the factors to consider?

There are various factors to put into consideration in order to determine if your cannabis plants are ready for harvest. Even before understanding the determination, it will be helpful if you have an idea of the strain’s origin and its growing information. This is for you to be able to know its suggested flowering time, the breeders’ recommended harvest month, as well as its physical appearance when it is finally ready for harvest. In knowing its origin and growing information, it will be easier for you to settle if your buds are ready to harvest.

Knowing the strain’s information can get you to the right track. Although the breeders’ details may sometimes be inaccurate, knowing something about the marijuana plant you are developing can give you hints about its profile.

In learning more about the plant you are growing, let us talk about the signs when to harvest your weed.

When to harvest marijuana?

For the record, knowing if it is finally the time to harvest your marijuana is all based on its appearance. The most important things to look at when harvesting your marijuana will be the following:

• Pistils (The tiny little hair)
• Trichomes (The tiny white crystals)
• Leaves

These parts of your cannabis plant are solely responsible for letting you know if your most-awaited buds are ready for harvest.

Pistils

Depending on your strain’s description, pistils play an important role in determining if your marijuana plant is ready for harvest. As a notable part of the cannabis plant, looking closely at the shoot will obviously tell you where the pistils are.

Pistils are the hair-like parts of your plant that appear from the calyx. At an early age, these tiny little hairs appear to be white in color. And eventually, they will turn brown to dark brown when it’s time to harvest. Remember to not harvest when the pistils aren’t visibly brown yet. The main reason for this is to ensure its optimal potency.

When more than 50 percent of the pistils are still white, harvesting your marijuana plant can result in less potent buds. If 50 to 90 percent of the pistils turn dark brown, then your harvested weeds will produce surpassing effects. Make sure not to wait until a hundred percent of the pistils are brown already as the THC may turn into CBN.

Trichomes

Trichomes are the crystal-like part of the marijuana plant that are too tiny for the eyes to see. In determining if your cannabis plants are ready to harvest by looking at its trichomes, a magnifying equipment can help you. One of the popular tools is the jeweler’s loupe. It is a little hand-held magnifying tool that can be utilized to get near and intimate with the trichomes. Using a digital microscope will give you a more accurate image of the condition of your trichomes, but this comes at a higher price.

Under a magnifying equipment, the trichomes will look distinct and will present a crystal-like appearance during the early age of flowering. This means that  its potency is still low. Further down its flowering phase, trichomes will begin to showcase an extra hazy look and white color. When these resin factories are partially cloudy, the buds are still not totally ready and will have a weak aroma. There’s still some time to wait. Ultimately, the trichomes will become significantly hazy. At this period, they carry the greatest levels of THC and will provide the most powerful psychoactive results.

This is the time when most farmers will want to reap their harvests. If left longer, the trichomes will turn from a cloudy appearance into a golden one. Collecting at this stage will provide a more relaxing body high.

Leaves

You do not need any form of a master’s degree to recognize the leaves. Leaves are the broad fan-like parts of the marijuana plants that serve as energy-forming solar boards. Depending on the origin of the strain and the way it had been developed, during the vegetative stage, yellow leaves will not be an indication of a true harvest. In fact, when this happens, it just means a lack of nutrients.

However, this appears to be different in the flowering phase. If your marijuana plant is filled with flowers, fan blades will start to become yellow and die as much of the support is focused on the plants. This is simple to locate and a surefire indication that harvest time is near.  

There are some strains that are purple in color. Looking at the tip of the leaves can help you decide if the buds are ready to harvest or not.

Conclusion

It may be a difficult task to wait for the harvest season to finally come. Knowing when it’s time to harvest your marijuana is fulfilling. There are essential parts of your plant that can help you in determining when it’s time to reap. Understanding more on the signs is very important.

Pistils, trichomes, leaves, and a magnifying tool will be your best friends at this point. You are not just preparing for quality buds, but you are also preparing for the most potent high that it can ever deliver. Buds alone cannot offer a great smoking experience. The most enticing thing is the kind of effects it can deliver at the end of the day.