When is the right time to harvest your plant?

Easy signs of maturity

Luckily Cannabis gives plenty of rather obvious clues on when it has reached its peak. Reacting to them in a timely manner will make sure that you unlock the full potential of the buds. The typical signs that your bush has matured  and it is getting late for the harvest are as follows:

1. Leaf yellowing - if you see that the tips of the leaves become yellow, it means that nitrogen is leaving them which directly signals senescence, given that buds are already robust. 

1. Leaf dropping - so far the easiest and most obvious signal. As soon as the first few leaves have fallen it’s time to start the harvesting

What is the right time for closer looks?

For hitting absolutely the best moment you would need to put some work into attention and timing. There are several more signs, but they require a closer and more frequent inspection of the plant. First of all, let's define the right timing. If you grow auto-flowers their full cycle typically takes from 10 to 12 weeks, given that they stay under 18\6 light. Hence from the tenth week, it makes sense to start having a closer examination of the plant. 

Classic photoperiod Cannabis strains will be ready to harvest after 10-12 weeks of staying in the blooming phase. The vegetative phase on the other hand will be infinite, given that you maintain the 12/12 light schedule. Therefore the full cycle before harvesting will take a minimum of 18 weeks, considering that your goal is to get a substantial yield.

Freshly harvested auto-flower, Euphoria strain

When it comes to growing outdoors, nature is the one to determine the timing. Sativa-dominant strains can be very patient-demanding, usually taking 3–4 months to finish flowering. Indica-dominant strains and hybrids grow faster. After two to three months of bloom, they may be ready for harvest. An outdoor photoperiod cannabis crop requires a significant time commitment from the grower. From the time seeds are sown until they are harvested, it may take anything from 6 to 9 months.

Harvesting at the perfect moment

I highly recommend having a magnifying glass. That will help to spot the visual signs as soon as possible while taking it easy for your eyes. Analyzing the resin glands is the most reliable approach to determine whether your cannabis is ready for harvest or not. Before the plant is harvested, the bulbous mushroom cap on top of the stem should ideally be milky white in color. I strongly advise harvesting now to get the best out of those frosty sticky nuggs.

When Cannabis is ready for the harvest buds have a plenty of pollen all over them

Trichomes that are clear and glassy are immature, but those that are amber are starting to lose their THC. To create an uplifting euphoric high, more Sativa-leaning strains should often be harvested with a mixture of clear and milky resin heads. While India-leaning strains benefit from a mix of milky and amber trichs, or even a majority of amber trichs, during harvest. More amber means that the nearest coach will have more magnetism power due to the increased sedative effect as THC converts to CBD. At the end of the day, what is better is a matter of taste. Use this knowledge for adjusting the way your buds will work 😉