Trichomes, clear vs amber

[Canuck3]

I know many on here don't like to use trichomes as an indicator anymore, I myself do still look at them when judging harvest time, but also take into consideration how the buds naturally look, swollen, etc.
Anyway, I see a lot of people telling others to wait until half are amber etc... Jorge Cervantes writes in his indoor horticulture book that clear trichomes are at their peak of THC, while amber shows THC diminishing, as they are beginning to decompose in a way. Hard to have big swollen buds though without trichomes turning amber already...

What do you guys think about that statement, clear vs amber and THC content?

 

[GalacticUser]

My experience is that (1) my buds don't get me as high with clear trichomes as when they are milky, and (2) the high lasts a much shorter amount of time.

I don't know the science, just what I have experienced. If he's just comparing to Amber and not milky, I would agree with him, but if he's including milky in that theory, then I would disagree

 

[Canuck3]

Milky is what I aim for as well. I don't know the science either, but I can live with milky/cloudy as it's in between lol. And as long as the buds visually look ready to me as well

 

[DrOgkush]

I base in the color of concentrates for some harvest. If not. I don’t care. I go by what the flower looks like. Swollen. Pretty. And that crossed over smell. Then usually about a 1/3 of my trichs will be amber. Rest cloudy. None clear. That’s what I like.

but like I said above. If I harvest for shatter or bho. Im harvesting when the plants trichs are milky mostly. Give me a more blonde color

 

[Rurumo]

Here is what you do. Next time you harvest a plant, leave a branch on and let it go longer, you pick how long. It might be ripe and have 50% amber trichomes, it might not, they just aren't the best indicator of ripeness. Cervantes is one of the guys responsible for perpetuating this arbitrary clear/milky/amber trichome harvesting method. The thing is, you might be perfectly satisfied with under-ripe bud, that's totally fine, and some people (including all commercial ops) do it intentionally so they can squeeze an extra grow cycle in. Think of it in terms of pizza-pretty much all pizza is edible. Most people are happy with Dominos, but some people want that good New York or Italian pizza. It's a personal preference, that's all. Some people have harvested early every single grow for 20 years because they followed Cervantes' advice, the only way to break that cycle is to have an open mind and actually let part of your crop fully ripen-you'll be amazed at the density, stickiness, and terpenes you're missing out on.

 

[okmtnbiker]

Here is what you do. Next time you harvest a plant, leave a branch on and let it go longer, you pick how long. It might be ripe and have 50% amber trichomes, it might not, they just aren't the best indicator of ripeness. Cervantes is one of the guys responsible for perpetuating this arbitrary clear/milky/amber trichome harvesting method. The thing is, you might be perfectly satisfied with under-ripe bud, that's totally fine, and some people (including all commercial ops) do it intentionally so they can squeeze an extra grow cycle in. Think of it in terms of pizza-pretty much all pizza is edible. Most people are happy with Dominos, but some people want that good New York or Italian pizza. It's a personal preference, that's all. Some people have harvested early every single grow for 20 years because they followed Cervantes' advice, the only way to break that cycle is to have an open mind and actually let part of your crop fully ripen-you'll be amazed at the density, stickiness, and terpenes you're missing out on.

I think this is the best post in the history of the Internet. I might as well turn this thing off now I know all I need to know, well put!

 

[surfgeo]

Here is what you do. Next time you harvest a plant, leave a branch on and let it go longer, you pick how long. It might be ripe and have 50% amber trichomes, it might not, they just aren't the best indicator of ripeness. Cervantes is one of the guys responsible for perpetuating this arbitrary clear/milky/amber trichome harvesting method. The thing is, you might be perfectly satisfied with under-ripe bud, that's totally fine, and some people (including all commercial ops) do it intentionally so they can squeeze an extra grow cycle in. Think of it in terms of pizza-pretty much all pizza is edible. Most people are happy with Dominos, but some people want that good New York or Italian pizza. It's a personal preference, that's all. Some people have harvested early every single grow for 20 years because they followed Cervantes' advice, the only way to break that cycle is to have an open mind and actually let part of your crop fully ripen-you'll be amazed at the density, stickiness, and terpenes you're missing out on.

i agree, well said. i just made some oil from immature buds that were storm damaged and its fine with me - still going to go at least a week though, i am afraid of the bud rot sneaking up on me in this extremely humid climate i am in. plus i have to go out of town for a few days and i am afraid to leave it alone this far along.....

 

[okmtnbiker]

Sorry to interrupt your thread op, but since it looks like all the gurus are here I have a few questions. I’ve been watching mine closely, and 3 weeks ago my trichomes were mostly milky, however there weren’t so many of them. Since then lots of new trichomes have been born, and naturally the new ones are clear, then I’ve watched as those new ones started turning cloudy, and the earlier ones are now amber. And I have even more new clear trichomes. So this has me thinking that the clear/cloudy/amber method may not be right, because at least mine have gone through a few cycles and each time they are just more loaded. Does that make sense?

 

[Trippster62]

Here is what I have heard or read. Clear trichomes are immature and may cause anxiety or paranoia especially in people prone to that kind of thing. Milky trichomes are at the peak of ripeness and contain the highest amounts of THC. Amber heads are over ripe and THC starts to degrade into CBN, which is less psychoactive but produces a more sleepy type body buzz.
So, if you're for a short lived, speedy, anxiety ridden buzz harvest while heads are clear to milky. If you are looking for highest THC content wait until they are milky. If you're looking for that couchlock/body buzz type of high look for a good amount of amber 25-50%.

 

[okmtnbiker]

Here is what I have heard or read. Clear trichomes are immature and may cause anxiety or paranoia especially in people prone to that kind of thing. Milky trichomes are at the peak of ripeness and contain the highest amounts of THC. Amber heads are over ripe and THC starts to degrade into CBN, which is less psychoactive but produces a more sleepy type body buzz.
So, if you're for a short lived, speedy, anxiety ridden buzz harvest while heads are clear to milky. If you are looking for highest THC content wait until they are milky. If you're looking for that couchlock/body buzz type of high look for a good amount of amber 25-50%.

Not arguing here’s, just discussing so no disrespect intended. You have to understand that before legalization about all we had was anecdotal evidence (and most of that from potheads lol). Since legalization more scientific research has been done. I watched a pretty convincing YouTube the other day where they scoped plants, selectivity harvested, and tested each time. It was pretty convincing too. Their results showed that the highest thc content was when the trichomes were clear, when they were turning milky the thc was beginning to degrade to cbn, amber was more even cbn and when the terps started showing up. As most already say the clear trichomes can cause paranoia (in those who are predisposed), and that makes sense to me that the clear trichomes are pretty much thc only, pretty much a cheap vape cart lol. I’m not experienced though this is just my own observation. And I very much prefer “hot” strains, the ones that most others flip out when they smoke.

 

[DrOgkush]

Like toucan sam says.
“Follow your nose”

 

[Trippster62]

Not arguing here’s, just discussing so no disrespect intended. You have to understand that before legalization about all we had was anecdotal evidence (and most of that from potheads lol). Since legalization more scientific research has been done. I watched a pretty convincing YouTube the other day where they scoped plants, selectivity harvested, and tested each time. It was pretty convincing too. Their results showed that the highest thc content was when the trichomes were clear, when they were turning milky the thc was beginning to degrade to cbn, amber was more even cbn and when the terps started showing up. As most already say the clear trichomes can cause paranoia (in those who are predisposed), and that makes sense to me that the clear trichomes are pretty much thc only, pretty much a cheap vape cart lol. I’m not experienced though this is just my own observation. And I very much prefer “hot” strains, the ones that most others flip out when they smoke.

Yes, I understand before legalization pretty much everything we thought we knew was anecdotal. I grew SOG in the late 80's with no respect to trichome color. 30 days veg 60 days flower no deviation. Why? Because that's what the article in High Times magazine said so that's what I did.
I'd enjoy watching the YouTube you say you watched if you can remember the title.

 

[Canuck3]

@okmtnbiker yeah if you have the link to that video could you post it? Sounds worth watching!

Thanks for the feedback everyone

 

[okmtnbiker]

I’ve grown two successful indoor crops, and both times I harvested by the current generally accepted methods. These were my favorite strains that I had already sampled. All sativas. All of mine were couchlock which is the exact opposite of what I want. So I’m being more careful this time and pulling some as I go for a test. Next year I will know for sure and I have plenty to waste if I make a mistake.

 

[okmtnbiker]

I’ll dig and find that video later, I’ve viewed quite a few so give me time lol

 

[DrOgkush]

Yeah I wanna see that study as well. YouTube? I talk a lot shit on YouTube (still watch the shit outta it lol). That sounds like something I’d watch from growers network.

 

[fskitch]

Brown or black trichomes are dead. Milky for most is peak. Translucent amber trichomes are ripe for certain genetics that produce amber trichomes. I find sativas with translucent amber trichomes to be more on the psychedelic side. I think folks confuse translucent amber as degraded thc. Brown is degraded.

 

[okmtnbiker]

Brown or black trichomes are dead. Milky for most is peak. Translucent amber trichomes are ripe for certain genetics that produce amber trichomes. I find sativas with translucent amber trichomes to more on the psychedelic side. I think folks confuse translucent amber as degraded thc. Brown is degraded.

I intended to mention that this subject is probably complicated by the fact that every strain is probably different too. I figure if I live to be 109 I might have it halfway figured out lol

 

[Grojaks]

I go for mostly cloudy with like 10-25% amber

 

[DrOgkush]

Brown or black trichomes are dead. Milky for most is peak. Translucent amber trichomes are ripe for certain genetics that produce amber trichomes. I find sativas with translucent amber trichomes to be more on the psychedelic side. I think folks confuse translucent amber as degraded thc. Brown is degraded.

Huh?? Iv never heard that ever.