So if you could get them to the highest percentage of cloudy to clear, just before the point of turning amber, that would be ideal? Does that go for all types? I think that I ( and many others ) confuse CBD with CBN . Is there any sign of cbd ripeness?
Is there any benefit to cbn?
sorry for all the questions, I obviously don't know the science behind it, I can grow and smoke it though.
In indicas and indica/sativa crosses that are not like 90% sativa you would want to harvest when you have about 5% amber tops.
If you are growing a pure sativa or a cross that is like 90% sativa you actually want to harvest earlier. A pure or almost pure sativa will reach peak THC levels just before clouding begins, so in those you would wait to see about 5% cloudy trichomes, maybe slightly more, but not much more, and that would be when you would want to harvest.
The question of CBD ripeness signs is basically answered by saying harvest when the info I provided says to harvest. You won't increase it by waiting any longer.
The problem is many, and I do mean MANY, growers pick the wrong strains to grow according to their likes and dislikes. Many want major couch-lock but when they pick a strain all they look for is HIGHER THC, HIGHER THC, HIGHER THC percentages, but the higher the THC level the lower the CBD level will be so by picking the highest THC level strains they can, they only assure they will NOT be getting the higher CBD levels they actually want.
The other thing that MANY growers do is join the 'flavor of the month club.' They read where someone says some strain is the best of the best and without researching to find out if it is actually right for them, they place their order.
They do not stop to consider that the genetics of the strain might be very wrong for what they actually like and want the most. They just take the recommendation of some total stranger. They also do not pause to consider that there are over 3000 known strains in the world and on sites like this, this one in particular with it's high percentage of new to fairly new growers, few people have had experience with and exposure to all that many of the strains that are available.
There are people here who have mainly, or even up until this moment, have only smoked average commercial grade herb they bought and have one or three or 8 grows under their belts, or maybe are even just part way into their first one. They can end up having picked some mid-grade professional genetics that when compared to the crummy commercial they have only smoked will make their mid-grade seem like the 'Holy Grail' to them. Then they start a thread about hos strain 'XYZ' is THE BEST EVER and in no time you see a parade of other people here saying how they just ordered strain 'XYZ' and can't wait to grow it ... and among that group there are always a percentage of people who like the one who started the craze, are new or fairly to growing and have had highly limited experience with and exposure to the tremendous number of strains in the world ... and then they smoke strain 'XYZ' and they also think it's the cat's meow .. so they talk it up .. and another group of people jump on the bandwagon and order the 'flavor of the month,' even though it is only mid-grade at best and possibly not genetically something that will, or can, give them what they actually like the most, or if a medicinal patient, not give them what they NEED the most.
But they attempt to play cannabis alchemist and try to turn it into something it genetically is not and never will be by harvesting it at different time according to different trichome colors.
People need to learn to pick genetics that will give them the most of what they want when they are harvested at the peak time and totally ignore everything else about the strain, it's name, it's fame, the advertising copy, high percentages of things that will only assure a low percentage of what they most want and also what some totally unknown stranger who very well might not have the slightest clue about genetics claims.
