I cant tell what Im looking at.....

I have read so much about growing since starting this, my first plant. I have helped friends in the past, so I have basic understanding of what Im doing. But I am confused...

I have an equatorial sativa (I live in Colombia ..5 degrees north of equator) It seems like its doing great. Could be getting close. This is where Im confused. I have a full sized microscope that I have been looking at the trich's through. But to be honest I cant tell what is cloudy or clear or amber even. Some of them look kinda black as well. A microscope has a light diaphragm that allows different amounts of light to pass through the specimen (1-5) every setting gives me a different reading....the brightest appears more clear and the darker appears cloudy....

I dont want to miss my window....planning a big travel excursion and am looking forward to having some nice herbs to bring...not the brick weed that you come across normally down these parts...


My plant is 9 weeks into flower...(sativa could go up to 18-20 sometimes) Could one of you experts take a look and let me know what you think...time wise for this lady of mine....I do appreciate the advice.

It looks like she has a ways to go yet, probably a few more weeks. Looking at trichomes can be a challenge. I find it is easier to evaluate on a 30x magnification than a 200x as it gives you a larger field to evaluate. If the colors are throwing you off, look at the density of the trichs. Solid as opposed to liquid looking.

pic 3 and 7 need about 3-5 more weeks and the rest look like 5-7 weeks.... but they are only picture, the longer you wait the better it will be, for the most part

As to Little Tommy's advise, my advise also would be to get a lesser magnification magnifying glass (10-30x), preferably just one that is only a lens, not the whole compound microscope. Those give you enough magnification to be able to see clusters of trichomes, and you can easily verify whether they are clear, milky, or amber. Higher magnifications can get a little confusing for a lot of reasons. I know some people who just use the variable zoom on and macro setting on their digital camera, I know some who just shine a light behind the plant and observe it's 'glow' and seem to know right when it's ready. You'll learn your way.

AMK792 said:

pic 3 and 7 need about 3-5 more weeks and the rest look like 5-7 weeks.... but they are only picture, the longer you wait the better it will be, for the most part

Click to expand...

well, all the photos are on the same plant at the same time. So i suppose i could estimate an average of about 5 weeks more? I figured I had a ways to go still. Another things is that a lot of my trichromes dont even have heads. Well, none of the pistils trich's have heads....alot if the leaves do and on the buds there are some with and some with out.

Do the heads form later as they become more potent?

Yes the heads develop later. When i look at trichs i prefer to look at the trichs on the calyx as opposed to the trichs on the pistil, just because the color of the pistil will usually determine its trich's color. One you see the heads of the trichs start to develop on the calyxes youre getting closer though its still not definitive.

The way I like to know when to roughly harvest my plants is by the hairs. I like to harvest when about 50 percent of the hairs on the plant are amber or red, and the other 50 percent are still white. Its a very simple way to determine without any form of magnification and I find the bud always has a good stone to it by that time.

Thats good advice...I appreciate it...thanks

once you see heads you know it will be soon look at the hairs and if you can c any yellow trics with your eyes no magnification cut her down! imo

So will there be heads then eventually on the pistils as well, or should I mainly focus on the buds themselves?

i mainly focus on the buds themselves because i dont have a scope just a big ass magnifieng glass haha but i have at least 20/20 eyesight which works out well for me

There is no one proven method for time windows, it's just one of those things you have to "get". I know that's not the answer you are looking for but.....

However, since most true sativa strains can flower for long periods of time, I would do a staggered harvest, that way you will grasp the concept of when to harvest much better. Also, you will be able to smoke buds with high , medium and low CBD content, which I find is nice when you just have one strain. It gives you a bit of variety.

Also, one way to know that the plant is nearing completion is to look for large amounts of yellowing in the big fan leaves as the plant pushes all the energy into finishing the buds.

Looks really good though homie, keep it up.

Peace,

K

koulajitong said:

There is no one proven method for time windows, it's just one of those things you have to "get". I know that's not the answer you are looking for but.....

However, since most true sativa strains can flower for long periods of time, I would do a staggered harvest, that way you will grasp the concept of when to harvest much better. Also, you will be able to smoke buds with high , medium and low CBD content, which I find is nice when you just have one strain. It gives you a bit of variety.

Also, one way to know that the plant is nearing completion is to look for large amounts of yellowing in the big fan leaves as the plant pushes all the energy into finishing the buds.

Looks really good though homie, keep it up.

Peace,

K

Click to expand...

Really good practical advice here. I appreciate that. I like what you said about harvesting it at different times. I agree this will give me a good perspective on the time frames as well as a variety of smoke. Also that bit about the leaves. I knew that but have been kinda overlooking the simple thing like that.

Again thanks. This is very practical advice for someone like me who is working with very limited resources......Stay up doggie