Here is the plant maturity guideline I share with lots of new growers.
Trichomes can be tricky to read accurately, especially for new growers since they don't know what to actually look for. It's very easy for the bulbous clear trichome heads to magnify the opaque/cloudy trichome stalks and give a false impression of the maturity of the plant.
Determining maturity isn't about one single factor, its about watching ALL the signs the plant is giving you. As you grow more plants you will begin to be able to read those signs, and understand what point your plant is at.
FIRST 90% of the stigma(pistils) will turn red(ish) and begin to actually shrink/shrivel back towards the buds.
THEN the bracts(calyxs) will begin to fatten up internally. The buds won't be appearing to grow much outwardly at this point but will be adding density and weight still. I've watched strong stems bend over in just a couple days during this period from the added mass.
FINALLY after about 2ish weeks of swelling, AFTER the stigma have turned, then you can look at trichomes on the actual buds and determine your final harvest point.
There are plenty of variables that can alter time periods, but for the most part cannabis plants follow pretty consistent patterns of growth and ripening.
It is VERY EASY to harvest a plant too early and loose out on flavor, smell, yield, and overall quality.
It is VERY HARD to harvest too late. I have never seen someone accidentally over ripen a plant, it would take weeks of ignoring your plant for that to happen.
