Northern Lights - Ready to chop?

This is my first grow, so with all the time and effort I put into this, the last thing I want to do is ruin the harvest. Both plants are Nirvana Northern Lights flowered under 400W HPS, today making 9 weeks and 3 days. One plant looks further along than the other, with most of the pistils being orange and receding back into the calyxes. It's hard for me to get a look at the trichromes through the radioshack microscope. I stopped giving both plants nutrients about 2 weeks ago, although now I realize I could've gone a little longer feeding them. Is this ready to chop, or am I just too eager to harvest?

She's dying on the vine, might as well chop her.

Chop that down immediately, before she degrades any further.

It's tough to get a good pic of the trichromes. I think some of this might have to do with the increasing temps lately.

Agreed, she's not going anywhere fast, chop, chop...

Chopped her down, and onto drying. Thanks a lot guys!

Although the second plant is a little further behind, I figure it would be best to ask on how much further along this one should go before chopping. The trichromes are mostly cloudy, but there are still a number of clear from what I can tell and even fewer amber. The pistils are mostly orange as well, but have not receded much. How much longer before I can chop this one? Thanks in advance, RIU has been nothing but helpful over my first grows!

NewBean said:

Although the second plant is a little further behind, I figure it would be best to ask on how much further along this one should go before chopping. The trichromes are mostly cloudy, but there are still a number of clear from what I can tell and even fewer amber. The pistils are mostly orange as well, but have not receded much. How much longer before I can chop this one? Thanks in advance, RIU has been nothing but helpful over my first grows!

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Looking great, hard to tell from the trichs with no close-ups but it's fading (nicely), a week maybe. Depends on what you want, my preference is all cloudy with a few, maybe 5% amber, then I know it's done and I prefer a head stone.

GroErr said:

Looking great, hard to tell from the trichs with no close-ups but it's fading (nicely), a week maybe. Depends on what you want, my preference is all cloudy with a few, maybe 5% amber, then I know it's done and I prefer a head stone.

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Awesome, I figured it should be about a week, but thanks for confirming. Even though both seeds were planted, vegged, and flowered at the same time, throughout their life cycles, it was very apparent they were different phenotypes. Interesting how the same strain can be so different.

Im smokin on some northern lights right now

Fuck, I swore I'd back off the seed binge I went on earlier this year, now seeing and hearing about NL I may just have to grow some I've smoked some, a local guy I know has been growing it for a while, but looks like I'll have to grow some out myself now, damn, just can't shake the habit - lol

I definitely want to grow the Northern Lights X Big Bud

Can a plant be ready to chop (via tric's) even if it still has white hairs?

Fangule said:

Can a plant be ready to chop (via tric's) even if it still has white hairs?

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imo growing for many years outdoor, the trichs tell me when it's ready, regardless of strain, has never failed me.