Rainy harvest...advice needed

"originally posted in the wrong room: note to self- blaze AFTER you type = )

So I seem to have a dilemma with my outdoor ladies. I didn't transition into bloom until sept. 1st, as they aren't on my property and are kinda hard to get to...so here we are roughly 8-9 weeks later and they are just about perfect. Only problem is that up here in northern cali. we just got hit with some decent rain and moisture. I had everything staked off and pulled up against the house that they're at, so they're standing tall...but a little top heavy.

My dilemma is this...how long should i wait for the water to dry off as not to promote mold? The suns out now, after about 3 days of grey gloom, and should be until friday...could/should i wait until then to harvest?

should i pull them now?

are my ladies fukked from the rain, or was it okay to let nature help me flush?

in need of some serious feedback on this... thanks in advance my herbal ninjas

Hey I am in the same exact situation as you are in. I have two ladies still outside in northern california and still two weeks left. I chose a long flowering sativa strain so its my own mistake but im wondering if rain will harm them. Im curious to answers as well. Heres a pic of the girls

From what ive been gathering off this and other forums...axe the ladies. = ( even though they're premies..the mold sets in fast. im goin out to the property tonight. in the meantime, my family gonna shake the rain off...get paper towels or something and milk the moisture off (without damaging the herb). then when they are at their dryest point (sundown) chop em'...get them in some dark room with some fans on em and pray for no mold. the advice i was given: "If they are in a shaded spot where moisture might stay on the building or the ground during the day you may be too late. Be sure to dig into the bud right down to the meristem as the worst molds and bud rot happen from the inside out."

hope this might help a little...hate to be the bearer of bad news..& sorry to hear about the same dilemma...gl let me know how everything turns out!!

What I have gathered in researching the topic is rain isn't exactly bad for plants as long as long as proper airflow is provided and the humidity isn't too high.I try to shake mine in the mornings after a storm. I think its important to realize that the genetics you are growing makes a huge difference. I think sativas possibly might risk less chance of mold due the spacing of the branching and the colas do not form as dense as Indicas. This is just what I assume from my research I think I will start to flush and try to stick it out a few weeks more . Anyone with any info on this topic could you chime in now please?!?

good point...mine are indica & super dense...plus im in the foothills...we got rocked these last couple days hard. you're right though, rain is good for plants...thats why nature runs its course and the same reason i refused to chop mine early... i rode out the storms...the first few sprinkles just aren't usually this heavy. i usually let the weather help my ladies flush...but these past few days have been ugly. i mean it snowed at 3000 last night, im @ 2800. sorry if my "info/advice" made you...just tryin my best to help someone else while im in a panick an hour away from my lb and a half that could very well be beginning to develop mold. Good luck to you, and hope those experts chime in soon huh?

Id say the only way to know for sure is to check on them constantly. You will probably have to look inside some of the buds. With that much moisture and the dense nugs I think I would just chop. If my buds were more airy I think I would wait but still check on them. Its been a loooooong time since I have grown outdoors.. and that was in Socal... so not much moisture problems.. Now in the NW moisture is a different story.. even indoors..

i say shake off as much water as possible dnt let it pool into a certain area, the blott it a lil, AND PRAY

but u could also build a bud drer, that way if u chop u wont get mold, there is a tutorial on how 2 build a bud dryer in the FAQ section

hope i helped a lil

peace

ok,had some problems like that myself from my awesome grow this year!!!I would go out there near them to shake off extra rain as much as you can,have little gentle towels and dry them as good as you can and try to get some air blowing if possible...It is great for flushing but if its to bad on buds,and you dry them use your head if they do need pulled than use your discretion,good luck guys!!Karma is the best for all grows

I still do not understand this at all Water deteriorates flowers regardless upon initial contact??? What about the people up in the pacific northwest who gorilla grow, they battle weeks of solid rain without protection outside.Where I have my grow there has been minimal rain to speak of so I assume when a storm like this comes it can only be a natural step in flowering and they have the strength to prevail. I assume during flowering plants develop their resenous coating in order to survive the penetration of moisture or something along those lines...any info on this could greatly benifit many who still have plants outside in a northern climate

im in northern cali as well and i just so happen to be in a similar situation, today was our first sunny day for about a week.

are the buds really resinous? that could provide a good layer of protection

Well... it rains 9 months out of the year here. Here's what we do.

Just to bring you all up to speed as to what I went through last night...drove over an hour to get to my ladies that suffered through the torrents of rain we had up in placer county (norcal). The family member who was watering for me had shaken off the rain, staked of what branches and colas had almost bent in half, and i showed up after sundown. Thoroughly inspected the biggest and densest colas down to the meristem....dry as could be! Just from shaking off the branches and letting the sun dry off for a day! There is something to be said for the resinous properties the plants naturally protect themselves with...granted these were pretty dense indica (for outdoors), not sure how an airy blend might deter the water...but good to know for next November. Much to my surprise though...the ladies weren't beaten up as bad as i thought, but regardless i took the axe to them- they were ready for the next step. I just made sure to manicure well (until 1:30 this morning...yawn) put blankets on the windows, got adequate air circulation for them , and hopefully all will end smooth and fruity.

I think aside from careful inspection I guess just use your instictive judgements and harvest at your own risk. Considering the amount of rain a plant might have been subjected to, make sure you can counteract with appropriate ventilation/circulation.

Like you said jman...Karma is the best for all grows!!! Will post pics later!!

Keep up the good vibes my herbal ninjas!!!

good for u man can u give us some harvest pics?