Harvest - finalizing

Content

• How to realize it's time to harvest
• How plants are prepared for harvesting

How to realize it's time to harvest

Determining the optimum time to harvest is a key step in producing a quality crop. A premature or delayed harvest can significantly affect the taste, aroma, effect and even the quantity of the harvest. Different types of cannabis have their own specific timing and signs of readiness for harvesting.

Visual signs of readiness

Trichomes are tiny crystalline glands covering the buds and leaves. Their condition is one of the most accurate indicators of a plant's maturity.

In the initial stage, trichomes are as clear as glass. When most of them turn milky white, this is the signal for the beginning of harvest. If the trichomes begin to take on an amber hue, then the plant is fully mature. At this point, the effect will be more relaxing and sedative, which is especially important for indica.

The pistils are the hairs coming out of the buds. In the initial stage, they are white and standing up. As the plant matures, the pistils darken (turn orange, brown or reddish) and curl up. If more than 70-80% of the pistils have changed color, the plant is ready to be harvested.

Mature cones become dense and heavy. Their structure is more compact in indica, while in sativa it is loose and elongated.

Maturity dates for different varieties

Sativa plants take longer to mature, usually 10-14 weeks after flowering begins. They produce a vigorous, stimulating effect, so it is important not to harvest too late to avoid losing the terpenes responsible for the invigorating aroma and flavor.

Indica plants have a shorter ripening cycle of about 7-10 weeks. These varieties are prized for their relaxing effect, and harvest should be done when the trichomes are just starting to turn amber.

Autoflowering plants are not oriented to the light cycle, but to the genetically laid down terms. They are usually ready to harvest 8-12 weeks after planting.

Because of the short life cycle, it is important to check the trichomes and pistils so as not to miss the time of maturity.

Feminized plants have the same ripening characteristics as regular sativa or indica, but guarantee no male plants, which increases yields. Harvest time depends on genetics and grooving conditions.

Features in growboxes

• When growing in grow boxes, the parameters: lighting, humidity, temperature can be more precisely controlled.
• The flowering period can be accelerated by adjusting the light cycle. For example, by switching to 10-12 hours of light per day, the plants mature faster.
• Due to stable conditions, trichomes and pistils mature evenly, making it easier to determine the time of harvesting.

To summarize, the ideal timing for harvesting depends on the plant type, its genetics and the grooving conditions. Use a magnifying glass or microscope to observe trichomes and focus on visual signs so as not to miss the optimal time for collection.

How plants are prepared for harvesting

Preparing plants for harvest is an important stage that requires special attention to the conditions of their grooving. Even if the crop is almost ripe, failure to observe some rules at the final stage can negatively affect the quality of the cones. To avoid this, it is necessary to properly organize the process.

One of the key steps is to stop fertilizer application 7-10 days before harvest. This process is called washing. Its purpose is to remove chemical residues from the plant tissue so that the cones retain their natural flavor and aroma. Clean water with a neutral pH (6.0-6.5) is used for washing. Abundant watering contributes to the leaching of salts from the soil, and signs of successful washing can be seen on the leaves: they begin to turn yellow, signaling the processing of residual nutrients. This is especially important for varieties such as sativa, which have a long flowering cycle, and for autoflowering varieties where every day counts.

The light cycle before harvest is crucial. The week before harvest, the daylight hours are reduced to 10-11 hours, which mimics the natural change of seasons. This encourages the plants to complete their life cycle and focus on ripening the buds. Reducing nighttime temperatures to 18-20 °C improves cone flavor and color, especially in indica varieties, which tend to show bright purple hues in cooler conditions. The plant is left in complete darkness 24-48 hours before harvesting. This stimulates resin production, making the buds stickier and more saturated.

Removing the large fan leaves 2-3 days before harvest helps improve air circulation around the buds and prevents the risk of mold growth. In autoflowering varieties, where leaves often remain small, this procedure is carried out directly at harvest time.

In the conditions of growboxes, it is important to take into account the microclimate parameters. Humidity in the last days should be reduced to 40-50% to avoid the appearance of fungus. Effective ventilation also plays a key role, since dense cones, especially in indica, can begin to rot without sufficient air supply. Carbon filters are used to combat the intense aroma characteristic of feminized varieties.

An equipment check completes the preparatory phase. Grover makes sure that all the systems of the growbox work properly, including lighting, ventilation and temperature regulators. These measures will create ideal conditions for the plants so that the harvest is not only plentiful, but also of high quality.

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• How long the flowering stage of cannabis lasts
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Caution! Errors Seeds does not encourage you to grow cannabis and does not contribute to this in any way. Growing is prohibited by Ukrainian law. The article is of purely scientific and informational interest.