Harvest & Curing Still confused about harvest time...but I know it will still get me high!

[EEEcubed]

My Mdanzig Sour Spyder (second grow) is looking really good this time and is at day 57. She is only about 20 inches tall but the cola is about half that length and fat! I was going to wait until about day 65 to harvest but after taking a few macro photographs a little while ago I am begining to think she is almost ready. It is so confusing to know when. The very top bud leaves and buds have milky trichomes but the very next ones down are turning amber quickly.

This is my second plant of this variety, one not very well known to members. My last plant had issues with thrips and did not look that great but produced a strong smoke. This time I am smarter and have had no issues. And I have learned that this variety does not lose most or all of the leaves before she is ready for harvest, so the idea that "the leaves will tell you when to harvest" is not a good guide.

My confusion is that the somewhat older trichomes are ambering nicely, but of course the newer ones are not. Bud growth has slowed but not stopped. I am not sure what to do... I have flushed her now for over a week and watered her this morning. If it is time to harvest, I will do so in a couple of days. If not, I will wait a week or so.

 

[A4]

Looks about perfect for my tastes E3. That idea that the leaves will tell you is more a beginner tutorial in my opinion. Trichs are the only way to know what kind of psychoactive properties you are going to have.

That being said, you aren't going to get the entire plant to be perfect at once, just like a tomato plant or anything else, it will come in cycles and the older flowers at the top of the plant getting more light will be ready before the others will. You can either harvest in sections as they ripen or try to split the difference and chop the entire thing down with half ripe and half not. It is really personal preference more than anything. Like you said, it will still get you high. I normally try to pick the sweet spot and harvest all at once.

 

[EEEcubed]

Thanks, she looks just about right to this newbie too! I think I will wait for the soil to dry for a day or two and harvest that fat cola. Thanks for your thoughts.