Most beginners will learn in the process, as advanced growers will tell you that the most challenging times of growing weed is during harvesting. There are two kinds of growers, and each has different harvest times. Indoor growers expect their first harvest within eight weeks, while outdoor growers will need a little extra time. Regardless of how you choose to grow your weed, you can ruin its potency in the final stage. No grower wishes to risk this after weeks of patience and care for your marijuana plants. To get the best quality of your weed plant, you will need a guide to avoid common mistakes beginners make. As you plan the cannabis home-growing endeavors, can you buy weed seeds online, among other essential tools? Growing cannabis is now as you can buy weed seeds online and find the required tools, and resourceful insights to supercharge your endeavors. As such growing weed to maturity is the easiest part.
When is the right time to harvest your weed?
Knowing when to time the harvest can be quite a challenge. If you harvest too late, you risk getting pot that has its potency deteriorating. If you harvest too soon, then you risk getting weed with far lower potency. Seed companies will try to make it easy and give you a timeline of when the buds will mature after flowering starts. However, it would be best if you decided on your harvest time based on the signs that your plant is showing. Here is a look at three signs that tells you it is time to harvest your plant.
Look at the Pistils
Pistils are the hair that you see growing on the calyxes of the marijuana bud plant. They are the female sex organs of the marijuana plant. Both intersex and female plants have pistils, and this is how you can tell if a plant is male or female. Pistils are also reddish-brown and visible between 4-6 weeks after the germination of the cannabis plant. At 7-10 weeks, the pistils will begin to dry up and spot orange or vibrant brown color. For a mild high, you can harvest when the pistils are half turned, and for a higher THC potency, you should wait until at least 70-90% of the pistils become dark.
Examine the Trichomes
Trichomes are tiny crystals that cover the flowers, and you cannot easily spot them without the aid of a magnifying glass or a digital microscope. Trichomes are responsible for giving cannabis buds a unique aroma and taste. When the trichomes are immature, they are glassy and clear in appearance, whereas mature trichomes are milky and cloudy. You should harvest your cannabis buds when the trichomes are almost 30 percent cloudy.
Examining both the Trichomes and Pistils
Getting the best evaluation using only one method can be faulty, and you may harvest your buds too early or late. Sometimes it may happen that the pistils have changed color, yet the trichomes are still glassy and clear. By observing the pistils and trichomes, you can make a reliable decision of when to harvest and expect desired results.
How to begin the process of harvesting weed
After confirming that the buds are mature, you should start the harvesting process. There are many ways to go about it, but it is wise to start with eliminating the fan leaves. The fan leaves are longer than the sugar leaves, which are closer to the buds. There are many uses for the fan leaves once you remove them, but you can choose to throw them out. Some people find value in them and make vegetable smoothies as they contain antioxidants minerals and vitamins essential for the body.
The Drying process
The drying process begins as soon as you cut the buds from your plant. You should ensure that you cut the buds on the stem leaving room for hanging them when drying, as this is the best way to dry your weed. It should take between 7-10 days for your weed to dry completely, and you can tell by bending the stem of the plant. If it bends and doesn’t break, then your marijuana is not fully dry.
The drying process needs a cool location, and if you can dry your weed in complete darkness, you will get higher potency. It is because either artificial or UV light will breakdown some significant compounds like cannabinoids and terpenes. The best temperatures to maintain are between 65-75-degrees Fahrenheit.
Dry trimming Vs. Wet Trimming
If you are growing weed by yourself, then it becomes reasonable to trim them when still wet. It makes the process a lot easier as the leaves will not yet curl tightly to the buds compared to when they are dry. Trimming your weed is an intricate process that is best done by hands while using a weed trimming scissors. However, once you cut the sugar and fan leaves, your buds will dry faster. Professional growers advocate for dry trimming as the trichomes will retain most of its unique aroma and potency. Dry trimming for professionals is easier as there are trim machines that are much more efficient. Ensure that you weigh all the positives and negatives of both dry trimming and wet trimming before settling for one.
How to Cure Your Cannabis Buds
Curing is the final stage of weed harvesting, and its primary purpose is to make the weed more potent and be rich in flavor. Curing is the slow process of letting the buds lose its humidity and evaporate any moisture within the buds. The best way to cure your weed is to use opaque glass jars and cover tightly before storing them in the dark. During the initial days of the curing process, ensure that you open the jars briefly to let in the fresh air and let out the moisture or condensed air.
You can open the glass jars frequently as you begin the curing process, but after some weeks or a month, you can regulate to opening the lids after every 5-7 days. Letting the moisture out prevents the weed from forming mold on the glass. After your weed is completely dry and cured, you can store them permanently without fear of acquiring mold. The curing process may take between 2-3 months to get satisfactory results.
Different growers use different harvest methods. However, the most potent weed happens when you follow the right harvesting procedure, including the timing. With the readily available resources and online seed banks such as Home Grown Cannabis Company, you can now grow weed in your basement, garage, or backyard and say goodbye to your local dispensary.