Sometimes these yellow leaves will just drop off and other times they will curl . In addition to the lack of nutrients , the fan leaves are no longer getting the moisture they once were and if they stay on the plant , they may curl up in addition to changing their colour . Once this starts to happen on a plant that is well into its flowering phase , you can be sure that it is time to start harvesting .
Other Signs for Harvesting
Trichomes , pistils , and leaves are the most reliable indicators of harvest time for your cannabis , but there are a couple of other slightly less reliable methods . The shape of the bud can help to guide the novice grower . Buds that are firm and tight can be a way to tell if it is time to harvest . This method may cause some buds to be harvested prematurely and others too late as not all buds will mature at the same time . Another method is to rely on the information provided on the seed packaging . It will tell the strain and how many days on average it will take to reach maturity and harvest . This is the least reliable method as there are so many different factors that can and will affect the rate of maturity . The environment , amount of care received , and whether it was grown inside or outside will render the dates on the seed pack as just a guide .
“ There is not a ‘ perfect ’ time to harvest your buds , but rather a range of time within a narrow window , depending on what aspects and characteristics you want your flowers to have .”
Some growers will sample some of the flower to tell if it is time to harvest . To do this , take two or three buds from the top of the plant that appear to be ready and dry them in an oven at about 150 ° F for 15 minutes . Then , smoke or vape the sampled buds and decide for yourself if they are good to go .
Harvesting Buds Too Early / Too Late
What happens if the telltale signs of harvest time are missed ? Harvesting too late versus too early is generally agreed upon as the lesser of two evils , but hopefully it never comes to this . If you are impatient and harvest your buds too early , you are missing out . Flowers that are harvested too early have less flavour and fewer terpenes . You will also be missing out on volume — once they are harvested , they ( of course ) cannot get any larger at that point . On the other hand , if you harvest too late the consequences are fewer . You may even get buds with higher terpene levels , but some of the flavour and scent of your harvest will be lost . THC levels will drop as well . The THC converts to cannabinol ( CBN ), which gives less of a high and a more relaxing , but narcotic effect . There are times when it may be advisable to do a split harvest . If your lower buds are not ready to harvest , but your upper ones are , then by all means harvest the ones that are good to go and leave the others to continue developing . The buds at the top of the plant receive more light and usually ripen first . The lower flowers may even get a burst of growth and potency after the upper buds have been plucked since the plant is not spreading its resources among so many flowers . This can lead to higher THC levels in the lower flowers .
Whatever sign or combination of signs you decide to rely on , don ’ t be afraid to experiment . Getting to know your unique growing environment and how your plants respond to it will help you figure out what method is the most reliable for you when it comes to harvesting buds at their peak .
26 Maximum Yield