Other Indicators of When to Harvest Marijuana

While potency is the biggest determinant of when to harvest weed, there are other factors that should make the decision when to harvest easier for you. Here are a few:

Flowering time: this is going to depend on the strain you have planted. Marijuana plants mature at different rates, so it is important to check each plant individually.

Pistils: as we saw earlier, the pistils play a big role in determining when to harvest marijuana. In a healthy weed plant that is nearing maturity, the pistils stick right out of the body and are white. When the plant is ready for harvesting, the pistils curl back toward the flower and turn dark.

Remember, not all the pistils turn dark at the same time. To maximize your harvest, you can harvest those that are ready and leave the rest to continue maturing.

Trichomes plus the Pistil: while looking at either the trichomes or the pistil can independently give you good results, however, combining these methods will give you the most accurate indicators of when to harvest marijuana. Sometimes the pistils remain white even as the trichomes turn cloudy. Other times the pistils start curling while the trichomes remain clear. You will get the most potent THC when both these parts start changing. So instead of depending on just one method, combine these two to determine when to harvest weed.

Extra Tips for Harvesting Marijuana

Here are some tried and tested rules of thumb that will ensure you get better results when determining when to harvest marijuana:

1. The harvest window starts when the plant is not growing more or new white hairs, or pistils, and nearly half of the pistils have started to darken and curl in.
2. If the pistils are almost sticking out but the trichomes are still translucent, the plant is too young and not ready for harvesting. You can consider this harvest time if you want to lower your bud potency. Keep in mind that you will get a lower yield at this point too.
3. The highest level of THC is reached when most of the trichomes have turned cloudy. Remember to use a microscope or jeweler’s loupe to observe the trichomes. Cloudy trichomes have the highest THC levels and have more psychoactive and euphoric effects.
4. The harvest window passes once the trichomes start withering or turning grey. Weed harvested at this stage will act more as a sedative and will not have a lot of psychoactive effects. To get the best weed, harvest within four weeks after the beginning of the harvest window.
5. Some weed strains, like the Haze and Sativa strains, never turn amber. You will know when your plans are ready for harvest once almost all their trichomes have turned white or cloudy.
6. To get the ‘couch lock’ or sedating effect of weed, harvest when it is toward the end of the harvest period. At this time, the trichomes will be darker.

How to Speed Up Harvesting

We are not a fan of this but understand that sometimes there’s just not enough time to let nature take its course! The good thing is, that there are ways to speed up the harvesting time without sacrificing yields and quality. Let us look at some of them.

1. Fewer Hours of Light in the Flowering phase: You can change the amount of light you allow your plants to get after they start flowering. The amount of light should depend on the strain you planted. Sativa and Haze strains, for example, can mature well without a lot of light. Restricting the amount of light helps the buds mature faster.
2. Get a Quick-Finishing Strain: if you want a quick harvest, then get one of the various auto-flowering strains available. These grow up independent of light availability, which is perfect for places that do not get a lot of sunlight. Auto-flowering strains can be ready for harvest within 3 months of planting.
3. 24 Hours of Light a Day in Vegetative Stage: a weed plant grows through several life stages, and the vegetative stage comes right before the flowering stage. To get a shorter harvesting period, you can expose your plant to light for 24 hours throughout the vegetative stage. This makes the plant mature and gets to the flowering stage faster.
4. Initiate the Flowering phase Earlier: You can change your light schedule so that your seedlings make buds immediately. This is an inefficient way of growing your weed but it does speed up the growth process. Before flowering them, wait just a bit to ensure you get a satisfactory amount of bud.
5. Grow Indoors: this method gives you maximum control over how your plants will grow, how big they will get, and what they will yield at harvest. Using potting plants or a greenhouse is probably a good way to ensure all this control.
6. Use Correct Nutrients for the Correct Stage: a marijuana plant requires different nutrients as it goes through the different growth stages. The astute farmer will familiarize themselves with the nutrient requirements and either buy them as the plant grows or hand-mix them depending on what is needed. Feeding the plant correctly will reduce the overall time before harvest.
7. React Quickly to Problems: like other plants, weed plants can get pest infestations or experience illnesses like too many nutrients. Pay close attention to your plants and note every problem that arises, no matter how small. Reacting quickly also saves you from dealing with out-of-control problems further on. The more attention you give to your plant, the faster you can harvest.

How to harvest a Cannabis plant step by step

To Sum Up… The future of weed is in your hands. It’s time to cultivate!

We started with a plan to create the best cannabis seeds, and we haven’t stopped since. Our focus on quality has paid off in spades for our customers who appreciate high-quality products that are both affordable as well as feminized – meaning they’ll only produce one strain per seed! It’s been an exciting journey building up this business but it would be nothing without you guys so thank you for becoming part of the cannabis community.

Cannabis cultivation is a craft. There are many different strains, some easy to grow others more difficult- but it’s worth the effort! Learning to read the plant, knowing when it’s ready for harvest. Watching as your plant grows thick dense buds and produces those milky white trichomes. Honing your craft and growing your marijuana gives an extra kick once the moment has come and you can enjoy your homegrown weed. Your skillset will ultimately determine the size, the high and, weight of your cannabis buds.

Harvesting cannabis Frequently Asked Questions

Should I harvest top buds first?

There are several kinds of plants that grow from top to bottom or grow from the outside in. For the first kind, the flowers mature more quickly than the inside flowers hidden in sunlight on the outside. Immediately after the outer buds have been harvested, the internal branches are opened to sunlight and might benefit from this in their final growth.

What is the difference between marijuana and cannabis?

People around the country have started using the medical name cannabis and ditching the “street name” marijuana. These names refer to the same plant and there are no differences whatsoever.

How long does it take to grow a cannabis plant?

On average cannabis matures after about eight or nine weeks of blooming however, the maturity interval can differ between strains and the circumstances where your plants grow.

How much should I spend on cannabis harvesting tools?

Most tools use are your “garden variety” (pun intended!) tools of cutters and scissors. The lifespan depends on how well you clean and take care of them. I would estimate for a 2 man harvesting job you would be spending a maximum of $50,- on tools. Free tip, if you’re harvesting for a longer period or more frequently, investing in a decent chair is very welcome! Trimming buds to perfection is a pain in the ass enough!

When should I stop watering before harvesting?

Stop irrigation at the end of the first day of harvest and stop watering. The only reason is that it’s possible to allow plants to begin to wilt in the first place.

Pruning the plant?

Pruning is an important part of cannabis growing. When you are growing with limited space you want the plant to receive as much light as it can and not waste energy growing the branches and fan leaves in the shade. Be gentle when doing so, small plants can take a heavy blow from this and might not recover from the bisection.