Smart Ways To Time Your Marijuana Harvest Perfectly

Hello, my dear fellows. I know this present phase is hard to deal with, and I am extremely proud of you for being so strong and not giving up on your dreams. Today, I am here to talk about something fascinating. Marijuana or cannabis! Well, I don’t need to say what cannabis is; all of you already know that well. However, what you might not know is when to harvest cannabis? If you are looking for the answer, voila, you are in the right place.

If you are new in the world of cannabis cultivators, it is probably getting hard for you to wait till harvest time to taste the fruits that have so much of your hidden efforts. Keep reading this blog, and you will get to know about the right time to harvest cannabis, and you can mentally prepare yourself to wait till that time.

Since cannabis is now legal in many places, they are high in demand. People are growing their marijuana and cross-breeding different strains to create something unique out of that.

However, growing marijuana is not an easy job, and you might come across certain problems while growing them. One of the problems can be to identify the right harvesting time.

Don’t get intimidated. With proper knowledge and action, you can easily deal with the challenges and turn into a pro from a novice. Growing cannabis is an art, and your patience will help create the best art.

When is the Right Time from Planting to Harvesting Cannabis?

The growth of the marijuana plants begins from the seedling stage and ends in the harvesting phase. The duration of the cycle depends on various factors, such as the desired yield, growing medium, and the cannabis strain.

To harvest cannabis, you will have to wait for at least six weeks to sixteen weeks. However, it is just an estimation; the various factors are important to decide the timing.

What are the Factors that Should be Taken into Consideration?

Accurately timing the cannabis plants is challenging since marijuana plants have different strains. Take a look at some of the factors stated below:

• • Flowering Time and Strain Type

The first way you can understand the harvest timing is by observing the strain type. Always remember to harvest the Indica strains before harvesting Sativa strains.

Indica strains take eight weeks, whereas Sativa strains take ten weeks after flowering.

During the flowering stage, pay attention to the progression and growth of the plants. The first few weeks of growing marijuana are very important; you need to feed the plants properly and provide them with a lot of space to grow.

Giving space is important, you know? Pun intended!

However, if you are using an autoflower seed, the timeline might be slightly different depending on the type of strain.

The first week is when you will get to see the most growth. You can call week one the “stretch phase.”

In the following week, you will notice that your plants have developed little pistils, and they are an extremely important element for marijuana to mature.

In the third week, you will observe that the stretching and growing of the plants have slowed down a bit. You can also witness the developing buds.

However, when the plants make it until the fourth week, their growth generally pauses. This is the phase when you must ensure that the buds are still growing.

Closely monitor the buds and check whether they are growing or not. This is the time when they can start producing trichomes.

In the fifth week, you will get to see the thickening of the buds and the formation of new buds. This denotes that the plant is finally in the flowering mode.

The sixth week finally marks the end of the flowering stage. However, all the strains do not take an equal amount of time. You need to watch the plant’s progress before taking further steps carefully.

• • Strength of the Stem

During the flowering and pre-flowering stage, many stem growth issues can occur. Weak and fragile stems generally indicate an issue and can prevent the plants from getting matured.

If you notice that the stems are strong enough, it may reflect signals that your cannabis plants are in the late flowering stages.

• • Color of the Leaf

The leaf color is another indication that will help you understand the harvest timing. When your plants are in their flowering stage, you will get to see healthy green-colored leaves.

As soon as the marijuana plants enter the harvesting phase, the leaves will turn into yellow-brownish color, making it easier for you to understand that it’s finally the right time to harvest.

• • Resin Level

To be precise, harvesting marijuana buds based on their resin level is controversial. While some plants are ready to harvest when the resin trichomes are at their THC concentration peak, the other strains will demand a few more days.

If you want to judge the harvesting time depending on the raisin level, consider the strain of your plant.

• • Trichomes

Most pro growers use the trichome strategy to identify the harvesting time of marijuana. You can use a magnifier or a magnifying glass to study the trichomes seamlessly.

The trichomes are milky-white in color, and they kind of look like plastic. These trichomes also depict that the cannabis plant has potent CBD or THC levels.

If the trichomes continue to look glassy and clear, your plants are not ready for harvest yet. Do not rush and harvest before the right time approaches.

Some cannabis growers consider harvesting after the trichomes turn into a milky-white color. Again, it is a game of the strains, and your decision should be based on your marijuana strains.

• • Pistils

In the initial stage of the pistils, you will find that they look like white hairs. With time, the plants get mature and darken the pistils.

If you observe a combination of dark and white pistils, you need to wait longer before harvesting. Waiting is not fun, but nothing can be better than getting an excellent result.

How to Tell if it is too Early to Harvest Marijuana?

Trichomes are the savior! They will give the right signals if the marijuana crops are not ready for harvest, and trichomes are the ones that will help you to identify the best harvesting time.

Notice whether most of the trichomes are clear or not. If they are clear, your marijuana plants are not ready for harvest. The question that arises here is, what does a clear trichome indicate?

Clear trichome means that the resin production did not reach the peak, and the resulting marijuana is likely less aromatic, potent, and flavorful.

How to Identify if it is Too Late to Harvest Cannabis?

The answer is the trichomes once again. Keep checking the trichomes and monitor the changes in the color. If you come across ambre trichomes, it simply means that the cannabis flowers are overripe.

This is the phase of development where the harvested weed will develop an unpleasant taste.

There are certain circumstances under which the trichomes turn black, and it means that harvesting has not been carried out at the right time.

Besides the color of the amber, trichomes can also become brittle, and they might crumble in your hands as well.

What are the Next Steps Included after Harvesting the Marijuana Strains?

After harvesting the cannabis plants, finally, it’s time for you to dry, trim and cure the plants. There are certain things that you need to keep in your mind while carrying out the methods:

• • You should know your trimming strategy both before and after harvesting your crops.

• • Don’t forget to remove the large fans and the water leaves.

• • Always remember to sanitize and clean your handling, trimming, and drying areas.

• • Choose to stay one step ahead always. Make preliminary plans regarding storing and transporting your crops.

The Bottom Line

Congratulations, finally, you are at the end of the process, and your weed is ready for you to enjoy. If you plan to store the cannabis, always store them inside a vacuum-sealed container and place them in a dark and cool place to retain maximum freshness.

You have worked hard, and you deserve to enjoy flawless marijuana products. Kudos to you for your patience and for trusting the process.

If you are wondering from where you can buy cannabis seeds, don’t give a second thought and directly log on to Homegrown Cannabis Co.

It’s time to wrap up now and time for me to bid goodbye. Keep growing cannabis and enjoy being high. Adios!