PLANT HARVESTING
Before diving into the delicate art of cutting and crafting your cannabis harvest, let's set the stage with some essential prep work. Equip yourself with:
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Rope or a secure fastener: Essential for gracefully suspending your plants from the tent's top.
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Food-grade buckets: Optimal for a seamless process, with one bucket per plant, especially if utilizing 5-gallon buckets.
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Sterilized scissors/trimmers: Prioritize hygiene by ensuring these tools are thoroughly sterilized—no one wants a side of coronavirus with their weed.
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Rubber gloves: While not mandatory, your hands will thank you for the added protection.
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Adequate space for drying: Designate a fitting space for the hanging and drying ritual. If not gearing up for another grow immediately, simply let your plants sway from the tent's roof during this stage.
For those opting to trim while plants hang inside the tent, embark on this solo harvest day with the understanding that it's an entire day invested in sculpting the perfect yield.
Harvesting cannabis at the right time is crucial for optimal potency and flavor. One reliable method involves observing the trichomes, the tiny resin glands on the buds. As the plant matures, trichomes go through different stages.
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Clear Trichomes: At the early stage, trichomes are clear. Harvesting during this phase may result in a less potent product with a lighter high.
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Milky Trichomes: As the plant matures, trichomes become milky or cloudy. This stage is often considered the peak time for harvesting, offering a balance of potency and flavor.
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Amber Trichomes: If left longer, trichomes may turn amber. Harvesting at this point can provide a more relaxing and sedative effect. However, waiting too long might lead to a decrease in THC levels.
Aim for a balance based on your preferences and the strain characteristics. To assess trichomes, use a magnifying tool. Monitor various buds across the plant, as maturation can vary. Once you observe the desired ratio of clear, milky, and amber trichomes—commonly suggested as 10% amber—it's time to harvest.
Remember, patience is key. Harvesting at the right trichome stage ensures you enjoy the full spectrum of effects and flavors from your carefully cultivated cannabis plants.
In this phase of the cultivation process, your mature plants, standing at an impressive height of 4-5 feet, emit a robust fragrance and showcase vibrant colors, adorned with trichomes reminiscent of a frosty snowman. At this juncture, precision is paramount as we introduce the shears to delicately sever the plants from their growth environment.
Begin by cutting the plant's stalk 2 inches from the bottom branches, providing ample space to secure a rope for suspension upside down from the grow tent's ceiling. This carefully orchestrated positioning sets the stage for the drying phase, a critical element in the harvesting process.
An essential tip: As the plants hang inverted, it is imperative to deactivate fans and lights. This precautionary measure safeguards against disruptions to the drying process, ensuring the preservation of trichomes. Darkness is pivotal during this phase, and the use of fans risks an accelerated drying rate that may compromise the quality of the final product.
The harvest unfolds in two distinct stages: Drying and Curing. Currently, your plants undergo the meticulous drying process, spanning approximately 12 days, contingent on climatic conditions. Gauge the readiness of your harvest by gently bending a smaller branch, attuning your ears to the distinct sound of an imminent crack or snap. This auditory cue signals that the plants are poised for the subsequent phase.
Begin by excising fan leaves, which, though aromatic, lack the potency of the buds and can be repurposed for edibles. Exercise discretion in disposing of these leaves, especially if privacy concerns dictate a more subtle approach.
With fan leaves removed, commence the meticulous process of sectioning the buds. Options include cutting them entirely from the branch or leaving some sections attached for an expedited curing process. As the trimmed buds accumulate, systematically fill designated 5-gallon buckets, signaling the completion of the preparation phase for the ensuing curing stage.
