Newb question about first time flowering

[stides]

Alright so i'm nearing the end of my first grow and my buds are getting bigger. Im just wondering how you know when its time to cut them down? Is there any specific thing that happens when the buds have gotten as big as they are gona get? Also the buds on the lower part of the plants are no where near as well grown as the upper buds. Do you wait for the bottom ones to finish growing too or just say screw them since they are much smaller? Heres a pic of my plant currently. How much longer 12/12 do you think she has?

 

[GeezerBudd]

Look at the trichomes-small crystaline structures on the surfaces of the flower. You will need a pocket microscope or the toy that someone was posting about recently.
Looking Good!

I'm thinking there is a sticlied thread dedicated to trichomes.

Gb

 

[Locked]

It depends on how you like your high...some like all cloudy trichs some a 20/80 cloudy/amber and some mostly amber...I also go by the fan leaves...when they start turning yellow all up and down the plant it usually means harvest time is coming as the plant is using up the nutrients in the leaves to finish...Get a 30 or 40x pocket microscope and check your trichs...going by your pic you posted I don't think you are anywhere near ready...those leaves are way to green and the hairs on your buds hve not begun to turn colors...

 

[BluntFullOfKush]

:yeahthat: yea ur hairs are way too white. i think u can have anywere between3-6more week on her to finish, can tell unless:watchplant: u look at them cristals on the buds, they will tell u everything

 

[stides]

What the heck guys?? I need a microscope now?? So what exactly am I looking for in the crystals if you say the "crystals tell all"?

and what about the smaller buds near the bottom of the plant? You guys never answered if you wait for them to grow to or you just forgot about them?

 

[stevetosh]

What the heck guys?? I need a microscope now?? So what exactly am I looking for in the crystals if you say the "crystals tell all"?

and what about the smaller buds near the bottom of the plant? You guys never answered if you wait for them to grow to or you just forgot about them?

The microscope can be very helpfull if you know what to look for, you plant in the picture looks excellent, what I tend to do is look at the whole plant, if most of white hairs (pistels) have receded and the calayx ( unseeded pot) are swollen and hard, then for me thats a good time to chop, as said before the crystal/tricrhomes will show you also, but again listen to your plant,Ive also seen a great gadget,hXXp://www.amazon.co.uk/Veho-VMS-004-Discovery-400x-Microscope/dp/B001WKH4WO#moreAboutThisProduct

Hope this helps.

 

[Locked]

What the heck guys?? I need a microscope now?? So what exactly am I looking for in the crystals if you say the "crystals tell all"?

and what about the smaller buds near the bottom of the plant? You guys never answered if you wait for them to grow to or you just forgot about them?

Ok to answer your question about the small lower buds usually called popcorn buds...there really is not a lot you can do about these...every grow I hve done so far I hve gotten popcorn buds at the bottom...I usually will sample these when I am running low on patience for the plant to finish up...I think if you adrress them early on during the grow and maybe get them some side ligthing you cld probably get them to grow bigger...I don't bother I just sample them...


Here is a link to pics of what the trichs will look like in their different stages...

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=34764&d=1190805159

 

[Hick]

start with te stickies, here-->http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=18

 

[SativaWeed]

Yohaven't said how long your plants BEEN under flower for anyone to really give you any time frame for harvesting. The hairs are still way to small and white and those bud leave are too too green. The flower cycle generally lasts anywhere from eight to ten weeks depending on the strain yer growing and light intencity. You CAN increase the AMOUNT of light yer plants get in the last two weeks of flower but NOT the lenght of the light of course. You don't wantem goin back into veg. So , how long has your flower cycle been going?
And yes, get a small mircoscope from radioshack for ten bucks so you can see yer tryches. Plant looks good in the pick. That bud will get much fatter LATER.

 

[BluntFullOfKush]

yes the crystals will tell u everything, look at them wit a scope or magnafi glass and u will see that have a lil color to them, i harvest @ 30% cloudy and 70% amber. u have a nice amount of time cause ur plant isnt ripe by the color of the hairs. the smaller buds will not get much bigger then wht they are now, thoses are the 1's u sample to see if its were u want it, atleast that wht i do when i do new strains.

 

[PencilHead]

Hold steady and get you a magnifying instrument of some sort. The difference in quality of your smoke will be astounding if you wait the proper amount of time.

Fun sport, huh? Like having kids all over--never ending spending. Radio Shack sells an adequate pocket scope for ten bucks or so. It's underlit and hard to steady. Eyeclops is the toy that takes pics as well--100x, 200x, 400x--and works well but unless you order it online, it'll cost you over 50 bucks. That said, if you're in a rush, go to the local camera store and buy a 40x jewelers' loupe. I have all the above and use my jewelers' loupe way more often than the other hi-tech gadgets.

Luck and peace--and wait on some amber trichomes. You'll love yourself for the effort.

 

[stides]

Alright so I guess ill have to go to radio shack and get me a "pocket microscope"? Is that what I ask the guy for and he'll know what I'm talking about?

So the smaller buds on the bottom are for sampling? Sounds good to me! What do you? Just clip em off early and dry em out? That doesnt hurt the plant at all?

As for people who asked how long my plants have been flowering (12/12), I would say about 5 weeks now. Although 1 of those days i had a timer malfuction and my light was on for 14 off for 10. Hopefully this didnt cause too much damage.

Now as for you guys who said my leaves are too green on my plant to be near flowering. A lot of the lower leaves on my plant are yellowing and dying. Although I also had this happening when the plants were in veg, due to lack of water I think. I seemed to have corrected the problem was more watering but now all of a sudden the lower leaves are starting to die again and fall off.

Anyways heres a pic of the whole plant. So you can see where the leaves are currently yellowing.

 

[meds4me]

I use a magnifier for checkin trichromes....even ace has 'em cheap for $10 bucks...I look for 30% amber

 

[BBFan]

Hi Stides-
Nice job for your first grow. Congratulations!

Your plant looks Sativa dominant from what I can see. Hate to tell you could be another 2 months before they're fully ripened and done. On the bright side, the buds are gonna get much bigger!

 

[meds4me]

For the "yellowing of leaves" add some bloom nutes and that will help alot ! just make sure you flush atleast 2 weeks before harvesting

 

[walkerluke]

Put your camera in macro mode, take a close up pic and make sure it's in focus, and just zoom in on the pic on your computer. A 8MP or better camera works best if that's what you have.

 

[Sir_Tokie]

You say only 5 weeks of 12/12 so far? Then you have at least 3 weeks to 2 months of flowering left. Depending on if it is Indica or sativia dominate, Indicas useually take 8 to 10 weeks to flower and sativas can take up to 14 to 16 weeks to finish. But you will need a scope of some sort to check Trichs, don't go by the color of the hairs as suggested above they have nothing to do with when to harvest it's all in the color of the trichs. Clear/cloudy gives you a short uppy buzz, all cloudy gives you a medium decent buzz, cloudy/amber gives you a stronger longer buzz and all amber is couch lock time. If you go past all amber till they start to turn a darker almost black then the trichs are starting to die out and you will start to loose out on the harvest window. Hope this helps... take care..

 

[JBonez]

stides, you have a slight nitrogen deficiency, i would bump up the amount of nutrients a bit so that you dont lose any more leaves, they make the energy for bud production, so get that handled.

No reason flowering plants cant be green up until harvest, just make sure you flush for a week or two.

clearex will aid in the process as well, but its like 20bucks at the hydro store, it just helps break down the nutrient salts and aids in the final uptake and utilization of residual nutrients.

good luck man, and good job!