We get a lot of questions about when to harvest, “when should I harvest so that my cannabis is at its peak?” and because harvest time will be here in a matter of weeks let me share how we do it.
The first thing you’ll need is a clip-on microscope for your smartphone ($12 on Amazon https://amzn.to/394kpxX), it will give you the best possible look at the developmental progress of your trichomes. We have a “70/30” rule, 70% milky trichomes with 30% amber trichomes, once those numbers have been reached it’s harvest time!
Trichomes develop as follows, first they will appear as a long clear hair/tube, then it will thicken and “mushroom” (but still be clear), next they will begin to turning milky or opaque in color, at this point your plants are very close to ready (many people do harvest at the milky stage), but if you can wait just another 7-10 days until 20-30% of your trichomes turn amber you’ll be glad you did, it will be a fuller tasting, more powerful smoke.
Attached are images of trichome development along with a quick tutorial video on how to get the largest possible picture of trichomes on your smartphone. And don’t forget, it’s not just for looking, grab some images and/or videos for a closer, more extensive inspection when you can take the time to zoom in and do slow motion stuff.
1. Clip the microscope onto your phone with the viewing area centered on your screen
2. Tap the center of the microscope field to bring your subject into sharper focus
3. Using your fingers “stretch” the screen on your phone to enlarge the microscope imaging area for the best possible viewing
4. You may need to occasionally tap the center of the microscope image to re-focus your subject
5. Shoot away!
Here is a link where you can get your own clip-on microscope for $12: https://amzn.to/394kpxX
