Harvesting weed early is much like leaving your meal uncooked. Sure, you can still eat whatever is on your plate. But will your efforts and the final palate-spoiling experience be worth it if you haven’t managed to cook your masterpiece properly?
When it comes to hurrying in harvesting those succulent buds, the situation is pretty similar to the example, regarding incorrectly prepared meals.
Let’s find out why it is a bad, BAD idea to try to harvest your cannabis crops earlier than needed. We are also listing the top expert tips on knowing when it’s the best time to cut your green ladies for ultimate delight upon consumption.
It’s high time to get down to business, shall we?
Harvesting Weed Early (or Why the Early Bird DOESN’T Get the Worm)
Marijuana plants are very sensitive creatures, and this is probably the most essential lesson every cannabisseur wants to keep in mind.
Yes, your green princesses require a lot of care, a lot of attention, a lot of love, and a lot of understanding.
But don’t we all need the very same conditions in order to flourish as human beings? The good part about marijuana plants is that, opposite to us, people, your emerald goddesses are much more straightforward.
Your cannabis garden requires proper timing, whether it goes to light schedules, watering, fertilization, and, oh well – harvesting!
The bright side to proper timing is that at least you can have some good guidelines on when and how to act accordingly for best results.
And so, as far as the harvesting point of your cannabeauties is concerned – remember that this will be something like the final exam for your skills as a grower.
Take a deep breath, do your research if needed and cut your green babes just when the time is right!
Disadvantages of Harvesting Immature Marijuana Buds
Surprisingly enough, some mere years ago, harvesting cannabis early was almost a fancy fad. Honestly, even though I am a bit ashamed of this story – I must admit that I have also harvested some of my very first homegrown marijuana plants waa-ay too early.
But the thing is, I did not act so because of negligence or lack of knowledge; I harvested my cannababies early on purpose.
My fellow cannabis connoisseurs back then (okay, my “back then” is like 10 years ago…Ouuch!) advised me to go on and chop my green ladies earlier as this would give off an amazing type of high and ultimate relaxation.
Subsequently, I did as recommended and admittedly since I was so happy with my very own cannabis crops, I really thought those immature buds were simply The Bomb.
Well, what can I say – there is nothing like the sweet tingle of wrapping a joint of your premium Mary Janehomegrown masterpieces.
But on the other hand, as the years passed by and I gained more experience as a cannabis cultivator – I finally realized harvesting weed early is not the best option. Come on, is it really worth the hurry after you have already waited for so long before those succulent buds finally ripen?
Ultimately, harvesting the buds while the trichomes still appear cloudy and have not turned clear yet, is a matter of personal preferences.
But before taking the final cut, always keep in mind that regardless of some of the advantages of the so-called “early harvest high”, you will inevitably lose much of the potential of your green medication.
How to Tell It’s Time to Harvest your Cannabis?
When the harvest point is just around the corner, it is best to keep a close track on those juicy buds.
One of the smartest ways to tell for sure that your green ladies are ready to be chopped down is monitoring the color of the trichomes and pistils.
But since the process of bud ripening happens almost in a glimpse (the final stage will take anything between a week or so), it is important to check out the trichomes and pistils on a daily basis.
Get equipped with a simple magnifying glass, as this is the absolute top way to clearly notice the changes in color.
Trichomes will gradually turn a transparent shade, starting from being colored in a creamy, cloudy white hue.
When it comes to the pistils, they will begin to turn more brownish or get colored in hues of red and/or orange, depending on the strain you are growing.
A Quick PRO Tip
For best results, chop your cannabeauties late at night, while they are taking their healthy beauty sleep. Thus, the buds will be full of the sugars, which your plants are storing at night. As a result, you can enjoy the maximum potency and deliciousness of your crops.
The Bottom Line
Still thinking about harvesting weed early? Before you take any actions which will be irreversible, always think twice. It will be worth the few extra days of waiting for indulging in the best of the best from your harvest.
After all, marijuana teaches us patience, and by choosing to cut those sparkling, THC-covered buds on time, you will pass the final exam of growing cannabis like a pro.
If you find this article useful, don’t forget to hit the Like button, buddies! This is a way to spread the word and knowledge about the ancient herb so that more people can learn growing your very own marijuana is easy, fun, and extremely rewarding.