What do you mean when half amber - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

Deb-HAS-grn · #1 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 07:21 PM

What is it meant when you say harvest at half amber. Does that mean when the trichs are a lighter amber on the whole bud or does it mean when the whole bud has half of the trichs are amber and the other half is milky white... kind of like a mixture of both...

MedGarden420 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 07:46 PM

You're right, Deb, half will have turned amber, half will still be milky. :-)

jangel · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2009, 08:33 PM

And also Deb, try a little bud at different rates. I find I like them more milky than amber. Some amber. It makes me less anxious, more energetic.

Deb-HAS-grn · #4 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 06:32 AM

Thanks ladies,, I like the more milky idea, I don't want the couch potato high,,, so it could be any day any time of the day now.... !!!!!!!

traceydm · #5 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 06:41 AM

lol debs its been a long long wait for you!!!! i'm so glad your close now!!!

ENJOY!!!!!

Deb-HAS-grn · #6 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 06:48 AM

Thanks hon,, it's still going to be a long wait,, I am going to dry out and cure it the way I have learned here,, It might be too hard waiting though, we will see,, If I had more weed this year I would definitely be testing it out with in a few day probably lol

HookerRoad · #7 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 06:55 AM

The amber trichome thing is highly over rated. We've had bud's rot waiting for amber trichomes. It's a strain thing as well as a weather thing. If the conditions aren't right you may never see amber trichomes. We harvest when the bud is ripe. You can tell when an apple is ripe by looking at it. You will also learn when your bud is ripe. Our most dependable indicator are the bracts. When they are plump and swallowing up the hairs (pistils) We take it down. The overall health of the plant is taken in consideration as well especially with the late bloomers if you are outdoors. Once the weather turns cold the buds are only going to get so ripe before they start to degrade from the weather. That's why it is nice to grow early finishers in more northerly climates. The ones that go into November around here may not achieve completion. The cold starts killing the girl and the bud ripens really slow when the weather turns bad.

Jangle is right. I had to take down some Shiskaberry two weeks early once because of white mildew. I know I coulda fought it, but chose to just shut it down. Everyone really likes that particular harvest better than the outdoor one even though the bracts had not plumped up at all yet. The bud is very hairy because of all the long pistils. But everyone liked it. I figure it's because the cannabinoid that counteracts the effects of the THC, ( I believe it's the CBN ), hadn't had time to build up in the plant. If you've ever wondered why some strains with a lower THC content seem to get you higher than other strains with twice the THC it's because a high ratio of CBN will counteract the THC, causing the marijuana to be more sedative than psychoactive. Early harvesting will give you a bud with more lift than a later harvest. If you want to kill pain or have a sleepy time bud you need to let it go so the other cannabinoids have time to saturate the plant. Therefore, letting the bud ripen becomes far more important. If you've got good genetics it's hard to go wrong. It takes time to get to know your favorite strain and how different grow techniques might affect it. I hope I wasn't too confusing.

Deb-HAS-grn · #8 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 07:09 AM

Hey Hooker, thank you so much, It's always to know all sorts of different ways you can go on this and what it does to the buds... Very good information for sure,, I have always gone by the what I used to call, the crystals, the hairs, the moon and of course the weather so to not get bud rot,, all of what I have learned from you all has for sure educated me,, What is CBN though

HookerRoad · #9 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deb-HAS-grn

What is CBN though

CBN is simply the acronym for Cannabinol. CBD is the acronym for Cannabidiol. I'm not sure which one of these is responsible for reducing the or retarding the affects of THC (tetrahydrocannabinal). But the thing is these cannabinoids accumulate in the plant over time. They get stronger the more the bud ripens. But, stronger may not be what you want. You may want a lighter buzz. THC is more psychoactive, whereas, some of the other cannabinoids are more sedative. That's why some strains work better for pain than others... they are higher in these cannabinoids. When you pick 'em makes a little difference in their potency. But there comes a point in the plants life cycle these cannabinoids start to deteriorate. You definitely want to pick them before they do degrade. Some of us believe the amber trichomes mean it is beginning the degrading process. But that's a can of worms that is begging for an argument, which I would like to avoid... because I know of no scientific research to settle the argument.

jangel · #10 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 09:19 AM

Now if you are growing to make Hemp oil for healing with the plant then you want those canabinoids to be present, therefore you let the plant go to amber, even a bit past, if you know the variety. This has been thought to bring out the cbd's and cbn's of the herb.