Watch for the Calyxes to swell. You want most of the callyxes to swell to the point that they mostly swallow the pistils. I've been dissappointed a couple times because I cut when the pistils change color. After they change color the calyxes will swell causing the buds to fatten, after that they start to develop massive amounts of trichomes on the sides of the calyxes. These are the trichomes you desire the most, not the ones on leaves and branches. If you chop earlier than this the bud might be alright, but it will be way better if you let the buds develop lots of trichomes all over fat buds.
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