Deep Water Culture Tutorial for Newbies

5 Weeks in and these buds (especially the main cola) are getting Very dense I am in one sense very happy about this and in another I'm worried about bud rot . But hopefully with daily checking and plenty of air flow I will be able to get her right thru without issue. She is still on a 1500 PPM nutrient mix consisting of : Professors Nutrients Go Green @ 2mls / litre Professors Nutrients A+B @ 1ml / litre Ozi Magic Ozi Tonic @ 5mls / litre GT Silica @ 5mls / litre General Hydroponics Flora Nectre Pineapple @ 1ml / litre Now for this weeks tutorial which is about What are Trichomes and How to determine optimum harvesting times by observing Them. First of all I recommend getting a handheld jewellers type loupe with around 20-30x magnification This will allow you to check trichome development at the grow site . Another handy tool is a USB Microscope to zoom in and study the trichomes of any bud samples you may take. Some of the following information was sourced both online and from books which I need to use to adequately explain the Best way to Determine Optimum Harvest times . Firstly What are Trichomes ? In cannabis, trichomes function as a defense mechanism. When female cannabis plants begin to produce flowers in the wild, they often become vulnerable to various insects and animals as well as non-living environmental variables such as potentially harmful UV rays. Trichomes serve as a deterrent for animals because their bitter taste and strong aromas render cannabis flowers unpalatable. At the same time, they also serve a dual function in protecting their plants from damaging winds and even some varieties of fungal growth.Trichomes exist in many shapes and sizes, but there are three that appear most often on cannabis plants. Bulbous trichomes are the smallest of the bunch, and they appear on the surface of the entire plant. Bulbous trichomes are as small as 10-15 micrometers, which is tiny enough to only be comprised of a handful of cells. Capitate sessile trichomes are slightly larger and contain both a head and a stalk. These trichomes are quite a bit more abundant than their bulbous brethren, but cannot hold a candle to the bountifulness and size of the third trichome variety. Capitate-stalked trichomes range from anywhere between 50-100 micrometers wide, meaning they’re much larger and can actually be seen by the naked eye. Their structure consists of a stalk comprised of epidermal and hypodermic cells that build up to a basal cell which attaches to a large gland head. This gland head, held together by a waxy cuticle layer, serves as the epicenter for cannabinoid and terpenoid synthesis. All three types of trichomes produce cannabinoids, though it is the capitate-stalked trichomes that will appear in abundance in and around the calyxes of budding flowers, producing the highest concentration of essential oils due to their size. Now Let's talk about the best trichome and pistil stage of development for harvest * If white “hairs” are almost all sticking straight out and trichomes are all still translucent (clear) then your plant is too young and not ready for harvest. Harvesting now will result in low yield and non-potent harvests. The beginning of the harvest window opens when your plant has mostly stopped growing new white “hairs” or pistils and at least 40% of the white hairs have darkened and curled in. Highest level of THC is when many/most of the trichomes have turned milky white / cloudy (when viewed under a magnifier). Trichomes that are milky have the highest levels of THC are “ready to harvest” and contribute to more euphoric and psychoactive effects. At this point 50-70% of the pistils have darkened. Some Sativa & Haze strains have trichomes that never really turn amber. If they’ve turned mostly white and don’t seem to be progressing further, it may be time to harvest now rather than wait longer. The most sedating effect happens towards the end of the harvest window, when the trichomes have become a darker color (usually amber/gold). The best results from amber trichomes come from indica strains. The amber/yellow trichomes contribute to a ‘body high’. Some of the THC has converted into less psychoactive CBN, which has calming and anti-anxiety effects. If you harvest around when 20% have turned amber. At this point 70-90% of the pistils have darkened. Harvesting later will increase the sedating effects, but may also start reducing the psychoactive effects. 😲 So there you have it , A lot to take in and learn . I'll leave this weeks tutorial there and will see you Next Week 👍