Can they go 5 more weeks?

[ragamuffin]

 

I have to leave my flowering plants unattended for a few weeks. Light and water are set up, but I don't know if when I return in 5 weeks I will have let them go too long, and missed the window for optimal harvest. Will these buds lose potency if I give them 5 more weeks, or will they just keep getting better? 

 

History: Chaotic grow but strong plants . 2 females germed from old AK47 seed. In soil, vegged about 10 weeks under cfl, then switched to flower Jan 1 (~10 wks ago). and upgraded to quantum board LED. Light burn was a problem as I am new to indoor, but I caught it just in time. Also probably overdid it with bloom nutrients. Light green plant (L) took longer to recover and with red veins and stems probably has nutrient issues. On the other hand, the structure is really nice. Dark green (D) is healthier and bushier, and about 2 weeks ahead in development. Topping and LST were effective but I started too late. 

 

The dark green plant has a few buds with a range of 20-  40% orange pistils or stigma or whatever, and the light green has 10-20% max. Calyxes don't seem swollen-- should i expect them to swell? 

What do you think? Gracias

 

 

[gasmeter]

That's a good question, as you say D is the more advanced of the pair and she look like she is almost done and L is 2 weeks behind.

Whatever happens in 5 weeks you will have some ripe collie

[Cannabissapean]

17 hours ago, ragamuffin said:

 

I have to leave my flowering plants unattended for a few weeks. Light and water are set up, but I don't know if when I return in 5 weeks I will have let them go too long, and missed the window for optimal harvest. Will these buds lose potency if I give them 5 more weeks, or will they just keep getting better? 

 

History: Chaotic grow but strong plants . 2 females germed from old AK47 seed. In soil, vegged about 10 weeks under cfl, then switched to flower Jan 1 (~10 wks ago). and upgraded to quantum board LED. Light burn was a problem as I am new to indoor, but I caught it just in time. Also probably overdid it with bloom nutrients. Light green plant (L) took longer to recover and with red veins and stems probably has nutrient issues. On the other hand, the structure is really nice. Dark green (D) is healthier and bushier, and about 2 weeks ahead in development. Topping and LST were effective but I started too late. 

 

The dark green plant has a few buds with a range of 20-  40% orange pistils or stigma or whatever, and the light green has 10-20% max. Calyxes don't seem swollen-- should i expect them to swell? 

What do you think? Gracias

 

 

For me, that's a no-brainer.

 

1.  You said that they have already been in flower for 10 weeks.  In my opinion, that alone means they are due for harvest.  Another 5 weeks is asking for trouble with pests in the buds.

2.  You said "D" already has buds with 20-to-40% orange pistils.  In my opinion, that is already optimum harvest time.

3.  You said "light and water are set up".  That indicates that you have an automated setup.  In my opinion, 5 weeks away is a longggg time to leave a system unattended.  It's not the system I am worried about, rather the plants could experience some unexpected infestation or nutrient imbalance.    

4.  "L" has already experienced some kind of stress as seen in its yellow color.  A stressed plant is more susceptible to pests.  Additionally, a stressed plant could also hermie on you and pollinate your entire flower tent while you are away.

 

Everything points to a ready, righteous and successful harvest right at this moment.  What could be worse than leaving the plants at this beautiful stage, only to return in 5 weeks to find the whole crop ruined by bud-rot or a surprise infestation of spider-mites.  (Both of these pests just love unattended ripe flowers.)

 

My advice would be to go ahead and flush to help the plants rid themselves of excesive salts and nutrients in the remaining time that you have before you must travel.  Cut, trim and hang your buds to begin drying before you leave.  Just make sure that you leave an extraction fan running on low-speed to ensure that the air of the drying room doesn't become stale to protect against mold.

 

Benefits:

a.)  This will allow you to travel free of any worries about pests or system failures.

b.)  You are saving on energy consumption.  

c.)  When you return from your travels, you have immediately available newly dried/cured buds to enjoy. 

d.)  When you return from your travels, your grow area is immediately ready for the start of the next batch of seeds. 

e.)  Even harvesting "L" before the pistils turn colors may have a positive effect.  I have heard from other growers that harvesting before the pistils turn colors produced a more uplifting effect in the high compared to the same strain harvested later.

 

 

Happy Travels

 

 

P.S.  Or harvest "D" to ensure that at least that much is safe, and then take a chance on "L". 

Personally though, I wouldn't take that chance.  Five weeks is a longgg time to be worried about your setup running without you there to check on it.  You cannot enjoy your travels while constantly worried about a running system. 

Besides that, who knows?  Wherever you travel, you might get stuck for another 2 or 3 weeks somewhere having to sit in a CoViD-19 quarantine.  If you did get sick and you returned to a ruined harvest, that would really suck.

[ragamuffin]

Thanks for the advice.  I decided to chop D's main colas and leave the  smaller, less developed buds to grow on, now better exposed to light.  I may take some flowers from L since it runs a few weeks behind already, i'm inclined to let it go.  The plants seem to grow slowly no matter what. i'll report back when all is  done. 

 

The first crop will enjoy a nice long hang in a cool, dark place with great air circulation and low humidity. 

 

I've been giving  plain water for most of flower, and will continue. Luckily these plants grew in dry soil and seem to like it. But the mix holds moisture fairly well so, fingers crossed.