Whether you are a grower or a professional, harvest time is a crucial and important moment in the growing process. The success of the harvest requires good preparation as well as knowledge of best practices.
In this blog post, we will provide a detailed harvesting guide and offer helpful tips to help you achieve a bountiful harvest.
If you are growing in the Bonsanto Growbox, read our "Bonsanto Growing Guide" for more information.
Table of contents
Der richtige Erntezeitpunkt beim Indoor Grow?
The harvest time of your favorite plant depends on various factors. In principle, you derive this from the starting time of the flowering phase and the specific variety. Information on the length of the flowering period can usually be found on the seed packaging.
The plant's resin glands or trichomes can also tell you when it's time to harvest. Use a magnifying glass to observe if the trichomes have taken on a milky and amber appearance - that's the signal to harvest! If about 80% of the trichomes are amber in color, you can start.
The white hairs (pistils) on the buds indicate the harvest time by browning and retraction. Harvesting should start when about 40-75% of the pistils are discolored.
When you harvest may also depend on your desired smoking experience. An early harvest results in an energetic effect, a late harvest in a relaxing effect. Optimal THC content is when 40-70% of the pistils are discolored.
Spülen vor der Ernte?
Many growers prefer to clean their plants before harvest to remove any lingering fertilizer from the soil. This cleaning process can help improve the flavor of your crop. This process involves the use of ph-neutral water, which is poured into the plant pot. The amount of water needed depends on the pot size. It is advisable to use three times the volume of the pot for rinsing.
Step by step guide
Once you have determined the maturity of your plant and the harvest time is reached, you can start harvesting.
Gently cut the plant at the lower main stem so as not to damage the buds and preserve their quality. Then you remove the surrounding leaves, which you can use later, for example, for the production of other products. Since the buds are too moist to smoke, they are then dried. Some growers prefer to dry the entire plant before removing the leaves.
Hang to dry, the buds or the whole plant (depending on your preference) in a well-ventilated, dry room. For the drying process you can use, for example, the drying case from Bonsanto . Make sure that the flowers have enough space and that there is sufficient air circulation to prevent mold growth. The duration of drying depends on the moisture content of the flowers and is on average 9-14 days. Do the stem bend test to determine if the flowers are dry. If the stem does not break, allow the buds to dry for a few more days. If the plant's branch breaks, the buds are sufficiently dried.
After drying, your buds are ready to smoke. However, many growers prefer to ferment the buds afterwards to achieve a flavorful and aromatic smoking experience. For more information on "How to ferment properly" , you can visit our related blog post.
The storage of your dried buds is equally important. Keep the dried or fermented flowers in a dry, dark and cool place to preserve the quality.
Trimming
To grow aromatic flowers, it can be helpful to remove the leaves from your buds, a process called trimming. You can trim your buds dry or wet.
Dry trimming is popular with many growers and is done when the buds are dried but not yet fermented. A plus point of dry trimming is that it slows down the drying process, resulting in better quality buds. In addition, the buds are less sticky after drying. This trimming time is therefore ideal for those who appreciate an intense smoking experience.
Wet trimming, on the other hand, takes place before the plant is hung to dry. It offers the advantage of speeding up the drying process, requiring less space for drying and reducing the risk of mold
Tips for a successful harvest
- Make sure tools and work surfaces are clean
- Orient yourself by the trichomes and pistils to determine the harvest time
- Handle the buds with care and do not cut them up
- Rinse your plant before harvest
- The slower your crop dries, the better the taste
- Use cutting scraps for the production of other products
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