One question I get mostly asked is “when should you harvest fast growing plants that grow indoors, in grow rooms, tents, or cabinets?” The answer is one that only the producer will be in a position to answer, since only he or she can see the “tell-tale” indicators to look for.
Understand the climate required by plants
Growing plants indoors to ‘full term’ to achieve an end product, be it fruit, vegetables, flowers, etc., is quite a feat in itself, as the chosen plant is certainly not even native to the country in which that is grown and therefore subject to different climates than its true ‘mother plant’ (the plant that first supplied the seeds in its country of origin). Growers try to mimic such climates in their grow rooms when growing fast-growing plants indoors. These such plants are a science from the production of the flowers they produce, to the effects they exhibit when eating these flowers for medical assistance. However, rarely does the grower make the right climate but rather one that is suitable for the chosen plant. The grower then looks to find the right time to harvest these plants.
Fast Growing Plants – Growing Indoors
There are two ‘main’ strains of fast growing plants, 1) Indica and 2) Sativa. The Indica plant, when planted, will take between 8 and 10 weeks and the Sativa between 11 and 13 weeks. Finding the critical and best moment for the plant can only be established by the grower who observes the plant daily from the minimum time mentioned above. that is to say, the Indica of week eight of the flowering cycle will be coming to an end, however, this does not mean that it is ready to be harvested. The plants are exhausted in the last weeks, the darkness lengthens and they consume more energy than before. The hairs are turning brown and the bottoms of the flowers are darkening. The plant will now put its energy into the production of heavy crystals (THC) in the foliage and flowers. The plants grow many crystals in their last weeks to protect themselves. In wild Indica and Sativa plants, the final cycle is to produce crystals around the flowers and seeds and then release them as they fall. Kesar Fallen branches, foliage and flowers are composted which then spreads the seeds which then grow back into a plant, and this has been repeated for decades. THC production is actually a poison to insects and the like that try to eat the seeds, giving them a better chance of survival. This poison, although harmful to some insects, is not harmful to humans and is sought after for its medicinal properties. We growers mimic the natural flowering cycle with the exception of seed production, this is avoided as when harvested the plant is destroyed and a new seedling or clone takes its place in the grow room. Harvesting plants before they have released their poison has not harvested them at the correct time and instead stripped the most important part of the plant.
The right time to harvest your crop
The plant has now produced clear crystals. These crystals now need to be watched very closely, days or even hours before the plant reaches its full potential the clear crystals turn milky. This is best seen with a pocket microscope. If you are growing a solitary plant, now you must harvest. Your flowers will be at their maximum THC levels and the plant is now wasting energy. However, most growers grow crops, it is rarely a solitary plant, so now they have to decide when it is best to harvest the crop and not just one plant. Just because one plant is ready, you can have 50 others that are not. Obviously, in an ideal situation, everyone will produce the crystals at the same time, but as a grower for 26 years, I can honestly say that it never happens. Instead, it is now