Plant pics and questions

[stoned-rocker]

HI everyone this is my first time posting pics so sorry for the crappy pics. here are some pics of my plant in the 3rd and a half week of flowering. My plant is about 5'3" and the top buds are developing nicely, not huge buds but no small either, about 40% of the pistils are red or the tips are red. The middle and bootom branches are doing fine except lower branches aren't as developed and not as many pistels are red but thats ok. Im just wondering what you people think of it and how its doing. Im also wondering if you can tell when i should harvest but you probably wont be able to because of quality. Any advice or input is appreciated.

[zepp_head]

Rocker, to be able to accurately define the right time to pluck, you're going to want to get yourself a magnifying lens with at least 30x magnification. When the state of the buds themselves seen to be almost ready, take a look at the trichromes, (the little tentacle-like contraptions that hold the THC crystal itself).
When half to most of the trichromes have turned to a bronze colour, it's what most people would call "peak" time to harvest. However, it is also a matter of personal preference. If you harvest a week or so early, you will be getting stoned from more pure THC, rather than the other cannabinoids that show up later in the flowering period and start killing off the THC. The high from the THC will be more of a upper, cerebral, head buzz, (depending on the strain as well), and the high of the other two cannabinoids will give you more of a hazy, lazy, stupid buzz. At the time of peak harvest, there will already be a fair bit of the other two in the bud, so if you're more into the sativa high, you may consider picking a week or so early. It's good to take some samples, and try it for yourself to see what you like the best before you chop it all down. You should also remember though, that in the last two weeks of flowering, the buds will nearly double themselves in weight. That said, if you plan on selling some of this bud, you'll want to leave that portion to fully mature.
Good Luck.

[stoned-rocker]

thanks zeppo. I was thinking of picking a small bud for a sample but i wasn't sure if i should yet. Also do they sell the 30x magnifine glasses at target or walmart or something? And if i can't get one should i just harvest when theres 70% dead pistls? I want a mix of the heady sativa high and indica high but preferebly more on the heady side.

[stoned-rocker]

I found a 60x-100x magnifier on radioshack, is that to much?

[stoned-rocker]

ok i bought the above magnifier and it works great. Im just wondering am i supposed to look at the trichomes in the bud or on the resin coated leaves around it?