Harvesting

Now is the time when all the hard work pays off. By now the buds and resin should be forming at a rapid rate. The time to harvest the plant is when 3/4 of the white pistil hairs have turned brown. Use a magnifying glass to examine the resin crystals on the leaves. They should appear amber right before you cut the plants. If they are clear the resin has not reached full potency. If they are brown then the resin has already peaked and potency is declining rapidly. When you go to harvest bring back packs to carry the plants. Cut the branches off and place them in paper bags. Remove the large lower leaves right there because they are unsuitable for smoking. Try not to shake the plants too much because the resin glands will fall off.

When the plants are home put them in rubbermaid containers and let them sit. Stir them around twice per day and check for mold. If mold appears take the plants out immediately and spread them out to dry. They can be put in the microwave to kill the mold. Keep the buds in the dark. Light degrades THC. After about three weeks the buds should be taken out and the leaves should be removed except for the ones with lots of resin. Place the almost dry buds in some newspaper and put them in a warm dry place. After a week the stems should be brittle enough to snap with your fingers. Now the weed should be totally dry and ready to smoke!”