Each strain of cannabis has a unique flowering period and thus requires a different amount of days to mature. Some strains only flower for 7 to 8 weeks before they are ripe, while other strains need to flower for an entire 11 to 12 weeks. Knowing the length of your flowering cycle before you grow allows you to know when to expect your plants to mature before they show signs of maturity.

In order to find out your strain’s flowering cycle length, you can simply do a Google search or even better: you can look this information up on your seed bank’s website (seed bank = seed store). Your seed bank has the most accurate information since they are already growing the strains they sell.

The next way to tell whether your cannabis plants are ready to harvest is by looking at the color of your pistils, which are those thin hairs that stick out from your buds. When 90% to 95% of your pistils are brown it means it’s probably time to harvest, but not before you check cue #3. 

The most accurate way to tell when it is time to harvest is by checking the color of the trichome heads on your flowers with a jeweler's loupe or a microscope like the one in this picture (30x to 60x magnification). They are super cheap and easily found for purchase online.

If the trichomes are transparent this means they are still full of CBG, which is the cannabinoid that becomes THC or CBD. Ideally, you should have no more than 10-15% of transparent trichomes before harvest.

If the trichomes are milky white this means that your CBG has already turned into THC or CBD. Ideally, you want to look for 80% to 90% of your trichomes with a milky color before harvest.

If the trichomes are turning amber yellow this means they are already going past the point of ideal ripeness, and the THC is now oxidizing into CBN, which is the cannabinoid responsible for the couch-lock. 5% to 10% amber trichomes means it’s time to harvest (unless you are purposely growing for getting couch-locked).

Your cannabis plant will never mature its flowers at the exact same time. Some plants mature the tops first while others mature the bottoms, meaning some parts will be ripe, some “green”, and others overripe. What is important is to decide when to harvest based on the trichome color of your best flowers and not your smallest flowers. 

If the smaller buds aren’t ready but the big ones are, it is better to harvest now or the big buds may become overripe with CBN. Conversely, if the smaller buds are ready but the bigger flowers are still underripe, it is better to wait and let the smaller buds go over instead of compromising the good flowers.

Whether you choose to harvest your plant whole or branch-by-branch, it is time to dry it. At the end of the drying process your plant will lose 75% to 80% of its total weight to water, and will leave you with dried, crystally buds that are ready for dry-trimming. The drying process starts the minute you cut your plant down, so it is important to follow the next few steps right after harvesting.

In order to dry your plant whole, simply hang it by the main stem with a garden wire tied to the base of the main stem, or simply hang it by the fork on the branches. Make sure the plants you are drying aren’t touching anything, and that there is airflow around the plant, whether from a fan or just the ambient.

Different than hanging a whole plant, drying your marijuana plants branch-by-branch requires you to… well, hang each branch. In order to do this you can use garden ties like the BudHuggers® to attach to each branch and hang them on a clothesline or a clothes hanger. Make sure the branches are not touching one another and that there is enough space between them.

The drying process starts the moment you cut your plant down, and lasts for 7 to 10 days. During this period it is important to maintain your plants in a dark space at no more than 20C/68F, at a relative humidity (RH) of 55% or lower, and with light airflow through the plants in order to avoid white mold. Drying should be done in close to 7 days at 55% RH. 

If your humidity is higher than 60%, either add a dehumidifier set at 55%, or add a fan pointed at your plants in order to create airflower. Drying should be done in close to 10 days at more than 60% RH.

If your humidity is lower than 45%, do not use any fans. Drying should be done in less than 5 days at less than 45% RH.

After your plants are hanging, leave them untouched for at least 5 days, at which point you can start testing your stems to see if they are ready for dry-trimming. To test them, pick a thin branch and try to snap it in half. If it makes a crackle sound, this means your plant is ready for dry-trimming and curing. If they only bend without snapping, this means your plant can still use some more drying.

When you hear a "crack" sound, it’s time to dry-trim and cure. After your stems are "cracking" to the bend, this means your plant is dry enough to be dry-trimmed and cured, which are the topics of our The BudTrainer Method’s last lesson, Lesson #7: How to Trim & Cure Cannabis.