Harvesting Sativa Early: Should you Do It?

As the legalization of marijuana continues to extend in different parts of the world, more and more growers have been given the freedom to cultivate their crops at home. Aspiring cannabis growers can start their crop in the comfort of their home and start harvesting sativa early.

For those living in areas where utilization of marijuana is legal, planting the latest strains and traditional indicas, sativas, and hybrid strains becomes incredibly convenient. From comprehensive to easy gardening methods, there are different ways on how you can cultivate your plant from seed to weed.

All successful growers started small and worked their way to the top. If you are thinking about when you should start, we are glad to tell you that you can immediately start today. 

Cultivating Sativa

• Maintain a proper level of humidity in your growing space.

Abnormal level of humidity in your growing space can lead to detrimental damages. An environment that has too much moisture can lead to slow growth and will expose the leaves of the plant to mold and pest infestation. Though there are strains that are resistant to humidity, you still need to watch out for this factor.

Regardless of the variety of strain you are cultivating, indoor marijuana growers should give their plants everything it needs including proper ventilation and humidity to make sure that they remain safe all the time. For outdoor cultivators, you need to cover your crops with plastic at night – just ensure that you take off the cover during the day to eliminate any condensation build-up.

• Establish a growing space with adequate height and space.

Sativas are known for being tall, whether you plant them in soil or pots. So, if you are planning to grow such variety, make sure you have a space to leave more room for your sativas to thrive. If you don’t have a lot of indoor headroom, it’s better to opt for outdoor gardening. In such a setting, your crops can grow without any height restrictions. 

If you are looking for an ideal strain to grow without worrying about its height, a cross between Super Silver Haze and Afghan is a great choice. It is straightforward to grow with a genetic profile that is resistant to pest, molds, and mildew. It is also suitable for beginners because it has high levels of THC.

• Make pruning an important part of your gardening routine.

If you left your marijuana plants on their own, they can grow gangly and weak. With regular shaping and pruning, cultivators can achieve faster growth and increase their harvest. No matter what crops you are growing, whether it may be herbs, fruits, roses, or marijuana, you have to prune it to improve its growth.

A classic pruning routine, known as defoliation, starts the moment the plant begins to get bushy. The routine involves cutting the leaves in the lower portion of the plant since they don’t get a sufficient amount of light or they are dying out and cutting latest growth at the top. Doing this process every day for two or three weeks can lead to long-term growth benefits. 

Appropriate pruning will increase yield for any variety of marijuana, but some plants react incredibly well to minimal training – including sativas, which are less dense compared to their indica counterparts.

One example of sativa strain that thrives well when pruned properly is the Sativa Dream. Its growth is multiplied by three times when growers regularly trim it. It is also fast-growing and pest-resistant, which makes it an amazing variety for weed cultivators who are still fine-tuning their green thumbs. 

• Give your plants the sugar it deserves.

Yes, you read that right. Plants also have a sweet tooth which might come as a surprise for novice growers. Marijuana needs different nutrients in their soil and that includes sugar. Adding a minimal amount of sugar, such as molasses can increase the microbes in the soil which can boost plant growth, resulting in enhanced yield. 

This method doesn’t only generate better growth; it also gives the plant its sweet and fruity flavor. Aside from this, you also need to track the temperature in your growing area. As much as possible, it should be around 18-28 degrees Celsius or 65 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Harvesting Sativa Early

When it comes to marijuana harvest, it’s all about the right timing. Harvest too early and you won’t get any psychoactive properties from the plant. Harvest too late and you’ll end up with self-pollinated and rotted strains. Thus, knowing the right time to harvest your crop is essential to get amazing results.

Make it a point to learn about the appropriate time to collect your marijuana plants. Most of the time, being impatient can lead to a poor harvest, which is a disadvantage for any marijuana grower.

Characteristics of Early Harvest Sativa

• Color of the Trichome

There are numerous signs that you should watch out for when harvesting your marijuana buds. The most common sign is visible in the color of its trichomes. These resin-enriched glands are known as the most dependable sign since they are consistent in giving results compared to other signs. To examine the trichomes, use a magnifying glass since they are pretty small. 

Trichomes undergo three successive color states, namely clear, cloudy and amber. The right time to harvest is when the trichomes display an amber color, and others are cloudy or clear. This color difference is the result of varying ripening period. Ideally, you don’t have to wait until all the trichomes of your plants exhibit an amber color since this decreases the levels of THC and increases the sleep-inducing capacity of CBD.

• Yellowish leaves

Another sign that determines if harvesting time is right at the peak is the yellow color of the leaves. You can start collecting your crop once its leaves begin to start transitioning to yellow or when they naturally fall off. But always remember that using fertilizer can somehow restrict the leaves from falling off. With this, you might begin looking for other signs to find out the right harvest period of your plants.

• Leaves are beginning to curl

When leaves start to curl and dry out, it is an ideal sign that your marijuana plant is ready to be picked. This usually happens when your plant absorbs less amount of water since it approaches its last phase of growth. However, make sure you research this technique because diseases and pests can also cause dryness and curling.

• Pistils

For photoperiod marijuana plants, check out its pistils because it displays a sign that can determine whether it’s ready for harvest or not. If the pistils are brown, it simply means that your plant is ready to be chopped. However, compared to this, the trichome technique is still more effective.

• Harvest period according to the breeder

There’s nothing wrong with following what your breeder says about the harvesting period of your plant. Usually, you can find the suggested schedule of the collection in the packaging of the seeds. However, the schedule may vary with growing conditions since it has a different water source, environment setting, and warmth. 

If your goal is to harvest a massive amount of buds from your marijuana plant, then harvesting in the early stage might not be a great idea. However, there are circumstances where you need to chop down your plant early on. These include mold and pest prevention. For places with poor climate and weather, plants can easily rot so the harvesting period is shortened. If you encounter these problems, it is better to harvest your plant right away to prevent additional damage.

Furthermore, offshoots that surround your crop can also alter the growth of your marijuana, thus it is better to chop it down during the early period of harvest. Another reason to collect the plant before the actual harvesting schedule is stealth growing. You can begin picking your buds when it starts to produce flowers since it contains a low level of THC. 

However, if you can avoid premature harvesting, wait until your plant is matured enough to be cut down. If you happen to collect it several days before the harvest period, the damage to its potency might be less.

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Conclusion

Timing plays an important and crucial factor when you are cultivating cannabis sativa strains. The number of days you wait for your plant to mature has a massive impact on its cannabinoid content. To determine the right time to harvest your marijuana produce or for harvesting sativa early, consider the techniques we have discussed above.