Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

months or longer! Once the ovule has been fertilized by male pollen, rapid calyx formation and resin production slow, and seed growth starts.

‘Chocolate Chunk’ in full flower
    When females’ flowering is at their zenith, pistils swell and swell. Soon they change in color, most often from white to amber and, eventually, to reddish brown.

‘Flo’ in early flowering

‘Flo’ in full flower

‘Haze Heaven’ in early flowering

‘Haze Heaven’ in full flower
Sinsemilla
    Sinsemilla (pronounced sin-semiya) is derived from two Spanish words: “sin” = without and “semilla” = seed. Sinsemilla is the word that describes flowering female cannabis tops that have not been fertilized by male pollen.
    Highly prized sinsemilla buds are the most potent part of any strain, with a proportionately large volume of THC per flower bud, and it’s all smoke, no seeds! Unpollinated female plants continue to flower until calyx formation and resin production peak out, six to ten weeks after turning the lights to 12 hours. During six to ten weeks of flowering, calyxes develop and swell along the stem, yielding more high quality buds than pollinated, seeded flowers.

‘Mr. Bubble’ in early flowering

‘Nebula’ in early flowering

‘Stinky Pinky’ in early flowering

‘Shaman’ in early flowering
    Make any female marijuana sinsemilla by removing male plants as soon as they are identified. Removing males virtually guarantees that male pollen will not fertilize succulent female pistils. Sometimes a few early grains of pollen are shed by premature male flowers. Pollen dispersed from wild or cultivated male cannabis plants could also be floating in the air. Sometimes a hermaphrodite with a few male flowers will sprout on a predominately female plant. See “Intersexuality” in Chapter Sixteen, Breeding .

‘Nebula’ in full flower

‘Warlock Passion’ in early flowering

‘Stinky Pinky’ in full flower

‘White Russian’ in early flowering

‘Warlock’ in full flower

‘White Russian’ in full flower

‘Shaman’ in full flower

‘Mr. Bubble’ in full flower

Chapter FIVE
HARVEST

Inspect resin crystals with a 30X microscope to discern the exact time to harvest.

This ‘Thaitanic’ is not ready for harvest The white pistils are just starting to turn color.

This ‘Thaitanic’ is at the point of harvest Note that many of the pistils are turning color.

Introduction
    The payoff for all the research, work, risk, expense, and the long, patient wait is a bountiful harvest. Strong, healthy, well-grown clones and seedlings yield the heaviest harvests. A well-organized pre-harvest and harvest are essential to preserve cannabis quality and decrease the workload.
    Harvest when plants are at peak ripeness. Depending upon the high you like, which is discussed below, harvest timing is critical. The peak harvest window is open for about five to seven days.
    Once harvested, most growers manicure buds before drying them slowly and evenly so THC is preserved. After drying, buds should cure to achieve full aroma and flavor. Like a fine wine, aging or curing improves taste and fragrance. Once cured, proper storage will ensure buds retain all of their essential qualities.
Before Harvest
    Fragrance is often a problem before, during, and after harvest. Control fragrance by keeping drying and manicuring rooms well-vented. If possible, allow plenty of fresh circulating air to pass through the drying room to remove odors quickly. If air in and around drying and manicuring room is stagnant, odors linger and accumulate. Keep temperatures below 70°F (21°C) so essential oils in cannabis do not volatize and release pleasant but unwanted fragrances. Contain cannabis fragrance in sealed drying and manicuring rooms. Filter air before expelling with a carbon filter. See “Odor” in Chapter Thirteen for more information on controlling fragrance.
    Avoid the taste of organic or chemical fertilizers in harvested buds by flushing with plain water or a clearing solution to remove any residuals and chemicals that have built up in soil or plant foliage. Ten to fourteen days before harvesting, flush the garden with distilled water or water treated with reverse osmosis. Use a clearing solution such as Final Flush® if you have to use plain tap water that contains dissolved solids. Some growers fertilize until three to four days before harvest and use a clearing solution to remove fertilizer residues. Apply this water just as you would