How to Harvest Your Outdoor & Indoor Grow
At our seed bank, we’ve helped cannabis growers in Minneapolis and all over the country, and we want to ensure you get the best out of your cannabis plants! Whether you're growing outdoors in the warmer months or indoors in a controlled environment, harvesting is a critical stage in cannabis cultivation. Understanding when and how to harvest your cannabis flower can make all the difference in your yields.
Harvesting Outdoor Cannabis
Understanding When to Harvest Outdoor Grows
Timing is everything for outdoor cannabis plants. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Strain Matters: Different strains have varying growth cycles. Check the expected flowering time of your strain. For example, indica strains typically mature faster than sativas.
Flowering Time: In Minnesota, flowering usually begins in early August as daylight decreases. Expect to harvest by late September to early October.
Note: if you've had issues with slow flowering times, check out our fast flowering cannabis seeds.
Signs of Readiness:
Pistils (hairs): As cannabis flowers mature, the pistils will turn from white to a dark orange or brown. Start checking trichomes when some of the pistils have darkened.
Trichomes: These resin glands should turn from clear to cloudy, and then to amber. A good rule of thumb is to harvest when most trichomes are cloudy with a few amber ones for balanced effects. More amber trichomes will provide a sedative effect, while more cloudy ones will lean toward an energetic high.
Prepping for Harvest
Flush the Plants: Two weeks before your expected harvest, stop feeding nutrients and give your plants only water to remove excess salts and minerals, if grown hydroponically.
Check the Weather: Outdoors, plan your harvest on a dry, sunny day to avoid moisture, which can lead to mold during the drying phase.
Clean and prep your space where you will be drying.
How to Harvest
Cut Down the Plant: Using sharp, sanitized shears, cut the plant at the base of the stalk.
Trim Large Fan Leaves: Remove the larger leaves to make the trimming process easier later. Leave the sugar leaves (smaller leaves covered in trichomes) for now.
Hang to Dry: Hang your plants upside down in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated space. Aim for a drying environment around 60-70°F with 50-60% humidity. This process usually takes about 7-14 days.
Harvesting Indoor Cannabis
Growing indoors allows more control over the harvest timing and process. Here's what you need to know for tent-grown cannabis:
Understanding When to Harvest Indoor Grows
Indoor cannabis grows are more flexible since you control the light cycles. Here's how to gauge when your indoor plants are ready:
Flowering Time: After switching to a 12/12 light cycle (12 hours light, 12 hours dark), most strains will flower over 7-10 weeks. Again, this varies by strain, so check your seed information for details.
Signs of Readiness: Just like with outdoor grows, you’ll watch for the color of trichomes and pistils. Look for cloudy trichomes and darkened pistils as described above.
Prepping for Harvest
Flush the Plants: Similar to outdoor grows, flush your plants with pure water two weeks before harvesting to clear out any remaining nutrients.
Prepare Your Space: Indoor plants can be more susceptible to mold during drying because they are often denser. Make sure your drying area is well-ventilated.
How to Harvest
Cut Down the Plant: Cut the plant at the base. Some indoor growers prefer to trim all leaves immediately, while others do a rough trim of the larger leaves.
Drying the Buds: Hang the branches or lay buds on drying racks in your grow tent or drying room. Keep the environment around 60-70°F with 50-60% humidity.
Trim the Buds: Once the buds are dry, trim off any remaining sugar leaves to improve the appearance and flavor of your final product.
Post-Harvest: Curing Cannabis for Best Results
Once your cannabis is dry, it’s important to cure it properly to enhance its flavor, potency, and shelf life.
Place Buds in Jars: Use a DroidCure, mason jars, or other airtight containers. Fill them about 75% full to allow some airflow.
Burp the Jars: For the first two weeks, open the jars daily for a few minutes to release moisture and allow fresh air to circulate. This prevents mold and ensures an even cure. If you use a Droid Cure, it will automatically and consistently burp for you.
Cure for 2-4 Weeks: The longer the cure, the better your cannabis will taste and perform. Most growers cure for a minimum of 2 weeks, but 4-8 weeks is ideal for top-tier quality.
Common Harvesting Mistakes to Avoid
Harvesting Too Early: Patience is key. Harvesting early results in weaker potency and less flavorful buds.
Ignoring Humidity: Too much humidity during drying can cause mold. Too little can dry the buds too quickly, impacting flavor and smoothness.
Rough Handling: Handle your buds with care to avoid damaging the trichomes, which contain the cannabinoids and terpenes you want to preserve.
Happy Harvesting! 🌿
Whether you’re growing outdoors in Minnesota’s warm summer months or indoors year-round, following these steps will help you get the most from your cannabis plants.
Remember, every cannabis strain and growing environment is different, so trust the process and enjoy the journey of home growing! If you ever have questions, feel free to reach out to us at our shop—we’re always here to help fellow cannabis growers in the community!