October 9, 2025
October 9, 2025
October 9, 2025
Cannabis lifecycle: Happy harvest!
Cannabis lifecycle: Happy harvest!
Cannabis lifecycle: Happy harvest!
Est. reading time: 3 min
Est. reading time: 3 min
Est. reading time: 3 min
From mid-September to mid-November, your cannabis plants reach the moment you’ve been eagerly awaiting through germination, sowing, topping & training, pruning, and late-season growth: harvest. Growth slows to a stop, and every bit of the plant’s energy goes into making thick, sticky buds that smell great and provide all the effects we expect and love.
From mid-September to mid-November, your cannabis plants reach the moment you’ve been eagerly awaiting through germination, sowing, topping & training, pruning, and late-season growth: harvest. Growth slows to a stop, and every bit of the plant’s energy goes into making thick, sticky buds that smell great and provide all the effects we expect and love.
In this article:
In this article:
How to tell plants are ready
How to tell plants are ready
Shorter days tell the plant to hurry up and finish. Look for two telltale signs your plants are just about ready to harvest:
Shorter days tell the plant to hurry up and finish. Look for two telltale signs your plants are just about ready to harvest:
Pistils turn color: The fine white hairs on the buds turn amber or brown.
Trichomes turn cloudy: Under a small magnifier, the tiny “crystals” change from clear to milky. Amber-colored trichomes are a sign that the plant is a bit “overripe” and cannabinoids are beginning to degrade.
Pistils turn color: The fine white hairs on the buds turn amber or brown.
Trichomes turn cloudy: Under a small magnifier, the tiny “crystals” change from clear to milky. Amber-colored trichomes are a sign that the plant is a bit “overripe” and cannabinoids are beginning to degrade.
Some strains also flash purple or red when nights get cool, thanks to natural plant color called anthocyanin.
Some strains also flash purple or red when nights get cool, thanks to natural plant color called anthocyanin.
Pistils
TRICHOMES
Quick checklist for peak potency
Quick checklist for peak potency
Signal
What it means
Cloudy trichomes (crystals)
Buds have reached top potency
70–90% dark pistils
Buds are full size
Plant stopped growing taller
The plant’s energy now goes towards producing resin, not stems
Cut too early and you could compromise on flavor; wait too long and THC starts to break down into a sleepier cannabinoid called CBN.
Cut too early and you could compromise on flavor; wait too long and THC starts to break down into a sleepier cannabinoid called CBN.
Signal
What it means
Cloudy trichomes (crystals)
Buds have reached top potency
70–90% dark pistils
Buds are full size
Plant stopped growing taller
The plant’s energy now goes towards producing resin, not stems
Signal
What it means
Cloudy trichomes (crystals)
Buds have reached top potency
70–90% dark pistils
Buds are full size
Plant stopped growing taller
The plant’s energy now goes towards producing resin, not stems
Weather matters in the final weeks
Outdoor plants need to beat the first frost. Cool nights can boost smell and color, but heavy rain or high humidity can cause gray mold on fat buds, rendering some of the crop unusable. If storms roll in, cover plants with a small greenhouse or tarp to keep them dry.
Outdoor plants need to beat the first frost. Cool nights can boost smell and color, but heavy rain or high humidity can cause gray mold on fat buds, rendering some of the crop unusable. If storms roll in, cover plants with a small greenhouse or tarp to keep them dry.
Cutting, drying, and curing
Cutting, drying, and curing
Flush food: Give only water for the last week to wash out extra fertilizer.
Harvest at dawn: Cooler air helps lock in the aroma.
Hang to dry at about 60°F and 60% humidity for 7–10 days.
Jar cure for 2–4 weeks, opening jars once a day at first. This balances moisture and makes smoke smoother. Done right, cured buds keep their taste and power for months.
Flush food: Give only water for the last week to wash out extra fertilizer.
Harvest at dawn: Cooler air helps lock in the aroma.
Hang to dry at about 60°F and 60% humidity for 7–10 days.
Jar cure for 2–4 weeks, opening jars once a day at first. This balances moisture and makes smoke smoother. Done right, cured buds keep their taste and power for months.
Takeaways
Takeaways
Harvest time is the finish line. The plant stops growing up and pushes everything into sticky buds.
Watch for key signs. Cloudy trichomes and dark pistils mean “cut now.”
Protect from weather. Cool is generally okay; frosty or wet is bad.
Dry slow, cure right. Proper post-harvest care turns months of dilligent growing work into smooth, tasty flower.
Harvest time is the finish line. The plant stops growing up and pushes everything into sticky buds.
Watch for key signs. Cloudy trichomes and dark pistils mean “cut now.”
Protect from weather. Cool is generally okay; frosty or wet is bad.
Dry slow, cure right. Proper post-harvest care turns months of dilligent growing work into smooth, tasty flower.
With these tips, you’ll catch your plants at their prime and enjoy the fruits of your labor for months to come.
With these tips, you’ll catch your plants at their prime and enjoy the fruits of your labor for months to come.
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