How to harvest sungrown cannabis

In the Mendocino Mountains, the harvest usually begins in early or late October depending on cultivar. Some girls will harvest early and others may wait until November. Here at Swami Select, we had an Ethiopian Sativa one year that finished after Thanksgiving—not what you want because of the increased likelihood of fog, rain or frost that late in the season.

It is the most stressful time of the year because you can still lose your crop in so many different ways. As October approached, there was a palpable paranoia. The longer you wait to harvest the cannabis, the greater the chance of being caught by the police or by marijuana rustlers.

The Threats

It is important to remain vigilant against other pests such as latent hop syndrome, aphids or russet mites. When the fog is heavy in the mornings, and the rain starts, powdery mold can form. Spraying hydrogen peroxide on the leaves can reduce the powdery mildew, however, the best way to prevent it is by spraying fermented horsetail in the summer.

Frost may also pose a danger. Frost is likely to be more severe in October and November, particularly in valleys of mountains. The majority of hardy plant can survive an early morning frost, even if temperatures are only around 20 degrees. But two or three frosts could kill most plants. Prepare to cover your plants with frostcloth and you will see them survive.

In California and Oregon outdoor crops are now at risk from wildfires. This means that you will need a safety plan to evacuate your team, along with a crop survival plan. If you have to leave, an automated irrigation system can keep your girls safe.

Use a leaf-blower to remove the white ash that has been left on the leaves. Spray the diluted hydrogen peroxide over the leaves.₂The following are some of the reasons why you should consider hiring someone else₂). After cutting each plant and weighing it, dip the branches in diluted H₂The following are some of the reasons why you should consider hiring someone else₂ Then, dip the branch in fresh water and let it dry on the outside. 

It is important to yellow-leave the plants. On the day of harvesting, remove the majority of sun leaves. Keep watering less as the day gets shorter. Unless it is very hot, stop using compost or feeding plants a few days to ten weeks before harvest.  

Cannabis harvesting: A Science and Art

Assuming that you’ve done all the preparations mentioned in the previous article, you now must devise the exact procedure of harvest. It involves several stages: 

• When to prune each plant? 
• You can either take two or more cuttings or the whole plant. 
• What is the best way to transport cut plants? 
• California legal growers can learn how to measure and record wet weight after harvest.  
• Keep track of your plants and their Metrc tags.

Each farmer uses a different method to decide when to harvest. We harvest in the dark— very early in the morning—so that we finish that day’s cutting before first light. It ensures that all aromatic compounds within the plant are fully saturated, as they naturally off-gas in the daylight.

When I see that our “girls”, as they are yellow leafing in the field, are getting close to being harvested, I will literally ask every plant, individually, if it is ready. To determine which plants should be harvested next without any judgment, I use the kinesiology method (aka muscle-testing) 

Strong muscle resistance is “Yes” and weak is “No.” Then I asked: “Are You?” Ready to go?Come in tomorrow?” A strong response. You’ve answered yes. want Come in tomorrow?”  A strong response. Third time, I asked: “Wouldn’t you prefer to stay a couple of days longer?” Response is weak. Yes, to the first and second questions. To the third question, I answer “No” Then I put a mark on that plant and note the number in its bed. In the event that the responses are “No,” “No,” and “Yes,” I will leave the plant until a future day.

Around 5 in the morning, crew members put on warm clothes and gloves. Headlamps and clippers at the ready, we cut each branch, one by one. Except if it is a small plant, then you can just cut the entire thing and hang it. The stalk can be left on the bed till spring.

Harvest Day

Some farmers only cut the 10-12 inches of each branch, leaving the remainder to mature another two or three weeks. This is because we find it difficult to record two separate cuttings.

On each harvesting day, we usually trim about 20 plants. We also cut three consecutive days. To transport them to the barn we use a 6×12 foot trailer, which I hook up to the car and park next to the garden gate the night prior. 

On arrival at the garden, in the early morning hours, we divide into two teams. After removing the vertical bamboo poles and cutting the zip ties, one team will go around the garden and cut the nylon zip-ties from the plants. Another crew will pick the closest plants to the garden gates, remove the trellises from them and then proceed to harvest each plant. Once the crew that is cutting the trellises off the plants has completed their task, they will switch to the harvesting. 

Transporting Harvest

Each plant will have a blue tarp. We’ve got 20 of them. The tarp will be laid out on the floor next to your chosen plant in the darkness. Cut branches are gently placed on top of the tarp. Once the job is done, carabiners are used to connect all of the grommets to create a big pouch. Carabiners are used to attach blue Metrc tags for legal growers. These tags must remain with the plant until the batch is formed. 

When the tarp has been loaded, the trailer is driven to the rear of the barn. It’s then unloaded and we return for more. In order to prevent the plants from being crushed, we do not stack them too high.

Carabiner that holds the tarp in place can also be easily slipped over the hook of the scale to weigh the entire wet plant. This is required by California growers. We attach a 4×6 beam between two trees, hang the scale in the middle and use a small ladder to reach the scale. In addition to the weight of the plant, we also record the Metrc Number, Bed Number, and Cultivar.  

The Drying Period

The plants are then hung in the barn on nylon netting suspended from the roof.

We head home for an omelet or pancake breakfast. Then, after breakfast we go back to the gardens and save the bamboo sticks for next season.

Watch for our next article on proper curing and drying methods. Happy Harvest!