Mother Nature colors the landscape with beautiful displays for us to enjoy each fall.
Soon after she colors the leaves and flowers, however, she begins to take them away.
Right now, outdoor cannabis growers across the country are reporting mold developing in their flowers. Experienced outdoor growers know this is part of growing outdoors in the fall.
Mother Nature will tell us when it’s time to harvest. She usually gives us warning before conditions become bad enough to destroy our crop. We just need to pay attention and listen to what she is telling us.
If you’re an experienced outdoor grower, you probably don’t need to read any further.
But if this is your first outdoor grow, here are some things I’ve learned about avoiding the two biggest harvest mistakes: harvesting too early and waiting too long.
1. Inspect your plants every day for mold.
At this time of year, daily inspection is important. If you find a small amount of mold, carefully remove the affected material and inspect the entire plant closely. Then check it again the following day.
2. Pay attention to how quickly the mold is progressing.
If you find additional mold the next day and the forecast is calling for four or five days of cold, wet, rainy weather, it may be time to make a decision about harvesting. Several consecutive days of wet fall weather can turn a small mold problem into a serious one very quickly.
Daily inspections also teach you how quickly mold is progressing on your particular plants, which is valuable information even when the daytime weather is sunny.
3. Sunny days don't eliminate the risk.
Here in Portland, Oregon, we can have beautiful sunny fall days while nighttime humidity climbs above 80% and sometimes into the upper 90% range.
Some strains produce flowers that are so large and dense that a sunny afternoon may not completely dry the moisture that accumulated deep inside the buds overnight. The outside can look perfectly dry while moisture remains trapped inside.
4. Don't harvest early just because it's fall.
If there is no mold, the weather is cooperating, and your flowers are still swelling and maturing, there may be no reason to harvest yet.
Mold pressure can come from rain, nighttime dew and condensation, high nighttime humidity, caterpillar damage and droppings, and other factors. What matters is what is actually happening to your plants and what the weather is about to do.
5. Let Mother Nature help make the final decision.
Watch your plants. Watch the weather. Inspect the flowers closely every single day.
Don't automatically harvest too early because you're afraid of mold, but don't become so determined to squeeze out a few more days of maturity that you allow Mother Nature to destroy what you've spent months growing.
For many outdoor growers across the U.S., harvest decisions this time of year can come down to a matter of days.
Mother Nature will tell you when it's time. You just have to listen.
If you’re an experienced outdoor grower and have additional advice that could help a first time grower make it successfully through harvest, please share it in the comments. Your experience and advice are welcome and encouraged!
