So as a newbie ( well ) lol 20 plants later, yea I didn 20 plants in a years time. 5 were a bust lol. Any way , when is the perfect time to harvest? I done by trichromes and by pestils, I’m pretty sure I’m missing the mark. Some of my herbs been ok at best some sweet some harsh some no flavor some no smell even. My last grow was blue dream and purple gelato both seem ok but not as potent as I think they should be. My trichromes were cloudy with maybe 1 to 3 amber trichromes out of 100 if thats even possible to imagine. Bud is dense some airy smells ok in jar, 5 week cure so far. I used fox farm nutrients with black strap molasses and liquid seaweed. I try to keep plants relatively small i average 1 to 2 oz per plant. Also I not sure on this but I also try not to go over the recommendation on flowering time. Should I not be going off weeks of flower. Can anybody help me out on this. Thanks in advance. I done alot of reading but can’t really find a definitive answer. Or is it like smoking a brisket packer? Its done when its done. Lol see what I did a little smokers humor 
I wouldn’t Lett them go to.far.past.normal.flower.time.because I.miss.harvest.Window ur.bud.quality. will decress so will.THC.8-10.weeks.normal flowering time.wouldn’t let it go.much.further then 11weeks.if ur.trics.are.amber there ready now.
Much of what we enjoy when we smoke is due to the dry and the cure. A good dry should take between 5 and 15 days. Ideal is 60F and 60%RH, in a cool dark location. If you have a humidity probe, I think it’s between 11% and 13%. A small branch should snap. You should be able to roll a joint, light it, and it should smoke without having to relight it. That’s the dry.
I use mason jars, 22 oz size. Don’t cram your buds in, place them gently and loosely. With my photos, I get about an oz per jar, autos only 1/2 an oz per (lighter, airier buds). I use the 58% Boveda packs, size 8, 1 per jar. Others like the 62% ones, it’s just personal preference. Keep them in a cool dark area. Open the jars up daily for about half hour for the first week or 2, then seal them up and ignore them for a month, if you can. This allows the chlorophyll to break down and burping allows the ammonia and other gases to escape and bring in more oxygen to break down more of the “bad tasting” crap. I open my jars up, go have a shower, and then hopefully remember them and close the lids again! especially in the first few days of burping, feel the buds to make sure they are dry, sometimes sealing them will make them sweat and if they aren’t dry, that could lead to mold. If they do feel a bit moist, you can always take them out of the jars and let them dry another day.
And their recommended flower times are always perfect environment and automated. And it’s a sales point too, right, to get you hyped that they’ll be ready sooner. I always add 2 weeks to what they say. Like they say 7 to 9 weeks of flower means 9 to 11 weeks of flower to me. And 2 weeks of pre-flower from the time you flip the lights.
I just harvested 9 plants yesterday that went from outdoors to a tent under 12/12 on July 13th. So that’s 2 weeks for transition and 11 weeks of flowering. Go by the trichomes.
Thanks man , I will keep all this in mind on next grow. Really appreciate the information.