The Best Time to Harvest Cannabis? Cannabis Harvesting Tips 2025

Looking for insider info on how to harvest cannabis? Deciding when to harvest cannabis outdoors or looking to make the most out of your indoor grow? Today we’re talking about when to harvest buds, how to harvest buds, and how poorly trimmed weed can not only look bad but also affect your profits. About more than just chopping the plant and trimming the flower, proper cannabis harvesting ensures you get the most yield out of your grow. Here are some foundational techniques and ground rules regarding the best time to harvest cannabis and the proper tools needed to do so.

How can I tell if my buds are ready to harvest?

When do you harvest cannabis? It’s more than just a guessing game. Since different strains require differing amounts of time to grow, it is not just a date you can mark on your calendar. When to harvest weed outdoors is different from harvesting an indoor grow, and it’s important to get the timing just right. If you harvest cannabis too soon — or too late for that matter — it can decidedly impact the flavor, potency and overall quality of your buds.

Plan ahead

Indica plants are typically ready for harvest after 50 to 60 days. Sativa plants usually can stay in bloom for a bit longer, maybe 60 to 70 days. Admittedly every strain is different, but these guidelines of when to harvest buds are a good place to start.

Look closely

For optimum results and to ensure you get the timing “just right,” you must visually inspect your plants regularly. And you’re going to need more than just your naked eye to do so. While the best option here is to make use of a digital microscope, the cost involved can be prohibitive for many growers — instead try a handheld magnifier or a jeweler’s loupe.

Evaluate your crop

Ready-to-harvest cannabis has some tell-tale signs. Trichomes are tiny little resin glands that look almost like crystals covering the buds, which change color as they ripen. Trichomes start out clear but then turn milky-white and eventually become an amber color. Pistils, or the top part of the pistil that is referred to as the stigma, are the fine hair-like structures in the center of the flower. They begin white and then gradually darken to deeper colors such as orange, red, brown or even pink as the plant matures. When your trichomes look frosty and your pistils look vibrant, these are signals you have ready-to-harvest cannabis.

Take a breath

The best time to harvest cannabis is when a majority of the pistils have changed color and about 50% of the trichomes have turned milky-white. You may have to do a little experimentation to assure the finished product produces the results you desire — so this is a great time to trim off some small pieces and sample your buds to see if they’ve reached the desired level of ripeness.

There is much debate on whether to flush your plants pre-harvest — but if you are going to do that, now is the time. Some established cultivators’ cannabis harvesting tips for increased resin production include lowering the humidity level of the room and/or keeping the plants in total darkness for those last two or three days.

As OG growers say, “If you think your plants are ready, wait a week.” While it is absolutely possible to wait too long, most people err on the side of impatience, so evaluate carefully and do not rush.

How should I harvest my cannabis?

Once you’ve answered the question of when do you harvest cannabis, now it’s time to determine how to harvest buds with optimum efficiency for maximum potency.

Prepare

This is when you need to gather your necessary tools — and also make some important decisions.

• Wet trim vs. dry trim: Wet-trimming involves trimming buds immediately after the plant is cut and is considered faster and easier, but dry-trimming allows the large plant pieces to dry for a few days before a more detailed trim and is said to result in higher quality.
• Full harvest vs. partial harvest: A full harvest is preferred when you have a plant that appears relatively consistent in its ripeness and therefore you harvest the entire plant all at once. A partial harvest consists of harvesting top buds first and is better if the plant is larger and/or it appears that parts of the plant seem more mature than others. Harvesting top buds first — cutting the mature parts first while allowing the lower buds to continue to grow — is also often preferable if space is limited and processing in stages is preferred.
• Necessary tools: You’ll need some very sharp pruning shears to cleanly cut through the stems and branches of the cannabis plants. Dull shears can damage your buds, and rusty shears increase the risk of contamination. You’ll need some sterile gloves to prevent oils, dirt and contaminants from your hands transferring to the cannabis buds. Gloves made from latex or nitrile are top choices for allowing dexterity while still providing a snug fit. You’ll need trimming scissors that have sharp, precise blades and ergonomic handles for comfortability while trimming the buds down and removing excess leaves. If dry-trimming, you’ll need a drying set-up. That would include either a rack or screen for flat drying, or hooks attached to chain links or wires to hang dry.
• Cleanliness: A clean work station is of the utmost importance. It will not only allow for quick and safe movement throughout your space, but it will also ensure that neither pathogens nor pests will ruin your plants. It is important to prevent residue like lint or pet dander from coming into contact with your buds. You’ll want to disinfect all washable areas, use 70% isopropyl alcohol on all your tools, and keep materials such as curtains, carpets, rugs and tablecloths out of your drying room.

Harvest

Now, using very sharp pruning shears, very carefully cut the main stems of the cannabis plant at or near their base. Work slowly and be gentle to ensure clean cuts and so as not to damage the buds. Now is the time to trim away side branches and excess foliage. Removing those big large fan leaves from the stem will create better air flow around your flower. If you keep the fan leaves, this can prevent your buds from drying correctly, which increases the chance of mold. Whether you hang your plants upside down from a line or flat on a rack, you need to ensure there is enough space between each plant to allow for proper airflow.

Dry

Even if you decide to trim your plant into small buds immediately after cutting it (“wet trimming”), you cannot consume the chopped plant “as is” without drying it first. The plant is still full of moisture and must slowly dry out in a dedicated drying room for anywhere from five to 14 days. Proper air circulation is key, because without it your cannabis will start to mold and mildew. The goal is to remove about 70-75% of the moisture from the plant.

• Floor or wall-mounted fans can assist with creating a well-ventilated room with constant and gentle airflow.
• Humidifiers and dehumidifiers can be used for both temperature and humidity control.

Your drying room should be dark, with the temperature in the room at somewhere between 60 and 70 degrees. The room should also be kept dry with around 50-60% relative humidity, which can be lowered to around the mid 40s after seven days if desired. Again, the goal here is to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. You will know the plants are fully dried and ready to move to the next step when the stems no longer have a rubbery feel but do not completely break and snap off when bent.

Trim

Once the flower buds are sufficiently dried enough to be cut from their stems, that’s when the trimming or “deboning” begins. Using those beautifully sharp trimming scissors, remove all of the unnecessary excess foliage to create a clean, well-manicured appearance. Those big fan leaves should have already been removed, but there will be some “sugar leaves,” or the small leaves found within the bloom often coated in trichomes.

Some growers choose not to remove the smallest and most resinous sugar leaves, believing they add extra potency, whereas others like to trim and remove them all, sometimes using them as ingredients for cannabis oil or other cannabis concentrates. In any case, this is the point where you want to remove any and all excess branches, stems, seeds and whatnot so that you’re left with some beautiful breathtaking buds. Avoid poorly trimmed weed by remembering to leave a tiny portion of the stem of each bud attached so buds do not fall completely apart.

Cure

Even though at this point you should have some nicely dried and beautifully trimmed buds, they are still not quite ready to be consumed. Arguably the most important step in the cannabis harvesting process, not properly curing the flower buds can lead to a harsh smoke and significant crop loss due to mold.

The point of the curing process is to prevent mold, preserve a small amount of moisture, and to enhance the flavor and aroma of the finished cannabis product while preparing it for long-term storage. This is the point where the remaining chlorophyll within the plant will break down so that the buds will taste smooth and delicious and not like grass clippings.

Curing is a critical component of post-harvest that allows the buds to gradually dry and develop to their full potential. To cure:

• Store freshly trimmed buds inside airtight containers. At this point, protect the buds from all external elements such as light, heat and moisture. Avoid disturbing the buds too much during this time — but it is CRUCIAL the containers are burped!
• Burp the cannabis containers by unsealing them and allowing the buds to breathe. This should be done for about 10 minutes at a time, about three to four times a day. Unsealing your container keeps moisture from spoiling the flower while resealing again then evenly distributes the moisture throughout your buds. After seven to 10 days, reduce burping down to once a day or even a few times a week.
• Monitor your contents. When the container is unsealed, the first impression should smell sweet. If it smells acrid or like ammonia, it means that mold is starting to develop. In that case, leave it open for an entire day and then start over again. You can also purchase a mini hygrometer to determine the exact temperature and humidity within the container. Boveda is the leading manufacturer of humidity control packs.

Curing can take anywhere from several weeks to even a few months. With proper curing, cannabis flower can reach peak quality and provide a very enjoyable smoking experience. As the buds age, they will become more aromatic, flavorful and potent.

How can I enjoy my cannabis harvest?

That part, my friend, is up to you! You chose it, grew it, harvested it — all with great care — and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor in whichever way you see fit. Share your harvest stories in the comments!

Grow your business at CannaCon

If you would like to learn more about the cannabis industry and surround yourself with seasoned professionals who love cannabis, there is no better place to do that than a CannaCon conference. Grow the industry with us in 2025!

This article was originally posted on Aug. 9, 2022 and updated on Feb. 25, 2025