As the seasons shift in Montana and the mornings turn crisp, it signals one of our favorite times of year at Lone Peak Cannabis: harvest season. This year’s crop looked especially good, thanks to months of careful cultivation and a summer that provided ideal growing conditions.
From Mother Plant to Harvest: The Timeline
While it all begins with a seed, most of our indoor cultivation actually starts with a mother plant—a large, healthy cannabis plant grown specifically to provide cuttings.
- Cloning the Mother (2 weeks): We take small cuttings from the mother plant’s branches. These cuttings are rooted in peat-cocoa plugs for about two weeks until they establish their first roots.
- Early Vegetative Stage (2 weeks): Once rooted, the young plants continue to “veg” under consistent light, focusing on growing leaves and branches.
- Greenhouse Acclimation (2 weeks): The rooted clones are then transplanted into the greenhouse soil beds, where they spend another two weeks in the vegetative phase as they settle in and expand their root systems.
- Flowering Stage (8–9 weeks on average): After about six weeks of prep, the plants are ready to shift into flowering—triggered by shorter light cycles. Here they focus all their energy on producing the resin-rich buds we know and love.
“From cutting a clone to harvest-ready flowers is roughly 12–13 weeks for most strains,” our grower explained. “It’s a long, deliberate process to get healthy, mature plants.”
Watching for the “Senescing” Stage
Toward the final stretch of flowering, the plants begin a natural process called senescing—a sign they’re reaching peak maturity.
“We start to see the plants fade to yellow,” our grower shared. “That’s our cue they’re starting to ripen up. We mimic nature by letting soil fertility drop late in the cycle, just as it would at the end of summer.”
During senescing, the leaves fade to yellows, and the buds often reveal pinks, purples, and blues—a vivid sign that harvest is approaching.
Reading the Signs: Trichomes and Stigmata
To hit the perfect harvest window, we watch for two key changes:
- Stigmata Hairs: The small white hairs covering each bud—called stigmata—gradually turn from white to orange-brown, signaling the flowers are maturing. We aim for 80–90% of these hairs to change color before harvesting.
- Trichomes: These crystal-like resin glands shift from clear → milky → amber. For most strains, we harvest when about 80% of trichomes are milky, right before they lean amber, ensuring peak aroma and potency.
Harvest Day: Trellises, Cuts, and Care
Our greenhouse plants often reach nearly to the ceiling, supported by a two-layer trellis system to hold up heavy buds.
On harvest day, we cut away the lower trellis to free each plant, then cut the plant at the base of the stalk and gently move it to drying racks.
From there:
- Drying: Each plant hangs in a climate-controlled dry room for roughly two weeks, preserving terpenes and flavor.
- Bucking & Trimming: Once dried, buds are bucked—removed from their stems—then trimmed and cured in sealed containers to balance moisture and deepen aroma.
Quality Control: Testing Genetics
While failures are rare, we do extensive genetics testing. Some new strains can occasionally show hermaphroditic traits, meaning they could produce pollen and seeds.
“We test new genetics through at least three rounds before bringing them to full production,” our grower noted. “If a plant shows signs of producing seeds, we remove it right away to protect the rest of the crop.”
When Nature and Nurture Meet
This season’s harvest was a visual feast: fading golden leaves against purple-pink hues, dense buds heavy with resin, and vibrant terpene profiles that capture the essence of Montana’s growing season.
Locally Grown for Montana
Every batch of Lone Peak Cannabis is grown right here in Big Sky Country, shaped by the same mountain climate and wide-open skies that define our community. By respecting the plant’s natural rhythms—down to soil fertility, light cycles, and harvest timing—we produce clean, flavorful, Montana-grown flower ready to share with you.
