Beginner's guide to drying, trimming and harvesting cannabis plants

Deciding when is the perfect time to harvest marijuana is not easy. Should you go by the flowering time on the seed packet or rather by the size and density of the buds? Here are five factors you should consider before cutting your cannabis plants:

1. Appearance: An important aspect to pay attention to is the appearance of your plants after the recommended flowering period. Yield alone should never be the deciding factor. Also pay attention to the maturity of the trichomes and the thickness of the sepals.
2. The flowering time: The required flowering time does not always match the recommendations of the seed banks. It can vary depending on growing conditions, lighting, fertilizers, phenotype or plant size. Enter the expected harvest time in the calendar, but exceed this if necessary if the plants do not yet appear mature.
3. Thickness of the sepals: Many growers harvest too early, before the sepals are thick enough. Sometimes the elongated shape of the buds is also misunderstood. This shape may be due to the strain and not an excess of fertilizer. Give the flowers time to develop.
4. Development of the trichomes: The trichomes contain the essential oils, terpenes and cannabinoids that make the strain unique. Observe them under a microscope: if they are silvery-misty, the effect is softer. Amber-colored trichomes indicate a more potent effect.
5. Rinse: If you use chemical fertilizers, mineral salts will accumulate in the plant tissue. This can ruin the taste. Only rinse the plants with water in the two weeks before harvesting to clean the substrate and the root zone.

• Cut off buds with mold or leaves with mildew immediately.
• Do not harvest your plants before they have developed their full flavor and effect.
• When harvesting, don't just go by the number of brown or white pistils.
• Harvest not too late, when the terpenes lose intensity.

Drying is a critical step that is often underestimated. Many growers undo all their hard work because they don't dry fast enough. Decide before harvest whether you want to trim before or after drying.

With wet trimming, you cut off the buds and remove the leaves before drying them. This method is ideal for growers who want to work quickly. With dry trimming, you remove the large leaves and hang the plant up to dry for 10-14 days before manicuring the buds.

Trimming by hand gives the best results, but is often not practical for large crops. Electric trimmers can be a solution, even if the results are not as accurate as with manual trimming.

The buds should dry for 10 to 14 days. The ideal temperature in the drying room is 15 °C and the humidity 50 %. Pay attention to the following points:

• The flowers should be shriveled but dense.
• They should be dry to the touch and exude a strong aroma.
• The branches should break easily.
• The buds should no longer smell of chlorophyll.

Curing is an oxidation process that improves the taste and effect of the cannabis. Store the buds in a hermetic glass container and open it daily for ten minutes to allow the buds to come into contact with the air. We will soon be publishing a more detailed entry on the subject of curing. Just check back again!