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How to grow dense cannabis buds

by Nebula Haze

Say no to small, airy buds!

Grow fat, dense cannabis buds!

The 5 most common reasons for airy marijuana buds

(See the article below for a full breakdown of all the ways to increase bud density)

Light – The most common reason for buds not being dense is that the plant did not get enough light in the flowering phase. Light is like food for the plant. Although cannabis plants can survive in relatively low light conditions, they will not produce many buds. Up to a point, more light in the flowering phase = bigger buds. On the other hand, too bright light (less common, but can happen when buds are too close to grow lights) can also cause buds to develop poorly and/or produce airy, hairy foxtails. Strain/Genetics – Some strains will only produce airy bud no matter what you do. For example, sativa plants often produce buds that are less dense, while indica strains tend to produce more compact buds. While one isn’t necessarily better than the other, if you want dense buds, it’s important to start with genetics that produce dense buds. Temperature – Cannabis wants the temperature just right for optimal bud growth. Conveniently, this is about the same temperature as is comfortable for humans. Temperatures that are too hot in the flowering phase (especially above 30°C/85°F) can cause plants to develop loose buds, grow airy foxtails and experience herming (causing buds to stop thickening and becoming scruffy). Nutrients – Buds won’t get fat and dense if they don’t get the right nutrients at the right time, which means plenty of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) in the flowering phase. Giving too much nitrogen (found in all-purpose plant foods) during the flowering phase can result in smaller, looser buds. Luckily, there are many flower/bloom nutrients that have the perfect nutrient ratios for cannabis bud formation (example: Dyna-Gro Bloom) so you don’t need to worry about that. Learn more about nutrient ratios. Other nutrient issues and deficiencies can also negatively impact bud development if left unchecked. However, the most common reason growers see nutrient issues hamper development in the flowering phase is due to deficiencies caused by improper pH levels at the plant roots. Airflow and Bud Spacing – Poor airflow around the buds and a lack of strong, direct light will prevent these buds from developing as densely as possible. Buds need a little space of their own to grow big and dense, and won’t get fat unless directly exposed to fresh air and strong light. In the wild, cannabis is a wind-pollinated plant, so it only uses energy to grow and fatten buds exposed to breeze and sun. To ensure buds get a breeze with direct access to strong light, each large cola on your plant should have a few inches of space around it that it doesn’t share with leaves or other buds. It also helps increase bud density if you snip off small or secondary stems before buds form (buds tend to get denser when their stem comes from the main base of the plant, which is a key idea behind multiplication).

Never grow fluffy, airy buds again!

Read on to learn how to produce rock hard bud every time

7 Bonus Tactics To Increase Bud Density

In addition to fixing the above issues, here is a full breakdown of additional tactics to increase bud density (see the article below for more complete information or click on the links).

Read on to learn more about these bud density increasing tactics and techniques. By the end of today’s tutorial, you will be a density expert.

How to grow dense cannabis buds every time

1.) Provide enough light (but not too much)

Bright, but not too bright. When new growers have trouble with light, it’s usually because their grow light is too dim. A sunny window or a tiny LED grow light that draws less than 50W is seriously underpowered even for a plant. Although plants grow under these types of lights in the veg stage, they are not strong enough to drive dense bud growth in the flowering stage. Which Cannabis Grow Light Works Best?

Even if the plant is healthy, the buds will never thicken properly if they don’t get enough light during the flowering phase

Light is food for the plant and buds are hungry!

“I’m sooooo hungry. Give me light!” ~ cannabis bud

The second most common reason growers struggle with light levels is keeping their grow lights too close or too far from their plants.

Basically…

Too far = reduced yields and lower bud density

Too close = fading, burning, Hermes, foxtails and poor bud formation

How far away to keep different types of lighting

LED Grow Lights – It’s a good idea to look at the product details for your LED to see how far it should be from your plant, as every model is different. As a general rule of thumb, LEDs 150W and below can typically be placed less than 25cm (12″) apart. Larger 150-300W LED grow lights are typically placed 18-24″ (45-60cm) from the tops of the plants. Above 300W, LEDs may need to be kept over 60cm (24″) away. Regardless of what is listed as the ideal spacing, always watch your plants for signs of bud and leaf burn. Some plants are more sensitive than others and may show signs of stress even when the grow light is at the recommended distance.

– It’s a good idea to look at the product details of your LED to know how far away it should be from your plant as every model is different. As a general rule of thumb, LEDs 150W and below can typically be placed less than 25cm (12″) apart. Larger 150-300W LED grow lights are typically placed 18-24″ (45-60cm) from the tops of the plants. Above 300W, LEDs may need to be kept over 60cm (24″) away. Regardless of what is listed as the ideal spacing, always watch your plants for signs of bud and leaf burn. Some plants are more sensitive than others and may show signs of stress even when the grow light is at the recommended distance. HIDs (MH, HPS, LEC, CMH) – depending on the type and size of grow light – learn how far away MH/HPS grow lights should be from your plants. For LEC/CMH, a 315W CMH should be kept 18-24″ away from your plants, and a 630W CMH should be kept 24-30″ away from the plant tops.

Fluorescent lights, T5s and CFLs – keep them as close as possible without hurting your plants with heat. When cool enough, they can be kept inches away from plants. Make sure all parts of the plants are within a few inches of a fluorescent bulb to get the densest buds. However, it’s important to note that fluorescent lights in general tend to produce lower density than other types of grow lights.

Outdoor growers should try to ensure that the plants get more than 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, but on scorching hot days you may want to protect the plants with an umbrella.

If you want to maximize bud density under LED grow lights, aim to keep the lights as close as possible with no signs of plant stress. However, LED grow lights can also be held too close which will burn your buds and cause fading, hermies, loose buds and/or foxtails. Each LED has an optimal spacing. The manufacturer’s recommendation can usually be found in the product details of the LED.

This ES300 LED grow light shows excellent performance at a distance of about 18″ from the plant tops.

LED-burned buds (from LEDs that are too close) often become thin, fluffy and leafy

It goes both ways. The buds also don’t grow properly fat or become dense if the LEDs are held too far away

MH/HPS lamps produce intense light levels and emit a spectrum of colors that will give you large yields and very dense buds. MH is used in the veg phase and HPS in the flowering phase (usually you can use both bulbs in the same fixture, so you have to switch bulbs). You can also use HPS from seed to harvest, but plants tend to get tall and stretchy in the vegetative stage due to HPS’ red/yellow color spectrum. Here is a quick guide on how far you can keep the MH/HPS grow lights away from your cannabis plants:

150W – 8-12″ away (start at 10″)

250W – 10-14″ away (start at 12″)

400W – 13-19″ away (start at 14″)

600W- 14-22″ removed (start at 16″)

1000W – 18-30″ away (start at 20″)

HPS (high pressure sodium) grow lights are a lot less popular than they used to be because they have big hot bulbs and are less user friendly than LEDs. However, they are one of the best grow lights for dense buds. HPS consistently produce intense density even at the smallest sizes like 150W and 250W.

CMH lamps (also called LEC) are like a combination of MH and HPS and they produce comparable yields and density per watt. However, one benefit of CMH lights is that they produce a higher than average amount of trichomes compared to other types of grow lights. Find out more about CMH grow lights.

315W – 18-24″ away (from 20″)

630W – 24-30″ away (from 26″)

CMH grow lights produce excellent density and make the buds sparkle. I grew this bud under this 315 LEC.

T5s, CFLs, and other fluorescent grow lights should be kept as close to the buds as possible while heat is under control. When kept more than a few inches away from the buds like this, the buds will never get fat or dense

Read the full tutorial on optimal plant light spacing

No matter what grow lights you use…

Use reflective walls to bring as much light to your plants as possible

Keep the lights close to the top of your canopy without raising the heat to unsuitable levels or burning plants with light. Close but not too close. It’s important to figure out how far apart your grow lights should be for optimal growth.

Make sure all the inflorescences are bathed in bright light. Buds in a shady part of the plant will not become dense.

2.) Grow a strain that tends to produce dense buds

Genetics play a big part in how your cannabis plants grow, including the look, smell and taste of your buds.

Indica-dominant strains tend to produce denser buds (although not always, of course). The indica-dominant buds pictured here are incredibly dense and were grown under HPS grow lights, but most strains could never reach that density no matter what you do as a grower. Density is determined to some extent by strain.

Some sativa-dominant strains tend to produce less dense buds, but also offer a cerebral “daytime effect” that many growers love. Sativa-dominant strains can still be heavy yielders, so you can end up with very long buds, as opposed to small thick nuggets like some indica-heavy strains.

Seeing different grows with one strain will help you get an idea of ​​what the buds of that particular strain look like.

Important! There are sometimes different versions of strains from different breeders. You can often find multiple versions of very popular strains, and each version can vary wildly from one another and produce different results.

“White Widow” from one breeder can be completely different from “White Widow” from another breeder. So when researching varieties, always pay attention to the breeder in addition to the variety name. Learn how to research and find the right strain.

How to research a marijuana strain

(or read the full tutorial here)

Make a list of a few possible strains you want to grow – If you don’t already have an idea of ​​what strain you want to grow, it helps to start narrowing down your list of possible strains. When researching a new grow I usually start with a large seed bank as they give you lots of helpful information about each strain. These great seed sources usually have a “Strain Selector” option that allows you to type in the specific traits you are looking for and get a list of results. Visit our trusted seed suppliers page to get strains from good breeders.

– If you still have no idea what strain you want to grow, it helps to narrow down your list of potential strains first. When researching a new grow I usually start with a large seed bank as they give you lots of helpful information about each strain. These great seed sources usually have a “Strain Selector” option that allows you to type in the specific traits you are looking for and get a list of results. Visit our trusted seed suppliers page to get strains from good breeders. Find a grow journal with pictures of your strain in the process of growing – Type “STRAIN-NAME grow” into Google.com and see regular results as well as Google image results. When looking at image results, it’s important to click through to the page rather than just looking at the image so you can learn more. These steps can give you a good starting point for finding a grow journal that has your strain in it, but not always. Also, remember to pay attention to which breeder the breeder got their strain from.

during the growth process – Type “STRAIN-NAME grow” into Google.com and see the regular results as well as the Google image results. When looking at image results, it’s important to click through to the page rather than just looking at the image so you can learn more. These steps can give you a good starting point for finding a grow journal that has your strain in it, but not always. Also, remember to pay attention to which breeder the breeder got their strain from. Search the strain name on Youtube – you might find people who have grown the strain and documented their cultivation with a video. Videos are a great way to give you an idea of ​​what your strain might look like in the flowering phase and many breeders post full video grow journals on Youtube. Again, pay attention to the variety breeder.

– you might find people who have grown the strain and documented their cultivation with videos. Videos are a great way to give you an idea of ​​what your strain might look like in the flowering phase and many breeders post full video grow journals on Youtube. Again, pay attention to the variety breeder. Find Strain Breeder on Social Media – If you are interested in a specific breeder, see if you can find their social media account. Many breeders upload pictures and information about their strains. Many breeders will also answer questions

– If you are interested in a specific breeder, see if you can find their social media account. Many breeders upload pictures and information about their strains. Many breeders will also answer questions. Find the Breeder’s Website – Similar to social media, many breeders have a website where they have more information about their genetics and where to get them.

– Similar to social media, many breeders have a website where they have more information about their genetics and where to get them. Seedfinder – I like http://en.seedfinder.eu/ for strain research. It’s one of the best ways to find out the genealogy and lineage of a strain from a particular breeder. It has growing reviews and pictures for some strains that are really helpful, but that can be good or bad as many strains lack any kind of breeder feedback. Some of the reviews are in German or other languages. You can translate almost any language into English by copying and pasting it here: https://translate.google.com/

Examples of dense photoperiod strains

Examples of dense autoflowering strains

One last thing to keep in mind… Appearance and density are important to many growers, and bud appearance is part of the overall experience of using cannabis.

I love dense buds as much as the next grower (how do growers maximize trichome production?)

…But when it comes to strain selection, I recommend looking for strains that will produce the effects you like, rather than just thinking about density or looks. Some strains may not produce buds that look as dense as what you see in magazines and online, but will give you exactly the high you’re looking for.

These Sour OG buds weren’t the densest, but the bud effect was out of this world

3.) Keep the temperature below 30°C (85°F)

While it’s not always possible to control the temperature, there’s a lot you can do (especially indoors) to keep the temperature at the optimal level for bud development. Choosing an appropriate strain for your growing environment will also make a big difference.

Cannabis plants like temperatures around 65-80°F (18-26°C) in the flowering phase for best development. Temperatures above 30°C (85°F) will typically grow bud parts that are noticeably more airy than the same plant grown at reasonable temperatures.

Indica-heavy strains can handle the cold better

Sativa or equatorial strains can handle heat better

Too much heat triggers heat burn, airy buds, foxtails and also reduces potency and smell, especially in indica-heavy strains that are less heat resistant. High temperatures can also lead to shabby buds if your plant dwindles as a result of the stress.

This bud was exposed to high temperatures and never really grew more than a few calyxes and lots of sugar leaves

Foxtail caused by heat – the entire bud is thin and airy

Too much heat will cause thin buds and strange growth patterns

Temperatures that are too cold (especially during the first 6 weeks of flowering) are less common, but can also result in airy buds that never thicken and grow densely.

Cold temperatures can also prevent the development of buds, like this plant grown in a cold basement

Cold temperatures can also cause leaves and stems to turn purple. Purple leaves can be problematic as green leaves harvest more energy from light. Therefore, it’s a good idea to avoid turning purple leaves too early in the flowering process.

Cool temperatures tend to bring out purple, but this reduces yields if it happens early in the flowering phase, so keep plants warm until just before harvest

Although indica-leaning strains tend to be more cold-tolerant and sativa-leaning strains more heat-tolerant, almost all strains available today are some kind of hybrid. Rather than just relying on classifying a strain as indica or sativa, it’s important to learn about each strain and how it responds to heat and cold. More importantly, watch your plant for signs of stress!

4.) Nutrients – Use the right N-P-K ratios for the flowering phase! (but don’t exaggerate) (but don’t exaggerate)

Give your plants the right balance of cannabis nutrients during the flowering phase (while avoiding nutrient burn). Not only will this help you avoid nutrient deficiencies, but it will also give your plant the building blocks it needs for bud formation.

Don’t forget the pH value! It can be tempting to ignore this part, but pH is also incredibly important when it comes to nutrient absorption. Proper pH control is one of the best ways to ensure the plant has easy access to nutrients at the roots.

N-P-K values ​​are listed on the back of most nutrient bottles

What nutrients does a cannabis plant need to form dense buds? During the budding phase, make sure you provide a little nitrogen, lots of potassium and a good source of phosphorus.

Best for the flowering phase of cannabis (“Bloom Nutrients”):

Some Nitrogen (N)

A good source of phosphorus (P) – definitely higher than nitrogen and possibly higher than potassium as well

Lots of potassium (K) – about twice the amount of nitrogen or more

A relatively low nitrogen concentration during the flowering phase helps the buds grow thicker

It is important to avoid giving too much N while the plants are budding as too much nitrogen will prevent proper bud formation and result in lower yields and airy buds. This means you shouldn’t be using your veg or general purpose nutrients (which are N rich) during the flowering phase.

Nutrient bottles indicate their nutrient levels with 3 numbers. These numbers stand for N-P-K levels. During the flowering phase, avoid giving the plants too much nitrogen (N), but make sure the plants get a good source of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).

Dyna-Gro ‘Bloom’ plant food, shown below, is an example of a flowering formula showing good N-P-K ratios for the flowering phase of cannabis. All high-quality cannabis nutrients designed for flowering are formulated to give your plants exactly what they need to produce bud.

Dyna-Grow Bloom is a one-part nutrient for the flowering phase of cannabis. Give 1.5 tsp/gallon for the first 2-3 weeks after plants start flowering, then 1 tsp/gallon thereafter until pre-harvest flushing (many growers give plants plain water a few times before harvest day, known as “flushing”. Plants).

You can pretty much take the guesswork out of nutrient ratios by using a cannabis-friendly “flower” nutrient formula during the flowering phase.

Examples of cannabis-friendly “Bloom” NPK ratios (lower N, higher P & K):

3-12-6

4-8-7

1-4-5

2-3-5

Note: There is no “perfect” NPK ratio as the nutrients are made from different chemical forms of N, P and K. Not all forms are equally available to plants, and certain combinations affect the uptake of nutrients. For example, some sources of phosphorus are more easily absorbed by the plant. Nutrients with these forms of phosphorus tend to have lower ratios of P than other nutrients, even though the plant “gets” the same amount of phosphorus. For this reason, it’s best to research and use a nutrient brand that’s proven to work for growing cannabis, rather than just going by the NPK. There are many factors that go into what constitutes nutrients for cannabis, and the raw numbers don’t always tell the whole story.

Tip 2: Avoid nutrients labeled “Grow”, “Vegetative” or “All-Purpose” during the flowering phase! In a pinch, if you can’t find specific bloom nutrients, get cactus nutrients as they use a similar nutrient ratio to flowering cannabis plants.

For those not using nutrients, starting with improved and composted super soil is the best way to ensure plants are getting access to the nutrients they need at the right time. As a bonus, when you start out with properly composted soil, it’s the one time you don’t have to worry about pH levels. For growers looking to add a nutrient boost to their organic grow during the flowering phase, Flower Girl is an excellent organic supplement that works well with cannabis.

Learn more about cannabis nutrients

5.) Expose all buds to both strong light and a gentle breeze – each cola needs space to increase density to maximum levels!

The plant’s densest and heaviest buds have a few inches of space to themselves and are exposed to both bright light and airflow.

Buds hidden within the plant by leaves (without access to much airflow or light) remain airy and tend to never thicken or become dense. In fact, buds sitting in still, unmoving air can stop developing entirely. Because of this, you often see small buds on very leafy plants.

Let me show you how much difference exposing buds to bright light and air makes. This example used defoliation. Defoliation means removing leaves and is an advanced technique not recommended for beginners. Defoliation should only be used on very green, healthy plants that are under bright light.

For those worried about losing too much weight, similar results can be achieved much more safely by simply tucking in leaves to reveal the bud sites.

Here’s a leafy, healthy plant grown under bright grow lights – notice how many buds are hidden in the center of the plant. You can’t even see them all!

Here is the plant immediately after plugging and leaf removal – note that the buds are now much more exposed to the air

Less than 2 weeks later (and after another defoliation session)

Learn more about defoliation

The largest colas (“cola” is Spanish for “tail” and a common slang term used to describe big, long cannabis buds) are the ones that are most exposed to light and air. This is probably because cannabis plants are wind pollinated in nature. Buds that are not exposed to air can never be pollinated in the wild, so the plants may “abandon” them. However, when buds are exposed to light and air, the plant “knows” that they may be wind pollinated, so the plant expends energy fattening them. Hidden buds don’t get fat, so give your buds some space and expose them to a gentle breeze!

For the densest buds, make sure each cola has a few inches of space to itself during development

An easy way to achieve this growth pattern is to use the duplication technique while the plant is still young. This will cause the plant to spread out and produce many well-spaced colas.

6.) Lower humidity below 55% RH during the last 2-3 weeks before harvest

Keep humidity below 55% during flowering (and as low as 45% in the last 2-3 weeks before harvest) to trigger your plant’s natural response to kick bud production into high gear. Very low RH in late bloom can increase density, encourage resin production, create a stronger smell/flavor and possibly even increase potency. Lower humidity also prevents the formation of bud rot amidst dense buds.

Indoor growers have many ways to control humidity in the grow room.

Outdoors, it’s best to find a strain suitable for growing in your climate and provide shelter to the plants when you know bad weather is about to come. Protect the buds from getting too wet in rainy weather and if possible try to plant them in a spot where they will get some wind.

Lower humidity levels in the last few weeks before harvest can increase resin production and bud density

7.) Verwenden Sie Nahrungsergänzungsmittel zur Steigerung der Dichte

Bevor Sie über Nahrungsergänzungsmittel nachdenken, stellen Sie sicher, dass Sie zuerst die richtigen Basisnährstoffe bereitstellen. Ohne die richtigen Basisnährstoffe wird Ihre Pflanze einfach nicht wachsen oder Knospen produzieren, egal welche Nahrungsergänzungsmittel Sie bereitstellen. Holen Sie sich also zuerst Ihre Basisnährstoffe. Aber sobald Sie wissen, dass Sie Ihren Pflanzen das Wesentliche geben, was fügen Sie als nächstes hinzu?

Einige Cannabis-Ergänzungen behaupten, den Ertrag und die Knospendichte zu erhöhen, und viele dieser Ergänzungen enthalten eine Zuckerquelle. Sie enthalten auch oft Inhaltsstoffe wie Aminosäuren, Huminsäuren, Vitamine, Spurenelemente und andere Zusatzstoffe, die für die Knospenbildung hilfreich sein können. Es gibt eine andere gängige „Formel“ für Blüteverstärker, die viel zusätzlichen Phosphor und Kalium hinzufügt.

Die Frage, welches die effektivste Ergänzung ist, steht noch aus, aber viele Züchter sind zufrieden mit blütenfördernden Ergänzungen, die Quellen für…

Kohlenhydrate/Zucker

Aminosäuren

Huminsäuren

vitamins

Spurenelemente

Ich persönlich verwende diese Art von Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln nicht (das Befolgen der anderen Tipps in diesem Dichte-Tutorial wird sehr dichte Knospen ohne irgendwelche Nahrungsergänzungen produzieren), daher kann ich kein bestimmtes empfehlen, aber einige der beliebtesten Cannabis-Ergänzungen, die auf dieser Art basieren der Formel beinhalten …

Die oben aufgeführten Nahrungsergänzungsmittel verwenden Inhaltsstoffe, die nur winzige Mengen an Basisnährstoffen (NPK) hinzufügen. Sie verwenden andere Zutaten, um der Pflanze zu helfen, ihre Ressourcen besser zu nutzen, oder im Fall von Zucker, um die Knospen direkt aufzufüllen. Aber das ist nicht die einzige Art von Nahrungsergänzungsmittel zur Steigerung der Dichte.

Geben Sie 1/2 Teelöffel pro Gallone Blackstrap Melasse beim Gießen (für Erde oder Kokosfaser) in den letzten 2-3 Wochen vor der Ernte, um möglicherweise die Dichte zu erhöhen sowie den Geschmack/Geruch der Knospen zu verbessern

Als billige Alternative zu teuren, die Blüte fördernden Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln bewässern einige Züchter die Pflanzen in den letzten Wochen oder so vorher mit einer kleinen Menge Blackstrap-Melasse, um den Knospen zu helfen, größer/dichter zu werden (es ist nur das normale Zeug, das Sie in Ihrer Küche oder bei Das Lebensmittelgeschäft). Es fügt Zucker sowie Aminosäuren und verschiedene Spurenelemente hinzu. Als Bonus kann Melasse auch den Geschmack/Geruch Deiner Knospen verbessern. Alles Organische wie Melasse ist jedoch nicht für ein hydroponisches Reservoir geeignet! Nur für Erd- und Kokoszüchter 🙂

Nahrungsergänzungsmittel zur Steigerung der Dichte mit Extra P & K

Phosphor (P) erhöht die Anzahl der Blüten

Kalium (K) erhöht das Gewicht/die Dichte der Blüten

Viele beliebte dichte-/ertragssteigernde Nahrungsergänzungsmittel enthalten zusätzlichen Phosphor (P) und Kalium (K), manchmal mit einer kleinen Menge Schwefel (S), und möglicherweise andere Inhaltsstoffe wie Aminosäuren, Spurenelemente und/oder Zucker.

Es ist jedoch sehr wichtig, diese Art von Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln sparsam zu verwenden, da Ihre regulären Bloom-Basisnährstoffe bereits ziemlich viel P und K enthalten. Obwohl Sie sicherstellen möchten, dass Ihre Pflanze so viel P und K erhält, wie sie während der Herstellung verwenden kann Knospen, möchten Sie nicht zu viel geben oder Sie werden nur Ihre Pflanzen verbrennen und/oder einen Nährstoffmangel verursachen (zu viel von einem Nährstoff kann Mängel bei anderen verursachen).

Beliebte Nahrungsergänzungsmittel zur Erhöhung der Erträge/Dichte mit zusätzlichem P & K (die meisten PK-Ergänzungen enthalten auch einige nicht aufgeführte Inhaltsstoffe)

8.) Nicht zu früh ernten!

Wenn Sie zum richtigen Zeitpunkt ernten, geben Sie Ihren Knospen die Zeit, die sie brauchen, um sich optimal zu entwickeln. Wenn Sie zu früh ernten, werden Ihre Erträge sinken und Sie werden normalerweise mit luftigeren und weniger entwickelten Knospen enden. Schlimmer noch, eine zu frühe Ernte führt zu einer verminderten Potenz und einige Menschen können Kopfschmerzen von früh geernteten Knospen bekommen.

Ernten Sie nicht, solange die Stempel noch weiß sind und herausragen

Warte, bis die Knospen reif und verdickt sind!

Diese Knospen wurden zum richtigen Zeitpunkt geerntet, was ihnen die Möglichkeit gab, so viel wie möglich zu verdicken und zu straffen.

9.) Trocknen und heilen Sie Ihre Knospen

Das richtige Trocknen und Aushärten nach der Ernte kann dazu beitragen, dass die Knospen etwas dichter werden, während es auch zu einem besseren Geschmack, Geruch, einer besseren Potenz und einem besseren Aussehen beiträgt.

Eine richtige Trocknung/Härtung kann dabei helfen, die Knospen „straffer“ zu machen

Lerne, wie Du Deine Knospen richtig trocknest und aushärtest

10.) Überwässern Sie Ihre Pflanzen nicht – es ist langweilig, aber wahr!

Das mag langweilig erscheinen, aber nur ein paar einfache Vorsichtsmaßnahmen können dafür sorgen, dass Deine Pflanze schneller wächst und größere Erträge produziert. Wenn Du möglichst dichte Knospen bekommen möchtest, solltest Du alle Deine Grundlagen abdecken.

Wenn Ihre Pflanze also die ganze Zeit schlaff aussieht, schadet das wahrscheinlich Ihren Erträgen, selbst wenn Ihre Pflanze ansonsten gesund aussieht.

Wurzeln „atmen“ Sauerstoff, daher bedeutet eine gute Wurzelgesundheit, genau die richtige Menge Wasser zu geben und gleichzeitig die Menge an Sauerstoff zu maximieren, die den Wurzeln mit Lufteinschlüssen zur Verfügung steht. Wenn die Wurzeln nicht genug Sauerstoff bekommen, kann die Pflanze nicht richtig Wasser bekommen oder Nährstoffe verwenden. Als Ergebnis unglücklicher Wurzeln können die Blätter Anzeichen von Herabhängen oder Nährstoffmangel aufweisen und die Knospen entwickeln sich nicht mehr.

Daher ist es wichtig, die Pflanzen richtig zu gießen und die Wurzeln gut zu pflegen, um dichte Knospen zu erhalten!

11.) Holen Sie sich einen ausreichend großen Behälter und verwenden Sie nach Möglichkeit einen „Smart Pot“ oder „Air Pot“.

Die Art und Größe der Behälter, die Sie für den Cannabisanbau verwenden, bestimmen, wie groß Ihre Pflanze werden kann und wie viel Knospe sie letztendlich tragen kann. Kleinere Behälter können nur kleinere Pflanzen tragen und kleine Pflanzen können nur relativ kleine Knospen wachsen lassen. Wenn Sie also Cannabis anbauen, ist es wichtig, einen Behälter zu bekommen, der groß genug ist, um die gewünschte Pflanzengröße zu tragen.

Some types of containers such as smart pots (and air pots) actually make your plant grow faster. A smart pot is a fabric pot that lets plant roots get air from the sides, causing faster growth, while an air pot is a plastic pot with holes in the side. They also prevent plants from becoming root-bound from a too-small container. The main downside is the grow medium dries out faster (since it’s also getting air from the sides), which means you need to water plants more often. Learn more about smart pots & air pots.

Get “smart pots” or “air pots” (containers that let air in from the side) to prevent plants from becoming rootbound. This helps plants get bigger than they would in a regular plant container. These types of pots also cause plants to grow faster.

​

In the end, density is definitely not the only thing to consider when deciding the quality of buds. There can be times when buds are too dense (which increases the chances of mold and bud rot) and there are also several strains that produce less dense buds which have amazing effects. In my opinion, an ounce is an ounce is an ounce. If you harvest an ounce of airy buds with great effects, to me that’s just as good as an ounce of dense buds with great effects, so enjoy what you grow while striving for better!

Review: How to Grow Dense Buds!

1.) Provide the right amount of light

Not enough light is the most common reason buds don’t develop as dense as they could. On the flip side, too-bright light (or buds being too close to grow lights) can also cause buds to develop poorly and/or produce airy fox-tails.

Choose the right grow lights

2.) Start with a strain that tends to grow dense buds

Start with the right strain to grow buds the way you want. Some strains won’t grow tight, dense buds no matter what you do.

Indica-leaning strains tend to have more dense buds, but it’s a good idea to always research a strain before growing it.

Learn where to get good strains

One strain that reliably produces dense buds and good yields is Moby Dick. This hybrid strain is popular because although the buds have strong, psychoactive Sativa-like effects, the plant grows dense buds and has a relatively short flowering period just like an Indica.

More Examples of Dense Photoperiod Strains

Examples of Dense Autoflowering Strains

3.) Control temperature

Cannabis wants the temperature just right for optimal bud growth. Too-hot or too-cold temps can cause buds to grow airy.

Start with a thermometer that also measures humidity)

Cannabis like temps around 65-80°F (18-26°C) in the flowering stage for best development.

Indica-leaning strains are better and handling cold

Sativa or equatorial strains are better at handling heat

Learn how to control temperature in the grow room

4.) Cannabis Nutrients

Buds won’t fatten and get dense if the base nutrients aren’t right. Nutrient problems can be caused by incorrect pH, not giving enough nutrients, giving too much nutrients, or by giving the plant the wrong kind of nutrients in the flowering stage.

Learn everything you need to know about cannabis nutrients

5.) Expose all buds to both light and a gentle breeze

Poor airflow around buds will prevent those buds from developing as dense as they could. In the wild cannabis is a wind-pollinated plant, and it only spends energy growing and fattening buds that are exposed to fresh air with a gentle breeze.

So make sure your buds are getting exposed to airflow. A small circulating fan works great to add more air movement to the grow space.

Air circulation & exhaust tutorial

6.) Take care of roots

Under-watering, overwatering, and/or root problems (such as root rot or a too-small container) will hurt yields and prevent buds from getting as dense as they could be since the plant isn’t able to run at peak efficiency.

Roots “breathe” oxygen, so good root health involves giving just the right amount of water while maximizing the amount of oxygen available to the roots with air pockets.

So it’s important to water plants properly and take good care of roots for dense buds. Your plants will thank you for it.

There are also a few popular root supplements to help care for your root health:

Botanicare Hydroguard <– Highly recommended, especially for hydroponics to prevent root rot. I use this with every hydroponic grow from seed to harvest. Seaweed Kelp Supplement <– Helps roots resist and recover from heat damage. This is not to be used as nutrients – it’s just a supplement that’s great for root health. Great White <– Popular multi-purpose root health supplement for growing cannabis 7.) Keep Humidity Under 55% RH for Last 2-3 Weeks Before Harvest Indoor growers have a lot of options for controlling humidity in the grow space. Outdoors, it’s best to find a strain that is suitable to growing in your climate, and give plants cover when you know there’s going to be bad weather coming soon. Protect outdoor plants from wind in dry weather. Protect buds from getting too wet in rainy weather. 8.) Density-Boosting Cannabis Supplements These supplements focus on enhances plant processes. I personally don’t use these types of supplements so I can’t recommend a particular one, but many growers swear by them. Some popular supplements of this type include…​ All-around supplements that help plants grow better in general Popular supplements to Increase Yields/Density with extra P & K (most PK supplements also contain some unlisted ingredients) 9.) Don’t Harvest Early When you harvest at the right time, you’re giving your buds the time they need to develop to their fullest. Harvesting too early will lower your yields and you’ll usually end up with more airy and less developed buds. Harvest at the right time, every time! An important tool for harvesting at the right time is a magnifier to look closely at buds, like a jeweler’s loupe or (even better) a digital magnifier that displays the trichomes on a screen. I look at trichomes on buds using a USB microscope attached to my phone. So far this seems to be the easiest accurate way to look at trichomes (and you can make the picture big so you’re not squinting through a tiny jeweler’s loupe 🙂 Learn how to look at trichomes under a magnifier 10.) Drying & Curing Proper drying and curing after harvest can help buds become slightly more dense, while also adding to better taste, smell, potency and bag appeal. Read the full drying & curing tutorial 11.) Get a Big Enough Container If your container is too small, your plant won’t be able to support big, dense buds. By choosing the right container size, you’ll help maximize your plant’s potential! What size container should I use? Jump to… Learn more on how to grow top-shelf buds Plant training – topping & more! Full grow journals How long does it take to grow weed?

How to properly dry your freshly harvested cannabis plants, the optimal drying room conditions and 6 things to consider

1. Trim your cannabis

1. a. wet trimming

1. b. Dry trimming

2. Place your buds in the drying room

3. The drying room

3. a. temperature

3.b. humidity

3. c. draft

3. D. Light or dark?

4. How long should the buds take to dry?

5. Quick drying

6. Odor proof drying room

7. What to consider when drying cannabis buds?

8. The most common mistakes when drying cannabis

9. What to do right after the buds have dried?

10. Curing your dried cannabis flowers

10 A. What exactly is cannabis healing and why do we do it?

10. b. Factors to consider when curing cannabis

10th c. The curing process explained

11. Finally

The process of drying weed consists in evaporating most of the water in the buds, to achieve this you need to keep the temperature around 20°C and the humidity between 45 and 50%. While it sounds simple, there’s a right way and a wrong way, and anyone can tell the difference between plump, amazingly smelling flowers with the ultimate bag appeal, or a flat-looking flower with minimal aroma and a fresh chlorophyll flavor.

Sebastian Good talks about the best way to dry autoflowering cannabis.

In this article, we explain how to properly dry buds, the right drying room scenario, and our top tips for drying buds perfectly.

1. Trim your cannabis

When you harvest your plants you will have to decide whether to cut off the excess foliage before or after they have dried, now that is not a problem at all, but depending on the drying room you should cut wet rather than dry.

wet trimming

Wet trimming consists of trimming your plants before the drying process. This is the method most preferred by several growers as the moisture in the leaves can ultimately affect the humidity in your drying room. Plus, you can use the fresh ingredients to make extracts, lotions, oils, or even edibles.

Wet trimming consists of trimming your cannabis before drying.

Dry trimming

Dry trimming on the other hand consists of trimming your buds after the drying process, many growers prefer this method as it can get quite messy when cutting leaves from fresh plants.

Dry trimming is trimming your buds after they dry.

But you should keep in mind that it is recommended to only dry trim when you are able to control the conditions in the drying room, as the excess moisture can cause your buds to go moldy.

2. Place your buds in the drying room

So after trimming (or before if you trim dry) you need to hang the branches up in your drying room. This consists of simply hanging the flowers out to dry, and you can do this in a rack or rope similar to a clothesline, but first you need to know how to harvest your plant.

Cannabis plants are ready to start drying after harvest.

There are several ways to chop your plant, you can harvest your plant and hang it whole, cut each branch individually or cut each individual bud and depending on which one you prefer the way you hang it will be a little different be different.

Hang the branches on a rope

If you have harvested your plant branch by branch or cut the plant entirely, you will need a clothesline or similar rope to hang it up. This is usually the preferred method as the branches will still contain water, preventing your buds from drying out quickly. Of course you still need to control the conditions (if possible), but this could be used as a safety precaution should you be concerned.

Pros and cons of hanging vs drying racks

Hanging Drying Rack Pros – Inexpensive; – Slower drying. – Better organization; – Dry faster. Cons – Slower drying can lead to mold growth; – Takes up a lot of space. – May affect quality if not controlled; – Can get expensive.

Drying the buds on flat racks

Flat frames are vertical frames that came with multiple flat beds. These racks are mainly used for drying individual buds and are a great way to save space as some of them come with up to 5 flatbeds meaning you can dry more flowers in the same amount of hanging space of branches would have. Obviously, this has a downside, since the flowers don’t have branches, they can dry faster than you want, so it’s important to control the drying conditions to avoid problems.

3. The drying room

For those new to cannabis cultivation, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what exactly happens in the drying room. The goal is to slowly dry the flowers for about 15 days, which is what happens, so it’s a matter of experimenting with different temperatures and humidity levels to get to that sweet spot, which can vary depending on where you live.

temperature

Sometimes it is not possible to control the temperature of your drying room, but you should aim for 20°C, which is the ideal temperature in most cases. It is much better to slowly dry the buds at a lower temperature to prevent the cannabinoids and terpenes from evaporating.

If you have a temperature fan controller, set it to 20°C and around 50% humidity to keep the drying room constant.

Ideal conditions to properly dry your cannabis.

humidity

If the goal is to reduce the moisture in the flowers to the point where they are ready for jar preserving, then it is necessary to take this process slowly. Keeping the humidity at 40-50% will encourage the flowers to air out on their own time and once the flowers are almost dry they can be placed in an airtight mason jar from where they will be further reduced.

Use Boveda packs or similar to ensure your buds are kept at optimal humidity during curing.

draft

A very important part of drying room is not letting your crop dry out too quickly. A fan should never blow directly on the flowers, and the air flow in the room should be very light and fresh. If using a fan, point in the direction away from the buds and let it blow towards the floor or ceiling. Using fans in a warm environment is the main reason for harsh-tasting buds, as they have a similar taste and aroma as they would if dried quickly.

It’s better to have very little airflow, but ideal is gentle air circulation in the drying room and tending your plants in total darkness.

Light or dark?

The drying room should be a cool and dark place where no light should penetrate or hit the buds. As the plants die on the vine and are hung in the drying room, storing in the dark ensures that chlorophyll aroma and flavor are completely removed, leaving behind terpene-rich, aromatic buds.

Your plants should be in a cool place and in total darkness while drying.

Once the harvested plants are in the drying room, you don’t need to go back until the two-week mark, so keeping the room in total darkness is not a problem.

4. How long should the buds take to dry?

When the flowers of a cannabis plant are harvested, their buds should be left in a dry room that meets optimal conditions. During this time the moisture content is reduced from 80% to 25-30% depending on the curing criteria.

Flowers should take at least 2 weeks to dry so they can get rid of the chlorophyll.

The buds should dry for at least 15 days until they feel relatively hard and the twigs and branches bend but don’t snap completely.

What to remember

Freshly harvested plants should take a full 2 ​​weeks to fully dry.

Smaller buds or wet cut buds can be ready in 10 days.

The drying room will slowly reduce the moisture content of the flowers.

Here the chlorophyll dies off and the fresh smell disappears.

5. Quick drying

We’ve all probably been guilty at some point, and there’s nothing worse than drying a crop quickly. Whether intentional or not, the end result always lacks full aroma and flavor. Quick drying basically means that the crop has been quickly cured and dried in a maximum of 3-5 days due to high temperatures and excessive airflow directly on the buds.

You should avoid speed drying as your flowers will end up tasting like hay.

When a flower dries that quickly, it doesn’t have a chance to remove the chlorophyll that was there a week earlier. The color of the buds will also be a darker shade of green than normal and the smaller leaves wrapped around it will be bone dry and when the buds are ground the bulk will be dusty.

6. Odor proof drying room

Drying your freshly harvested cannabis plants in an odor free environment should be a grower’s primary concern for a number of reasons, the main one being to prevent neighbors from catching a whiff of your high quality.

An activated carbon filter is the best way to get rid of the strong odor during the drying process.

This way you can place the buds in your grow tent for the next 2 weeks without having to worry about the carbon filter and extraction unit.

Avoid putting your flowers in a box or hanging them on an old cupboard and handle them with extreme care.

7. Things to consider when drying cannabis buds

Step 1

Be patient and wait for the buds to finish. Continuing to take flowers while the flowers dry can be very tempting and sometimes the only choice for some growers. Patience, however, will reward you with the best-tasting, smelling, and looking flower.

step 2

To test if your buds are dry enough to be cured, take a bud and break off the smaller branches. If the branch feels hard and breaks easily, you’re good to go. Remember that the larger branches should not break, they should bend slightly, but the fibers should not tear completely, then you should dry your flowers.

step 3

To make your drying room odor proof, use a grow tent that comes equipped with a carbon filter. Grow tents are cheap and converting them to a permanent drying room is worth the investment in the long run.

The process of drying cannabis.

step 4

The chlorophyll and fresh smell will disappear once the flowers are properly dried. If the buds contain a fresh or hay aroma, the buds are not yet dry or the flower has been dried too quickly.

step 5

If you’re using an oscillating fan, turn the fan away from the flowers so the air is blown across the room and off the floor. The key is a gentle, ice-cold breeze that circulates through the room, as opposed to warm air that blows around quickly.

step 6

Flowers infested with mold should not be dried and are not suitable for consumption. Smoking contaminated flower or extracts can cause serious health problems.

8. The most common mistakes when drying cannabis

Make sure no light reaches your buds

Strong light can cause the terpenes and cannabinoids to evaporate, and your flowers will end up tasting and smelling like hay, so make sure your drying room is light-tight.

What to do if your buds are too dry?

If you let your buds dry for too long or too quickly, it’s possible that some of the terpenes and cannabinoids will evaporate, and when this happens there’s no way to get them back. If you want to moisten your buds before curing, you can spray a little water to allow the buds to absorb the moisture and get back to normal.

Leave space between the hanging branches, especially in high humidity.

If you can’t control drying conditions, make sure you leave space between branches, especially if you didn’t trim your buds before hanging. This will prevent your buds from going moldy as air can flow between them.

9. What to do right after the buds are dry?

At the end of the 15 days (if everything goes according to plan) you should quickly transfer all your buds to an airtight glass jar as you don’t want your buds to dry any further.

The best way to cure weed is to place your dry weed in an airtight glass jar to dry your cannabis for around 2 weeks.

When you’ve dried the flowers 100% correctly, if possible, transfer them to a glass jar with a Boveda pack and let the curing process begin.

10. Curing your dried cannabis flowers

Ok, so you’ve survived the 15-day dry season and are ready to smoke some of these delicious homemade nuggets. And sure, who are we to tell you to wait any longer? But if you really want to get the most out of all that hard work, 100% you’ll have to wait a little longer. Their general consensus these days is that growing the crop is only about half the work, with the drying and curing process being much more important than once thought. The old adage “good things come to those who wait” couldn’t be more true when it comes to healing your precious buds.

What exactly is cannabis healing and why do we do it?

It’s really quite simple. Curing cannabis is the week to month long process of slowly but surely removing all the tiny amounts of moisture still present in the bud once the drying process is complete. This is done under controlled environmental conditions, and when done right, allows the terpenes and flavonoids to mature properly and fully. With proper curing, the process can transform the unwanted harsh flower into a bud that offers a deliciously smooth and nuanced smoke.

The soil and aroma profile is not the only factor that undergoes metamorphosis during maturation. The improvement in smokeability also results from the breakdown of sugars and chlorophyll, and over time, THC turns into CBN — a less psychoactive cannabinoid that helps with sleep, reduces pain, and offers some neuroprotective properties not found in THC or CBD are found. Curing your buds will also greatly increase their shelf life and reduce the likelihood of mold problems. Properly cured and stored weed can last well over a year without negatively affecting taste, aroma, or potency.

Factors to consider when curing cannabis

There are a few important factors to keep in mind when preparing to cure your weed. These factors can be critical to the success or failure of the cure, so pay close attention throughout the curing process.

Keep a Close Eye on Humidity – First thing to remember is that you can’t start curing until the buds have dried to the right level. If the grass still contains too much moisture, mold will develop and ruin everything. If you smell any traces of ammonia when you open your pickle jars, get them out and back to the drying room immediately. You also don’t want buds that dry too quickly as this will produce a terrible smoking experience. Proper drying humidity is 45-55%, with curing slightly higher, closer to 60-65%.

Keep it cool, but not too cool – The perfect curing temperature is around 21°C or 70°F. Higher temperatures result in accelerated breakdown of terpenes and cannabinoids, which can result in reduced potency and flavor.

Cure your weed in the dark – Sunlight (or artificial light) is what we try to make the most of during the cultivation process, it allows the plant to produce those gorgeous, shiny trichomes that contain all the terpenes and cannabinoids we love .

But once you cut your crop, it needs to be kept in the dark as much as possible. Light causes cannabinoids and terpenes to degrade, which is exactly the opposite of what we want curing to achieve.

The curing process explained

Curing cannabis is a simple, no-fuss process that requires no prior knowledge or expertise, just dedication, a dash of self-control, and loads of patience. Once the buds have been trimmed, it’s time to start the curing process. Put them in an airtight container. The airtight part is important, so we usually recommend going for a sealable mason jar or the rubber sealing ring. Carefully place the buds in without crushing them and do not fill the jar more than about 75% full. Air exchange is the most important part of curing, so make sure the weed has enough room to “breathe”. Shake the whole jar a little – if the buds clump or stick together, they need even more time to dry. During the first week it is important to check the course of the process at least twice a day. There is a chance you will see very slight signs of condensation on the inside of the glass.

Flowers can become too dry, in which case you can spray them with water to increase the humidity in them.

If this is the case, get the bud out and let it dry for a few more days. If everything goes smoothly, leave the jar open for about a minute each time you check. This enables the exchange of fresh air, which is so important for the curing process. If you have a hygrometer (if you don’t have one, get one) then check the humidity percentage. If it reads 70% or more, leave the jar open for a few hours to let that drop back down to your desired 60-65%. If it’s lower than expected, burp the glasses less often. Continue this twice-daily burn routine for the next 10 to 14 days, then reduce to once-daily for the next week. Once you hit the three-week mark, you can assume your weed is cured, but for the best results, you’ll need to continue this process of twice-weekly burps for the next 5 to 6 months. Only at this point will your weed reach its true peak.

11. Finally

There is no such thing as a weed dryer, if you follow the right steps and have a lot of patience it only takes 2 weeks to have award winning flowers. There are many ways things can go wrong during this time, so take the extra steps necessary to turn that crop you’ve been growing over the last 10 weeks into the best cured flowers around . Also remember that the curing phase can also affect the taste and smell of your buds, although the jar method is not the best method for curing cannabis, it works great so you should always leave them in an airtight jar for at least 2 weeks for the best results. There’s no quick way to dry weed, it’s not worth ruining your harvest at the end, so make sure you’re doing everything as you should if you have any tips or tricks to help other growers, dry their flowers properly, please leave a comment in the comments section below!

Monday, December 1st, 2014 at 2:11 p.m

After you’ve prepped your turkey, it’s time to put it in the oven. Have you considered whether to use a roaster or a bag?

I love the text message shared with me about a friend. It captures how perplexed I (as well as she) am at the idea of ​​cooking in a plastic bag. I decided to share the benefits of baking in a skillet versus a bag.

This: turkey pockets

Everyone I’ve spoken to who’s a fan of turkey pockets like these because it means they have one less dish to wash. I get it, washing dishes is generally not my favorite thing to do. But let’s put that one extra dish aside and consider…

Oven bags, also called roasting bags, are typically made of food-grade polyester or nylon. They are generally BPA-free, phthalate-free, and FDA-approved for cooking. However, they are not free from toxins. Several studies have confirmed that chemicals leak from them when exposed to high heat. This study found that the highest concentrations of leached chemicals were in the skin and juice. That means you can’t use those delicious juices to make your gravy unless you want to add extra toxins to your meal. Breastcancer.org advises against using toast bags because of the problem of leaching. And another study points out that when it comes to plastic household items, being BPA-free doesn’t mean risk-free: “Most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals.” are.

That: frying pans

The old fashioned roaster. Yes, someone has to wash the frying pan. I suggest delegating this task to someone who hasn’t been cooking in the kitchen for the day – a win-win for everyone. You can stand your turkey on a rack that also needs washing, but you won’t be eating chemicals that can build up in your body for a long time or alter your endocrine function. A simple frying pan is a great tool to use in your kitchen all year round.

This article appeared in the December 2014 Savor Your Health newsletter. Sign up in the sidebar to get more tips, tricks and delicious recipes delivered to your inbox each month.

Editor’s Note: This year, our Thanksgiving dinner is a virtual potluck. Writers and editors signed on to provide one of 11 dishes, then tested recipes and brought the nominees to a final tasting to vote. Here is the winning turkey.

Roasted Turkey with Garlic Cream; see recipe below. (Jennifer Chase/For the Washington Post)

I went back to the bag this year — you know, the one that gets the righteous food police commenting until the cows come home. The turkey oven bag.

If you’re all set for Thanksgiving, a big bird is the constant focus of the holiday table. You make room in the fridge, you weigh the benefits of brine, you plan how to prepare it, you tinker with how it’s seasoned, you hope the white meat stays juicy, you try not to shred it when you carve it, and you wondering if there will be leftovers.

The turkey recipe that Daring Butcher Pam Ginsberg shared with Post readers in 2016 was pretty much the easiest I’ve ever roasted, with little prep and no brine. could i improve it I wanted to add a little salt and fuss but keep the oven time about the same. For a 14 pounder that means about 2½ hours. So I bought a packet and followed the instructions: Dust the inside of the bag with flour. Cut slits at the top. Make sure you stick it in the pan.

[Make the Recipe: Roasted Turkey with Garlic Cream]

For the trip to a potluck, wrap the warm turkey in foil. (Jennifer Chase/For the Washington Post)

The Reynolds brand bags I’ve used are made of heat-resistant nylon, the same material used for the cooking utensils in so many home kitchens. Food safe, non-leaching. The company has continuously sold the product since its introduction in 1976, and the past two years have seen an increase in sales. When I was growing up, for Sunday lunch my mom would load up a smaller one with a roast beef, carrots, onions, and a Lipton soup mix. The pouches are designed to keep large cuts of meat moist in the oven; that the bags made cleaning easier was a bonus, says test kitchen manager Charry Brown of Reynolds Consumer Products.

[Thanksgiving Central: Your Essential Menu Planning Tool]

There are always stories of bags exploding, she says, and scary things like that initially happened before the test kitchen discovered the flour and top-slit approach.

Bottom Line: If you want to cook the turkey faster and keep its meat moist throughout, the bag is for you. If you want to skip scrubbing the frying pan, the bag is for you. If you want the turkey’s skin to be evenly browned and crispy, this may not be for you. If you want to crank the heat up to 400+ degrees or use a countertop roaster, the bag is definitely not for you.

Carving a Thanksgiving turkey is easy. Serious. Here’s how to do it. (Jayne Orenstein, Bonnie Benwick/Washington Post)

Brown has learned how to compensate for some pocket problems. You can brush the turkey with oil or butter before it goes in to help brown it; I use the latter. For an even tan, you’ll have better luck with a humble bird than a big one, she says; I found rotating the pan front to back a few times during cooking also helped. Reynolds doesn’t recommend opening the pouch for the last piece of roast to crisp the skin, as the nylon will slide down the sides of the hot metal pan, a no-go.

My “excitement” boils down to peeling enough cloves of garlic – about 50 – to stick into the turkey’s belly so they’re almost tender and soak up some of the meat juices. A quick spin in the food processor with a touch of maple syrup and a pinch of salt makes a mild garlic cream that goes with almost everything on the Thanksgiving table except dessert.

Cannabis synergy, known as the “entourage effect,” is the concept that the medicinal effect of the whole plant is greater than the sum of its parts. Terpenes play an important role in cannabis synergy and are the main factor affecting indica vs. sativa plant profiles. They have antimicrobial properties, anticarcinogenic properties, and can affect cell membrane permeability, allowing for more cannabinoids to be absorbed. Designed for low oxygen levels, Grove Bags combine active humidity control with anti-static properties to limit oxidation and evaporation of terpenes and cannabinoids.

Growing cannabis plants with the intention of producing high quality marijuana is not an easy process. One of the most important of the many steps is trimming. When trimming marijuana or trimming cannabis, you harvest the buds and prepare them for use.

As simple as this may seem, there are two trimming methods used by cannabis growers, wet trimming and dry trimming. Both methods, wet or dry trimming, have their pros and cons. At this point, cannabis experts and our customers here at The Trimmer Store can’t seem to agree on what is wet trimming vs dry trimming and which is better. So we wrote a little guide to explain the basics.

Let’s learn about the basics when it comes to the topic of wet trimming vs dry trimming

Deciding between wet trimming and dry trimming is crucial as the way you trim your cannabis plant can affect potency, smoothness when smoked, appearance and potential for mould. Ultimately, the best trimming process depends on the individual grower, their level of experience, and personal preference.

To determine what is more beneficial to you, you must first understand the difference between dry trimming and wet trimming.

With wet trimming, the cannabis crop is trimmed before drying. This means that you cut off the leaves right after harvesting the buds. With dry trimming, you cut off the plant and hang it out to dry, leaves and all, for a few days before you start trimming.

Benefits of Wet Trimming

In general, cannabis industry experts find that wet trimming is the more efficient trimming method. Here are some of the benefits of wet trimming.

Wet trimming is easier. It’s easier to remove the fan and sugar sheets when they’re wet. When these leaves are dried, they shrivel up.

Easier trimming means trimming takes less time.

Cannabis buds will dry faster if all the leaves aren’t attached, as the leaves retain moisture.

Due to faster drying, there is less chance of mold forming between the stem and bud. This is more of a problem in humid climates. Remember that mold ruins the crop and makes it unprofitable.

Wet trimming takes up less space because you’re removing all the leaves from the buds before drying, rather than hanging the entire plants to dry.

Wet trimming causes the buds to puff up, making them visibly more attractive. This is important for growers selling flowers as consumers often buy by how the buds look.

Some growers have pointed out that wet trimming allows the trichomes to remain intact thanks to the plant’s stickiness. This allows the terpenes (flavor) of the end product to be preserved.

Disadvantages of wet trimming

Wet trimming also has some notable disadvantages. It’s best to consider them before deciding between wet trimming and dry trimming.

Wet trimming may affect the quality of the product. The sugar and fan leaves protect the buds as they dry and can help create ideal humidity levels. Removing them before drying can cause the buds to dry out faster than they should and negatively impact quality.

Shorter drying time means retention of chlorophyll. More chlorophyll gives marijuana a harsh flavor and makes it less smooth to smoke.

The work of trimming must be done all at once immediately after harvest. This can be stressful due to the amount of time and energy it takes in a short amount of time.

Wet trimming is messy. The plants are still sticky, so they’ll stick to anything: your fingers, scissors, clothes, etc. Sticky scissors need frequent cleaning during the process. The use of gloves is usually required. Coconut oil or rubbing alcohol can help with cleaning.

Benefits of dry trimming

The dry trimming process also has many advantages, which is why there is no easy answer to the dry trimming versus wet trimming debate. Although generally believed to be less efficient than wet trimming, many consider it to be more effective. Here are the benefits of dry trimming.

Dry trimming allows cannabis growers more control over drying speed as the outer foliage retains moisture. This will ensure that the buds do not dry too quickly.

Dry trimming typically means better quality marijuana in the end, as maintaining moisture during drying allows the buds to dry at the right rate. This can preserve potency and terpenes.

Dry trimmed cannabis makes for a smoother, more enjoyable smoke. The longer the buds take to dry, the more chlorophyll they lose, and less chlorophyll means better flavor.

You can take your time going the dry trimming route, making for a less stressful trimming experience.

Dry trimming is less messy as the buds are less sticky. This reduces the level at which the buds will stick to anything they touch.

Disadvantages of dry trimming

Dry trimming comes with some downsides that are also worth considering.

It is noticeably more difficult to trim dry cannabis plants. This is because the dry sugar and fan leaves curl up and stick to the bud. Therefore, they become more difficult to cut off. This is especially true for the sugar leaves, which end up being almost impossible to remove.

More difficulty means dry trimming is a more time-consuming process. It takes many extra hours to complete the same amount of trims if you go the dry trim route.

Dry trimming carries a higher risk of mold, especially in humid climates. In some cases, dry trimming is not possible if the climate is too humid.

They need plenty of drying space since you’ll be hanging large sections of the plant, including leaves, to dry before cutting. Some breeders don’t have the space for that.

Which trimming process should you choose?

Understanding the pros and cons of different trimming methods can help you decide which one is better for you as a grower. Trimming style is a personal preference, but for those in doubt, here’s some advice.

Wet trimming is easier, faster and takes up less space. So it’s generally a better choice for beginners. An inexperienced grower will be more likely to succeed if they are not concerned about mold and have no experience trimming sugar leaves.

Since dry trimming is not that easy and requires more space, it is better for experienced growers with ample drying space for large harvests. The benefits of dry trimming, including better quality weed with a smoother smoke, are generally worth the extra effort. With experience comes the wisdom needed to properly address some of the issues that accompany dry trimming.

If you’re still unsure whether a wet trim or dry trim method is best for you, consider your climate. A less experienced trimmer could get away with dry trimming a small crop in a dry climate without worrying about mold or space. Conversely, even the most experienced trimmer may not be able to control mold in a very humid climate.

While there’s no easy answer to the wet trimming vs. dry trimming debate, this information should help you make an informed decision about the technique that’s best for your situation. Good luck and happy growing!

If you found this article helpful, please share it.

If you want to learn more about trimming, read our article on manual trimming vs. machine trimming.

“I was dissatisfied with so many different products in terms of curing. Grove Bags just discontinued a product. There are 2 pound pickle bags that have changed the game for us over the past few months and we won’t be healing anything without them.

The goal of the Grove Bag is not just to conserve the terpenes, to conserve flower quality and simply maintain an overall perfect atmosphere at 62 percent humidity. We think we’re doing that pretty well. They make it big for us. I think it took our flower’s nose to a whole new level. ….All about it. It’s just such a sane way to heal.

When you want to make cooking large proteins like turkey and chicken easy while remaining juicy and flavorful, PanSaver® Oven Bags are a great tool. Follow these step-by-step instructions and cooking procedures to steam, cook, freeze, or oven roast turkey, pork, beef, or lamb easily and hassle-free.

1249374803 Pork in a casing baked in the oven on a tray. Aleksandr Potapov/Getty Images

By Leah Brickley for Food Network Kitchen

Leah is Senior Culinary Editor at Food Network

Roasting your turkey in a heat-resistant bag means a lot of great things, including faster cook time, minimal cleanup, and extra juicy meat. Here are step-by-step instructions and answers to the most common questions, including how long to cook your turkey in a bag.

What is an oven bag?

An oven bag is exactly what it sounds like: a durable, heat-resistant (up to 400 degrees F), and BPA-free nylon bag that locks in the moisture of anything cooked inside. They are readily available at grocery stores and often come in two different sizes: large, which can fit 8 pounds of meat — enough to feed 4 to 6 people, or turkey-sized, which can hold a bird up to 24 pounds. The bags are disposable and should be discarded after cooking. It’s important to note that you should only use bags that are specifically designed to withstand the heat of an oven.

What is the benefit of cooking turkey in an oven bag?

Using an oven bag is perfect if you value clean cooking – your turkey will stay clean and tidy with no splatters or drips of juice or the mess of scrubbing dirty pans.

In addition, oven bags help food stay tender by locking in most of the moisture. Condensation collects in the bag and automatically drips onto the bird. That means juicy, flavorful meat — but fans of crispy skin will have to look elsewhere.

The juices collected in the bag can be strained into sauce.

How to cook a turkey in an oven bag

Choose the right turkey

Choose a turkey that weighs 24 pounds or less and thaw it completely.

Prepare the bird

Prepare the bird the same way you would prepare a bagless bird – salt if you like, rub with butter or oil, and season with your choice of herbs and spices.

Put flour in the bag

Open the bag, add 1 tablespoon of flour and shake all around to roughly coat the inside. This step is important: the flour combines with the fat and juice of the turkey, ensuring the bag doesn’t burst.

Put the vegetables in the bag

Fill the bag with chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, celery) and stalks of fresh herbs. This will serve as a stand for the bird. Place the bag in a frying pan.

Secure the turkey in the bag

Place your turkey breast side up in the bag. Use the included ovenproof tape to secure the pouch at the top. Using scissors, cut six 1/2 inch slits in the pocket – make sure you place one near a chest and thigh so you can sneak your thermometer in to check the temperature.

Transfer the roasting pan to the oven

Place in the oven, making sure no part of the bag touches the inside of the oven or the heating element. No basting is required, just let the bag and turkey do their thing.

Cook the turkey 1 hour less than your recipe

Your bird will cook about an hour less than your recipe calls for, so start looking a little on the earlier page – you’re looking for 170 to 180 degrees F in the deepest part of the thigh.

Rest the bird in the pocket

Allow the sealed bird to sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting off the top of the pouch and peeling it off around the turkey.

143644977 Maren Caruso/Getty Images

Can I stuff cooked turkey in an oven bag?

That depends on the stuffing made with eggs needing to be cooked to 165 F. Because a bag cooks the turkey faster, there’s a chance the stuffing won’t have enough time to warm up to a safe temperature. You can make a dressing (stuffing baked in a casserole dish) instead, or be sure to measure the temperature of the filling before serving.

Can you get crispy skin in an oven bag?

If you roast your turkey in an oven bag throughout the cooking process, the answer is no. However, for crispier results, allow the turkey to cook on the roasting rack for the last 15 minutes of the roasting time. Remove the turkey from the bag by gently slitting the skin and lifting it out of the cooking liquid, then place uncovered on the rack.

How long should you cook a turkey in a bag?

First and foremost, always refer to your thermometer and remember that turkey cooks faster in a bag than on a roasting pan. Here are some general rules for whole turkey, not stuffed.

10 to 12 pounds: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

12 to 16 pounds: 2 to 2 1/4 hours

16 to 20 pounds: 2 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours

20 to 24 pounds: 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Can I make gravy from the gravy in the oven bag?

Yes! Remove your cooked and rested turkey and place on a serving platter. Strain the collected juices through a sieve into a saucepan. Add broth as needed and prepare your tried-and-true gravy recipe.

Baste the turkey every 45 minutes. Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, close the oven door (don’t turn off the heat!) and baste the turkey all over. If necessary, tilt the pan to baste and use a turkey broom or spoon to scoop up the pan liquid and drizzle over the turkey. Basting with gravy cools the surface of the turkey and slows cooking, which in turn causes the breast to cook almost as quickly as the drumsticks and thighs. You can also baste the turkey with melted butter or oil during the last 45 minutes of cooking. This will help crisp up the skin and turn it a nice deep golden brown.

There is perhaps no more useful and unexpected item to add to your cannabis kit than oven bags. They’re thick, they kill odors, and they can be made airtight.

What would you say if someone told you that a turkey bag is a must for anyone looking to store cannabis, either during the curing process or after? Not only that, they are also excellent for large quantities like those produced by cannabis farms and smaller quantities like processed by home growers or stored by users. It sounds far fetched to think of oven bags like those available from companies like True Liberty sitting alongside rolling papers, trimmers, grinders and Ziploc style bags.

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Oven bags, commonly known as turkey bags, can be used at almost every step of the cannabis production process after the plants have grown and produced their buds. These extra thick bags can be used to: cure, store for long periods of time, decarb for edibles, keep stored weed from making your home stink, and to transport your cannabis from place to place more safely and covertly.

Oven bags and cannabis curing

Stove bags are particularly useful after your buds have been cut from the plants but before they are ready to be smoked. When curing, you should generally let your trimmed cannabis sit in an airtight container for between two and eight weeks, opening it up from time to time to burst your buds to prevent mold and bacteria from ruining your harvest during the curing process.

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These pouches offer a practical alternative to more expensive storage solutions such as glass. This is especially true for larger quantities where True Liberty’s larger bags can be a great cost saver.

Oven bag and decarboxylation

The biggest complaint many people have about making their own cannabis edibles is the odor associated with the decarboxylation process. For those who may not know, decarboxylation, or decarbing, is the process of heating buds (generally in an oven) until they reach a temperature that releases the chemicals that give edibles the desired kick. As you might imagine, the smell of heating several grams of cannabis at a time is strong and not at all suitable for sharing a home (or building) with others – or for making discreet edibles.

Oven bags, originally designed to prevent moisture from escaping, are also surprisingly effective at taking decalmed cannabis smell from a strong and lingering problem to a noticeable but easily removed nuisance. Able to withstand temperatures of up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperatures required for decharging pose no risk of damage or leaching through the BPA-free nylon.

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Stove pockets and weed storage

Proper marijuana storage goes beyond just storing your stash in a BPA-free nylon bag and tossing it in a drawer. Not only can a good weed strain diffuse its scent right through the thin and porous BPA-free nylon to make your rooms smelly, but that same porous nature can dry out your buds over time.

Unsurprisingly, the bags campers use to prevent food smells from attracting hungry bears are also extremely effective at preventing weed smells from attracting unwanted attention. They’re also useful for when “is that Skunk I smell?” isn’t the scent profile you’re aiming for in your living space.

Oven bag and long-term storage

For long-term cannabis storage, there is no better solution to both preserve bud freshness and avoid unwanted odors than to vacuum seal the oven bag before storing the weed. For example, if you decide to freeze your harvest, vacuum packaging is the best option.

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While there are a number of generic solutions that may or may not get the job done, it can’t hurt to take a look at your oven bag manufacturers to see if they offer or recommend a compatible vacuum sealer.

True Liberty bin liners are great for storing harvested veggies – and your cannabis harvest.

Oven bags and weed transport

Ever had a moment of panic walking past other people while carrying your stash? Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t necessarily mean the people around you can’t. Solution? Take whatever it is you’re carrying your cannabis in, most likely a ziplock style bag that does less than you’d like to hide odors, and toss it in an oven bag. Seal it up and you’re good to go. No fuss, no judgmental looks from strangers.

While they might not be the first thought, oven bags aren’t just for cooking turkey. These bags can really be a useful tool for cannabis businesses, growers, enthusiasts and even first-time users. They remove some of the worst odors associated with cannabis, withstand some pretty harsh temperatures, and can even be used in the curing process. Overall, traditional oven bags can be a pretty robust tool for growers of all levels.

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Our bags, once sealed, create the optimal gas mix and relative humidity for long-term cannabis storage. All you have to do is dry your produce and sweat out the internal moisture of your buds and then heat seal your Grove Bag. Additional packaging products such as 2-way moisture packs, oxygen scrubbers or nitrogen seals are not required.