Can You Harvest Weed Plants and Let Them Grow Again?
Ahhh, the moment nosotros've all been waiting for. You have proudly, legally grown your own beautiful, glutinous-sweetness cannabis plant, nurturing it from seed or seedling, and it is finally mature and ready for harvest! Or await… Is information technology? If you aren't sure, then this article is for you! While the harvest, trimming, and curing practices may vary slightly from grower to grower, in that location are definitely some tips and best practices we've learned over the years that I desire to share with you lot.
Read forth to larn how to determine when your cannabis plant is ready for harvest. And so, we'll go over the procedure for properly drying and curing your finished cannabis – to ensure it's at that perfect "but right" phase: non also dry, but not so wet that it may mold during storage! I'll likewise share tips about trimming, talk nigh long-term storage, and let yous in on how we utilize our cannabis. Basically, everything you need to know.
If you're new to growing, or simply want to learn more most how nosotros grow and tend to our cannabis plants, exist sure to check out these manufactures too:
- How to Grow Cannabis, Organically: Soil, Seeds, Containers & Care
- How to Feed Cannabis, Organically: Top-Dressings, Teas & More
- Organic Cannabis Pest Control: How to Keep the Bugs Off Your Nugs
- Sativa, Indica, & Autoflowers: The Difference Explained
- Introductory Words on Cannabis: Legality, Stigma, Uses & Quality Control
Now on with the prove, shall we?
HARVEST
How to Determine When To Harvest Cannabis Your Plants
Numerous indicators will betoken when your cannabis is most prepare to harvest. Each plant and strain is unique, so these signs can vary, simply here are some general things to look for:
- The leaves will begin to yellowish, curl, and some volition probably fall off
- Buds will exist plump and developed, and no longer appear to exist growing larger
- Every bit the buds smashing, the branches will go heavy and hang more than
Time is not the best indicator, because this will vary depending on the strain, your location, growing conditions, and the type of plant. For example, sativa cannabis plants typically take a longer flowering period and later finish than indica strains do. We typically grow sativa-dominant plants, starting seed in late April to May and typically harvest the cannabis in October. Autoflowering cannabis plants live and grow in a timing universe of their own… We'll talk more about them in a moment.
Personally, the most reliable indicator that we pay attention to is the cannabis trichomes.
What are Trichomes?
You know all those shiny, viscid, wonderful-smelling crystals you can find all over your cannabis flowers? Those are trichomes. They play an important part in the plants natural defense mechanisms, and also contain the matter we're all after here – cannabinoids.
The actual definition of trichome is "fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and sure protists." Originating from the Greek word "Tríchōma," meaning "growth of pilus," these tiny microscopic mushroom-looking protuberances look like something out of a science fiction novel. But they are actually the very factories that produce the hundreds of known cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that make our favorite cannabis strains potent, unique, and effective.
Leafly
Monitoring Your Trichomes to Point When to Harvest Cannabis
While information technology requires a piddling closer look, the advent of the trichomes is the all-time way to determine the phase and status of your cannabis plant. More specifically, pay attention to trichome colour and opacity. Because they're and so tiny, you lot'll want to use a jewelers loupe every bit a magnifying glass to examine them. Aaron starts keeping an eye on them even before the same signs begin. Throughout the growing cycle, the trichomes will alter from clear to milky and cloudy, and eventually to bister.
Equally a general rule of thumb, when the trichomes are very clear, the cannabis plant is still young and the THC is less adult. Harvesting cannabis at this phase may consequence in a more speedy, racy, less smooth and comfortable user experience. When the trichomes change from clear to fully cloudy, that is when we like to harvest cannabis. Or fifty-fifty a tad later, every bit described in the "when in incertitude" bit beneath. This is when the buds are now at a very well-counterbalanced stage of development.
On the other finish of the spectrum, if you let the cannabis continue to abound too long and the trichomes turn all the way amber, the result is often a more lethargic, heavy torso high. I don't know nearly you, just I am not a fan of "couch lock"! Some people prefer a more sedate and sleepy vibe. If that is the case, I advise y'all abound strains that are known for those attributes in the first place, rather than trying to push button your cannabis plant to an overly mature land by prolonging the harvest.
When in dubiousness, harvest cannabis when the plants trichomes are primarily cloudy and a lilliputian amber, rather than a mixture of clear and cloudy. More growers have the regret of harvesting their plants too early as opposed to besides belatedly.
Determining When to Harvest an Autoflower Cannabis Found
Figuring out when an autoflower plant is ready for harvest is a fleck more than catchy. They don't e'er lose their leaves. Their trichomes change from clear to cloudy and bister, simply not always as obvious or evenly. Yet some oddball strains never turn amber at all! It isn't as easy to confidently say "Yep, you're set to go!" as you would with a regular plant, and so yous have to simply do your best to gauge.
Autoflower breeders will usually provide a timeframe, such as 12 weeks from seed to harvest. This tin can help provide you a full general thought of when the found will be ready, but it isn't set in stone. We take plant that our autoflower cannabis plants almost always take a couple weeks longer than predicted. Simply if the breeder says "this plant takes 11 weeks", if you hitting the 14th week, it is probable fourth dimension. Chances are, if the buds are nice and bloated, and some of the trichomes are looking cloudy for at to the lowest degree a week, you can pull it then.
How to Harvest Cannabis
It is best to harvest cannabis plants in the early on morn hours or before your lights turn on. When the time is right, many cannabis growers simply chop the entire plant down at one time. That is certainly one pick, and something we do with autoflower plants for sure! When it comes to our big girls, sometimes nosotros harvest cannabis plants in sections instead. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons…
In our experience, the buds on the upper branches go ripe and ready for harvest faster. Therefore, nosotros may choose to cutting the main stalk almost halfway upwards – in lodge to remove the top portion of the plant simply – or cut off individual upper branches first. This will provide more time and sun to accomplish the lower flowers, and allow them to fatten up for another week or so.
Taking the plant in sections also spaces out the timing, effort, and room required for drying and trimming too. This helps make the next steps a chip more manageable, peculiarly if we are harvesting several big plants.
When we finally harvest the lower portion, we cutting the stem with a minor manus saw down at the soil level or just below. Following a "no till" and recycled organic living soil exercise, we leave the roots in place inside the grow bag! The root ball will decompose, feeding the worms and soil over the next several months until the following growing season.
What About Flushing?
If you read other websites instructions on how to harvest cannabis, you volition often come across a department about flushing the plants prior to harvest. We don't flush our plants considering the style we organically abound cannabis does non crave it. In dissimilarity, flushing living organic soil essentially strips it of the circuitous ecosystem you worked and then hard to build in your soil! It defeats the purpose.
However, many home growers and nearly commercial growers use chemic fertilizers and pesticides that become absorbed into into the plants vascular organization, and in to the buds. Those plants volition crave a "flushing" menses. This is where the plants root ball and soil is repeatedly flushed with water for almost 2 weeks prior to harvesting, to assist rid the establish of congenital up chemicals and salts. If not flushed, the bud will burns really harsh and tastes unpleasant.Hmm… I wonder why? If you demand instructions on flushing, see this commodity.
TRIM
When to Trim Cannabis
I could accept put this trimming section either here, or subsequently the "How to Dry" section to follow, because yous can do either! Some ganja farmers insist on trimming their finished plants before they dry – also chosen a "wet trim" or 'trimming wet". On the other mitt, many cannabis growers prefer to await until they're dry out. Others periodically trim in the center of the drying process, or do a little of both. It actually all depends on your schedule and personal preference, which yous'll develop with time.
Trimming can exist really deadening and fourth dimension-consuming, so nosotros get after information technology whenever we take a risk! And by "we"… I hateful Aaron. He has more than costless fourth dimension in the afternoon than I do (which is nevertheless limited) so he'll ordinarily take hold of a semi-dry hanging branch to work on here and there whenever he can, hoping to get it all taken care of earlier it is fourth dimension to cure.
We always remove at least the largest fan leaves while the plant is notwithstanding adequately moisture and hanging dry out. This aids in air menstruation and drying, and also reduces the amount yous accept to trim off later.
How to Trim Cannabis
We find it easiest to trim off at to the lowest degree some of the larger, prominent fan leaves while they're still fairly wet. Removing bulky leaves helps promote drying. Additionally, as the leaves dry out they will curl around themselves and the buds, which makes it more difficult to skid the trimming snips in in that location. On the other mitt, afterward the cannabis has dried, the leftover leaves tin can become then brittle and loose that they are piece of cake to picture show off with the end of your snips or even a toothpick.
When it comes to trimming, perfection is not the goal. Not in our opinion at least! We grow for personal utilise, family unit, and friends. Nosotros don't need perfectly manicured buds, nor do we take the patience for information technology. Plus, in that location are trichomes and THC on some of the leaves! Therefore, we inappreciably bother with trying to remove the "sugar leaves" – the smallest ones coming out from the centre of the buds. Yet we do trim away the larger, non-sugary leaves that are attached to the main stem around the buds.
Before, during, and after trim. We remove all larger leaves (attached to the chief stalk within) but only roughly trim off the smaller leaves that are coming out from the middle of the buds themselves. After trimming upward a big COLA or branch, Aaron usually breaks them down further – off the main stem into private nugs for curing and storage.
Cannabis Trimming Tools
In regards totools, I highly recommendthese precision trimming snips. They make the job much easier! We accept several pairs, and use them extensively both for cannabis and in the garden – like for thinning seedlings. They even come in a non-stick pick.
I likewise suggest investing in a "trim bin" to trim your cannabis over. It is ergonomic, with dips for your arms. The bin has two parts: a screened upper section to grab all the leaf debris that yous'll likely discard, and a lower compartment that collects trichomes/keef that falls through the screen. Go along that! Sprinkle it on acme of your bowls, or use it to infuse bootleg canna oil! (Mail service coming on that shortly)
Nosotros compost our excess leaf debris, both in a passive compost pile and in our worm bin. Yep, the worms dear it! Smart little buggers.
DRY
How to Dry Your Cannabis
Later on they are cut downward, cannabis plants are traditionally hung upside down to dry. Equally the cannabis dries, the THC converts from a non-psychoactive state to 1 that is psychoactive. However, you don't desire to blitz the drying process! THC too slightly degrades with drying, and buds that are dried also quickly volition feel a more pregnant decomposition of THC than those that are allowed to dry more slowly.
An ideal time to dry cannabis is around v-7 days. However, the time it takes to achieve the ideal dryness (explained below) will vary depending on your climate and drying location. As well, the condition of your plant volition play a role, such as how fatty the buds are, how many fan leaves are still fastened, and so on.
One plant broken down into private branches, hanging to dry from a "clothes line" in our spare room. Note that we keep the window covered with a dark sheet to block most of the light. The top image is but to show the set-upwardly. We as well use an herb drying rack to set whatever loose buds or smaller branches on. Yeah, it does smell quite stiff in the room! Yet with the door closed and a towel stuffed below the door, it prevents the whole house from smelling.
Ideal Cannabis Drying Atmospheric condition
It is best to dry cannabis in a temperate, relatively dark location. Low-cal also degrades THC, and then go along those drying plants out of direct sunlight! Good air catamenia is as well very important. You'll desire to provide a fan to increase air circulation in the room and create a abiding calorie-free breeze, but avert pointing the fan directly at your plants – unless you're in a very hot and humid climate. Even then, keep the breeze on the low-cal side.
The ideal humidity level for drying cannabis is about 45-55%. If your humidity is lower than that, proceed the fan actress depression or omit it altogether to avoid overdrying your buds. We'll talk more almost how to measure humidity in just a moment. Serious growers, or those in peculiarly challenging climates, may use the assistance of humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heaters, or air conditioners to accomplish that sweetness spot.
Excessive heat can besides dry out cannabis more than quickly. If possible, hang your cannabis to dry in a climate-controlled location – not in an outdoor shed, garage, or other spot that is prone to extreme temperature swings. A temperature right around lxx°F is platonic, though anything from 60-80°F is acceptable.
We dry out our cannabis in a spare room in our house along a clothes line, or in the spare shower. It is easiest to intermission the plant down into branches and spread them out a bit, every bit opposed to hanging the whole damn thing similar a dying Christmas tree. We use this combo thermometer/hygrometer in our drying room to assess the conditions.
How to Tell When Your Cannabis is Dry Plenty
If you are able to dry your cannabis in an environment with the ideal conditions described above, it will likely be washed in the suggested time frame of five-vii days. To assess if your cannabis is dry plenty to move on to the curing process, test the humidity level of the buds themselves! You'll need a humidity meter, also known as a hygrometer, to do this. The hygrometer will be used during curing every bit well. For inside jars, we use these cigar hygrometers.
The goal is to go the humidity of the flowers down to about 60-65% by the time they're ready for long term storage. Therefore, I recommend to start the curing procedure when your cannabis is in the range of 62-68% humidity. With humidity over 70%, the chances of mold developing in storage is far greater! Additionally, the buds will simply get more dry with time.
When y'all recall the cannabis is fairly dry, prune off a few sample buds. I suggest taking a nug from a couple locations on the found to get a dainty average. Place the buds inside a sealed jar with the hygrometer within as well. Close up the jar and get a reading. If the humidity shoots to 70% or greater quickly, they're definitely not ready to cure! On the other hand, if information technology is hovering right around the sweet spot, permit them to stay sealed in the jar for 24 hours to get a true reading. If afterwards 24 hours, it is within the target range, proceed to curing. If you discover the humidity has creeped up, allow the plants to keep to dry. Check back again in a day or 2.
If you haven't trimmed even so, exercise so before moving on to curing – keeping in mind that may take a few days too, and the weed won't just stop drying for you in the concurrently. Therefore, I suggest trimming in small batches and adding it to sealed jars as you go.
CURE
What is Curing Cannabis
Do non overlook the importance of curing! Take you lot ever noticed that some cannabis smokes really smooth and tastes admittedly astonishing, while others are more harsh and flavorless? Certain, a little bit of that has to do with the strain or growing weather condition… but the main factor that makes weed wonderful or woeful is: if information technology was cured properly! No, the crummier stuff isn't just "old". Old weed can nevertheless taste expert and shine too! In addition to the final flavor and feel, curing as well ensures the cannabis will store well long-term and retain quality.
Curing is substantially a continuation of the drying process, just in a more than slow, controlled environment – such as in sealed mason jars – and occurs for upwardly to two months. Meaning, once the cannabis is dry, it isn't necessarily set to enjoy at its prime yet. Ideally, you lot should allow the cannabis to cure fully before enjoying it. Sure, you tin can sample some early on hither and there of course, but super fresh bud is not going to be the same as the stuff that has been allowed to cure.
Proper curing stops the degradation process earlier volatile compounds similar terpenes and cannabinoids evaporate or transform into less favorable compounds. Additionally, cannabinoid synthesis (the process of creating those valuable chemicals) continues to take place even afterward harvest!
Colorado Pot Guide
I also recently learned that during the curing process, bacteria works to interruption down the chlorophyll in the plant fabric. Chlorophyll is what makes the plants nice and green in color, just also contributes to a harsh smoking experience. Therefore, less green finished nugs isn't necessarily a bad affair!
How to Cure Cannabis
Once you are able to obtain a humidity level of about 62-68%, put the trimmed buds in airtight containers, such as in a sealed mason jar. We use these half gallon jars. Store the containers in a dark, temperate place. Now, over the following weeks, periodically burp the jars. By "burping the jars", I don't mean a quick open-and-shut of the lid. Leave the chapeau off for ten to xv minutes, and and so re-seal the jar. The purpose is to allow some air exchange – to introduce oxygen and release moisture or other off-gassing substances.
How oft should I burp the jars while curing, you lot ask? Some growers burp their jars one to two times per twenty-four hour period during the beginning week or ii. It is particularly of import to burp frequently if your cannabis is on the college terminate of that humidity range, and exit the lids open fifty-fifty longer – up to an hour. On the other mitt, we normally get our nugs downwards to effectually 63%, and then nosotros burp a little less oft. We aim for in one case per day, only sometimes miss a few days. It isn't the end of the world.
Later the first couple of weeks, a burp just in one case per week is great – for the following month. Subsequently a full half-dozen to 8 weeks of curing, y'all can reduce the burping frequency to once per month. At that time, you also don't demand to worry as much well-nigh the length of time the lids are off. A shorter burp is fine.
There are a few things you'll want to pay attention to during the curing process:
Keep a hygrometer within at least one of your containers. Yous tin can rotate it amongst jars if needed, or apply a few of them. Effort to position it in a way that is visible through the sides of the container. If the humidity inside the jars begins to climb to 70% or over, take the buds back out of the jar for a day or two. Spread them out somewhere with skillful airflow, such as on an herb drying rack, screen, or even on cardboard.
When y'all open the jars to burp them, have a sniff! A slight ammonia aroma is a sign that the cannabis is besides wet and is starting to spoil. A stiff ammonia scent or visible mold are indications that the cannabis was much too wet, and is probably now ruined. Yet if you are using a hygrometer, you shouldn't come across this event.
On the flip side, if your cannabis has become also dry out (less than 60%), you may be able to help it – with the assistance of these Boveda packets! Originally designed for the cigar manufacture, Boveda packets can exist used tore-introduce wet to overly dry cannabis. You can also keep them with your buds during long-term storage to regulate humidity, which may be particularly helpful in hot, barren climates. They come in various target humidity levels that they help to achieve or maintain, for example a 65% packet, 63% packet, then on.
STORE
How to Store Cannabis Long Term
Once your cannabis has finished curing, you tin shift to long term storage. For us, this looks no different than the curing stage – except that we aren't opening the jars as oftentimes. We store our cannabis in the aforementioned half-gallon jars they were cured in. Cull whatever air-tight container, and store it in a temperate, dark location. Information technology is recommended to apace burp the jars about in one case a month, merely we don't stress that part too much. If you're getting into your stash to apply it, the jars are being burped plenty then.
You have probably seen that some people practice vacuum/seal and fifty-fifty freeze their weed. Nosotros don't observe this necessary, or even preferable, Merely how frozen and defrosted nutrient doesn't gustatory modality every bit good every bit fresh nutrient, we'd rather continue the buds out – more than fresh, and easy to monitor. We besides aren't huge fans of the idea of plastic touching the buds the whole time. On the other manus, if you are giving weed away, that is a different story. We practice sometimes use plastic and then. Either way, I don't advise fully vacuum sealing. Sucking all the air out of the parcel totally crushes the buds! If anything, employ the seal feature only.
In summary, when cannabis is properly harvested, stale, cured, and stored, information technology tin can stay fresh, tasty, and strong for upwards to a twelvemonth – just in fourth dimension for the adjacent growing flavour! Check out the photo above! That is our cannabis harvest from terminal autumn, and it is still measuring 65% humidity. The color and chlorophyll volition naturally fade, and THC may degrade slightly, but information technology still smokes and feels quite wonderful.
Speaking of smoking…
Savour
Using Your Homegrown Cannabis Harvest
To analyze, we don't really "smoke" our cannabis. At least not in the traditional sense. Nosotros utilize a high-quality vaporizer. It heats and delivers the desired cannabinoids and terpenes without actual combustion of the flower. Combustion (burning) the cannabis is more than harsh on your pharynx and lungs, and information technology simply doesn't do your bud justice. It totally destroys the flavor, and overheats the cannabinoids and terps to a far less efficient and effective temperature. Nosotros also make canna oil and capsules, just that is a whole dissimilar post for another day!
Here is an article all almost vaporizing, which goes over the science and condom behind vaporizing cannabis. It too explores the differences between smoking and vaping, between using whole blossom and concentrates, and how to make the near efficient, constructive, safe use of your herb.
In brusque, the Firefly 2+ vaporizer is pretty much the best thing on the market place. We used the Firefly ii for many years, and just upgraded to the 2+ when it came out a couple of months agone. It is the safest for your lungs and body (no heavy metals, like other vapes!), tin be used for flowers or concentrates, and exudes a controlled and broad-range convection heat on every depict – to get the most out of our your bud. No other vape uses that applied science. It is efficient, constructive, sexy, and the season is insanely practiced – because y'all are really tasting your cannabis at its total potential!
How you choose to consume your cannabis harvest is ultimately a personal decision. Our idea is: afterward all that hard work to abound beautiful organic homegrown cannabis, why turn effectually and burn the hell out of it?
That wraps up our Ultimate Guide on processing your homegrown cannabis .
I hope y'all plant this article interesting, informative and useful! If so, please pass it on to your friends – to the left of class. You may also like this article about how to actuate (decarboxylate) raw cannabis to prepare for to make homemade cannabis-infused oil, edibles, or soothing topical salve. Experience free to ask questions or leave feedback in the comments!
Can You Harvest Weed Plants and Let Them Grow Again?
Source: https://homesteadandchill.com/how-to-harvest-cure-store-cannabis/