It’s me, Greg the Alien, once again, and let me start by saying, “Congrats,” you’ve officially grown a successful harvest of potent, premium weed—now learn how to trim cannabis buds like a pro! For some folks, trimming cannabis buds can be a real pain in the you-know-what. However, with the right tools, knowledge, and plan of action, trimming can be just as enjoyable as any other stage in the cultivation process.
Whether you grew photoperiods or autoflowers, this is the part where your buds go from “garden fresh” to dispensary-quality nugs.
Your weed plant made it through the trials and tribulations of cultivation generally unscathed. Finish the process with a clean, more aesthetically pleasing appearance that also helps to preserve vital cannabinoids and terpenes. Trimming away excess plant material also leads to a smoother smoke containing far less chlorophyll, while also preventing mold production. [1]
Flushing your weed plants free of nutrients and replenishing with water is an option some growers like to utilize about 2 weeks before they chop them down. Though not a requirement, doing so removes any remaining harshness of nutrient uptake still within the tissues of the buds–the result, according to some, is increased aroma and flavor. [2]
However, there remains a trade-off between enhancing desirable traits like aroma and flavor by flushing, while also potentially allowing nutrient deficiencies and cell damage by doing so. [2]
Whether or not you’ve flushed or not, eyeing up the trichome ripeness and looking for that ideal mix of cloudy white trichome heads is when it’s time to chop your plant down. Being patient is super important at this stage to judge the right time to harvest.
Accuracy is also important, so as Uncle Paulie and I have mentioned before, ditch the jeweler’s loupe and get a digital microscope to determine when the right time to harvest is going to be. You want your weed plants to be at maximum potency before any manicuring starts, and digital microscopes give you the best chance at doing so.
A big part of making trimming easier, less time-consuming, and less stressful is being prepared with the right tools for the job. Take a look below to see which tools I incorporate into my routine.
Whether you’re trimming autoflower cannabis, photoperiods, or boutique craft strains, these tools are essential for high-quality, professional results.
There are two schools of practice when it comes to trimming your weed plants down after harvest. Wet trimming and dry trimming are exactly what they sound like, however, the results can be a little different. [3]
One recent study evaluated both methods to determine which yielded the most optimal cannabinoid and terpene content. Their results determined that mild wet trimming produced the highest concentration of cannabinoids due to an increased balance of stress signals. This process included only partial removal of the sugar leaves up front. [4]
On the other hand, complete removal of the sugar leaves in a dry trim could have the opposite effect. There is an effect from the remaining starches in the sugar leaves on secondary cannabinoids and terpenes. Dry trims are also apparently more efficient in enhancing terpenes. [4]
For the most part, wet trimming removes sugar leaves immediately after you chop down your weed plants. This process involves drying the buds after trimming them to remove the excess plant material, meaning a lot of stickiness to work through up front.
Wet trimming is great at preventing any mold for growers living in very humid regions. Removing sugar leaves before drying also helps to cut down on drying time at the end. Buds maintained with a wet trim are often less compact than the typical nuggets we all desire.
According to some researchers, wet trimming preserves trichomes more optimally since fresh trichomes are less susceptible to breakage compared to dried trichomes. [5]
Dry trimming is when growers dry the branches first before manicuring each bud. This process makes drying take longer, but with more optimal results in the areas of flavor and aroma. Sugar leaves also start to lose moisture more quickly with dry trimming, making them slightly more difficult to trim.
Many home growers I know refer to the overwhelming presence of freshly chopped plant matter to sort and manicure as “trim jail.” Listen, I have been to jail for one night in the Bear Paw Galaxy—over there by the Lynx constellation and the new Starbucks that just opened—for going Warp 3 in a Warp 2 Zone—and let me tell you, it ain’t nothin like trimming weed!
Hang out with friends, blaze, listen to good music, and make dank buds look pretty! Make trimming fun by creating a comfortable environment free of stress or distraction. Inviting some friends over to help minimizes the amount of time in your trim jail sentence.
Remember to keep a consistent size and shape—don’t butcher your buds—and maintain clean, sharp tools, and you’ll be in trim heaven, not trim jail!
Whether you’re trimming your first cannabis grow or your fiftieth, make it a ritual. Respect the plant, and the process becomes a celebration.
Need help before, during, or after your harvest? Reach out to the team at Multiverse Beans for growing support, harvesting tips, and of course—your next round of premium cannabis seeds.
Buy cannabis seeds online at Multiverse Beans and grow something worth trimming.
