How do I increase the weight of harvested buds? Like any good hippy, I love Cannabis. Remembering a time someone asked me if they could try it. Of course, it was only because I was high at the time and didn’t want to disappoint them. It made me realize one thing: Everyone enjoys Cannabis, but how many know what happens after you harvest the plants?
Harvest Cannabis: How to quickly increase the weight of your harvested buds
Harvesting your cannabis is the most crucial stage in the life of your crop. If done incorrectly or too late, you can quickly lose as much as 50% of your yield! Learning how to harvest correctly takes time, patience, and a lot of finesse. Read on if you would like some helpful tips within the harvesting process.
If you are growing indoors, the best time to start looking for signs of harvest is when your plants are halfway through flowering. This will vary depending on the strain you have chosen. However, once this stage is reached, it’s a good idea to note how many ‘sets’ of leaves the plant has.
If it has grown more than usual, it’s time to harvest.
TIP: If you have grown a Sativa-dominant strain, you may want to leave them for an extra week or two, just to be safe. If they are taking longer than this, then refer back to the number of leaf sets.’
Letting your plants over-flower is the easiest way to lose yield weight. If you are growing indoors, it’s best to stop your light cycles two weeks before harvesting. This will allow your plants enough time for their THC glands to turn amber, they will now begin giving off that sweet musky smell!
TIP: Some growers use certain supplements or additives at this stage to stop the flowering process and continue to grow their plants. That’s fine! But remember, if you do this, your yield will be higher than usual but less potent.
An outdoor harvest of Cannabis is best done in the middle of Autumn
Autumn is when there are five days without rain and no harsh sunlight during the day. I have learned about the growing cycles of Cannabis because marijuana responds well to reasonable conditions. Understanding when the right time is to harvest can be your most significant advantage!
If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse or some shelter, then this is where your process should begin. If you are harvesting in the middle of autumn, then speak with someone who has more knowledge. There is a specific day when your plants turn brown and die if they are left outside.
Make sure you know this before harvesting!
Once your plants have died, it’s crucial to cut them down at the base of their stem rather than just pulling them out by their leaves. It would help if you hung them upside down somewhere cool for a couple of weeks to dry out.
At this stage, it’s important to rate your harvest in terms of weight, which is best done by combining all the plants harvested at once and then dividing them into equal amounts. This ensures that every plant is judged fairly regarding its final yield weight.
TIP: If you have used any growth supplements to help your plants grow large, then make sure you remove them before hanging them up to dry. If they are left on then this could affect the weight of your final harvest.
As long as your plants aren’t prone to mold or bugs…
…you can leave them to dry for at least a month before turning them over and allowing the rest of the moisture to go into the plant. It’s a good idea to check on your plants every few days at this stage, checking for mold and bugs before they get out of hand!
When you are sure that all of the moisture is gone from your plants, then it is time to manicure them. This is where you remove any excess leaves from around your bud. This ensures that all the weight is in your bud, providing a more potent high and a better taste!
TIP: To keep as much moisture out of your buds as possible, try handling them as little as possible during this stage.
If there are visible bugs on or around your plants, they probably have been eating at your wet buds for a long time. Take the bugs off and burn them or dispose of them somewhere outside before finishing manicuring your plants.
Suppose you have taken care of every step I have mentioned. Congratulations! You will have a much higher yield weight than usual which is well worth all the time and effort you have put into this!
I hope I have helped point you in the right direction, and you can now grow your Cannabis and harvest it successfully. Remember that every strain is different and requires slightly different steps to take before harvesting, but as long as you follow this guide, you should be fine! Happy growing!
Editors notes: This article was initially submitted to us by a master grower named Merle. This is their first submission to us, and the tone of voice is what we wanted it to be. We hope you guys enjoy this as much as we do! If you have any information that would help those just starting, please share it in the comments section!
