Bud Washing

[Amy Gardner]

90's it was all word of mouth and a handful of strains...Most ending up being Northern Lights

Exactly my experience also!

newbie to indoor

If you can, run a journal here of your grows. It’s hands down the best way to get assistance from all the awesome and experienced growers here .

 

[reciprocity74]

Exactly my experience also!


If you can, run a journal here of your grows. It’s hands down the bast way to get assistance from all the awesome and experienced growers here

Thanks Amy.

That sounds like a great plan. It will be into the New Year before I startup again. After the arrival of the Spider Mites I have a good amount of iterative cleanup ahead of me from the posts read here and from other sources. With the silly season upon us I expect cycles are going to be limited.

Looking forward to starting fresh.

Cheers.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Looking forward to starting fresh.

In the meantime then, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself in folks journals that you enjoy.

 

[Dk1969]

Seasons Greetings All,
I too had the same spider mite issue, and I was shocked to see even after washing there were still some on the leaves, alive and well! Sons of ... Now to go read up on tent cleaning

 

[keith1975]

Seasons Greetings All,
I too had the same spider mite issue, and I was shocked to see even after washing there were still some on the leaves, alive and well! Sons of ... Now to go read up on tent cleaning

It took me a year, but I finally got rid of the mites. I stopped growing for 6 months and basically started over, but this time spraying neem oil on the floor of my tent (before flower) and not a spider mite in site.

I did have issues with fungus gnats this time, but it was easier to sort them out. (Sticky paper, neem oil, and shavings on top of your sand and you are sorted!)

 

[Maritimer]

I'm glad to see people are adopting my bud washing technique!
Anyone who wants to know more about my methods is welcome to ask me about them anytime!

Ahoy Doc,
Are you aware of any studies that have been conducted wherein the washed flowers and unwashed flowers from a single plant are put to a rosin press test and compared? I am getting set for my first wash and will record the results but wondered if it has already been investigated.

 

[Dk1969]

Anxiously awaiting your results!

 

[Graytail]

Ahoy Doc,
Are you aware of any studies that have been conducted wherein the washed flowers and unwashed flowers from a single plant are put to a rosin press test and compared? I am getting set for my first wash and will record the results but wondered if it has already been investigated.

I know that people have had the flowers tested by a lab. Medmanmike I think? was one. The difference between washed and unwashed was miniscule. In one case the washed had higher THC.

 

[HayStack]

Ahoy Doc,
Are you aware of any studies that have been conducted wherein the washed flowers and unwashed flowers from a single plant are put to a rosin press test and compared? I am getting set for my first wash and will record the results but wondered if it has already been investigated.

I am not aware of any scientific tests that have been done, but I have done my own a few times since I started pressing a few years ago. I took a few samples from several different strains that I grew. I did my best to make sure that the buds were pretty equal in size and density. Then I washed some of them and hung them to dry. Then I took some of them and just hung them to dry without washing. I weighed out the press bags after I had filled them and I did my best to make sure all of the bags were the same weight. All of the buds produced pretty much the same amount of rosin. It didn't make a difference if they were washed or not.

If anyone else has tried to compare, it would be interesting to see what their results were.

 

[Maritimer]

I am not aware of any scientific tests that have been done, but I have done my own a few times since I started pressing a few years ago. I took a few samples from several different strains that I grew. I did my best to make sure that the buds were pretty equal in size and density. Then I washed some of them and hung them to dry. Then I took some of them and just hung them to dry without washing. I weighed out the press bags after I had filled them and I did my best to make sure all of the bags were the same weight. All of the buds produced pretty much the same amount of rosin. It didn't make a difference if they were washed or not.

If anyone else has tried to compare, it would be interesting to see what their results were.

Ahoy @HayStack ,
For my purpose that is a scientific test alibi probable insufficient data for proper statistical analysis. Equal samples put through identical pressure and temp squishing is our Gold Standard.
Thanks a bunch for letting me know someone else uses rosin comparatively.

 

[bobrown14]

Bud wash gets the dirt off so I don't have to puff them!

I wouldn't think squishing a flower that has been washed or not makes any different since you're doing THC extractions. I guess a little dust might make it thru into the rosin??

What wood be the point of washing if you're gonna extract THC and leave the leaf material and flower behind?

 

[Maritimer]

Bud wash gets the dirt off so I don't have to puff them!

I wouldn't think squishing a flower that has been washed or not makes any different since you're doing THC extractions. I guess a little dust might make it thru into the rosin??

What wood be the point of washing if you're gonna extract THC and leave the leaf material and flower behind?

Ahoy,
The rosin return test can assure us that we are not washing away too many trichomes. After you are sure your not washing away your THC you would simply be doing so for taste and appearance and what I am told is superior smoothness. Many of us could use more smoothness. I agree that if you are only using the medicine in an extraction the harvest washing would not be needed. But most folks like me do not reserve a whole plant for rosin unless something has gone wrong or something else dictated the large extraction. So washing makes sense even if part of the plant will be used for rosin. I bought my 3 clean 5 gallon buckets at a swap meet yesterday for $1 each.

 

[bobrown14]

That makes sense. I use Homer (Home Depot) buckets. They multipurpose!!

I haven't tasted much difference washed or un-washed tbh but clean flowers are clean.
Only the best will do.

Washing lessens the dry time by a day or 3 so I'm good with that. Prolly my favorite part.

 

[732002]

Washed four outdoor autos yesterday, based on how dirty the water became I will always wash.
I just used cold tap water, 1 cup lemon, 1 cup baking soda in 5 gallons. followed by two rinse buckets.
From the smell of the water after I'm sure there was some loss of the good stuff.

 

[Maritimer]

Washed four outdoor autos yesterday, based on how dirty the water became I will always wash.
I just used cold tap water, 1 cup lemon, 1 cup baking soda in 5 gallons. followed by two rinse buckets.
From the smell of the water after I'm sure there was some loss of the good stuff.

Ahoy 7+,
We have been assured the process only separates a small portion of the good stuff and I for one will wash as a matter of routine in the future. Thanks for cementing my confidence with your testimony.

p.s. @Graytail has been washing his since the ice first melted. just sayin

 

[CannaFish]

I didn’t notice any smells from my wash water but my temps were closer to 70-80F degrees. I would be worried cold water would release trichs. But that may not be a concern til you get close to freezing.

 

[Graytail]

Yes, I've stopped the hot water. In the early pages, I was using full hot from the faucet and full cold. The flowers will take it, but I don't think it's necessary as a habit. If I have something that may need more serious washing, I'll go with hot, but otherwise I stick to lukewarm, 80-90 degrees.

Very cold water is probably just as risky. Trichs get brittle. But tap water isn't that cold, so I just use that temp and I don't notice anything. It's the hot side that will sometimes have the gritty ring when I empty it, and I've seen sagging stretchy trichs in photos under hot lights, so I can easily imagine that happening in hot water.

The majority of those who wash their buds use room temp water for everything. I just happen to do small batches and use the kitchen sink, so it's easy to alter temps.

 

[Amy Gardner]

thats good, i never managed to try the hot water... or even warm. I’ll stop considering it.

On ‘not washing’ if it going to get squished for rosin etc. - trichs etc get all sort of stuff on them, including clothing fibres. Don’t want all that nylon etc. melted into your squish! Not to mention the human skin particles, hair... much of it would get melted right into the final product IMHO I’d say when you’re going for a really clean and pure product - which is what pressing is all about - the washing seems even more important, to me!

 

[CannaFish]

Just to report it here... i did a recent bud wash on indoor buds.

3 HD buckets. RO water. Temp around 78F, it's warm here right now.

1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup lemon concentrate in the first bucket. The baking soda clouded the water some and gave it that soft feeling baking soda feeling.

I gently agitated up and down for 15 -30 seconds max in each bucket. Trying hard not to damage the buds by banging on the side or bottom of the bucket.

No major contaminates came out, but it was a enough that I will keep on washing my buds here on out. a lot of dried leaf matter came off in the wash as well as some hairs and fibers. I did not notice any oil or film on top of the water.
I imagine this technique is really valuable to outdoor grows.

The biggest obstacle is an extra 15 gallons of RO water. Takes my filter like 2 days to produce it.

The first couple of plunges the bud will release some air bubbles as if it's taking it's last gasp of air...

 

[bobrown14]

Washed four outdoor autos yesterday, based on how dirty the water became I will always wash.
I just used cold tap water, 1 cup lemon, 1 cup baking soda in 5 gallons. followed by two rinse buckets.
From the smell of the water after I'm sure there was some loss of the good stuff.

I use 1/4 cup of lemmon and a 1/4 cup of baking soda. Works great I don't have any losses. When you're bud washing that smell from the plants is coming from the water vapor coming off the flower as you hold it and let it drip. Everything we like - terpines and THC and CBD - these are NOT water soluble. If they were, the rain wood wash they away weed be screwed!