The Flavored Cannabis Project

Yes, you read it correctly, the flavored cannabis project. Sure, it’s a controversial subject and no, this will not appeal to everyone. But I invite you to read along and if you are interested further please contribute.

CAUTION: This is not for new growers or someone depending on a harvest for their meds. This is geared for growers who have full jars on the shelf or those iwiling to experiment with part of their harvest or with a few clones on the side. Hopefully we get some takers.

To the skeptics I say - no I don’t expect this to be mainstream, for me it’s more of a novelty since I love the flavor of freshies or well cured bud as much as anyone here. I’m not interested in making a name, nor do I think this has the potential to earn money. I’m doing this to explore the possibilities and to learn. It’s all about Flavoring Cannabis and Can The Flavor of a Growing Cannabis Plant Be Manipulated? sorry for the caps there!

If all you have to contribute is negativity then please hit the back button now. Apologies in advance for use of the word weed, I’m not going to type cannabis every spanking time

We know that flavor can be added after a crop has been harvested, it’s done with staples like cereals or tobacco every day. The flavor of cannabis can be enhanced with additives during the cure by using lemon peels, mint, banana skins, rosemary or a plethora of ingredients. But little is known about flavor being added while the plant is growing. In this journal the hope is to explore both options.

Flavoring after the harvest

Manipulating the flavor of a cannabis plant while its growing

With regard to menthol cigarettes, to the best of my understanding - mint plants are processed to extract oils which are converted to crystalline form by a supplier. The supplier ships menthol crystals to the tobacco manufacturer where they are rendered back into a liquid. The liquid is mixed with other ingredients (mostly glycerin & perhaps sweetener like corn syrup) sprayed on the cured tobacco, then rolled into cigarettes and packaged for sale.

That is a snapshot of flavor being added after the crop has been harvested. What piques my interest is flavor being introduced while the crop is growing. Your interest may vary from mine. I maintain that a growing plant can be enhanced by ingredients to manipulate the smell and taste by using 3 routes - by soil additives, by environmental exposure thru air or by additives in the feed water solution. That’s it soil, air or water. For you hydro folks - sure be my guest and try it with coco, dwc or whatever. Some additives may work well in hydro while others may crash and burn. But to keep it simple for taste testing purposes it’s best to stick with only one flavor at a time.

The back story.... During my first and second grows I harvested a Pakistan Valley plant and had it curing in jars. My second plant was a clone taken from the first Paki Valley plant. On the second plant I had an outbreak of fungus gnats and as a temporary measure I tried cinnamon as a pest deterrent. I began misting with water and crop dusting the soil with ground cinnamon. The gnats hated it but it didn’t deter them well so I kept after it for weeks. At that time I was too cash strapped for better IPM gear.

Fast forward to right before harvest. The scent of the growing bud was exactly like the first Paki Valley mother plant with the addition of a really clean, almost antiseptic like scent of cinnamon. Apologies if my palate descriptions leave something to be desired. But the growing bud carried the cinnamon scent in a delicate manner. After the chop I could no longer detect cinnamon but later after the cure I could absolutely detect cinnamon notes while hoovering open jars but the scent was unmistakable every time I exhaled the smoke. The first plant was harvested without use of cinnamon, nor did it have any scent notes I could detect that came close to cinnamon.

We know weed plants are an accumulator, among other things it’s used to clean up haz-mat sites. Terpenes deliver flavor based on the genetic profile of a particular phenotype of a given strain. So in a sense terpenes are merely carriers that express the encoded scent directions they are handed. After my cinnamon bud mistake... err discovery it seems reasonable that terpenes can be manipulated to express different scents.

If you search 420 Magazine for Ona gel there are a numerous reports of growers that have used Ona gel to mask the scent of their grow from neighbors or law enforcement. Turns out a few of those growers reported their finished bud carried the scent and taste of the Ona gel. Now truly Ona gel is a great product but ona gel flavored buds makes me want to hurl. No offense intended to Ona Gel, again it’s great for the purpose it was intended.

First let me assure you this - if you try this via soil, your weed will not smell exactly like vanilla extract or clove you added. Whatever you add will be faint, very subtle. In my experience weed will embrace that added scent but put its own spin on it. Let’s face it - most of us don’t want to override wonderful natural flavors any way, maybe just steer it a little bit in a certain direction. Pretty sure foodie type people will dig this.

Go easy on your plants, most of the flavors you select will be naturally derived and should be fairly well tolerated by the plant. However it’s possible that plants don’t adapt well to a crap-ton of turmeric being added to the soil when it filters down to the root zone. One of 420 Mag’s current sponsors SNS uses rosemeric acid in there IPM solutions, rosemeric acid is derived from rosemary plant. So yes naturally derived ingredients in low doses are fairly well tolerated by this crop.

Now to the techie growers out there.... so if your soil is enhanced with garlic and microbes are munching garlic every day and the plant is growing fine - don’t you think those microbes are going to pass the garlic on to every part of the plant? Ever tasted real moo cow milk after she wondered into the wild onions? Yup been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Affirmative you get wild onion flavored milk if you’ve never owned a milk cow.

CAUTION 2 Use some freaking common sense here. Don’t come bitching that your weed is ruined if you cured it in a tent with an open pan of 5 gallons diesel fuel coz you like gas flavors. If you grow a plant right beside a 4 acre hog waste lagoon then let’s assume either you love the smell of hog shit in your produce or if you do this but can’t figure out why it tastes like hog crap then you are automatically disqualified.

So 420 member Dafatboi asked about adding menthol flavor to his weed, here are some ideas we came up with on that

before the chop,
mint crystals in the canopy
mint essential oils in your feed water (prolly get a boost on pest deterrence)
mint as companion plants
mint crystals laying on top of soil - even tho mint crystals are naturally derived I’m not sure how well roots will tolerate direct contact with mint crystals whether finely ground or not. Go easy to see how she responds.
mint foliar spray

after the chop
mint essential oil in your bud washing routine but might help to be added to last rinse bucket
mint crystals attached to plant while it’s hanging to dry
mint crystals cooked down into an extract and that flavor essence sprayed on buds
mint plants along with colas as they dry hang
mint plants or crystals placed in jars

To flavor a growing plant
Cut a series of clones from one host mother so all the clones will be of the exact same phenotype. It’s not an equal comparison if you test a flavor enhanced Jack Herer against a flavor enhanced Grape Ape. Once your clones are stabilized and growing well then begin to experiment.

plant #1 needs to remain untouched as the control plant
plant #2 can be flavored with the spice or flavoring of your choice
plant #3 gets a different flavor than #2 above.

Track which flavor is given to which plant all the way thru growth, harvest, curing and sampling phases. I might suggest that whatever spice or flavor you select needs to be fairly pungent. After the cure try it yourself or better yet have a friend take a blind smell and taste test challenge to see if they can detect the difference or determine what flavor was added.

You can always let them smell of the control plant or give it up and let them smell your spice shaker of clove or whatever and then compare it to the buds.

Part of why I’m dogmatic is several have commented this can’t be done, or that it’s stupid. Yup, I’m stubborn like that, if it doesn’t pan out then I’m down with that too. I’m from the back woods with no formal education, I recognize this is very far from scientific, however all of science stands firm on hypothesis.

This is not my journal - this is for everyone. If you have better ideas, if you are a scientist, if you like to tinker, if you want to run this show- then please jump in. I have no desire to be in control but I’m happy to jump start this.

Here’s what I bet ya, one day down the road someone will do lab testing of clones to compare terpene profiles of flavor enhanced buds versus unflavored bud. There will be a difference - how much and what is possible is anyone’s guess. Lets make some history. One day science will catch up....

You gotta break eggs to make a custard. It’s an experiment - have fun with it.

Cheers,
013
 
I'll prolly be pulling clones in a couple weeks (trying to...don't want to jinx it). I could play. I 100% believe environment affects a plant. If this weren't so, wine wouldn't be wine...hams wouldn't have so many regional varieties.

How would oils get into the roots? Can plants digest fats? *goes to google* I guess if they can suck up microplastics they can suck up just about anything. Foliar would be an option up until flower. Not sure smoking essential oils would be great for one's lungs. Lipopneumonia sucks.

The best farm flavors I've found are in sheep's cheese. Oh, and there's a ciderhouse near here that does a natural yeast hard cider that tastes like the air there smells...orchard in the fall hay type smell.

Wonder if I could make whiskey weed using oak and vanilla
 
Thrilled to have your raw talent and brain power on this one Copperrein! I sure don’t have the answers but I’m convinced the collective brain trust can figure anything out. Yes there are some lovely scents in nature and we are open for ideas.

Sadly my crap hit the wall so I’m taking temporary break while I regroup with more beneficial bugs. My garden should be back online soon but will be a minute before I can clone, even tho it’s more hit or miss with my clone game lately. I will tap into the brain trust and increase my cloning skills.
 
I came across a similar thread a while back but I haven't read through the entire thing yet. Maybe there's something there. I did the cinnamon thing as well last summer hoping to battle gnats - not sure if it really helped or not but the cured product was great. I also gave molasses and did a bud wash due to IPM. I've always wondered what the latter can do to terpenes. Anyway, I grew a cutting of the same plant a second time without any of that and the flavor was similar - any differences probably came down to the fact I sampled the product earlier the second time or the fact I was fertilizing, whereas the first I barely fed anything and it was cured properly. The idea is sound though and certainly isn't new. I'm sure this kind of thing happens on it's own in nature. Some flushing solutions are flavored. The first grow I did me and my roomie had a strawberry flavored agent. We botched that grow though so I can't comment anything meaningful. I can't participate but I commend anyone who's willing to give something a try. New research is always welcome. Cheers.
 
In Switzerland, they say the original "Erdbeer" strain (German for "strawberry") was found growing in the middle of a huge strawberry field. Or maybe the story was made up to account for the berry aroma. Do you think maybe that's how it happened? Is this a dumb question? What's the science on how weed gets its aroma?
 
Love the idea. Now I gotta think what flavors for next grow
 
I've heard of this before. Can't remember who did it or how they did it; but they added flavors from fresh squeezed fruit they diluted with water. I remember them saying it gave the weed the smell during flower; but only a hint of the taste after the cure.
I think there must be a way to manipulate the flavor somewhat. But I wouldn't expect an intense smell or taste from it.
I'd like to hear MrSauga's take on this idea. Mainly what it would do pH & NPK wise if things like extracts & oils were added to your feed. I'm open to trying new things & not worried about killing a plant or two... lol.
 
I wonder if it's safe to add things like this to your feed or to use as a foliar spray ?
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A few flavoring ideas for those interested in this experiment.
 
Thanks for jumping in everyone, I agree there is great potential here. I don’t have the answers but I know this crew and people’s willingness to experiment we can come up with them. Yes, natural flavors, essential oils, sweeteners, spices - the world is your oyster, hope you find a pearl.

can’t help but flash the red heart, totally pumped this strikes a chord

I need Renee to help me tweak my multiquote settings, I botched them but for now…….

Storm - don’t know my man, should be fine in low doses but for now don’t test on your prized beans but get to cranking on one of those clones!

Emeraldo- this is supposition on my part but I believe the weed plant to be a chameleon of sorts with the ability to naturally mimick almost any other flavor or scent in nature. It’s almost the right opposite of soybean - soybeans are bland and flavor neutral they can be flavored to taste like anything. We know there are about 20,000 known crosses of weed I think weed can have an unlimited amount of natural flavors but I also think those plant can be manipulated to carry other scents and flavors.

Stoned Ape - great to have your participation brother! Dust off those boots and sharpen a pencil.

Mdlroad, - good to see ya, pull up a chair. Yep we are kicking ass & taking names!

Buds Buddy, I’m about as non technical as they come, but the answers to our collective questions are waiting to be discovered. I would expect that in most cases it will require small doses delivered over time kinda of a “more is more” approach but I hope we are pleasantly surprised to find some that respond well to less flavor being necessary so that it equates to a “less is more” situation.

Yes every flavor under the rainbow is fair game. I do think most flavors will be well tolerated, but we’ve got to account for the differences between soil, air & water.

For example don’t clog up your leaf stomata.

work with clones so you don’t risk losing beans or prime genetics

don’t put an Exxon Valdez oil slick on your foliage which under lights will burn up your leaves.

whatever you do - start easy, use low doseages, wait to see how the plant responds, be prepared to lose some clones, if you want to test 2 flavors then maybe start with 6 or 7 clones to have extras in case one dies off. death of a clone doesn’t mean that flavor is a failure, modify the dose, get back on the horse
 
careful what you add. some things like essential oils are toxic or poisonous. others may not harm you but could be detrimental to the plant.
 
Thanks for jumping in everyone, I agree there is great potential here. I don’t have the answers but I know this crew and people’s willingness to experiment we can come up with solutions. Yes, natural flavors, essential oils, sweeteners, spices - the world is your oyster, hope you find a pearl.

can’t help but flash the red heart, totally pumped this strikes a chord

ive git to get Renee to help me tweak my multiquote settings, I bitched them but fir niw

Storm - don’t know my man, should be fine in low doses but for now don’t test on your prized beans but get to cranking on one of those clones!

Emeraldo- this is supposition on my part but I believe the weed plant to be a chameleon of sorts with the ability to naturally mimick almost any other flavor or scent in nature. It’s almost the right opposite of soybean - soybeans are bland and flavor neutral they can be flavored to taste like anything. We know there are about 20,000 known crosses of weed I think weed can have an unlimited amount of natural flavors but I also think those plant can be manipulated to carry other scents and flavors.

Stoned Ape - great to have your participation brother! Dust off those boots and sharpen a pencil.

Mdlroad, - good to see ya, pull up a chair. Yep we are kicking ass & taking names!

Buds Buddy, I’m about as non technical as they come, but the answers to our collective questions are waiting to be discovered. I would expect that in most cases it will require small doses delivered over time kinda of a “more is more” approach but I hope we are pleasantly surprised to find some that respond well to less flavor being necessary so thst equates to a “less is more” situation.

Yes every flavor under the rainbow is fair game. I do think most flavors will be well tolerated, but we’ve got to account for the differences between soil, air & water.

For example don’t clog up your leaf stomata.

work with clones so you don’t risk losing beans or prime genetics

don’t put an Exxon Valdez oil slick on your foliage which under lights will burn up your leaves.
I'll be watching. I'm too far into current grow to get a valid result but why not. I'm in on next grow
 
agree - excellent point Bluter, the devil is in the details!

spices are naturally derived from plants, essential oils are taken from plants, extracted and then condensed to increase potency.



@parrajara @Squiggle umm err my bad, let’s call it a late nite brain fart when I added names & forgot a crap ton of great people - please jump in
 
This sounds like fun.
But, alas, I really can't contribute much.

I am crazy busy at work right now. The boss has given me another 24,000 watts to manage and I'm having trouble getting labor.

The most I've ever done is to take fresh buds and put them in the container with already cured buds to pick up some of the smell. Sometimes I put a lemon peel and a bud in a cheesecloth and cure that way, and it helps.
But, that's smell and doesn't add that much flavor.
 
What a unique idea :)

I‘m a bit time poor when it comes to creating an experiment of this nature. And there’s the added fact that I struggle to get my nutes right let alone adding a hint chamomile and a spritz of lemon to add to the flavour. LOLLLINGGG!

I will however watch with interest.
 
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