Trichomes

[Steve102]

I just finished my first grow last September. I mostly followed Ed's grow book. When I harvested 9/15/12, I hung the cuttings for 5 days in a climate controlled room, 65 degrees, about 50% rh. Then I did the final trim, and put the buds in tupperware containers with holes drilled in them so the buds could go thru the sublimation process in my frost free freezer. After 10 days I transferred the buds to air tight glass mason jars, and they have been in the freezer every since. I usually take out about 2 weeks worth of buds at a time. The buds are dry enough to break apart and the stems snap easily. BUT THE TRICHOMES ARE VERY STICKY. THE SMOKE IS VERY GOOD, BUT WOULD IT BE BETTER IF THE TRICHOMES WERE DRIER????? DOES THE HERB NEED TO CURE MORE, OR DOES THE FREEZER DO THAT? I would appreciate anyones feedback on how to maximize potency.
Steve

 

[cannasensei]

Re: thrichomes

The "sticky " (if truly.dry. which it sounds to be the case) is essential oils. This is a good thing. U want that stick icky icky, ooh wee. Lol

 

[Smoke2Js]

Re: thrichomes

Sounds like you did a fantasic job curing that bud. There is nothing wrong with it. Most buds you get from disp or what have you, have been handled many times, and those sticky trics break off before the nug gets to you. Reps + for a perfect cure.

 

[Muttt]

Re: thrichomes

Yep ... sounds like you did a great job. The only thing I would caution you about it freezing your bud. When you freeze bud, it makes the trichomes much more brittle and the break off the plant much much easier. This is why you use cold water/ice and dry ice to make hash. It makes the trichomes break off easier. Keeping them in glass mason jar is the perfect place. But then you just need to put them in a dark cool place. I keep jars in the bottom drawer of my dresser ..... out of the light.

 

[Steve102]

Re: thrichomes

Thanks for your imput guys, it helps since this was my first grow. The smoke seems smoother when the trichomes are still sticky, but I didn't want to give up potency if it's better to let it cure more. My grow was a sativa and indica from Barney's seeds. It was more time consuming than I thought it would be, but the end product was well worth the time invested, and you know exactly what your smoking.
Later!

 

[Muttt]

Re: thrichomes

The cure is what makes it really smooth. Give it a good 90 day cure and it'll be fantastic. Just make sure you keep it dark. Light degrades trichomes.

 

[Steve102]

Re: thrichomes

Muttt, thanks for the additional info. My basement stays around 64 degrees, 40% rh in the winter, so it would be a good place to finish curing the buds.
Take care

 

[Tokist]

Re: thrichomes

lmfao!

that's the first time i've ever heard someone say, "hey bro. my weed's like... REALLY sticky. is that bad?"

if you're fishing for compliments, you got em, bro great job on the cure. never heard of putting them in the freezer before. thats probably what keeps the trichomes in place, but my first reaction to reading that wasnt good. something doesnt seem right about putting them in the freezer.

but shit, if it worked as well as you claim, then maybe i'll give it a whirl next time.

 

[Steve102]

Re: thrichomes

Hey Muttt,
I hope your doing well. I'm following your advise and have my herbs out of the freezer for curing. It's been about a month so far. The smoke is getting smoother-thank you! The bud leaves are dry, and the stems snap. I have about 20 quart jars of acapulco gold, tangerine dream, lsd and white widow. A mix of sativas and indicas. I have them in a dark place, app. 65 degrees, 35% rh. I have the lids off the jars I'm smoking from, the rest of the jars have the lids on. The rh in the closed jars stays around 42%, with no moisture build up, so they should be curing nice and slow. I know I need to let it cure for a couple more months.
Now back to the trichomes again. I held off harvesting until the trichomes caps were big and just beginning to turn amber, so they're pretty loaded with them. When the weed is cured out properly, should the trichomes still be sticky, or will they dry out as they cure out? Does the potency and high always get better as the trichomes dry out? Also, do you think it's better to break the buds apart with your fingers, or use a grinder. I hope my questions aren't too trivial, I would appreciate your input.
Steve

 

[Smoke2Js]

Re: thrichomes

Steve, sounds like a great haul!! As far as the trics go, and I think muttt will agree, they should stay sticky.

 

[Smoke2Js]

Re: thrichomes

The cure is what makes it really smooth. Give it a good 90 day cure and it'll be fantastic. Just make sure you keep it dark. Light degrades trichomes.

Good advice Muttt. I have additional information, light over time will degrade THC and other canabinoids. Since the trichomes are on the outside of the flower they degrade faster than what is locked in the plant material, leaf,stem or flower. One more key factor in storage is keeping the stored jars cool , by only accessing them when needed. Take a jar out, put it in the fridge , fill a baggie from that. This will keep it all awesome. By the time you get to the last jar, it should knock your socks off.

 

[Smoke2Js]

Re: thrichomes

use a grinder that catches the trichomes in a separate section. when you go to clean your grinder, check the bottom trichome catcher, you will be very happy. If you cant afford that use a regular grinder, no grinder use scissors to cut the herb to your specifications. use your hands as a last resort, you'll loose some trics to your fingers.

 

[Steve102]

Re: thrichomes

Thanks Smoke2js,
I know my questions were a little redundant, but being my first grow, I just wanted it to be as good as possible. It is cool growing your own, I can see why people really get into it. I had good luck with my seeds. I bought 4 feminized seeds of 4 different strains from Worldwide Marijuana Seeds. 14 out of 16 seeds germinated, and all were females. I used 2 600 watt, and 1 1000 watt enhanced spectrum hps lights. I had some nute issues, but that improved as i got more familar with the plant needs. Next time I may try a combination of hps and metal halide lights. I wondered if some of the leaf issues might be from the hps lamps. I really like the acapulco gold, it reminds me of the sativas we smoked in the 60's & 70's. We could play all day and party all night! We smoked a lot of Thai stick, Colombian and panama red. Of course, then came marriage, a family and a change to alcohol. Now that I'm older and wiser, I've pretty much given up the alcohol
Thanks again smoke2js, talk to you later!