Trimming Marijuana Plants: Wet or dry? When and Why.

Trimming marijuana plants, also known as manicuring your plants, can be done when buds are either wet or dry.

How you choose to trim can significantly impact the quality of your product. One way isn't necessarily better than the other, but there are specific reasons and methods for each choice. 

Whichever method you choose though, Trim Daddy is designed to stay sharp and fast when trimming either wet or dry. 

The primary purpose is to get rid of the unnecessary parts of the plant. For example, the leaves don't carry the same beneficial trichomes, terpenes, and cannabinoids that the buds carry.

Do you want to learn more about marijuana harvesting?

Keep reading for a guide that breaks down wet trimming, dry trimming, and when or why to choose either one.

What's the Purpose of a Marijuana Trim?

At the end of the cannabis harvesting processes, there are a few reasons to trim your plants.

First, you want to get rid of the parts of the plant (like the leaves) that don't contain any of the beneficial properties and components that other parts of the plant are rich in. Plus, bigger leaves that protrude from marijuana buds tend to result in a harsher smoke as they're more moist. 

When leaves are properly trimmed, buds are more likely to contain a uniform moisture content that offers a much more enjoyable smoking experience.

Excess foliage doesn't look good either. When buds are trimmed, they are much more aesthetically pleasing. 

 

Wet Trim vs. Dry Trim

Depending on the strain, it can take buds anywhere from 5 to 16 weeks or longer to grow.

When it comes time to harvest your precious plants, it's essential to make the right decisions around drying and curing as it'll determine the quality of your product.

Let's take a look at the 2 ways to trim, and when it's better to choose wet or dry.

When to Do a Wet Trim

Wet trimming takes place BEFORE you hang your cannabis plants to dry. Some of the advantages of wet trimming are:

• Avoiding mold growth
• Achieving quicker maturation 
• Increasing bud size
• Protecting trichomes 

If you're in a rush and want your product to be ready sooner, a wet trim will dry the buds faster because they won't have the additional weight of the stalks and leaves. It also gives the plants more of a chance to puff up, thus allowing for bigger buds.

If your drying environment is particularly humid or you don't have a lot of space, trimming wet will cut moisture levels and eliminate the risk of mold.

Be prepared to clean your scissors often, though, and to get all your trimming done in a shorter period so that the plants can be hung to dry. Trim Daddy has blades that are fast and easy to change for cleaning, meaning you spend more time trimming and less time cleaning blades.

When to Do a Dry Trim

In near perfect conditions, cannabis plants can take up to 2 weeks to dry. Dry trimming takes place AFTER you hang them to dry.

Some of the advantages of dry trimming are:

• Better manicured nugs
• Potentially more terpenes
• Less mess and a better smoke

Dry trimming is ideal for those who like to influence the aesthetic and shape of their final product. 

Plus, while it may seem ideal to do a wet trim and dry buds faster, sometimes this results in terpene loss. When buds are in the right environment to dry slowly, it can increase the terpene potency and flavor.

Trichomes harden as they cure, so dry trimming can help lessen any potential mess or stickiness while trimming. Bowl trimmers, or just a sloppy hand trim, can damage trichomes. Trim Daddy’s electric scissor design means you can save precious trichomes while you trim.

 

Which Is the Better Method?

Even though wet trimming is the preferred method for most cannabis growers, it's not necessarily the better option. Growers with a lot of yield and harvest often choose to dry trim, whereas smaller growers typically choose wet trim.

Many growers use both options, too. They choose to wet trim as soon as the harvest is done to jumpstart the drying process and then trim when plants are dry to enhance the buds' appearance and aesthetic.

Regardless of whether you dry trim, wet trim, or both, it's crucial to make sure you're using efficient and comfortable trimming methods.

Trimming Tips

Manicuring buds can take hours, and professional bud trimmers often do upwards of 40 hours per week. It's essential that you have a comfortable place to sit during the trimming process and to make sure you take breaks to move around.

Be sure to keep a clean workspace, too, as dust and other debris could significantly impact your product.

Your plant trimmer plays an essential role in the trimming process. A marijuana trimming machine can help you get more done, faster. However, the machines are expensive and hard to maintain. Also, sometimes buds get shaved, and trichomes get damaged in the process.

Hand trimming results in a better quality finished product but requires more time. Plus, it can cause hand cramping, carpal tunnel and other hand-related injuries.

However, hand trimming with an electric trimmer is an excellent way to minimize waste but boast faster trimming times. Trim Daddy provides trimmers with the accuracy of a hand trim, but with the speed of a machine.

Not only does it reduce hand cramping, but it also improves efficiency. Plus, it doesn't mangle or shave the product down as large machine trimmers do.

 

Choose the Best Method for Trimming Marijuana Plants

Whether you opt to dry trim, wet trim, or both, trimming marijuana plants well requires special care and attention.

Trimming with hand scissors results in excellent aesthetic and little waste, but it takes significantly longer to complete. Machine trimming, while fast, is often wasteful.

Trim Daddy will give you the best of both worlds: the precision of hand-trimming with the speed of an electric motor.

Our patented technology is built to last so that you can trim nonstop without worrying about an overheating machine. If you need to change blades, it only takes a few seconds to pop a new set in.

Are you ready to streamline your trimming process while maintaining beautiful, appealing buds? Shop Trim Daddy today.