Pros and cons of bud washing, in cuts and cure of Cannabis

Any decision we make over time will have to be evaluated on two main options (either against positive aspects or against negative aspects) such as the pros and cons of bud washing. If you have experience in growing cannabis plants, then you will know many of the positive points that this procedure gives them.

Initially, the bud washing is the one that eliminates - at a high level - unwanted substances in the plant, such as the remains of the insecticide (for example), also eliminates any type of pests, fungi or bacteria that are in it.

The most important and necessary in this procedure is to perform it in the right way, that is, fulfilling step by step what must be done; this with the aim of permanently eliminating any type of impurities in the plants, because a totally clean and healthy plant should be obtained, even if these are produced for personal consumption or for sale.

So that you know them in greater depth, in this article we will talk about the pros and cons of bud washing, in addition, we will analyze which is the best cut and how the procedure of cleaning each of the Cannabis plants should be carried out.

What can we rescue from the pros and cons of bud washing?

The bud washing is the fastest method to properly clean each of the Cannabis plants. It is a very positive technique that helps the health of plants, in addition, it is a fairly simple procedure that does not require many materials to have the expected results.

Another positive aspect of curing with water is that it permanently removes many unwanted solids, this will generate a much softer and less dense smoke, which means that it will be much healthier. As the bud washing is mainly done with clean water, the final result of the Cannabis plant will be much more powerful.

One of the fears that are present in all growers of Cannabis plants is that after bud washing, the plant may lose its smell or flavor, this being totally false, because the procedure of washing buds does not generate any change in the final result of the plant.

Positive aspects of bud washing

The bud washing is carried out after the harvest of the Cannabis plant. The main objective is to clean the buds, eliminating any type of impurities, fungi or bacteria. In addition to this, also remove dust or any dirt that you may have on the plants.

Among the positive aspects of bud washing we have those described below:

The bud washing eliminates any type of residue  that may be in the plants, including the dust that it may have (in case they are in a closed place where more dirt particles are preserved). In addition to dust, it also eliminates fungi, pests and any type of bacteria.  

This is one of the doubts that most have those who harvest these plants and who still do not perform this procedure; but, the bud washing, does not eliminate neither the taste nor the smell of the final result of the Cannabis plant, in fact it potentiates them, because it makes the plant much cleaner and that definitely constitutes a very positive aspect.

The bud washing also guarantees the elimination of any type of pests that will attack your plants just before the harvest. In this case, it will no longer be necessary to apply pesticides or some other chemical to eliminate them, but we recommend you to carry out the washing process with total confidence that the results you will obtain will be positive.

Negative aspects of bud washing

Like any procedure that is going to be performed, it will have two points, both the positive and negative aspects. In the latter case, although they are very few, it is always good to take them into account before bud washing.

The negative aspects of the bud washing are those that are developed below:

Performing the bud washing procedure will have as a negative aspect the drying time; most cannabis plant growers avoid watering the plants very constantly for fear that the drying period will be prolonged. If the washing process is not carried out step by step, moisture can be introduced into the buds and, therefore, the drying and curing periods will be very long.

Although the bud washing procedure mainly seeks to remove any type of dirt, the buds can be prone to suffer from moisture if the proportions of water are not taken into account when performing the procedure. That is, after bud washing you should worry about mold and mildew again (only if you did not measure the amount of water well).

This is one of the negative aspects, however it is important to note that this can happen when the entire procedure of bud washing is not taken into consideration, in addition to the exact quantities of the products being used. If everything is done to the letter you will not have problems with the final result of your Cannabis plant. 

Wet trimming or dry trimming of cannabis buds?

To know which is the best cut in the buds, it must be borne in mind that Cannabis is composed of a series of steps to follow to achieve good quality harvests. For this, you first have  to harvest them, then wash them and then, they must be cut and dried.

In these last steps, all the ways that exist to do it in the best way must be taken into account, that is why it must be explained a little more thoroughly what these types of cuts are and, in addition, their advantages and disadvantages.

Wet trimming

Wet trimming is the process of pruning each of the buds after harvesting, but it must be before they dry completely. Learning to make the cut does not require much experience  but a lot of patience when doing it.

The first thing to do is to cut each of the branches near the joint that joins it to the other branch that already has a more substantial growth. A wet branch should not be placed near a flat surface; if done that way, the buds will begin to flatten and lose their shape.

The trimming of the buds, either wet or dry, provides an improvement in the final result of the aroma, however, each of the growers must take into account when making the cut not to trip over any of the trichomes, since they can be damaged or broken. On the other hand, if the cut is done impeccably, you can have a more perfect product and, in this way, many more sales with a much higher price.

Dry trimming

Dry trimming is the procedure of pruning each of the buds after they are dry, but before curing them. This trimming is done when the branches are already dry, that is, after about 10 or 14 days have passed. When they are already completely dry, the individual branches are cut into large pieces.

Once this process is carried out, each of the buds is separated and kept in containers until the active compounds of the trichomes reach the optimal level in terms of the flavor and potency of the Cannabis plant.

Trimming buds, whether wet or dry, does not increase or decrease the potency of Cannabis, however, removing excess material from the plant will result in a much stronger product.

Therefore, between both cuttings it is preferable to make dry cutting. When the grower evaluates all the pros and cons of each method of trimming the buds, he can make the decision that best suits his growing conditions. Deciding between each cut will then have the results of how the cannabis plants will be dried and subsequently cured.

Pros and cons of drying buds after curing with water

The bud washing helps on a large scale to remove dust, pesticides, bacteria and other particles that are not desired in Cannabis plants. However, drying buds after curing with water is also an option that is valid among growers.

Drying buds after curing with water  is also a technique that is used after harvesting, but with the aim of cleaning the plant and also enhancing its aroma and flavor much more.

It is important to keep in mind that in this procedure, patience will always be a great virtue, when curing cannabis plants, despite being a long and late process, you will have as a result a much softer smoke, and  in addition, you will have a much more powerful flavor.

Positive aspects of curing with water

• Eliminate any type of substances: Curing each of the buds with water helps to break down unwanted substances as well as harmful to the human body.
• Increases the quality of the smoke: Curing cannabis plants with water will result in a higher quality smoke, much softer and more appetizing.
• Much faster process: Curing with water has similar results to curing with air, however, they differ by the waiting time. While with air drying you must wait for the molecules to degrade, with water drying you will have direct contact with this vital liquid, therefore  any molecule that is there will be extracted.

Negative aspects of curing with water

As mentioned above, each of the growers will need to evaluate what are the pros and cons of using water curing on cannabis plants. However, one of the most important negative aspects is that doing this procedure can reduce the aroma and taste of Cannabis.

If you want a soft smoke, but much more appetizing and tasty to the palate, curing with water is the right one for each of your buds.

We recommend then that, before carrying out the bud washing process, you investigate all the information you can about this, its positive and negative aspects, as well as the results that will be had. Growing cannabis is not a quick procedure, so we also ensure that you should have a lot of patience when carrying it out.