ENGLAND123
Well-Known Member
Hervesting
(Potency is measured by the percentage by weight of THC in a dried sample of the uppermost leaves or growing shoots until flowers appear.) It shoes that generally potency increases as the plant develops. Cues such as phyllotaxy changes and rate of growth are helpful indicator to changes in development and the chronological age of the plant has little significance.
The development of the cannabinoids, resin glands, and, in practical terms, the potency in the living plant is not clearly understood. We believe that,, for the most part, potency does not increase steadily throughout the entire plant. Rather, each plant part reaches a point of maximum potency as it individually develops. A leaf that is formed when the plant is four weeks old does not increase in potency during the rest of the season. To say that potency is increasing means that the leaves that are now forming are more potent than those previously formed.
We also believe that cannabinoid formation is very fast as each plant part forms. Once matured (for example, when a leaf is fully expanded), cannabinoids are decomposing. This is one reason why the potency can decrease as well as increase during growth, especially late in the season, after the flowers have formed. The practical aspects of these points are detailed in the following sections.
20.2 Harvesting During Growth: Leaves and Growing Shoots
Leaves
We have emphasised that you should harvest grass during the course of the season. One reason is to assure yourself a return for your efforts. It is a sad commentary on our times that the greatest danger in growing marijuana outdoors is that the plants may be ripped off. On a more positive note, vegetative shoots and leaves can be surprisingly potent and should be sampled.
The potency of each new set of leaves is higher than the last pair until a plateau is reached, usually during the middle of vegetative growth. Thereafter potency of new leaves stays about the same as in those preceding. Often there is a noticeable decline in potency just prior to flowering. Leaves that form during flowering are usually more potent than those formed during the vegetative plateau. Leaves that form after the bloom are less potent.
Of course, not all varieties or individual plants will follow this rhythm. Faster-developing plants may reach the plateau sooner, and slower plants later. Potency of plants that have a longer life cycle may stay at the vegetative plateau for several months. Some plants do not seem to experience any drop in potency before flowering. Potency of these plants continues to increase gradually after the initial quick increase during early vegetative growth.
Whenever you harvest green leaves during growth, you should always take the uppermost leaves, since these are the most potent. Also, the smaller leaves that form on the branches are more potent than the large leaves on the main stem. These large stem leaves (fan, shade, or sun leaves) are often the first leaves that growers pick. But these are the least potent of all leaves, and the may not get you high at all. As long as these leaves are healthy and green, let them stay on the plant for the plant's growth. Many growers simply use these leaves for mulch or compost as they die.
Don't think that you should harvest each leaf as soon as it appears; this procedure would seriously affect normal growth and result in a small harvest of buds. The potency of individual leaves does not increase during the course of the season, but the decrease in potency is not great. Some of the loss in potency may even be made up for by the loss in tissue weight that a leaf experiences as it dies. Many growers prefer to harvest leaves during growth only after they lose colour, preferring the taste of the smoke to that of green leaves.
Leaves should always be harvested if they die; with indoor gardens, remove any leaves that show signs of insects or other pests.
Do keep yourself supplied with grass (that is the reason you are growing the plant); just don't overdo it. The main harvest is made up of buds, and you want a large, healthy plant that can support vigorous flowering. The larger and healthier a plant is, the more leaf you can harvest without seriously affecting the plant.
Growing Shoots
You may prefer not to clip the growing shoot of the main stem. This forms the largest and most potent cola by harvest time. Plants grown close together usually are not clipped, so that the plants may grow as tall as possible. Where there is much space between plants, the main shoot is clipped to encourage the plant to develop its branches, which fill the available space.
The potency of growing shoots follows the rhythm described for new leaves. However, growing shoots can be the most potent parts of the harvest when picked at the right time. Shoots sometimes reach a very high peak of potency during the middle of vegetative growth. Outdoor gardens should be samples from mid-June through July, since this is the period in which shoots usually reach their peak.
Potency also fluctuates according to local weather conditions. Try to harvest after a period of clear, sunny weather. Potency may declining for several days after a period of cloudy weather or heavy rainfall. After a heavy rain, harvest the shoots a week or two later, since the shoots often peak in potency during a burst of fast growth.
Growing shoots can be harvested from each plant at least twice during growth. The first clipping may not give you much worthwhile grass, but it is done when the plants are young (roughly six weeks old) to force the plant to develop several growing shoots which are harvest about six to eight weeks later. The main shoot is clipped, leaving about four or five nodes below the cut. Two shoots should start to grow from each node, the strongest at the top of the plant and the weakest at the bottom. (This difference is more pronounced under artificial light, since the light is strongest on the top of the plants.) Each plant should produce at least six strong growing shoots after this first clipping. The yield from growing shoots can be considerable (especially during the summer marijuana drought) and will probably keep you supplied until the main harvest.
A third harvest of shoot can be made later if the plants have a long growing season or are indoors. You don't want to clip shoots from the plants just prior to or during flowering, since doing so cuts down on the harvest of buds. Each plant should have at least twelve growing shoots after being clipped twice previously. You might harvest only a few shoots from each plant if the time for flowering is near.
20.3 Male Plants
Male plants usually do not have the dramatic increase in potency during flowering that the females do. Male flowers take about two weeks to mature, from the time they are first visible as tiny knob-like buds. New flowers continue to appear for several weeks.
When male flowers open and are about to release pollen, they reach their maximum potency. Since all flowers do not mature at the same time, for maximum potency the plants should be harvested after the first few flowers have opened.
Male flowers actually make up little of the total weight of the harvest, and few new leaves form once flowering begins. There is no significant loss in either potency or yield if the male is harvested before its flowers open. Once male flowers appear, there is little change in their potency. Also, once the flowers do open and release pollen, they shortly fall from the plant and are lost to the harvest.
Males should therefore be harvested before any flowers open unless you want the females to produce seeds. In a small garden, male flower clusters can be individually harvested as they mature. Most growers treat male flowers more as a novelty. Potency of male flowers is quite variable, and seldom are they as good as the female flowers. To remove male plants, cut them near the base of the stem. Don't rip them up by the roots if they are near females that will be left to grow.
Male plants normally begin to lose their vigour after the initial bloom. When the weather is mild, or the plants are indoors, they can be encouraged to bloom a second and sometimes a third time before they finally die.
20.4 Harvesting Female Buds
The decision of when to harvest females can be simplified by understanding that you want to pick the buds after they have developed fully, but before degradation processes begin to lower potency. There are two criteria you can use to tell when the plants have reached full bloom. The first is recognising the rhythm, with which the plants are blooming. A second is the condition of the flowers as judged by the health of the stigmas and the colour of the resin.
Sinsemilla
Since sinsemilla flowers are not pollinated, the flowering period may last for many weeks. The most common rhythm for sinsemilla is that plants go through a stage of rapid bud formation, and the plants do indeed bloom. This bloom often lasts four to five weeks. The bloom ends when the rate at which new flowers form noticeably declines. At his time you should be able to sense that the bloom is completed. Buds are at their peak potency about one week after flower formation slows. This is the time to harvest. True, the plant may continue to grow slowly, but the main harvest is ready and should be taken.
With sinsemilla, some marijuana varieties have an extended bloom that may last more than two months. With this rhythm, the rate at which the buds form is drawn out, and progresses at a slower but steadier pace. The point at which the bloom is essentially over may not be as obvious as in the first case. Here, use the condition of the buds to make your decision. Stigmas wither first at the base of the buds (older flowers). Those stigmas at the top of the buds (younger) will still be white and healthy, although their tips are often brown. Harvest the plants when about half the stigmas in the buds have withered. The coating of resin glands should still be clear or white, with only a few golden or browned gland heads.
A third type of flowering rhythm is sometimes seen on plants from Thai seed. Flower buds bloom and ripen at different times. These plants also have an extended flowering stage that can last for over two months. You may choose to harvest individual buds, colas, or branches as they ripen.
Seeds
If your primary interest is seeds, the plant should be harvested after the seeds have developed their mature colour. Mature seeds can be seen splitting their sheaths or bracts. When enough seeds have ripened, the plants should be harvested. If the plants are left in the ground and die, many of the seeds will fall from the plant.
For most growers, potency will be of primary interest, seeds only a secondary. With seeded marijuana, flowering is initially rapid until the plant is well-pollinated. If pollination occurs early in flowering, the plants often bloom for another week or two. Generally, you want the plants to flower for at least four weeks before picking, and usually longer, about six to seven weeks.
With seeded marijuana, the bloom is of shorter duration than with sinsemilla. Once growth slows, wait another two to three weeks before harvesting. All the seeds may not be matured, particularly at the top of the bud. But potency of the buds should be about maximum at this time.
20.5 Weather
Because of such variables as variety and growing conditions, there can be so much variation in the ripening process that no one criterion for judging when maximum potency is reached will be reliable for all cases.
Warm, sunny weather encourages rapid flowering and a long period of receptivity by the stigmas. Cool, rainy weather can wither the stigmas and dampen the vigour of the bloom.
If brief frost or long, cool rain has withered the stigmas, use the plants' growth as a guideline, because ultimately this is the most important criterion. You want the buds to reach a mature size, and to ripen for about another week. You do not want the buds to be left on the plant longer than necessary.
Ideally, harvesting should follow a period of warm, sunny weather. In northern and mountainous parts of the country, many tropical varieties will note flower until late in the season, when the weather has cooled and night-time frosts are threatening. Most mature plant can withstand mild frosts and continue to grow well if daytime temperatures are mild. In this case, let the plants mature, since formation of the buds is more important than the weather in determining potency. Watch the plants carefully, and harvest when the buds reach mature size. Marijuana killed by frost may smoke harshly, but potency does not seem affected. Well-formed buds should be picked if heavy rains are expected. Cannabinoids are not water-soluble, but gland heads will be washed away.
Barring a catastrophe, such as a long frost, death to Cannabis is usually not sudden. The plants will continue to grow, and may infact rejuvenate the next year if the stalks are left in the ground. But after the main bloom, the growth that follows is usually much less vigorous and sometimes forms abnormally. Leaves at this time are simplified, and have one blade. Later leaves are smaller, and tend to have entire margins (no serrations). Sometimes they are twisted or misshaped, as are the flowers that form along with them. This slow growth that follows the initial bloom will contribute little to the weight of the harvest. Additionally, this post-bloom growth is much less potent than the original bloom. Resin glands on these plant parts are feeble and poorly developed. When this abnormal growth forms, the time for harvesting is past. {See Figure 83.}
When a plant seems to persist in growing, and you are not sure bloom is past, the best procedure to follow is to try for a double harvest.
Double Harvests
Most marijuana plants take at least five months to reach maturity. Once the plant has reached maturity, it is forming its most potent marijuana, and should not be cut down completely. You can often induce the females to flower a second (and sometimes a third) time, especially if the plants are indoors or if the weather is expected to stay mild for several more weeks.
To encourage a second bloom, first take the bulk of the harvest: all but the smallest buds, and most of the leaf. Some green leaves should be left on the plant to maintain the plant's growth. After harvesting, give the plants a thorough watering, and water with a soluble, complete fertiliser that provides a good supply of both N and P. This will encourage new growth and continued flowering.
Indoors, the best procedure is to treat the plants like a hedge. Cut all the plants back to equal heights, about two to three feet tall. Remove most of the grass, but again leave a few green leaves on the plant. Don't remove lower branches even if they are leafless, since these will sprout again. Lower the light system to the tops of the plants, and maintain the daily cycle at about 12 hours. The second crop of buds will be ready for harvest in four to eight weeks. With this system, the plants appear like dense hedges of buds. If the second crop of buds forms quickly, you should try for a third crop. Continue to fertilise the plants regularly, and watch for signs of magnesium deficiencies, which often show up when the plants have been growing for an extended time.
Double and triple harvests are one of the benefits of indoor growing. Although plants are relatively small indoors, the original harvest of buds can be triples in the next four months.
20.6 Potency and Decomposition
We have said that when buds are picked too late, the potency may decline because of decomposition of the cannabinoids, especially THC.
In section 21, Tables 26-29 give measured rates of decomposition of the major cannabinoids due to exposure to light and air. Light rapidly decomposes THC into unknown products (possibly polymers (122,164)). Light also converts CBD to CBS and CBC to CBL. Air (oxygen) slowly converts THC to the less active CBN. Conversion to CBN is hastened by higher temperatures.
Degradative processes do not occur as quickly in the living plant as when the cannabinoids are purified or in solution, as is shown by the data in Tables 27-30 in section 21 {Tables on disk only}. Resin glands seem to function well in storing the cannabinoids in dried plant material. However, the rates of decomposition in Tables 27 and 28 are for samples exposed to north light and a maximum of 80F temperatures. Temperature would be higher, and light stronger, under full sunlight.
Studies with fresh plant material usually show negligible CBN content in fresh marijuana from immature plants. When mature buds are tested, their CBN content is generally equal to at least five percent of their THC content. When growing temperatures are higher, such as in the tropics, CBN content can account for more than 20 percent of the original THC. Even if we assume a low figure, such as five percent conversion of THC to CBN, there is actually a much greater decline in THC content because of the simultaneous degradation of THC by light.
When the slow rate at which THC oxidises to CBN is considered, five percent decomposition in a period of less than two months represents considerable exposure of the THC to air, and most of this exposure occurs in the last critical weeks when the resin glands begin to degenerate. Plates 8 and 11-13 show the condition of the resin glands on several different kinds of marijuana.
Stalked glands that cover the female flower bracts sometimes rupture or secrete cannabinoids through pores in the glands head. Secretion is not a continuous flow, but more of an emptying of the glands' contents. At this time, gland heads may dehisce. Also, because of their abundance and raised positions, resin glands on the female bracts are exposed to strong sunlight and possible physical damage. These conditions may explain the significant decline in potency of buds that are overripe.
Leaves are also affected by decomposition of the cannabinoids, but not as quickly or seriously as the buds, probably because the resin glands on the leaves are most numerous on the undersurface, where they are somewhat protected from light. These glands rarely rupture or secrete cannabinoids. Often they are intact, clear, and apparently unchanged for many weeks on the living plant.
As the plates show, one can, with the naked eye, see the glands change colour, from colourless or white to golden, and then to reddish or brown. THC is colourless. If the colour changes of the resin do indicate decomposition of THC, then decomposition in the stalked glands that cover the buds can be considerable.
We have smoked buds that seemed to lose about half their potency when left on the plant for an addition three weeks. Colour changes are after the fact. If many of the glands are beginning to brown, the grass should be harvested.
20.7 Timing the Harvest
Many growers will disagree with us on when the best time is to harvest the buds (female plants). When the plants are left in the ground, and are alive but past the main bloom, the resinous qualities of the plant may become more apparent. The bracts and tiny leaves may swell in size, and the leaves feel thicker. The coating of resin glands will change colour. Leaves often yellow and fall form the plant. Much of the green colour in the flowering buds may also be lost. Harvests of these buds more closely resembles commercial Colombian grass than typical homegrown. The resin content of the dried buds may be higher, and the grass will smoke more harshly than if the buds were younger when picked. You may prefer these qualities in your grass, and some growers insist this grass is stonier. We feel that the grass will give you the highest high when it is picked as described previously. Smoking is a personal experience, and you should try different approaches and come to your own conclusions.
The first time you grow marijuana is largely a learning experience. Most growers can't wait to start their second crop, because they are certain that they'll improve on both the quantity and the quality of their crop, and this is usually true. The wise grower will not put all his proverbial eggs in one basket. It is a good idea to monitor potency by taking samples every few days when harvest time is drawing near, just as such monitoring is for deciding when to harvest growing shoots during vegetative growth.
In any garden, some of the plants will mature sooner than others. Use the plant(s) that is earliest to mature to decide at what point in its development the plant reaches maximum potency. This finding then serves as a guide for harvesting the rest of the plants.
Try to use buds from approximately the same position on the plant each time you sample. Take only enough to make a joint or two. The more you standardise your testing (and this includes your smoking evaluation), the more accurate your results may be.
20.8 Final Harvesting
The time of harvest is a time of joy. It is also a time for caution. Unless the safety of your garden is assured, you will want to harvest quickly, quietly and as efficiently as possible. Ideally, each plant is harvested as it matures, but some of you will have to harvest all at once.
It is best to take cardboard boxes or large, sturdy bags to carry the harvest. You want to harvest the plants with as little crushing or damage to the flowers as possible.
Bring a strong knife, heavy shears, or clippers for cutting the stalks. The quickest way to harvest is to cut each plant at its base. Once the plants are on the ground, cut the stalks into manageable lengths for boxing or bagging. Separate large branches as needed for packing.
The bagged or boxed material should be moved to the curing or drying area as soon as possible. If you let the plants sit in the trunk of a car or in plastic bags, they will start to ferment and small in less than a day.
Chapter 21
AFTER THE HARVEST
Once the marijuana plant is harvested, it ceases to produce cannabinoids and resins, and the main changes in potency that occur are degradative. However, when the material is handled carefully, dried or cured properly, and then stored well, little degradation will occur. During drying or curing, the resin content may seem to increase, as the plant's tissues shrink away from their resinous coating.
More than 70 percent of the fresh weight of the plant os water. Drying is done to evaporate most of this water, so the marijuana will burn evenly and smoke smoothly. Additionally, the cannabinoids in fresh plant material are mostly in the acid forms, which are not psychoactive. The acid cannabinoids decarboxylate (they lose the gas, carbon dioxide) during the drying or curing processes, which convert them to their psychoactive neutral forms. Decarboxylation is complete if the marijuana is actually smokes. For this reason, no special procedures are needed to decarboxylate the marijuana unless it will be eaten. In that case, the recipe should include a period of dry heating. The heat converts the cannabinoids to their psychoactive neutral forms, and also melts the sharp-pointed cystolith hairs that cover leaves, stems and petioles. Cystolith hairs can cause stomach pains if you eat uncooked marijuana or chew on raw marijuana, which we strongly advise you not to do.
Commercial marijuana us usually composed of just the flower tops (colas), which have been stripped, manicured, cured, and dried. Homegrowers often do not cure their crop before drying, and if the smoke is smooth, there is no reason not to dry it directly. But harsh-smoking marijuana can be cured so that the smoke is smoother. Curing has little affect on potency when done properly.
21.2 Stripping
Stripping, the removal of large leaves, is usually done soon after harvesting. Fan leaves are stripped because they are much less potent than the colas that they cover, and do not cure as well as the prime material. In commercial growing areas, the fan leaves are often stripped in the field and form a green manure. But fan leaves are sometimes quite potent, especially if they are recent growth. The lower leaves are usually weak, but they can be used in cooking or concentrated in an extract.
The easiest time to strip fan leaves is after they have wilted, because they are easier to pull off when they are limp then when they are turgid. Wilting takes place in less than an hour if the plants are in a well-ventilated space. Plants placed in a plastic bag in a cool area may take a day or more to wilt.
Some growers leave the fan leaves on until the plants have dried. After the buds are removed, they strip the remaining leaves by running their (gloved) hands from the base of stems and branches toward their tips. The fan leaves disintegrate into shake.
21.3 Grading and Manicuring
Grading and manicuring are important steps in preparing fine grass. Grading is done by separating the plants according to variety, sex, and the particular stash uniform, and the quality of the better grades is not diluted. Plant parts are usually graded as follows: main top colas, small side colas, immature buds, leaves accompanying flowers, and fan and stray leaves. This is important, because the differences in potency will be considerable. For instance, the buds on a Colombian homegrown will be top quality, but the lower leaves will be more like a low-grade commercial Mexican.
Manicuring is done to remove the extraneous leaf from the colas. First the large fan leaves are stripped. The exposed colas are then trimmed with scissors to remove the ends of leaves that stick out from the colas. Plants should be manicured and (usually) graded before drying, since dried material crumbles into shake when handled. Also, leaves dry much more quickly than buds, and different plant parts cure at their own rates.
Male flowers are often treated as a novelty by growers, who make individually rolled sticks from them, as follows. Hang the plants upside down; the leaves will wilt and hang down, covering the male flower clusters. Then roll each cluster within its leaves between the palms of your hands, to compress the cluster into a joint-shaped mass. Dry the "stick" in a warm dark place. Rolling the grass ruptures many of the glands; so dried sticks should be stored carefully until each is used.
Hashish
When you handle your crop, you may notice a resin build-up on your hands and the tools you are using. This resin can be collected by rubbing and scraping it into a ball. It makes a quality hash that is several times as concentrated as the grass.
Small quantities of hash can be made by rubbing resinous plant parts across a thin, fine mesh screen. The resin is then scraped off the screen and rolled into finger shapes. Hash can also be made by thrashing fresh plants over a mesh screen inside an enclosed box whose floor is lined with sheet plastic. A box about one yard square is a suitable size. On one side of the box a hole is made large enough for the colas to be shaken by hand. In this way, the resin glands are knocked loose, but are contained by the box and settle on the plastic.
Plastic or paper should be placed beneath the marijuana during manicuring, grading, or drying. Besides fallen grass, a considerable amount of glands and fine shake can be caught and compressed to a hash-like mass.
21.4 Curing
Curing is a process employed to naturally enhance the bouquet, flavour, and texture of marijuana. Curing does not lower potency when done correctly, although poor curing methods often result in some less of THC.
Curing is not an essential procedure, and many growers prefer the "natural" flavour of uncured grass. Sweet sinsemilla buds usually are not cured.
Curing is most successful on plants which have "ripened" and are beginning to lose chlorophyll. It is less successful on growing tips and other vigorous parts which are immature. These parts may only lose some chlorophyll.
Curing proceeds while the leaf is still alive, for until it dries, many of the leaf's life processes continue. Since the leaf's ability to produce sugars is thwarted, it breaks down stored starch to simple sugars, which are used for food. This gives the grass a sweet or earthy aroma and taste. At the same time, many of the complex proteins and pigments, such as chlorophyll, are broken down in enzymatic processes. This changes the colour of the leaf from green to various shades of yellow, brown, tan, or red, depending primarily on the variety, but also on growing environment and cure technique. The destruction of chlorophyll eliminates the minty taste that is commonly associated with green homegrown.
There are several methods of curing, most of which were originally designed to cure large quantities of tobacco. Some of them can be modified by the home grower to use for small marijuana harvests as well as large harvests. The methods used to cure marijuana are the air, flue, sweat, sun, and water cures.
Air Curing
Air curing is a technique developed in the United States for curing pipe and cigar tobacco. It was originally done in specially constructed barns made with ventilator slats which could be sealed; a small shed or metal building can easily be adapted for this use. However, this method of curing works only when there is enough material to keep the air saturated with moisture.
Wires are strung across the barn, and the marijuana plants or plant parts are hung from them, using string, wire twists, or the crooks of branches. The plants material should be closely spaced, but there should be enough room between branches (a few inches) so that air circulates freely. The building is kept unventilated until all the material loses some chlorophyll (green colour). This loss occurs rapidly during warm sunny weather because heat builds up, which hastens the cure. In wet or overcast weather, the temperature in the chamber will be cooler, and the process will proceed more slowly. If these conditions last for more than a day or two, unwanted mould may grow on the plants. The best way to prevent mould from forming is to raise the temperature to 90F by using a heater.
After the leaves have lost their deep green and become pale, the ventilator or windows are opened slightly, so that the temperature and humidity are lowered and the curing process is slowed. The process then continues until all traces of chlorophyll are eliminated. The entire process may take six weeks. Then the ventilators are opened, and an exhaust fan installed if necessary, to dry the material to the point that it can be smoked but still is moist, that is, bends rather than crumbles or powders when rubbed between thumb and forefinger.
Flue Curing
Flue curing differs from air curing in that the process is speeded up by using an external source of heat, and the air circulation is more closely regulated. This method can be used with small quantities of material in a small, airtight curing box constructed for the purpose. Large quantities can be hung in a room or barn as described in Air Curing.
A simple way to control the temperature when curing or drying small amounts of marijuana is to place the material to be cured in a watertight box (or a bottle) with ventilation holes on the top. Place the box in a water-filled container, such as a pot, fish-tank, or bathtub. The curing box contains air and will float. The water surrounding the box is maintained at the correct temperature by means of a stove or hotplate, fish-tank or water-bed heater, or any inexpensive immersible heater. Temperature of the water is monitored.
With the marijuana loosely packed, maintain water temperature at 90 degrees. After several days, the green tissue turns a pale yellow-green or murky colour, indicating yellow or brown pigments. Then increase temperature, to about 100 degrees, until all traces of green disappear. Raise the temperature once again, this time to 115 degrees, until a full, ripe colour develops. Also increase ventilation at this time, so that the marijuana dries. Plants dried at high temperature tend to be brittle; so lower the temperature before drying is completed. This last phase of drying can be done at room temperature, out of the water bath. The whole process takes a week or less.
Marijuana cured by this technique turns a deep brown colour. Immature material may retain some chlorophyll and have a slight greenish cast. Taste is rich yet mild.
Sweat Curing
Sweat curing is the technique most widely used in Colombia. Long branches containing colas are layered in piles about 18 inches high and a minimum of two feet square, more often about ten by fifteen feet. Sweat curing actually incorporates the fermenting process. Within a few hours the leaves begin to heat up from the microbial action in the same way that a compost pile ferments. Then change in colour is very rapid; watch the pile carefully, so that it does not overheat and rot the colas. Each day unpack the piles, and remove the colas that have turned colour. Within four or five days, all the colas will have turned colour. They are then dried. One way to prevent rot while using this method is to place cotton sheets, rags, or paper towels between each double layer of colas. The towels absorb some of the moisture and slow down the process.
Sweat curing can be modified for use with as little marijuana as two large plants. Pack the marijuana tightly in a heavy paper sack (or several layers of paper bags), and place it in the sun. The light is converted to heat and helps support the sweat.
Another variation of the sweat process occurs when fresh undried marijuana is bricked. The bricks are placed in piles, and they cure while being transported.
A simple procedure for a slow sweat cure is to roll fresh marijuana in plastic bags. Each week, open the bag for about an hour to evaporate some water. In about six weeks, the ammonia smell will dissipate somewhat, and the grass should be dried. This cure works well with small quantities of mediocre grass, since it concentrates the material.
Sun Curing
A quick way to cure small quantities of marijuana os to loosely fill a plastic bag or glass jar, or place a layer between glass or plastic sheets, and expose the material to the sun. Within a few hours the sun begins to bleach it. Turn the marijuana every few hours, so that all parts are exposed to the sun. An even cure is achieved in one to two days {(see Plate 16)}. Some degradation of THC may occur using this method.
Water Cure
Unlike other curing methods, the water cure is performed after the marijuana is dried. Powder and small pieces are most often used, but the cure also works with whole colas. The material is piled loosely in a glass or ceramic pot which is filled with luke-warm water. (When hot water is used, some of the THC is released in oils, which escape and float to the top of the water.) Within a few hours many of the non-psychoactive water-soluble substances dissolve. An occasional gentle stirring speeds the process. The water is changed and the process repeated. Then the grass is dried again for smoking.
THC is not water-soluble; so it remains on the plant when it is soaked. By eliminating water-soluble substances (pigments, proteins, sugars, and some resins), which may make up 25 percent of the plant material by weight, this cure may increase the concentration of THC by up to a third.
Marijuana cured by this method has a dark, almost black colour, and looks twisted and curled, something like tea leaves. The water cure is frequently used to cure dried fan leaves and poor-quality grass.
21.5 Drying
Living marijuana leaves are 80 percent water; colas are about 70 percent water. Marijuana dried for smoking contains only eight to 10 percent water, or about 10 percent of the original amount. There are several methods used to evaporate water; these have little effect on potency, but can affect the taste, bouquet, and smoothness of the smoke. Generally, the slower the dry, the smoother the taste. Excess drying and drying methods that use heat will evaporate some of the volatile oils that give each grass its unique taste and aroma.
Grasses which are dried as part of the curing process usually have a smooth, mild taste, because of the elimination of chlorophyll and various proteins. Cured marijuana may also be a little sweeter than when first picked, because the curing converts some of the plant's starch to simple sugars.
Some grasses are tasty and smooth-smoking when they are dried without curing, especially fresh homegrown buds which retain their volatile oils and sugar. Many homegrowers have acquired a taste for "natural" uncured grass, with its minty chlorophyll flavour; such marijuana is dried directly after harvesting. {Figure 89, Male plants drying on a tree. Cheesecloth holds loose leaf for drying.}
Slow Drying
Slow drying is probably the method most commonly used to dry marijuana. Because of the slowness of the dry, a slight cure takes place, eliminating the bite sometimes associated with quickly dried grass.
There are many variations of the technique, but most commonly whole plants or separated colas are suspended upside down from a drawn string or from pegs on a wall in a cool dark room, closet, or other enclosed space. A large number of plants may take a week or two to dry. The drying time for small numbers of plants can be increased (for a slight cure) by placing the plants in large, open paper sacks that have ventilation holes cut in their sides. The drying room should have no heavy drafts, but mould may form on the plants if the air is stagnant. If weather is rainy or the air humid, increase ventilation and watch for any mould. Plants should be dried quickly under moderate heat if any mould appears.
Many experienced growers prefer slow drying to curing. There is little chance of error with this method, and buds usually smoke smooth and develop a pliable consistency. Slow-dried ripe buds retain their delicious, sweet aroma and taste.
Fast Drying
The fast dry-method produces a harsher smoke than slow drying, but it is often the most convenient method to use. The plants are suspended in the same way as for slow drying, but the temperature in the drying area is increased to between 90 and 115 degrees, often by means of electric or gas heater. The drying area is kept well-ventilated with a fan. As the plants dry, they are removed from the drying area. By this method, plants in a tightly packed room can be dried in less than four days, but the exhaust will contain the deliciously pungent odour of drying marijuana.
Indoor growers often hang plants to dry over radiators or stream pipes. Leaves are dried by placing them on a tray over a radiator or on top of the light fixture.
Marijuana that is fast-dried retains its original green colour and minty taste.
Oven Drying
Oven drying is often used by gardeners to sample their crop. Small quantities of material can be quickly dried by being placed in a 150 to 200 oven for about 10 minutes. Larger quantities can be dried in trays that contain a single layer of material or in a dehydrator. Oven-dried and dehydrator-dried marijuana usually has a harsh taste and bite, and loses much of its bouquet. The method is often used to dry marijuana which has been cured and dried but is too moist to smoke, or to dry marijuana which is to be used for cooking or extractions. It is an adequate method for obtaining dry material for testing and emergencies, but the main harvest should not be dried in this way. Oven drying works best with leaves. When leaves are dried together with buds or shoots, remove the material from the oven periodically, to separate the faster-drying leaf material (before it burns) from the slower drying buds. One way to do this is to place all the material on a wire screen over a tray. Every few minutes rub the material across the screen. Dried material falls unto the tray and is removed from the oven. Repeat until all the material has dried.
Oven curing works well when closely watched. Dried marijuana that is left in the oven will lose potency quickly. Any time the marijuana begins to char, most of the potency will already have been lost. This should not be a problem unless you are careless, or allow the temperature to go above 200 degrees.
Sun Drying
Some growers dry their crops right in the field. There are many methods of sun drying. In Oregon, some growers break the main stem about two feet from the ground. The leaves and buds dry gradually, since they are still partly attached to the plant. Other growers spread burlap and cover it with plants left to dry. Fan leaves are left on the plants to protect the drying buds from the sun. The grass is manicured after drying. Growers in Arizona shade drying plants with cheesecloth.
Sun-dried marijuana usually has a taste similar to that of oven-dried. Often the sun bleaches it slightly but also destroy some of the delicate bouquet. Prolonged exposure to the sun will decrease potency, although there is no noticeable loss if drying is done quickly.
Dry Ice
Many homegrowers have written to us that the dry-ice cure increases the potency of marijuana considerably, and we would be remiss not to mention it.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When it melts (sublimates), it turns from a solid directly into a gas. This gas absorbs some moisture from the frozen marijuana and partially dries it.
There are many variations of the dry-ice method. Fresh or partially dried material is usually used, although some enthusiasts claim that the cure also works with dried material. The marijuana is placed in a coffee can or similar container with a lid, along with at least an equal volume of dry ice. Puncture the lid so that the gas can escape as it evaporates. Place the can in a freezer to prolong the evaporation process. When the dry ice is gone, the grass is dried, but still moist.
Some growers claim that simply freezing the grass increases potency. They often freeze fan leaves or other less-potent material for a couple of months before smoking it. This is said to work only with fresh (wet or dried) grass.
21.6 Fermentation
When vegetation dries, the individual cells which maintained life processes die. But marijuana can still be conditioned by means of fermentation. Fermentation is the process in which microbes and plant enzymes break down complex chemicals into simpler ones, mainly starch and sugars into alcohol and simple acids. In the process chlorophyll is destroyed, giving the material a more ripened appearance. If the fermentation is stopped early, the marijuana has a sweeter taste because of the sugars which the ferment produced.
Fermentation occurs when the moisture content of the marijuana is raised above 15 percent and the temperature is above 60 degrees. The more tightly packed the material, that faster the ferment proceeds. The rate of ferment is controlled primarily by varying the moisture content, but each batch proceeds at its own rate because of differences between plants in nitrogen content. (Nitrogen is necessary to maintain fermenting bacteria.) The process is delicate; should the ferment proceed too rapidly, the marijuana may be converted to compost. Watch the fermentation closely. After the desired colour or flavour (from a dried sample) is reached, dry the grass quickly to stop the process.
During fermentation, flavourings can be added to give the marijuana a spicy aroma. Such spices as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, sage, or vanilla are placed between the fermenting material. Orange, lemon, or lime peels are also used. About half an ounce of spice or four ounces of peel are used for each cubic foot of material to be fermented. The spices are wrapped in cloth sachets. The citrus peels are strung. They can be placed between the layers of marijuana.
There are two types of fermentations: self-generating and forced. They are best used with leaves or immature plants.
Self-Generating Fermentation
Self-generating fermentation proceeds rapidly only when there is enough material to make a heap at least one cubic yard large. When smaller quantities are used, too much of the heat generated by the bacteria is dissipated, so that the process is slow and is more properly considered aging.
Place the material in a large container or in a pile with a tarpaulin placed over it, and lightly spray it with a mister if it is dry. Let the pile heat up for a few days, and then break it down. If it is repacked, the marijuana will develop a dull matte appearance and lose its sugars. IF the process is allowed to proceed even further, the marijuana will disintegrate.
Forced Fermentation
Forced fermentation can be used with small quantities of material. It requires an enclose chamber in which heat and humidity can be regulated.
Pack the marijuana loosely in a kiln or other chamber, and raise the temperature to 135 degrees. Maintain humidity at 75 percent. Check the progress of the ferment periodically. Within a week the ferment should be completed. During this ferment there is a release of ammonia compounds, resulting in some foul odours, but upon completion of the ferment and drying, the marijuana should smoke sweet and mellow.
21.7 Storage
THC is degraded by both heat and light. Table 26 shows results of an experiment conducted at the University of Mississippi, in which marijuana was stored under varying temperature conditions171. These results indicate that marijuana stored at room temperature (72) or below, and in darkness for up to two years will lose only an insignificant amount of its original potency; whereas marijuana stored in darkness at 97 or above will lose almost all its potency within two years.
In another experiment,164 Fairbairn stored dried marijuana at different temperatures in both light and dark conditions. The samples in light were exposed to a north-facing windows (no direct sunlight). The results are shown in Table 27.
Fairbairn also performed an experiment to discover the effect of air on THC164. Freshly prepared Cannabis resin was stored as a loose powder, a compressed powder, and an unbroken lump for one year at 68 degrees F (about room temperature). Samples were stored under two conditions: in light and air, and in darkness and air. The results are shown in Table 28.
Fairbairn experimented further with pure cannabinoids and extracts of marijuana dissolved in petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethanol (alcohol)165. The results, in Tables 29 and 30, show that the THC and CBD in solution are much more unstable than when they are left in marijuana, especially if they are held by the plant in undamaged glands, where they are protected from exposure to air and, to some degree, light. Crude extracts seem more stable than highly refined cannabinoids, especially CBD, which is very unstable in refined solutions.
Extract makers and purchasers should limit the exposure of the solution to light and heat as well as to air. Oils and extracts should be kept refrigerated in opaque, sealed container. Notice that THC is almost completely degraded in a few weeks when it is held in solution and exposed to light. Red oil, hash oil, and honey oil must be stored in light-tight containers to preserve potency.
From the tables, you can see that light is the primary factor that causes decomposition of THC. The decomposition products are unknown, but are suspected to be polymers or resins. We also do not know whether the rate of decomposition would be faster in direct sunlight.
Air (oxygen) acts much more slowly to convert THC to CBN. Decomposition of THC to CBN is not significant unless temperatures are in the nineties or higher. However, such high temperatures can occur in grass that is packed before it is properly dried. The moisture that is left supports microbial activity, which heats the grass internally, as occurs during certain types of curing. Potency of cured grass is not lowered significantly when the cure is done properly and when the buds are left intact during the process.
The figures for powdered and compressed grass in Table 28 show that both light and air cause rapid decomposition when the resin is exposed through breaking of the resin glands. Intact resin glands appear to function well in storing the cannabinoids. For this reason, it is important to handle fresh and dried grass carefully, in order not to crush the material and thus break the glands, especially in the buds, which have a cover of raised resin glands. Most well-prepared marijuana will have intact, well-preserved buds.
The best place to store marijuana is in a dark container in a refrigerator or freezer. Cannabis should be stored uncleaned, so that the glands containing the THC are not damaged, since damage causes their precious contents to be exposed to light and air. Marijuana should be cleaned only when it is about to be smoked.
Many growers place a fresh lemon, orange, or lime peel in with each lid of stored grass. The peel helps to retain moisture, which keeps the buds pliable, and also gives the grass a pleasant bouquet.
Most growers take well-earned pride in the quality of the marijuana that they grow. By supplying yourself with an herb which may play an important role in your life, you gain a feeling of self-sufficiency that can be infectious.
Since your homegrown is well-tended and fresh, it has a sweet flavourful taste, far superior to that of commercial grass. And there need be no fear of contamination from herbicides, pesticides, adulterants, or other foreign matter. By growing your own, you come to the pleasant realisation that you are free from the vagaries and paranoia of the marijuana market - not to mention how little a home garden costs. All of these feeling can add up to a very heady experience.
In a time of quiet contemplation, you might also reflect on the experiences that brought you this wondrous herb from a tiny seed. There is a tradition of mutual nurture and support between humanity and this plant that goes back 10,000 years.
You are now part of this continuing tradition.
As you probably realised while reading this book, some of the practical information came to us through letters from growers. We appreciate these letters and will continue to refer to them when we update and improve future editions of the Marijuana Grower's Guide. We would also like to hear ideas, criticisms, and feedback from our readers. Other research material and copies of professional research are also welcome.
(Potency is measured by the percentage by weight of THC in a dried sample of the uppermost leaves or growing shoots until flowers appear.) It shoes that generally potency increases as the plant develops. Cues such as phyllotaxy changes and rate of growth are helpful indicator to changes in development and the chronological age of the plant has little significance.
The development of the cannabinoids, resin glands, and, in practical terms, the potency in the living plant is not clearly understood. We believe that,, for the most part, potency does not increase steadily throughout the entire plant. Rather, each plant part reaches a point of maximum potency as it individually develops. A leaf that is formed when the plant is four weeks old does not increase in potency during the rest of the season. To say that potency is increasing means that the leaves that are now forming are more potent than those previously formed.
We also believe that cannabinoid formation is very fast as each plant part forms. Once matured (for example, when a leaf is fully expanded), cannabinoids are decomposing. This is one reason why the potency can decrease as well as increase during growth, especially late in the season, after the flowers have formed. The practical aspects of these points are detailed in the following sections.
20.2 Harvesting During Growth: Leaves and Growing Shoots
Leaves
We have emphasised that you should harvest grass during the course of the season. One reason is to assure yourself a return for your efforts. It is a sad commentary on our times that the greatest danger in growing marijuana outdoors is that the plants may be ripped off. On a more positive note, vegetative shoots and leaves can be surprisingly potent and should be sampled.
The potency of each new set of leaves is higher than the last pair until a plateau is reached, usually during the middle of vegetative growth. Thereafter potency of new leaves stays about the same as in those preceding. Often there is a noticeable decline in potency just prior to flowering. Leaves that form during flowering are usually more potent than those formed during the vegetative plateau. Leaves that form after the bloom are less potent.
Of course, not all varieties or individual plants will follow this rhythm. Faster-developing plants may reach the plateau sooner, and slower plants later. Potency of plants that have a longer life cycle may stay at the vegetative plateau for several months. Some plants do not seem to experience any drop in potency before flowering. Potency of these plants continues to increase gradually after the initial quick increase during early vegetative growth.
Whenever you harvest green leaves during growth, you should always take the uppermost leaves, since these are the most potent. Also, the smaller leaves that form on the branches are more potent than the large leaves on the main stem. These large stem leaves (fan, shade, or sun leaves) are often the first leaves that growers pick. But these are the least potent of all leaves, and the may not get you high at all. As long as these leaves are healthy and green, let them stay on the plant for the plant's growth. Many growers simply use these leaves for mulch or compost as they die.
Don't think that you should harvest each leaf as soon as it appears; this procedure would seriously affect normal growth and result in a small harvest of buds. The potency of individual leaves does not increase during the course of the season, but the decrease in potency is not great. Some of the loss in potency may even be made up for by the loss in tissue weight that a leaf experiences as it dies. Many growers prefer to harvest leaves during growth only after they lose colour, preferring the taste of the smoke to that of green leaves.
Leaves should always be harvested if they die; with indoor gardens, remove any leaves that show signs of insects or other pests.
Do keep yourself supplied with grass (that is the reason you are growing the plant); just don't overdo it. The main harvest is made up of buds, and you want a large, healthy plant that can support vigorous flowering. The larger and healthier a plant is, the more leaf you can harvest without seriously affecting the plant.
Growing Shoots
You may prefer not to clip the growing shoot of the main stem. This forms the largest and most potent cola by harvest time. Plants grown close together usually are not clipped, so that the plants may grow as tall as possible. Where there is much space between plants, the main shoot is clipped to encourage the plant to develop its branches, which fill the available space.
The potency of growing shoots follows the rhythm described for new leaves. However, growing shoots can be the most potent parts of the harvest when picked at the right time. Shoots sometimes reach a very high peak of potency during the middle of vegetative growth. Outdoor gardens should be samples from mid-June through July, since this is the period in which shoots usually reach their peak.
Potency also fluctuates according to local weather conditions. Try to harvest after a period of clear, sunny weather. Potency may declining for several days after a period of cloudy weather or heavy rainfall. After a heavy rain, harvest the shoots a week or two later, since the shoots often peak in potency during a burst of fast growth.
Growing shoots can be harvested from each plant at least twice during growth. The first clipping may not give you much worthwhile grass, but it is done when the plants are young (roughly six weeks old) to force the plant to develop several growing shoots which are harvest about six to eight weeks later. The main shoot is clipped, leaving about four or five nodes below the cut. Two shoots should start to grow from each node, the strongest at the top of the plant and the weakest at the bottom. (This difference is more pronounced under artificial light, since the light is strongest on the top of the plants.) Each plant should produce at least six strong growing shoots after this first clipping. The yield from growing shoots can be considerable (especially during the summer marijuana drought) and will probably keep you supplied until the main harvest.
A third harvest of shoot can be made later if the plants have a long growing season or are indoors. You don't want to clip shoots from the plants just prior to or during flowering, since doing so cuts down on the harvest of buds. Each plant should have at least twelve growing shoots after being clipped twice previously. You might harvest only a few shoots from each plant if the time for flowering is near.
20.3 Male Plants
Male plants usually do not have the dramatic increase in potency during flowering that the females do. Male flowers take about two weeks to mature, from the time they are first visible as tiny knob-like buds. New flowers continue to appear for several weeks.
When male flowers open and are about to release pollen, they reach their maximum potency. Since all flowers do not mature at the same time, for maximum potency the plants should be harvested after the first few flowers have opened.
Male flowers actually make up little of the total weight of the harvest, and few new leaves form once flowering begins. There is no significant loss in either potency or yield if the male is harvested before its flowers open. Once male flowers appear, there is little change in their potency. Also, once the flowers do open and release pollen, they shortly fall from the plant and are lost to the harvest.
Males should therefore be harvested before any flowers open unless you want the females to produce seeds. In a small garden, male flower clusters can be individually harvested as they mature. Most growers treat male flowers more as a novelty. Potency of male flowers is quite variable, and seldom are they as good as the female flowers. To remove male plants, cut them near the base of the stem. Don't rip them up by the roots if they are near females that will be left to grow.
Male plants normally begin to lose their vigour after the initial bloom. When the weather is mild, or the plants are indoors, they can be encouraged to bloom a second and sometimes a third time before they finally die.
20.4 Harvesting Female Buds
The decision of when to harvest females can be simplified by understanding that you want to pick the buds after they have developed fully, but before degradation processes begin to lower potency. There are two criteria you can use to tell when the plants have reached full bloom. The first is recognising the rhythm, with which the plants are blooming. A second is the condition of the flowers as judged by the health of the stigmas and the colour of the resin.
Sinsemilla
Since sinsemilla flowers are not pollinated, the flowering period may last for many weeks. The most common rhythm for sinsemilla is that plants go through a stage of rapid bud formation, and the plants do indeed bloom. This bloom often lasts four to five weeks. The bloom ends when the rate at which new flowers form noticeably declines. At his time you should be able to sense that the bloom is completed. Buds are at their peak potency about one week after flower formation slows. This is the time to harvest. True, the plant may continue to grow slowly, but the main harvest is ready and should be taken.
With sinsemilla, some marijuana varieties have an extended bloom that may last more than two months. With this rhythm, the rate at which the buds form is drawn out, and progresses at a slower but steadier pace. The point at which the bloom is essentially over may not be as obvious as in the first case. Here, use the condition of the buds to make your decision. Stigmas wither first at the base of the buds (older flowers). Those stigmas at the top of the buds (younger) will still be white and healthy, although their tips are often brown. Harvest the plants when about half the stigmas in the buds have withered. The coating of resin glands should still be clear or white, with only a few golden or browned gland heads.
A third type of flowering rhythm is sometimes seen on plants from Thai seed. Flower buds bloom and ripen at different times. These plants also have an extended flowering stage that can last for over two months. You may choose to harvest individual buds, colas, or branches as they ripen.
Seeds
If your primary interest is seeds, the plant should be harvested after the seeds have developed their mature colour. Mature seeds can be seen splitting their sheaths or bracts. When enough seeds have ripened, the plants should be harvested. If the plants are left in the ground and die, many of the seeds will fall from the plant.
For most growers, potency will be of primary interest, seeds only a secondary. With seeded marijuana, flowering is initially rapid until the plant is well-pollinated. If pollination occurs early in flowering, the plants often bloom for another week or two. Generally, you want the plants to flower for at least four weeks before picking, and usually longer, about six to seven weeks.
With seeded marijuana, the bloom is of shorter duration than with sinsemilla. Once growth slows, wait another two to three weeks before harvesting. All the seeds may not be matured, particularly at the top of the bud. But potency of the buds should be about maximum at this time.
20.5 Weather
Because of such variables as variety and growing conditions, there can be so much variation in the ripening process that no one criterion for judging when maximum potency is reached will be reliable for all cases.
Warm, sunny weather encourages rapid flowering and a long period of receptivity by the stigmas. Cool, rainy weather can wither the stigmas and dampen the vigour of the bloom.
If brief frost or long, cool rain has withered the stigmas, use the plants' growth as a guideline, because ultimately this is the most important criterion. You want the buds to reach a mature size, and to ripen for about another week. You do not want the buds to be left on the plant longer than necessary.
Ideally, harvesting should follow a period of warm, sunny weather. In northern and mountainous parts of the country, many tropical varieties will note flower until late in the season, when the weather has cooled and night-time frosts are threatening. Most mature plant can withstand mild frosts and continue to grow well if daytime temperatures are mild. In this case, let the plants mature, since formation of the buds is more important than the weather in determining potency. Watch the plants carefully, and harvest when the buds reach mature size. Marijuana killed by frost may smoke harshly, but potency does not seem affected. Well-formed buds should be picked if heavy rains are expected. Cannabinoids are not water-soluble, but gland heads will be washed away.
Barring a catastrophe, such as a long frost, death to Cannabis is usually not sudden. The plants will continue to grow, and may infact rejuvenate the next year if the stalks are left in the ground. But after the main bloom, the growth that follows is usually much less vigorous and sometimes forms abnormally. Leaves at this time are simplified, and have one blade. Later leaves are smaller, and tend to have entire margins (no serrations). Sometimes they are twisted or misshaped, as are the flowers that form along with them. This slow growth that follows the initial bloom will contribute little to the weight of the harvest. Additionally, this post-bloom growth is much less potent than the original bloom. Resin glands on these plant parts are feeble and poorly developed. When this abnormal growth forms, the time for harvesting is past. {See Figure 83.}
When a plant seems to persist in growing, and you are not sure bloom is past, the best procedure to follow is to try for a double harvest.
Double Harvests
Most marijuana plants take at least five months to reach maturity. Once the plant has reached maturity, it is forming its most potent marijuana, and should not be cut down completely. You can often induce the females to flower a second (and sometimes a third) time, especially if the plants are indoors or if the weather is expected to stay mild for several more weeks.
To encourage a second bloom, first take the bulk of the harvest: all but the smallest buds, and most of the leaf. Some green leaves should be left on the plant to maintain the plant's growth. After harvesting, give the plants a thorough watering, and water with a soluble, complete fertiliser that provides a good supply of both N and P. This will encourage new growth and continued flowering.
Indoors, the best procedure is to treat the plants like a hedge. Cut all the plants back to equal heights, about two to three feet tall. Remove most of the grass, but again leave a few green leaves on the plant. Don't remove lower branches even if they are leafless, since these will sprout again. Lower the light system to the tops of the plants, and maintain the daily cycle at about 12 hours. The second crop of buds will be ready for harvest in four to eight weeks. With this system, the plants appear like dense hedges of buds. If the second crop of buds forms quickly, you should try for a third crop. Continue to fertilise the plants regularly, and watch for signs of magnesium deficiencies, which often show up when the plants have been growing for an extended time.
Double and triple harvests are one of the benefits of indoor growing. Although plants are relatively small indoors, the original harvest of buds can be triples in the next four months.
20.6 Potency and Decomposition
We have said that when buds are picked too late, the potency may decline because of decomposition of the cannabinoids, especially THC.
In section 21, Tables 26-29 give measured rates of decomposition of the major cannabinoids due to exposure to light and air. Light rapidly decomposes THC into unknown products (possibly polymers (122,164)). Light also converts CBD to CBS and CBC to CBL. Air (oxygen) slowly converts THC to the less active CBN. Conversion to CBN is hastened by higher temperatures.
Degradative processes do not occur as quickly in the living plant as when the cannabinoids are purified or in solution, as is shown by the data in Tables 27-30 in section 21 {Tables on disk only}. Resin glands seem to function well in storing the cannabinoids in dried plant material. However, the rates of decomposition in Tables 27 and 28 are for samples exposed to north light and a maximum of 80F temperatures. Temperature would be higher, and light stronger, under full sunlight.
Studies with fresh plant material usually show negligible CBN content in fresh marijuana from immature plants. When mature buds are tested, their CBN content is generally equal to at least five percent of their THC content. When growing temperatures are higher, such as in the tropics, CBN content can account for more than 20 percent of the original THC. Even if we assume a low figure, such as five percent conversion of THC to CBN, there is actually a much greater decline in THC content because of the simultaneous degradation of THC by light.
When the slow rate at which THC oxidises to CBN is considered, five percent decomposition in a period of less than two months represents considerable exposure of the THC to air, and most of this exposure occurs in the last critical weeks when the resin glands begin to degenerate. Plates 8 and 11-13 show the condition of the resin glands on several different kinds of marijuana.
Stalked glands that cover the female flower bracts sometimes rupture or secrete cannabinoids through pores in the glands head. Secretion is not a continuous flow, but more of an emptying of the glands' contents. At this time, gland heads may dehisce. Also, because of their abundance and raised positions, resin glands on the female bracts are exposed to strong sunlight and possible physical damage. These conditions may explain the significant decline in potency of buds that are overripe.
Leaves are also affected by decomposition of the cannabinoids, but not as quickly or seriously as the buds, probably because the resin glands on the leaves are most numerous on the undersurface, where they are somewhat protected from light. These glands rarely rupture or secrete cannabinoids. Often they are intact, clear, and apparently unchanged for many weeks on the living plant.
As the plates show, one can, with the naked eye, see the glands change colour, from colourless or white to golden, and then to reddish or brown. THC is colourless. If the colour changes of the resin do indicate decomposition of THC, then decomposition in the stalked glands that cover the buds can be considerable.
We have smoked buds that seemed to lose about half their potency when left on the plant for an addition three weeks. Colour changes are after the fact. If many of the glands are beginning to brown, the grass should be harvested.
20.7 Timing the Harvest
Many growers will disagree with us on when the best time is to harvest the buds (female plants). When the plants are left in the ground, and are alive but past the main bloom, the resinous qualities of the plant may become more apparent. The bracts and tiny leaves may swell in size, and the leaves feel thicker. The coating of resin glands will change colour. Leaves often yellow and fall form the plant. Much of the green colour in the flowering buds may also be lost. Harvests of these buds more closely resembles commercial Colombian grass than typical homegrown. The resin content of the dried buds may be higher, and the grass will smoke more harshly than if the buds were younger when picked. You may prefer these qualities in your grass, and some growers insist this grass is stonier. We feel that the grass will give you the highest high when it is picked as described previously. Smoking is a personal experience, and you should try different approaches and come to your own conclusions.
The first time you grow marijuana is largely a learning experience. Most growers can't wait to start their second crop, because they are certain that they'll improve on both the quantity and the quality of their crop, and this is usually true. The wise grower will not put all his proverbial eggs in one basket. It is a good idea to monitor potency by taking samples every few days when harvest time is drawing near, just as such monitoring is for deciding when to harvest growing shoots during vegetative growth.
In any garden, some of the plants will mature sooner than others. Use the plant(s) that is earliest to mature to decide at what point in its development the plant reaches maximum potency. This finding then serves as a guide for harvesting the rest of the plants.
Try to use buds from approximately the same position on the plant each time you sample. Take only enough to make a joint or two. The more you standardise your testing (and this includes your smoking evaluation), the more accurate your results may be.
20.8 Final Harvesting
The time of harvest is a time of joy. It is also a time for caution. Unless the safety of your garden is assured, you will want to harvest quickly, quietly and as efficiently as possible. Ideally, each plant is harvested as it matures, but some of you will have to harvest all at once.
It is best to take cardboard boxes or large, sturdy bags to carry the harvest. You want to harvest the plants with as little crushing or damage to the flowers as possible.
Bring a strong knife, heavy shears, or clippers for cutting the stalks. The quickest way to harvest is to cut each plant at its base. Once the plants are on the ground, cut the stalks into manageable lengths for boxing or bagging. Separate large branches as needed for packing.
The bagged or boxed material should be moved to the curing or drying area as soon as possible. If you let the plants sit in the trunk of a car or in plastic bags, they will start to ferment and small in less than a day.
Chapter 21
AFTER THE HARVEST
Once the marijuana plant is harvested, it ceases to produce cannabinoids and resins, and the main changes in potency that occur are degradative. However, when the material is handled carefully, dried or cured properly, and then stored well, little degradation will occur. During drying or curing, the resin content may seem to increase, as the plant's tissues shrink away from their resinous coating.
More than 70 percent of the fresh weight of the plant os water. Drying is done to evaporate most of this water, so the marijuana will burn evenly and smoke smoothly. Additionally, the cannabinoids in fresh plant material are mostly in the acid forms, which are not psychoactive. The acid cannabinoids decarboxylate (they lose the gas, carbon dioxide) during the drying or curing processes, which convert them to their psychoactive neutral forms. Decarboxylation is complete if the marijuana is actually smokes. For this reason, no special procedures are needed to decarboxylate the marijuana unless it will be eaten. In that case, the recipe should include a period of dry heating. The heat converts the cannabinoids to their psychoactive neutral forms, and also melts the sharp-pointed cystolith hairs that cover leaves, stems and petioles. Cystolith hairs can cause stomach pains if you eat uncooked marijuana or chew on raw marijuana, which we strongly advise you not to do.
Commercial marijuana us usually composed of just the flower tops (colas), which have been stripped, manicured, cured, and dried. Homegrowers often do not cure their crop before drying, and if the smoke is smooth, there is no reason not to dry it directly. But harsh-smoking marijuana can be cured so that the smoke is smoother. Curing has little affect on potency when done properly.
21.2 Stripping
Stripping, the removal of large leaves, is usually done soon after harvesting. Fan leaves are stripped because they are much less potent than the colas that they cover, and do not cure as well as the prime material. In commercial growing areas, the fan leaves are often stripped in the field and form a green manure. But fan leaves are sometimes quite potent, especially if they are recent growth. The lower leaves are usually weak, but they can be used in cooking or concentrated in an extract.
The easiest time to strip fan leaves is after they have wilted, because they are easier to pull off when they are limp then when they are turgid. Wilting takes place in less than an hour if the plants are in a well-ventilated space. Plants placed in a plastic bag in a cool area may take a day or more to wilt.
Some growers leave the fan leaves on until the plants have dried. After the buds are removed, they strip the remaining leaves by running their (gloved) hands from the base of stems and branches toward their tips. The fan leaves disintegrate into shake.
21.3 Grading and Manicuring
Grading and manicuring are important steps in preparing fine grass. Grading is done by separating the plants according to variety, sex, and the particular stash uniform, and the quality of the better grades is not diluted. Plant parts are usually graded as follows: main top colas, small side colas, immature buds, leaves accompanying flowers, and fan and stray leaves. This is important, because the differences in potency will be considerable. For instance, the buds on a Colombian homegrown will be top quality, but the lower leaves will be more like a low-grade commercial Mexican.
Manicuring is done to remove the extraneous leaf from the colas. First the large fan leaves are stripped. The exposed colas are then trimmed with scissors to remove the ends of leaves that stick out from the colas. Plants should be manicured and (usually) graded before drying, since dried material crumbles into shake when handled. Also, leaves dry much more quickly than buds, and different plant parts cure at their own rates.
Male flowers are often treated as a novelty by growers, who make individually rolled sticks from them, as follows. Hang the plants upside down; the leaves will wilt and hang down, covering the male flower clusters. Then roll each cluster within its leaves between the palms of your hands, to compress the cluster into a joint-shaped mass. Dry the "stick" in a warm dark place. Rolling the grass ruptures many of the glands; so dried sticks should be stored carefully until each is used.
Hashish
When you handle your crop, you may notice a resin build-up on your hands and the tools you are using. This resin can be collected by rubbing and scraping it into a ball. It makes a quality hash that is several times as concentrated as the grass.
Small quantities of hash can be made by rubbing resinous plant parts across a thin, fine mesh screen. The resin is then scraped off the screen and rolled into finger shapes. Hash can also be made by thrashing fresh plants over a mesh screen inside an enclosed box whose floor is lined with sheet plastic. A box about one yard square is a suitable size. On one side of the box a hole is made large enough for the colas to be shaken by hand. In this way, the resin glands are knocked loose, but are contained by the box and settle on the plastic.
Plastic or paper should be placed beneath the marijuana during manicuring, grading, or drying. Besides fallen grass, a considerable amount of glands and fine shake can be caught and compressed to a hash-like mass.
21.4 Curing
Curing is a process employed to naturally enhance the bouquet, flavour, and texture of marijuana. Curing does not lower potency when done correctly, although poor curing methods often result in some less of THC.
Curing is not an essential procedure, and many growers prefer the "natural" flavour of uncured grass. Sweet sinsemilla buds usually are not cured.
Curing is most successful on plants which have "ripened" and are beginning to lose chlorophyll. It is less successful on growing tips and other vigorous parts which are immature. These parts may only lose some chlorophyll.
Curing proceeds while the leaf is still alive, for until it dries, many of the leaf's life processes continue. Since the leaf's ability to produce sugars is thwarted, it breaks down stored starch to simple sugars, which are used for food. This gives the grass a sweet or earthy aroma and taste. At the same time, many of the complex proteins and pigments, such as chlorophyll, are broken down in enzymatic processes. This changes the colour of the leaf from green to various shades of yellow, brown, tan, or red, depending primarily on the variety, but also on growing environment and cure technique. The destruction of chlorophyll eliminates the minty taste that is commonly associated with green homegrown.
There are several methods of curing, most of which were originally designed to cure large quantities of tobacco. Some of them can be modified by the home grower to use for small marijuana harvests as well as large harvests. The methods used to cure marijuana are the air, flue, sweat, sun, and water cures.
Air Curing
Air curing is a technique developed in the United States for curing pipe and cigar tobacco. It was originally done in specially constructed barns made with ventilator slats which could be sealed; a small shed or metal building can easily be adapted for this use. However, this method of curing works only when there is enough material to keep the air saturated with moisture.
Wires are strung across the barn, and the marijuana plants or plant parts are hung from them, using string, wire twists, or the crooks of branches. The plants material should be closely spaced, but there should be enough room between branches (a few inches) so that air circulates freely. The building is kept unventilated until all the material loses some chlorophyll (green colour). This loss occurs rapidly during warm sunny weather because heat builds up, which hastens the cure. In wet or overcast weather, the temperature in the chamber will be cooler, and the process will proceed more slowly. If these conditions last for more than a day or two, unwanted mould may grow on the plants. The best way to prevent mould from forming is to raise the temperature to 90F by using a heater.
After the leaves have lost their deep green and become pale, the ventilator or windows are opened slightly, so that the temperature and humidity are lowered and the curing process is slowed. The process then continues until all traces of chlorophyll are eliminated. The entire process may take six weeks. Then the ventilators are opened, and an exhaust fan installed if necessary, to dry the material to the point that it can be smoked but still is moist, that is, bends rather than crumbles or powders when rubbed between thumb and forefinger.
Flue Curing
Flue curing differs from air curing in that the process is speeded up by using an external source of heat, and the air circulation is more closely regulated. This method can be used with small quantities of material in a small, airtight curing box constructed for the purpose. Large quantities can be hung in a room or barn as described in Air Curing.
A simple way to control the temperature when curing or drying small amounts of marijuana is to place the material to be cured in a watertight box (or a bottle) with ventilation holes on the top. Place the box in a water-filled container, such as a pot, fish-tank, or bathtub. The curing box contains air and will float. The water surrounding the box is maintained at the correct temperature by means of a stove or hotplate, fish-tank or water-bed heater, or any inexpensive immersible heater. Temperature of the water is monitored.
With the marijuana loosely packed, maintain water temperature at 90 degrees. After several days, the green tissue turns a pale yellow-green or murky colour, indicating yellow or brown pigments. Then increase temperature, to about 100 degrees, until all traces of green disappear. Raise the temperature once again, this time to 115 degrees, until a full, ripe colour develops. Also increase ventilation at this time, so that the marijuana dries. Plants dried at high temperature tend to be brittle; so lower the temperature before drying is completed. This last phase of drying can be done at room temperature, out of the water bath. The whole process takes a week or less.
Marijuana cured by this technique turns a deep brown colour. Immature material may retain some chlorophyll and have a slight greenish cast. Taste is rich yet mild.
Sweat Curing
Sweat curing is the technique most widely used in Colombia. Long branches containing colas are layered in piles about 18 inches high and a minimum of two feet square, more often about ten by fifteen feet. Sweat curing actually incorporates the fermenting process. Within a few hours the leaves begin to heat up from the microbial action in the same way that a compost pile ferments. Then change in colour is very rapid; watch the pile carefully, so that it does not overheat and rot the colas. Each day unpack the piles, and remove the colas that have turned colour. Within four or five days, all the colas will have turned colour. They are then dried. One way to prevent rot while using this method is to place cotton sheets, rags, or paper towels between each double layer of colas. The towels absorb some of the moisture and slow down the process.
Sweat curing can be modified for use with as little marijuana as two large plants. Pack the marijuana tightly in a heavy paper sack (or several layers of paper bags), and place it in the sun. The light is converted to heat and helps support the sweat.
Another variation of the sweat process occurs when fresh undried marijuana is bricked. The bricks are placed in piles, and they cure while being transported.
A simple procedure for a slow sweat cure is to roll fresh marijuana in plastic bags. Each week, open the bag for about an hour to evaporate some water. In about six weeks, the ammonia smell will dissipate somewhat, and the grass should be dried. This cure works well with small quantities of mediocre grass, since it concentrates the material.
Sun Curing
A quick way to cure small quantities of marijuana os to loosely fill a plastic bag or glass jar, or place a layer between glass or plastic sheets, and expose the material to the sun. Within a few hours the sun begins to bleach it. Turn the marijuana every few hours, so that all parts are exposed to the sun. An even cure is achieved in one to two days {(see Plate 16)}. Some degradation of THC may occur using this method.
Water Cure
Unlike other curing methods, the water cure is performed after the marijuana is dried. Powder and small pieces are most often used, but the cure also works with whole colas. The material is piled loosely in a glass or ceramic pot which is filled with luke-warm water. (When hot water is used, some of the THC is released in oils, which escape and float to the top of the water.) Within a few hours many of the non-psychoactive water-soluble substances dissolve. An occasional gentle stirring speeds the process. The water is changed and the process repeated. Then the grass is dried again for smoking.
THC is not water-soluble; so it remains on the plant when it is soaked. By eliminating water-soluble substances (pigments, proteins, sugars, and some resins), which may make up 25 percent of the plant material by weight, this cure may increase the concentration of THC by up to a third.
Marijuana cured by this method has a dark, almost black colour, and looks twisted and curled, something like tea leaves. The water cure is frequently used to cure dried fan leaves and poor-quality grass.
21.5 Drying
Living marijuana leaves are 80 percent water; colas are about 70 percent water. Marijuana dried for smoking contains only eight to 10 percent water, or about 10 percent of the original amount. There are several methods used to evaporate water; these have little effect on potency, but can affect the taste, bouquet, and smoothness of the smoke. Generally, the slower the dry, the smoother the taste. Excess drying and drying methods that use heat will evaporate some of the volatile oils that give each grass its unique taste and aroma.
Grasses which are dried as part of the curing process usually have a smooth, mild taste, because of the elimination of chlorophyll and various proteins. Cured marijuana may also be a little sweeter than when first picked, because the curing converts some of the plant's starch to simple sugars.
Some grasses are tasty and smooth-smoking when they are dried without curing, especially fresh homegrown buds which retain their volatile oils and sugar. Many homegrowers have acquired a taste for "natural" uncured grass, with its minty chlorophyll flavour; such marijuana is dried directly after harvesting. {Figure 89, Male plants drying on a tree. Cheesecloth holds loose leaf for drying.}
Slow Drying
Slow drying is probably the method most commonly used to dry marijuana. Because of the slowness of the dry, a slight cure takes place, eliminating the bite sometimes associated with quickly dried grass.
There are many variations of the technique, but most commonly whole plants or separated colas are suspended upside down from a drawn string or from pegs on a wall in a cool dark room, closet, or other enclosed space. A large number of plants may take a week or two to dry. The drying time for small numbers of plants can be increased (for a slight cure) by placing the plants in large, open paper sacks that have ventilation holes cut in their sides. The drying room should have no heavy drafts, but mould may form on the plants if the air is stagnant. If weather is rainy or the air humid, increase ventilation and watch for any mould. Plants should be dried quickly under moderate heat if any mould appears.
Many experienced growers prefer slow drying to curing. There is little chance of error with this method, and buds usually smoke smooth and develop a pliable consistency. Slow-dried ripe buds retain their delicious, sweet aroma and taste.
Fast Drying
The fast dry-method produces a harsher smoke than slow drying, but it is often the most convenient method to use. The plants are suspended in the same way as for slow drying, but the temperature in the drying area is increased to between 90 and 115 degrees, often by means of electric or gas heater. The drying area is kept well-ventilated with a fan. As the plants dry, they are removed from the drying area. By this method, plants in a tightly packed room can be dried in less than four days, but the exhaust will contain the deliciously pungent odour of drying marijuana.
Indoor growers often hang plants to dry over radiators or stream pipes. Leaves are dried by placing them on a tray over a radiator or on top of the light fixture.
Marijuana that is fast-dried retains its original green colour and minty taste.
Oven Drying
Oven drying is often used by gardeners to sample their crop. Small quantities of material can be quickly dried by being placed in a 150 to 200 oven for about 10 minutes. Larger quantities can be dried in trays that contain a single layer of material or in a dehydrator. Oven-dried and dehydrator-dried marijuana usually has a harsh taste and bite, and loses much of its bouquet. The method is often used to dry marijuana which has been cured and dried but is too moist to smoke, or to dry marijuana which is to be used for cooking or extractions. It is an adequate method for obtaining dry material for testing and emergencies, but the main harvest should not be dried in this way. Oven drying works best with leaves. When leaves are dried together with buds or shoots, remove the material from the oven periodically, to separate the faster-drying leaf material (before it burns) from the slower drying buds. One way to do this is to place all the material on a wire screen over a tray. Every few minutes rub the material across the screen. Dried material falls unto the tray and is removed from the oven. Repeat until all the material has dried.
Oven curing works well when closely watched. Dried marijuana that is left in the oven will lose potency quickly. Any time the marijuana begins to char, most of the potency will already have been lost. This should not be a problem unless you are careless, or allow the temperature to go above 200 degrees.
Sun Drying
Some growers dry their crops right in the field. There are many methods of sun drying. In Oregon, some growers break the main stem about two feet from the ground. The leaves and buds dry gradually, since they are still partly attached to the plant. Other growers spread burlap and cover it with plants left to dry. Fan leaves are left on the plants to protect the drying buds from the sun. The grass is manicured after drying. Growers in Arizona shade drying plants with cheesecloth.
Sun-dried marijuana usually has a taste similar to that of oven-dried. Often the sun bleaches it slightly but also destroy some of the delicate bouquet. Prolonged exposure to the sun will decrease potency, although there is no noticeable loss if drying is done quickly.
Dry Ice
Many homegrowers have written to us that the dry-ice cure increases the potency of marijuana considerably, and we would be remiss not to mention it.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. When it melts (sublimates), it turns from a solid directly into a gas. This gas absorbs some moisture from the frozen marijuana and partially dries it.
There are many variations of the dry-ice method. Fresh or partially dried material is usually used, although some enthusiasts claim that the cure also works with dried material. The marijuana is placed in a coffee can or similar container with a lid, along with at least an equal volume of dry ice. Puncture the lid so that the gas can escape as it evaporates. Place the can in a freezer to prolong the evaporation process. When the dry ice is gone, the grass is dried, but still moist.
Some growers claim that simply freezing the grass increases potency. They often freeze fan leaves or other less-potent material for a couple of months before smoking it. This is said to work only with fresh (wet or dried) grass.
21.6 Fermentation
When vegetation dries, the individual cells which maintained life processes die. But marijuana can still be conditioned by means of fermentation. Fermentation is the process in which microbes and plant enzymes break down complex chemicals into simpler ones, mainly starch and sugars into alcohol and simple acids. In the process chlorophyll is destroyed, giving the material a more ripened appearance. If the fermentation is stopped early, the marijuana has a sweeter taste because of the sugars which the ferment produced.
Fermentation occurs when the moisture content of the marijuana is raised above 15 percent and the temperature is above 60 degrees. The more tightly packed the material, that faster the ferment proceeds. The rate of ferment is controlled primarily by varying the moisture content, but each batch proceeds at its own rate because of differences between plants in nitrogen content. (Nitrogen is necessary to maintain fermenting bacteria.) The process is delicate; should the ferment proceed too rapidly, the marijuana may be converted to compost. Watch the fermentation closely. After the desired colour or flavour (from a dried sample) is reached, dry the grass quickly to stop the process.
During fermentation, flavourings can be added to give the marijuana a spicy aroma. Such spices as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, sage, or vanilla are placed between the fermenting material. Orange, lemon, or lime peels are also used. About half an ounce of spice or four ounces of peel are used for each cubic foot of material to be fermented. The spices are wrapped in cloth sachets. The citrus peels are strung. They can be placed between the layers of marijuana.
There are two types of fermentations: self-generating and forced. They are best used with leaves or immature plants.
Self-Generating Fermentation
Self-generating fermentation proceeds rapidly only when there is enough material to make a heap at least one cubic yard large. When smaller quantities are used, too much of the heat generated by the bacteria is dissipated, so that the process is slow and is more properly considered aging.
Place the material in a large container or in a pile with a tarpaulin placed over it, and lightly spray it with a mister if it is dry. Let the pile heat up for a few days, and then break it down. If it is repacked, the marijuana will develop a dull matte appearance and lose its sugars. IF the process is allowed to proceed even further, the marijuana will disintegrate.
Forced Fermentation
Forced fermentation can be used with small quantities of material. It requires an enclose chamber in which heat and humidity can be regulated.
Pack the marijuana loosely in a kiln or other chamber, and raise the temperature to 135 degrees. Maintain humidity at 75 percent. Check the progress of the ferment periodically. Within a week the ferment should be completed. During this ferment there is a release of ammonia compounds, resulting in some foul odours, but upon completion of the ferment and drying, the marijuana should smoke sweet and mellow.
21.7 Storage
THC is degraded by both heat and light. Table 26 shows results of an experiment conducted at the University of Mississippi, in which marijuana was stored under varying temperature conditions171. These results indicate that marijuana stored at room temperature (72) or below, and in darkness for up to two years will lose only an insignificant amount of its original potency; whereas marijuana stored in darkness at 97 or above will lose almost all its potency within two years.
In another experiment,164 Fairbairn stored dried marijuana at different temperatures in both light and dark conditions. The samples in light were exposed to a north-facing windows (no direct sunlight). The results are shown in Table 27.
Fairbairn also performed an experiment to discover the effect of air on THC164. Freshly prepared Cannabis resin was stored as a loose powder, a compressed powder, and an unbroken lump for one year at 68 degrees F (about room temperature). Samples were stored under two conditions: in light and air, and in darkness and air. The results are shown in Table 28.
Fairbairn experimented further with pure cannabinoids and extracts of marijuana dissolved in petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethanol (alcohol)165. The results, in Tables 29 and 30, show that the THC and CBD in solution are much more unstable than when they are left in marijuana, especially if they are held by the plant in undamaged glands, where they are protected from exposure to air and, to some degree, light. Crude extracts seem more stable than highly refined cannabinoids, especially CBD, which is very unstable in refined solutions.
Extract makers and purchasers should limit the exposure of the solution to light and heat as well as to air. Oils and extracts should be kept refrigerated in opaque, sealed container. Notice that THC is almost completely degraded in a few weeks when it is held in solution and exposed to light. Red oil, hash oil, and honey oil must be stored in light-tight containers to preserve potency.
From the tables, you can see that light is the primary factor that causes decomposition of THC. The decomposition products are unknown, but are suspected to be polymers or resins. We also do not know whether the rate of decomposition would be faster in direct sunlight.
Air (oxygen) acts much more slowly to convert THC to CBN. Decomposition of THC to CBN is not significant unless temperatures are in the nineties or higher. However, such high temperatures can occur in grass that is packed before it is properly dried. The moisture that is left supports microbial activity, which heats the grass internally, as occurs during certain types of curing. Potency of cured grass is not lowered significantly when the cure is done properly and when the buds are left intact during the process.
The figures for powdered and compressed grass in Table 28 show that both light and air cause rapid decomposition when the resin is exposed through breaking of the resin glands. Intact resin glands appear to function well in storing the cannabinoids. For this reason, it is important to handle fresh and dried grass carefully, in order not to crush the material and thus break the glands, especially in the buds, which have a cover of raised resin glands. Most well-prepared marijuana will have intact, well-preserved buds.
The best place to store marijuana is in a dark container in a refrigerator or freezer. Cannabis should be stored uncleaned, so that the glands containing the THC are not damaged, since damage causes their precious contents to be exposed to light and air. Marijuana should be cleaned only when it is about to be smoked.
Many growers place a fresh lemon, orange, or lime peel in with each lid of stored grass. The peel helps to retain moisture, which keeps the buds pliable, and also gives the grass a pleasant bouquet.
Most growers take well-earned pride in the quality of the marijuana that they grow. By supplying yourself with an herb which may play an important role in your life, you gain a feeling of self-sufficiency that can be infectious.
Since your homegrown is well-tended and fresh, it has a sweet flavourful taste, far superior to that of commercial grass. And there need be no fear of contamination from herbicides, pesticides, adulterants, or other foreign matter. By growing your own, you come to the pleasant realisation that you are free from the vagaries and paranoia of the marijuana market - not to mention how little a home garden costs. All of these feeling can add up to a very heady experience.
In a time of quiet contemplation, you might also reflect on the experiences that brought you this wondrous herb from a tiny seed. There is a tradition of mutual nurture and support between humanity and this plant that goes back 10,000 years.
You are now part of this continuing tradition.
As you probably realised while reading this book, some of the practical information came to us through letters from growers. We appreciate these letters and will continue to refer to them when we update and improve future editions of the Marijuana Grower's Guide. We would also like to hear ideas, criticisms, and feedback from our readers. Other research material and copies of professional research are also welcome.
