Growing for terpenes?

ShLUbY

Well-Known Member
The key to growing for terpenes is a combination of incredible soil and good genetics. In your case, you'd either want to find a clone that provides the flavor profile you're looking for or attempt to make the cross yourself. Once you've got your clone, get yourself the highest quality living soil you can source. If you can't find it, make it yourself :D

Terpenes are actually the result of the constant communications all the bacteria and fungi are making with one another. So, your terpene profile will essentially be a reflection of your soil.

"
If you’re small, smells are a good way to stand out. A team of researchers led by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) has demonstrated for the first time that two different types of micro-organisms – bacteria and fungi – use fragrances, known as terpenes, to hold conversations. And that’s not all. “We actually believe that terpenes are the most popular chemical medium on our planet to communicate through.”
"

https://nioo.knaw.nl/en/press/worlds-most-spoken-language-isterpene’

Sounds wacky at first, but consider that these "communications" are essentially the roots signaling to the microbes in the soil what it wants, and when.

As kingzt also pointed out, minerals play a part in not just terpene production but a balanced soil. I've heard people swear by sulfer and calcium to increase terpene production, but can only find articles about calcium helping.

https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ijb.2005.196.200

My soil is amended with basalt, oyster shell flour, and GRD for my mineral profile and I've noticed a difference since then. Those 3 not only provide me with loads of minerals (including calcium and sulfer) but the OSF buffers the peat moss. Been running this soil for over a year and the smell and taste is unreal, for anything you grow in this. I started growing my own veggies once I realized this about terpenes. If this soil can produce incredible smelling and tasting meds, it should work with veggies too right? Yes and yes! You can practically grow anything if your soil is good enough. When you cut into a cucumber/tomato/etc grown in a well balanced living organic soil, the same soil we're using on our girls, it's hard to go back to store bought veggies just like it's hard to go back to a dispensary.

tl;dr: Look into living organic soil and grow a clone that has the flavor profile you want in it.
haha funny how you did the opposite, but same exact thing as me. i was trying to be a better veggie gardener and learned about living soil and organics... and then i thought to myself, why am I not doing this with my cannabis?!?! So, i did! :)
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
I think I got some genetics that could express really well, I will do some pheno hunting for sure:
Crockett Family Farms - Turbo Diesel ((GG#4 x Pure Kush) x Sour Diesel)
HSO - 707 Headband
Barneys - Violator Kush (Kush Landrace Hybrid)
BC Bud Depot - SoCal Master Kush

I have seen lab results for most of these and they show above average a-bisabolol. I grow directly in the ground and have really clay soil at 8000' but still get 8ft tall plants. Veggies grown in the same beds seem to taste great. I am not as concerned with yield or THC, I really grow for flavor. I think to pursue the high Brix thing better I need to establish a baseline for my soil/dirt. Can anyone recommend a good lab for soil testing? Also how do I 'like' another post?
make more posts, and get more likes, the buttons show up when you participate enough
 

stoned-monkey

Well-Known Member
I test my soil at MSU. its $25 dollars. you can drop off or go through the mail. I suspect that any agricultural university near you does this. or just google search mail in soil test. most if not all aren't going to give you cannabis specific recommendations.

clay soil generally has good mineral content, but low organic matter and poor drainage. what I do is add compost/manure and straw/alfalfa before and after the grow season. then once your soil is better texture and balanced profile you can just add compost/manure/straw/alfalfa as needed, I use straw as mulch too.
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
there's usually a county agricultural agent, if you look up his office number, i'm sure he'll know the closest test centers. you don't have to mention that its for weed, unless you live in a legal place. tell him you're growing hops to make your own beer.
 

pollen205

Well-Known Member
I am 3 week to hatrvest...
Complete bio grow ...biotabs start kit

Will I benefit from adding fresh sea water and how much ?
 

doug mirabelli

Well-Known Member
I use the product terpenez. Not sure how good it is because I haven’t done a control but I find that I’ve gotten a good gene expression from my super lemon haze last harvest on it
 
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DonTesla

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, I have been growing for 10+ years alway knew that there was a specific flavor to weed that I just loved. Now with lab testing, I am pretty positive that it is a combo of Myrcene and Bisabolol (Kushy). Maybe there is already a thread about this that someone can direct me to? But if not I was wondering what growing techniques (other then genetics) can be used to enhance this flavor profile.
If you want to amplify your terpenes, use a trigger.

Insect frass, for one, and another is... use magnesium sulfate foliar at the flip, which will double your terps and increase pungency, if timed right and if right strength, and increase your vitamin and mineral production as well.

Terps and anthocyanin (a special antioxidant) are my favourite tings about the plant by far..
 

Joe_doe

New Member
But you can take ordinary seawater and use it diluted 1:10 a couple of times a year.
ive also heard of dumping seaweed into your wormery (accounting for ph) or letting it steep into compost tea or if you have the dried a crushed variety, it can be sprinkled into your soil. Even dried seagull guano will contain that sea goodness
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
Kelp meal is a component of basically every tea I make.
I'd get it fresh, but west coast seaweed....
Cali coast seaweed....
I dunno. Seems like it'd be contaminated as fuck.
i'm not sure any of it's as pure as it was ten years ago, i try to get something that says "cold water" on it, not that that's a guarantee of anything, just seems like the farther north they get it from, the less shit ought to be in it
 

DonTesla

Well-Known Member
So... The thing about this, while beautiful, doesn't seem to have any function to someone smoking flowers.
Amazing stuff, to be sure. But I have a hard time seeing what use it is in cannabis....
You underestimating the power of it, is all... as did i..
 

Miyagismokes

Well-Known Member
You underestimating the power of it, is all... as did i..
I guess I could be, my viewpoint is somewhat narrow. Does it survive combustion? Does it vape? Does it come through in an extract?
I'm all about cannabis as one of the most useful plants on Earth, but I provide weed to be smoked. I can't do ALL the hemp things... At least not yet.
As it stands now, it's a visual effect that adds MAD bag appeal, but it's just gonna get burnt....
 

DonTesla

Well-Known Member
@Miyagismokes
Hmm, perhaps you're assuming that most ppl just smoke their medicine but really, most ppl that need it for actual medicine use the plant in several ways.. creams, balms, tinctures, pills, edibles, soaps, sprays, dog treats, vape, smoke, drinks, sauces, oils, syrups, concentrates, etc etc.

Your avenue is great and a more than worthy one, you make the world a better place...however, it may exploit only 5-10% of that whole and overall related market or so. I am just aiming to stay thinking a bit bigger picture. I don't sell any of my flowers, they are either consumed by my friends and fam for free or donated to events...but I do hope a hearty marriage of benefits may stem from our ongoing research. We will know much much much more after I do my PhD, haha, but for now, I can say that:

Anthocyanins, the largest water-soluble pigments in the plant kingdom, are a type of flavonoid, a phytonutrient found exclusively in plants. Plants with these colorful pigments have long been valued in herbal medicine for their numerous health benefits.

Additional research shows that anthocyanins inhibit nuclear factor-kB activation, thus reducing the pro-inflammatory mediators that are linked to the initiation of degenerative diseases. *

*Karlsen A1, Retterstøl L, et al. Anthocyanins inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB activation in monocytes and reduce plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory mediators in healthy adults, J Nutr. 2007 Aug;137(8):1951-4.

and YES
It survives many cooking processes, and concentrates well.. including making Rosin, one of my faves, which yes, can go pure red, purple or pink.. or even blue in high ph and metallic situations..

If your customers had this, I am sure they would thank you whether recreational or not!

Screen Shot 2018-07-18 at 2.18.22 PM.png
 
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