As cannabis becomes very popular and in-demand to cannabis enthusiasts, the knowledge about weed has also increased as more information has been shared about this amazing plant. The number of cannabis growers has also increased since the use of cannabis has been legalized in many places.
As time goes by, cannabis growers have discovered many ways to be able to produce a high yield. For example, they know how to check trichomes to tell if the plant is ready for harvest and have come up with different cultivating methods. Cannabis experts, with their never-ending quest of discovering more ways to enjoy cannabis and make the most of these amazing plants, several pieces of research and studies have been conducted to provide more information regarding pots.
What are trichomes?
Trichomes may sound new to some, but if you are an experienced cannabis user or grower, you would know how important trichomes are. A cannabis plant is made up of these tiny particles which carry their characteristics.
Trichomes are very small, almost microscopic, particles that are found in a cannabis plant. They often look like fine hairs and in some plants, they look like tiny scales. Trichomes are also known as “kief” and “frosting” because they look like snow frostings to the naked eyes. They are found on the surface of a mature cannabis flower.
They are the sticky and gooey resin that you get when you hold a marijuana plant. Trichomes also protect the plant from insects and pests.
Trichomes are very important because, without it, cannabis will never have its effect. Trichomes give cannabis its character that is being enjoyed recreationally or used in the medical field. In simpler terms, cannabis will not have its effect without trichomes.
How to check for trichomes?
As mentioned earlier, trichomes are very tiny particles that can be found on the surface of a mature cannabis flower. They are sticky and mostly glossy. To check for trichomes, it is best to use a magnifying glass to take a closer look at its color.
A natural way of checking trichomes is through the use of the naked eye. Some trichomes can be seen if you take a closer look at it. Knowing where to find it is the best way to look for it.
You can check trichomes by using a magnifying glass, a microscope, or anything that magnifies images. Taking a closer look at trichomes you will see its physical characteristics which include its color.
Trichomes, though they may be tiny are not hard to find. They are the frosty particles that cover some varieties of a cannabis plant. Some of them look like tiny orangey or reddish hair. They stick to the hand when you hold a cannabis plant.
Examples of devices that you can use to check on trichomes are handheld magnifiers, a regular magnifying glass, jeweler’s loupes, portable microscopes, big or handheld microscopes, endoscopes, stereo microscopes, or even smartphones. Anything that can magnify small images can be used on how to find or how to check trichomes.
What are the uses of trichomes?
If you are a cannabis cultivator or a beginner in the field of cannabis growing, you should know how to check trichomes and why it is important. As mentioned, trichomes carry the cannabinoids, the important properties that give cannabis its character. Without the trichomes, cannabis will just a mere plant, nothing more, nothing less.
Cannabis growers also acknowledge the importance of trichomes. Why? One important method in determining how when to harvest cannabis is by using the trichome method. Timing is very important in harvesting your cannabis product. The effect of the bud matters if you harvest it a little early or late.
A cannabis grower needs to know how to check for trichomes so that he’d be able to know if his plants are ready for harvest. The trichome method is a significantly accurate method used in harvesting cannabis. By observing the color of the trichomes, you can tell if the plant is ready for harvest or if you will be harvesting a better quality crop.
- Clear or transparent. When trichomes are transparent these will most likely give you crops with high potency.
- Milky or cloudy. When trichomes are had milky or cloudy color, it indicates that you have the most potent buds getting a percentage close to 100.
- Amber-colored. Amber-colored trichomes indicate that the buds have less THC percentage. At this point, the THC has been degraded to CBN which brings about narcotic feelings.
It is possible to control the quality of your buds by the timing of harvesting. Knowing these facts will help you decide if you need to harvest early or late. Early harvest will give you more cerebral high or effects while late harvest will give you a more body-centered or stoned effect.
Types of Trichomes
If you will be checking for trichomes, there are three types of trichomes:
- The Capitate – Stalked Trichomes. This type of trichomes is the most common among cannabis plants. They can be seen by the naked eye. They are made of stalk and head.
- The Capitate – Sessile Trichomes – These trichomes are about 25-100 micrometers in size. They look like a mushroom because of its globe-shaped head that is attached to its single stalk. The Sessile Trichome has shells that are responsible for secreting cannabinoids and other important plant compounds.
- Bulbous Trichomes. This is the smallest among the three types of trichomes. They can’t be seen by the naked eye as they are about 15 to 30 micrometers in size. These trichomes can be found on the outer part of a cannabis plant and they have a secretory head.
Knowing facts about cannabis are very helpful to any cannabis enthusiast. For most cannabis growers, knowing how to check trichomes has become a basic skill because trichomes can tell the grower if it is time for harvest. For novice or beginner growers, if you want to have a better harvest, one of the basic thing that you need to know is how to check trichomes.