The more trichomes a bud has, the more potent the marijuana will be. Trichomes are the medicinal crystals of the plant and form as the bud yields into its final stages. These crystals peak during the plant's drying and curation process, and the more frosty your nuggets become determines how strong your highs will be.
A bud hardener is an additive you can use at the end of the flower cycle to tighten up your flowers and pack on weight. They are typically used in the final 3 weeks or so of the grow cycle and contain a mix of macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, essential oils, etc.
Nutrients – Buds won't fatten and get dense unless they're getting the right nutrients at the right time, which means plenty of Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) in the flowering stage. Giving too much Nitrogen (found in all-purpose plant food) in the flowering stage can result in smaller, looser buds.
Phosphorus technically helps the plant move energy from one part to another, which means that it helps the plant produce bigger seeds, stronger roots, and bigger buds. Potassium makes the plant hardier and stronger, better able to withstand hardship or disease.
What Are the Most Common Synthetic Hormones to Create PGR Weed? The three most common synthetic PGRs used in cannabis growing are chlormequat chloride, daminozide (a.k.a. Alar), and Paclobutrazol. All three inhibit growth, ensuring the flower becomes the largest and densest part of the plant.
Molasses adds sugars to the plant and will help it to bud. Like us, plants need salts, nutrients, and sugars daily. Feeding your plants molasses, what could be considered the equivalent to our eating junk food sugars, will pack on the weight to your marijuana buds.
Bud Hardner can be successfully used in all growing systems. This product will also improve size and quality of flower yield over the shortest of growing periods. You can use Indoor Garden – Bud Hardner from the weeks of 6 to 7 at a period of 7 to 10 days.
Light intensity
To some degree, more light translates to fatter buds and higher yields (you'll need to pay attention to the distance between your grow light and plants or your plant may suffer from light burn). Increasing light intensity is the most effective way to fatten up buds.
The fluffy structure of these lower bud sites doesn't reach optimum density due to low light levels. That's why many growers simply remove popcorn buds and the lower branches they form on. Reduced light levels mean reduced photosynthesis, less biomass and consequently fluffy buds.
Overwatering can also cause buds to become loose and fluffy. When the soil or grow medium has too much water, oxygen cannot reach the roots. This will be detrimental to the entire plant overall. This can also often wash out key nutrients the buds need to grow big and dense.
The pungency of a cannabis bud will actually tell you quite a bit about its overall quality and the effects it may impart. If you can barely smell a cannabis bud when you open a jar, bag, or even if you're breaking apart a nug, then that means the terpenes have evaporated or been destroyed in some way.
Because bud formation starts after 7 hours of dark period, it is also wise to always maintain a minimum day length of 17 to 18 hours during the vegetative period. A dark period of 12 hours is used as a standard in cannabis to ensure a smooth flowering process.
Buds get less dense when it's too hot. Look at the loose structure of this bud grown in extreme heat. Another thing about temperature: cannabis plants in the flowering stage like it to be a little warm in the day, but cool at night. Warm nights are also associated with airy buds.
The ideal drying room must be dark, as light can damage the THC in your buds. While it does not hurt to have a light source inside to check on the progress of your buds, you should keep it off most of the time, and block all other passages of light that can enter the room.
Benefits of Properly Drying and Curing Your Buds
Proper curing can have many benefits for the consumer including better tasting buds as well as an increase in potency. Proper drying releases the terpenes and cannabinoids from the plant, which is a difficult process that can be lengthy.
The best way to check the trichomes on your buds is to use a magnifying glass or a specially designed-trichome viewer. If you see that the trichomes are mostly clear, the plant is not mature enough to harvest. If you see that the trichomes are milky white, the plant is ready to be harvested.
As previously stated, moderate levels of nitrogen and phosphorus work best to sustain trichome growth to the maximum level.
Flowering stage: In the flowering stage, cannabis requires more Phosphorus and Potassium to develop buds, while the Nitrogen requirement decreases. An ideal NPK ratio for the flowering stage is 1-3-2, meaning 1 part Nitrogen, 3 parts Phosphorus, and 2 parts Potassium.
While molasses can contribute to overall plant health and soil quality, it is not a direct factor in increasing bud size or trichome production. Molasses mainly provides an energy source for beneficial microbes in the soil, which in turn can enhance nutrient availability, leading to better plant growth.
Cannabis needs more nitrogen (N) when vegging and more phosphorus and potassium (P & K) while flowering. If you give then too much nitrogen during bloom, it'll slow down bud growth and result in lower yields of fluffier buds. That's the exact opposite of what you want!
Some people also believe large buds are more flavorful and potent. But the reality is, you can get the same good quality flower when you buy small buds - so you'll save money just because they're less popular. And because the potency is the same, there is no reason to pay the higher price!
Fill your reservoir with fresh water and add your base nutrient and any other additives. Add Big Bud to your nutrient solution at a rate of 2ml per litre and stir well. If you have used only Advanced Nutrients products in the 'pH Perfect' range, there will be no need for pH adjustment.
Instead, utilize organic fertilizers like worm castings, blood meal, fish meal, or bat guano for nitrogen; bone meal or rock dust for phosphorus; wood ash or kelp meal for potassium; and dolomite lime for calcium or magnesium.