After the marijuana plants have matured, it is time for trimming. Trimming is the process of getting rid of the larger leaves and those leaves containing excess sugar. Excess sugar leaves are the small ones, and they come out from the flower clusters in the marijuana plants. The question here is when is the right time to trim the plant. You can trim the marijuana plant when the leaves are fresh and just after harvesting. This is when the leaves are wet, and the other is when the leaves are dry. If you are letting the leaves dry, you have to wait for a week or two.
To understand this correctly, we have to know the pros and cons of both trimming process:
Wet Trimming:
Wet trimming is done immediately after cutting the plant when the leaves are wet. There are specific pros and cons of cutting the leaves when they are wet, these are explained below:
Pros:
- When you trim the plants immediately after cutting the marijuana plants, it has less volume at that time and occupies less space.
- During the wet trimming process, the THC level in the marijuana plant is high, and they remain intact in the plants. The stickiness in the plants helps them to hold together, which is suitable for harvesters.
- When the leaves are wet, it is much easier to trim than when it is dry. For beginners trimming the marijuana plants is easier when it is wet.
Cons:
- Hands tend to get messy when trimming marijuana plants when they are wet. It is advised to use gloves while trimming wet marijuana plants.
- Trimming the marijuana plants wet takes a considerably long time than dry trimming.
Dry Trimming:
Dry trimming is done around one to weeks after you cut the plants. They are first left to dry, and after a period of 7 to 14 days, they are trimmed. Below are mentioned some of the pros and cons of trimming marijuana plants when they are dry.
Pros:
- Dry trimming is good as they provide excess moisture and it slows the drying of the leaves.
- The trichomes in the marijuana plants harden when trimming them dry, and it is also less messy when trimming the leaves in a dry state.
Cons:
- During the dry trimming process, the trichomes have more chances of breaking down as they are brittle. The crop has to be handled with the utmost care to maintain the THC levels.
- For the dry trimming process, a lot of space is required. The dry leaves of the marijuana plants will take more space than wet plants.
Based on the above pros and cons, we can determine that trimming dry or wet have their advantages and disadvantages. While some prefer trimming the plants when they are dry based on their commercial or individual needs, the same way trimming wet has its benefits and disadvantages. For more references and a better understanding of dry and wet trimming, you can always refer to the ILGM growing blog, which offers an in-depth study.