Trimming Buds: Wet Trimming vs Dry Trimming

Last Updated on September 27, 2021

There is a long and drawn-out process before you will be able to smoke your weed. Trimming is just a single part of it and one of the most boring things to do with marijuana.

You will be stuck for hours staring at weed, but the trimming is essential as leaving some of the unwanted leaves and buds on the plant can and will hinder the quality of THC.

Trimming also affects the look, reduces mould formation, and grants smoother smoking.

Trimming is the action you do next after growing the plant. Although it might appear monotonous, it is essential and worth your time and effort due to the ultimate result.

Table of Contents

Wet Trimming

Wet trimming is the faster one as it is all done in just one sitting. You can do it as soon as you harvest your flowers. Ultra sticky because of the water still in flower, cut the branch near the node with a pair of curved trimming scissors. Each branch has several buds, so try not to detach them until the trimming ends. Prepare scissors and a tray and put the gloves on your hands to prevent getting resin on your hands.

Now it is the trimming time. Cutaway all the sugar leaves on each bud of each branch. Carefully use your curved scissor so you don’t damage the flower. Some sugar leaves will prevail, but that is normal, as the bud’s body can conceal some.

Pros and Cons of Wet Trimming

Wet trimming has several ups and downs.

Pros:

By doing the wet trim, it is much easier to remove sugar and fan leaves since they get shrivelled and dried up during dry trim.

Drying is also a lot quicker as less moisture-filled foliage is attached to the flowers.

Wet trimming gives you a more pleasing final look at the plant and buds.

According to sources, wet trim also affects the quality of the buds as trichomes remain intact, preserving terpenes and flavours of the final product.

Cons:

Wet trimming is a rather sticky method, and you can get trichomes all over your body, fingers, scissors, and everything else.

There is no pause when starting wet trimming, and you will need to cut all your plants down and separate branches and trim them right away.

Drying and Curing

Once you have completed trimming, you need to dry and cure your beautiful buds before smoking them. Put them on a drying rack in a room with ventilation and lightly heated. When they are dry, remove the individual buds from the branches and leave them in jars for curing.

Dry Trimming

Dry trimming is performed between drying and curing. First, harvest your plants and cut them at the base. After this, hang them upside down and leave them in a warm room with ventilation. After the drying period, cut off an individual branch and prepare them for trimming. Before trimming, wash your hands and put on a pair of gloves. Next, take the scissors in your hands and start cutting away all the sugar leaves from each bud. Cut the buds one at a time, as this will make it easier for you to cure and store them. Once the trimming is completed, load the buds into the curing jars.

Pros and Cons of Dry Trimming

Just like wet trimming, dry trim also has its benefits and drawbacks.

Pros:

A lot less messy than the wet trimmings since the trichomes are hardened.

As you keep plants hung to dry, it slows the express loss of terpenes.

Cons:

Unfortunately, the less messy trichomes become somewhat brittle as they dry out and are prone to breakage. So handle them with care as you don’t want the loss of trichomes and THC levels.

Space might be the problem since the entirely hanged plants take much more space than the chopped plants. Therefore, you should ensure that you have an adequate drying space before you start the dry trimming.

Which is Better: Wet or Dry Trimming?

Of course, the most critical question is whether you should trim the plant wet after it was freshly harvested or after leaving it for a few days to dry.

Several pros and cons are there to weigh on the right choice, and the quality of the weed depends on many factors.

Harvesters have argued on both methods with pros and cons but have agreed that trimming is one of the most critical processes in weed growing. It takes a lot of time, but you are awarded a delicate smell, taste, and feel at the final stage.

Dry trimming gives you a better aroma. However, it also takes longer than wet trimming; In contrast, the wet trim is faster, mould formation is dramatically lower in percentage, but the flowers and their extracts are of lower quality, and loss of resin and terpenes is unavoidable.