a quick outline of factors that can influence the quality of your cannabis
again feel free to add any info you have.
Factors that influence quality
Genetics
a. Seeds vs. Clones
i. Seeds
1. Clean, disease free
2. Known lineage
3. Stronger
4. Great possibility to find new, unique and exotic expressions
ii. Clones
1. Possible to bring in disease or pest
2. Names constantly changing, unknown lineage
3. Weaker
4. Tried and True or same old stuff. What’s popular one place may not be elsewhere.
b. Proper genetic selection
i. Reliable clones from a known source
ii. Selection from many seeds (100-1000)
c. Obtaining seeds from good breeders
i. Not necessarily the big name companies
Environment
Without a proper environment the best genetics will suffer
a. Carbon dioxide
i. Needed for accelerated growth and fruiting
ii. Low levels stunt growth
b. Humidity
i. Needs to be at proper level in relationship to the temperature to allow proper transpiration * (vapor pressure deficit or vpd)
ii. High humidity can cause Ca deficiency
iii. Low humidity causes high water demand/stresses plant
c. Temperature
i. 70-75 degrees daytime
ii. No more than 10 degree difference in night temperature
d. Air flow
i. Proper air flow and circulation move the co2 around the room
ii. Air flow helps strengthen stems
iii. Helps prevent botrytis cinerea (bud rot) and other fungi and pest
Nutrition
a. Can influence genetic expression
i. Terpene expression
ii. Physical expression
b. Can influence pest and disease resistance
i. Source of N can influence cell size and cell wall thickness
ii. P influences roots and fruits/flowers, number of flowering sites
iii. K influence health quality of flowers
iv. Ca strengthens cell walls, and vascular system
v. Ca transported in transpirations stream (vpd must be correct)
vi. Amino acids increase Ca uptake
vii. Silica strengthens stems and leaves
Trimming and Curing
a. When the plant is trimmed matters wet vs. dry
i. Trimmed wet
1. Trimmed wet loses moisture faster
2. Requires strict attention to not over dry or dry too fast
3. Fresh frozen trim is good for ice water extraction
4. Possibly less damage to trichomes
ii. Trimmed dry
1. Dries slower, more evenly
2. Less strict attention to not over dry
3. Good for chemical or mechanical extraction
4. Possible damage to trichomes
b. Curing
i. Improper cure can ruin a great crop
1. Lose most or all terpenes
2. Degrade thc or cbd
ii. Proper cure can improve a great crop
1. Bring out subtle terpene profiles and improve potency
iii. Post-harvest handling is just as important as the growing for top quality end product.
I think you confuse the quality of your genetics and the different parameters of your culture. Because when you say 1. Genetics 2. Know lineage and etc …
How do you want the genetics to influence the quality of your finished product ?
Heat, humidity, plant competition, nutrition, intra air quality and so on … yes its affects the quality of your weed.
I mean you can take a genetic quality “average” and I a super extra champion. If I do not manage the culture settings correctly, you will make a better product than me ! Only gen don’t make the deal !
So for me not those, because these parameters are “fixed” factors it is up to you to get the best.
Knowing the genetic lineage of a plant can not in any way increase or reduce the quality of it
Genetics
a. Seeds vs. Clones
i. Seeds
Known lineage
Stronger
Great possibility to find new, unique and exotic expressions
ii. Clones
Possible to bring in disease or pest
Names constantly changing, unknown lineage
Weaker
Tried and True or same old stuff. What’s popular one place may not be elsewhere.
b. Proper genetic selection
i. Reliable clones from a known source
ii. Selection from many seeds (100-1000)
c. Obtaining seeds from good breeders
i. Not necessarily the big name companies
Fresh frozen trim is good for ice water extraction
Possibly less damage to trichomes
b. Curing
i. Improper cure can ruin a great crop
Lose most or all terpenes
Degrade thc or cbd
ii. Proper cure can improve a great crop
Bring out subtle terpene profiles and improve potency
iii. Post-harvest handling is just as important as the growing for top quality end product.
So left this:
2. Environment
Clean, disease free
a. Carbon dioxide
i. Needed for accelerated growth and fruiting
ii. Low levels stunt growth
b. Humidity
i. Needs to be at proper level in relationship to the temperature to allow proper transpiration (vapor pressure deficit or vpd
ii. High humidity can cause Ca deficiency
iii. Low humidity causes high water demand/stresses plant
c. Temperature
i. 70-75 degrees daytime
ii. No more than 10 degree difference in night temperature
d. Air flow
i. Proper air flow and circulation move the co2 around the room
ii. Air flow helps strengthen stems
iii. Helps prevent botrytis cinerea (bud rot) and other fungi and pest
Nutrition
a. Can influence genetic expression
i. Terpene expression
ii. Physical expression
b. Can influence pest and disease resistance
i. Source of N can influence cell size and cell wall thickness
ii. P influences roots and fruits/flowers, number of flowering sites
iii. K influence health quality of flowers
iv. Ca strengthens cell walls, and vascular system
v. Ca transported in transpirations stream (vpd must be correct)
vi. Amino acids increase Ca uptake
vii. Silica strengthens stems and leaves
Trimming and Curing
a. When the plant is trimmed matters wet vs. dry
i. Trimmed wet
Trimmed wet loses moisture faster
Requires strict attention to not over dry or dry too fast
ii. Trimmed dry
But on the otherside, Dewb is probably right that even if you create ideal environment you can get shitty quality - and that is because your genetics selection was poor in the beginning…
I see strain selection and genetics pool something very important that one doesn’t want to save on.
the point i’m (maybe not so eloquently) trying to make about seeds/clones is basically a good/great genetics can preform well in a mediocre environment, but poor genetics will never turn out quality regardless of environment. a hemp seed will never turn out to be a kush plant.
so yes i’m saying your genetic selection is the 1st factor that influences quality. With out good genetics you’ve basically shot yourself in the foot before the race.
Knowing the genetic lineage of a cultivar can help you to estimate that plants requirements, which in turn influence the quality of the finished product. It can save you a lot of trial and error.
The section that is causing your confusion is actually titled seed vs clones. It is more of a pros/cons of both. But genetics influence quality none the less.
I don’t want a fight, i give opinion. May be like you. Just a lack of eloquence !
So i try again
Then you talk to those who make their own crosses. Who can refine their genetics !
For those who do not make their own seeds, or who buy a feminized, they choose on catalogs. Does it improve what to quality? That’s what I want to put forward!
You choose a genetic and, you definitely have it, it will not vary (we do not talk about the time, the gardener’s mistake, etc.). On the other hand, your nutrition program, your type of light source, etc. Its must test to know which is the best adapted.
@Lancien
I apologize if it appears I was starting a fight. That is not my intention at all.
Think we’re just not communicating efficiently… happens sometimes. I think i understand what you’re saying,
I’m probably not explaining myself very well.
But thank you for adding your point of view, sometimes debates are how we learn.
the point i’m trying to make is genetics are the foundation of a quality grow. think like building a house. if your foundation is made of sand, no matter what you use to build your house the sand will shift and house will crumble. if you build on a solid foundation, stone or concrete, then your house is stable…
Swampy
this time