Factors that influence Quality

Basic Growing Info
1

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

  1. 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
  1. 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
  1. 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
    1. 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.
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