Manicure then dry? Or dry then manicure?

Just starting my first harvest and I see people say to manicure before drying and others say to dry first. So far, this is the most convincing reason offered to simply hang the entire plant and manicure after drying:

Plants are made up of cells and, as we all know, cells contain mainly water. Exposed to air, the (dying) plant's outer cells will dry out first but the above-mentioned processes will still transfer water from the inner cells to the dryer outer cells, thus causing the plant to dry equally all over. By removing the stalk and cutting off the individual colas, you prevent this natural process by taking away the extra moisture that would be drawn from the stem to the leaves and bud.

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What do you think?

Well, I don't know about all that...but I DO know it took much longer for my bud to dry the time I was lazy and let whole branches hang to dry without trimming everything down first. It seems the more plant material you have, the more moisture there is involved - and the more time it takes to dry it all out... Just my 2cents lol

Either way, its easier to trim straight away, dried can be difficult and tiresome

Its believed that leaving the leaves on gives you a better end product, leaving the leaves on regulates the drying time,. Also the leaves protect the trichomes from degrading during drying, theres also a reason that it also improves taste, cant remember maybe to do with proecting the terpenes.

I also think that once the bud is dry the trichs fall off easily and trimming afterward causes allot to fall off.
I also find it easier to give a close trim when the leaves are wet because they poke out from the bud and aren't wilted over the buds.
and just because you trimmed the buds doesnt mean you cant leave large stems on to even out the drying from the inside out. You can also slow down the drying process with a higher humidity,, just not too high! no higher than 60%, lower temps help as well. In these conditions my product has a nice even dry and is ready to burp and cure in 10-14 days depending on the size and density of the buds.

"you prevent this natural process by taking away the extra moisture that would be drawn from the stem to the leaves and bud. "
No, not really. You let them get crispy on the outside while still having a stem that bends then start your cure. the evening out of the moisture levels and allowing the escape of chlorophyl is a large part of why we cure. It's a huge pain to wait till after they are dry to trim em up/manicure them imo. I'll never try it again, thats for sure.

clean those girls up first! Leave stems for even drying, even some leaves, but clean it up because trichs do fall off easier as the bud gets dryer

I've just recently switched to drying nets instead of hanging them. I like to leave a little bit of leaf but remove any of the large ones.

These are still on the plant but the look about like this in the drying nets. If you are using nets it also helps make sure that the side you set them on doesn't get flattened. I was also told (haven't noticed it myself, mine always smells good, was just told this by a buddy) that it helps with the final smell because of the same reasons you that were quoted in the OP.

Trim first, any excess leaf in the bud causes the smoke to be more harsh. Ive tried trimming when dry and its a right pain in the ars*

mine are always trimmed and ready for jars when i hang them on the stems to dry. It is just easier and never notice a difference.

With this being your first harvest you would probably be better off doing all your trimming from the git go.You want to experiment with different things,cool,that how ya learn.....but i would keep things easy peasy for the first harvest.Be a bummer ya got all that way just to mess some thing up in the end.


And i have seen no difference in cure whether trimmed first or after the dry.Lots easier to do while wet.

TheDudeNextDoor said:

Just starting my first harvest and I see people say to manicure before drying and others say to dry first. So far, this is the most convincing reason offered to simply hang the entire plant and manicure after drying:

Plants are made up of cells and, as we all know, cells contain mainly water. Exposed to air, the (dying) plant's outer cells will dry out first but the above-mentioned processes will still transfer water from the inner cells to the dryer outer cells, thus causing the plant to dry equally all over. By removing the stalk and cutting off the individual colas, you prevent this natural process by taking away the extra moisture that would be drawn from the stem to the leaves and bud.

What do you think?

Click to expand...

I think that statement is a bunch of BS... The buds do dry from the outside in but Drying and curing weed to preserve potency, taste, smell and bag appeal is not a Natural process and you don't "take away extra moisture that would be drawn from the stem". What?

I manicure as soon as I cut a branch off the plant then hang to dry for 4 days or so then into jars that I leave open and close to get the buds to the dryness I like. I do it like this because it's easier for me to trim of the extra leaves when they are stiff and not droopy and sticking to the buds.

My way isn't the only way but just the way I do it and I don't need to make up a bullshit statement to justify why I do it MY way which is what I think of that statement.

Thanks for all the input. My first plant was ready before my other three, so I started the drying process for it before manicuring. Just looking at the hanging plant three days later, I can totally see how what all of you say is going to be true. I will struggle through it as best as I can and will definitely manicure before drying for the other three. Thanks for the help!

Don't throw out that trim....check out bubble bags and the like. Let no "trix" be wasted, let them waste you.

i just did mine on friday .well 1 plant took me near on 5 hrs 2 trim it of the plant then manicuring.. and i found wet would be better and easyier as when dry i had a feeling id lose trichomes and potency... i got 4 more to do go i wish i had 8 hands.. think i better get a crate of redbull for when i chop my others cos i did not expect that thats 4 sure.. but in saying that id rather it take me 5hrs and be a decent size to taking 1hr and yeilding half oz. my 1st time grow near on complete. atlast....

Didn't read whole thread sorry
I think it's easier to trim while the plant is still in the pot, at least start that way then, cut stems off one by one and trim n spin. I set up in front of my tv and it makes it more bearable. But yeah when the leaves are turgid is the best time to trim

I have done it both ways, There are benefits to hanging the whole plant. Mainly by leaving the leaf on, as it dries the nitrogen in the leaf will ripen the trichomes faster. Yes, it takes about half again as long to dry. Figure 10 days. When you go to trim, the leaf stems will be brittle so just knock them off with the back of the scissors then cut the excess off the buds. I never noticed any loss of trichomes and I can do about a pound a day by myself with just scissors.

Wet trimming takes me longer to do but the leaf stays in one piece and is easer to clean up.

i would say , manicure before you dry because it takes a while for them to dry if they have leaf on them and also it can cause mold

I choose to dry then manicure. I think it keeps the smell alot more that way

i manicure then dry.

Mainly by leaving the leaf on, as it dries the nitrogen in the leaf will ripen the trichomes faster.

huh?(edit-no offense meant, ive never heard of this b4 though and i'd like some more info)