Harvesting Method and Process Guide

HARVESTING KEY POINTS

THERE ARE 3 MAIN CANNABIS AND HEMP HARVESTING METHODS

Wet Trimming, Hybrid Trimming, and Dry Trimming

THERE ARE 6 STEPS TO EACH HARVESTING METHOD

Defanning, Bud Bucking, Drying, Bud Trimming, Curing and Bud Sorting

THE STEPS CHANGE BASED ON THE METHOD

Bucking, Drying, Trimming, and Curing are the variables
Defanning is always first and Bud Sorting is always last

EACH METHOD HAS DIFFERENT ADVANTAGES

Wet Trimming Method
- Allows for automated bucking
- Requires less space for drying
- Ensures consistency over time
Hybrid Trimming Methods
- Allows for automated bucking
- Require less space for drying
- Ensures high quality buds
Dry Trimming Method
- Ensures high terpene profile
- Ensures high quality buds
- Bucking and trimming can be done at your convenience

THE BEST METHOD IS BASED ON PRIORITIES AND RESOURCES

HARVESTING METHODS

There are advantages and disadvantages to every harvest method. Our goal is to align you to the method that will improve product quality, compliment your resources, and increase efficiency and profitability.

WET TRIMMING – Shucking and trimming fresh flowers
HYBRID TRIMMING – Bucking fresh buds & drying the buds with the leaves prior to trimming
DRY TRIMMING – Drying whole plants & bucking and trimming dried buds

METHOD COMPARISON

There are advantages and disadvantages to all 3-harvesting method. The best method is based on:

Priorities
Resources
Staff size
Harvest size
Equipment available
Harvest consistency over quality

SEQUENCE & PROCESS

WET TRIM - PROS & CONS

BUCKING AND TRIMMING FRESH CANNABIS BUDS

Pros

Bucking can be automated effectively
The buds are less susceptible to damage
80% less space is required for drying
Less time hanging and taking down plants
No interruptions in harvest workflow
Fewer steps to finished product
Less risk of under/over drying
Faster drying times
Consistent trim quality
Consistent Bud to trim ratios
Consistently larger bud sizes

Cons

Machines require frequent cleaning
Terpenes can degrade if not cured properly
Over trimming can affect flower quality
Trim requires drying and curing

HYBRID TRIM - PROS & CONS

BUCKING FRESH CANNABIS BUDS & DRYING BUDS WITH THE LEAVES BEFORE TRIMMING

Pros

Bucking can be automated effectively
The buds are less susceptible to damage
80% less space is required for drying
Less time hanging and taking down plants
Trim cycle times are faster
Trim/sugar leaf quality is usually better
Easier to get higher terpene content
Eliminates bud flattening during drying

Cons

Moisture consistency is hard to obtain
Bud size can fluctuate
Trim to bud ratios can fluctuate
Trimmed bud quality can fluctuate

DRY TRIM - PROS & CONS

DRYING WHOLE PLANTS – BUCKING & TRIMMING DRIED CANNABIS BUDS

Pros

Bucking and trimming can be done at your convenience
More control over drying schedule
Trim cycle times are faster
Trim/sugar leaf quality is usually better
It’s easier to get higher terpene content
Eliminates bud flattening during drying and curing

Cons

Moisture consistency is hard to obtain
Rehydrating is required if using automated shuckers
Bud size can fluctuate
Trim to BUD ratios can fluctuate
Trimming quality can fluctuate

DEFANNING

REMOVING THE LARGE FAN LEAVES FROM THE STEM

Equipment: Hands or Scissors

We highly recommend removing the fan leaves before drying the plants, as once the leaves dry, curl and shrink, defanning becomes difficult
The fan leaves if not removed before drying, will create stems that will need to be removed post trimming, requiring you to handle more flowers after trimming
Defanning eliminates excess chlorophyll from your trim, improving concentrates
Defan during the flushing period and prior to harvesting
When possible, defan throughout the flower cycle
Remove all fan leaves that have exposed stem
The most efficient way to defan is by hand and by quickly plucking the leaves towards the base of the plant, scissors can also be used for this step.
Focus on the leaves that have stem exposed, especially at the base of the flower to prevent crow’s feet from occurring after trimming
Considerations if defanning is not an option due to resources and or crop size:
- When dry trimming, fan leaves and their stems dry slower than sugar leaf, leaving stems that need to be removed post trimming
- When wet trimming, the fan leaves will increase chlorophyll into concentrates, increase touch up required, and gunk up the equipment faster
- When dry trimming or wet trimming, the first filtration and collection bag on the Ez Trimmer will capture a lot of the fan leaves and separate them from the rest of your trim

BUD BUCKING - WET & HYBRID TRIM

NOTE: Bucking should occur immediately after harvesting the plants and while the Buds are fresh, and the leaves are sticking out.

Cut and individualize branches from the stalk
Cut and individualize stems from the branches (leave 2-3 inches at the base of the stem when using the Bud Bucker)
Using the Bud Bucker, hands, or scissors, remove and individualize all Buds from the stem
Leave 1/8” of stem at buds base after bucking
When bucking wet buds, be sure to buck and trim immediately after harvesting, do not allow the harvested plants to sit for more than a few hours before bucking and trimming, doing so can cause the leaves to curl in, and buds to squish, effecting trim quality
Take the time on this step to ensure the buds are 100% individualized, with no more than 1/8” of stem, and free of any fan leaves
Average throughput for every Bud Bucker with a single operator should be 20,000 grams (44 LBS) per hour of fresh flower or 5,000 grams (11 LBS) per hour of dried finished flower
With 2 operators at a single Bud Bucker throughput is 20 LBS per hour of dried finished flower

BUD BUCKING - DRY TRIM

REMOVING AND INDIVIDUALIZING THE BUDS FROM THE STEM

Equipment: Bud Bucker, Hands, or Scissors

NOTE: Bucking should occur after Drying is complete. We recommend bucking the plants when partially dried to 50-60% RH, then continue drying and curing the bucked buds prior to trimming. If bucking and trimming on the same day, and prior to curing, dry the plants to 30-40% RH, run the Bud Bucker on a very slow speed and expect a small amount of breakdown to your top colas. If plants have become too dry to safely use the Bud Bucker, rehydrate the plants to a level where breakdown is not an issue.

Cut and individualize branches from the stalk
Cut and individualize stems from the branches (leave 2-3 inches at the base of the stem when using the Bud Bucker)
Using scissors or The Bud Bucker when possible, remove and individualize all buds from the stem
Leave 1/8” of stem at the buds base after bucking
When bucking dried buds with the Bud Bucker, be sure the buds are not over dried, and the feed rate is set to 20 or lower
Take the time on this step to ensure the buds are 100% individualized, with no more than 1/8” of stem, and free of any fan leaves
Rehydrate the plants in order to implement the Bud Bucker or automated bucking when plants are completely/over dried
Average throughput for every Bud Bucker with a single operator should be 2,700 grams (6 LBS) per hour of dried finished buds
With 2 operators at a single Bud Bucker throughput is 10 LBS per hour of dried finished buds
Bucking dried plants requires the machines be run slower to avoid damaging the buds

CANNABIS & HEMP DRYING - WET & HYBRID TRIM METHOD

REMOVING MOISTURE FROM THE CANNABIS PLANT & BUDS

Equipment: Humidity controlled environment with airflow

NOTE: Drying should occur immediately after trimming the buds when wet trimming and immediately after bucking the buds when hybrid trimming. Ensure you have proper airflow, ambient temperature, and humidity levels in the room

Drying and curing to proper RH levels is the most important part of the harvesting process, and will ensure great smell and taste if done properly, even when trimming wet
Place the freshly bucked or trimmed buds on drying racks for 5-7 days in a climate-controlled room with plenty of airflow, and until the product and room homogenize to 50-60% RH
We recommend using 4’x8’x ¼” mesh for drying the buds. It allows for more airflow and decreases flattening
Rotate the product 2-3 times a day for the first 2 days to avoid flattening
Dry as slow as possible, preferably tapering the humidity down to 50% over 5-7 days
Circulate the air, pull in fresh air periodically, and check the product daily
Drying is complete when the outside of the buds are crispy, the inside is still spongy, and the stems are more yellow than green
Dry the trimmed leaf from the collection bags, after wet trimming, in the same manner
HYBRID TRIMMING = DRYING FRESH BUCKED UNTRIMMED BUDS
WET TRIMMING = DRYING FRESH BUCKED AND TRIMMED BUDS

CANNABIS & HEMP DRYING - DRY TRIM METHOD

REMOVING MOISTURE FROM THE PLANT & CANNABIS BUDS

Equipment: Humidity controlled environment with airflow

NOTE: Drying should occur immediately after harvesting the plants

We recommend bucking when the plants are partially dried to 50-60% RH, then continue drying and curing the bucked buds prior to trimming.
Remove the fan leaves 1-2 days before harvesting your plants and before trimming
Hang dry the plants, or individual stems, in a humidity-controlled environment for 5-7 Days, or until the plants and room homogenize to an ambient level of 50 – 60% RH
Circulate the air constantly, pull in fresh air periodically, and check the product daily
Drying is complete when the stems bend to 90 degrees before snapping, the outside of the buds are slightly crispy, the inside of the buds are spongy, and the stems are more yellow than green
Do not completely dry the plants if using automated bucking machines, Dry to 50-60% humidity
Over-drying the buds at this point will cause the buds to occasionally break apart when either bucking or trimming
Rehydrate the plants in order to implement the Bud Bucker or automated bucking when plants are over dry
If you need to buck and trim on the same day, and prior to curing, dry the plants to 30-40% RH, as opposed to 50-60% RH, run the Bud Bucker on a very slow speed and expect a small amount of breakdown to your top colas
DRY TRIMMING = DRYING WHOLE PLANTS OR BRANCHES

BUD TRIMMING - WET & HYBRID TRIM METHOD

TRIMMIG CANNABIS LEAVES FROM THE BUDS

EQUIPMENT: Bud TRIMMER, WANDER TRIMMER, OR SCISSORS

NOTE: Wet trimming should occur immediately after the buds have been bucked, and while the buds are fresh, and the leaves are sticking out.

Proper preparation is key to quality trimming, individualize all buds, remove all fan leaves and keep no more than an 1/8” to 1/4 “of stem at the base of the buds
There is a balance of quality and speed for every strain, some strains require zero touch up, while others need some, find the optimal trimming cycle time and touch up required that creates the best quality and efficiency
Dialing in the blade to its closest point is crucial to getting a tight quality trim
Having extra blades, grates and filtration bags can provide a quick swap out solution for maintaining a clean unit
Multiple Bud Trimmers provide advantages to a single larger trimmer:
- 1 person can easily operate 4 Bud Trimmers
- Redundancy
- Trim multiple strains simultaneously
- Adjust the trimming dynamics as needed for different strains and moisture levels
Batch sizes should be 400 – 600 grams of fresh flower, and batch times should be 1-2 minutes
Average throughput for every Bud Trimmer should be 20,000 grams (44 LBS) per hour of fresh buds or 5,000 grams (11 LBS) per hour of dried finished buds
For clients that prefer hand trimming and hang drying or smaller operations that don’t need the capacity of the Bud Trimmer we offer the Wander Trimmer for fast and efficient trimming of your wet product.

BUD TRIMMING - DRY TRIM METHOD

TRIMMING CANNABIS LEAVES FROM THE Buds

EQUIPMENT: BUD TRIMMER OR SCISSORS

Note: Typically, the product is ready to trim when the plants and the room have homogenized to an ambient RH of 30-40%.

Proper preparation is key to quality trimming, individualize all buds, remove all fan leaves and keep no more than an 1/8” to 1/4 “of stem at the base of the buds
The most important aspect of dry trimming is moisture level in the buds. Too much and it won’t trim, too little and the buds will become fragile
Dry trimming cannabis and hemp buds is done through friction, not cutting
We recommend checking for dryness by disturbing one of the outer leaves, if it bends it is not dry enough. The leaves need to snap when disturbed.
It is crucial that the product is dried and prepped properly prior to trimming, this means, all the buds have been individualized, and that the outer leaves snap, and do not bend at all when disturbed
Remove the cutting blade when dry trimming to avoid mincing the trim too small
Batch sizes should be 300 – 400 grams of dried buds, and batch times should be 30 sec to 1 minute
Average throughput for every Bud Trimmer should be 15,000 grams (33 LBS) per hour of dried finished buds

CURING

SEAL, STORE AND AGE CANNABIS AND HEMP BUDS FOR STRONG TERPINE PROFILE

EQUIPMENT: SEALED CONTAINERS

Note: This process is the same for all 3 harvest methods

Drying and curing properly is the most important part of the harvesting process
Curing will ensure great smell and taste if done properly, even when trimming wet
Curing is not something easily scalable, ratios of air to product is crucial for oxidization and absorption of terpenes
Regardless of the container you use, or room size, the ratio of product to air space should be roughly 75% product, to 25% air
Place properly dried and trimmed product into appropriate sealed containers
Ideal container humidity should start at roughly 40-50%RH and taper down to 30 – 40%RH over the curing process
Inspect the product daily, ensure proper moisture level through touch, and cure completion through smell
Aerate or burp the containers daily by opening the sealed containers, and allowing the product to breath as needed
Be sure to rotate, or mix the product every 24 hours
Cure the trimmed leaf from the collection bags in the same manner when wet trimming
Ideally cure for no less than 5 days

SORTING

SEPARATE CANNABIS AND HEMP BUDS FROM SHAKE, POPCORN, SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE BUDS

EQUIPMENT: BUD SORTER

NOTE: This process is the same for all 3 harvest methods

The Bud Sorter lets you accurately, efficiently, and safely sort your buds into shake, popcorn, small, medium, and large buds
The Bud Sorter is typically used as a quality control station
Sort the buds prior to quality control and touching up, this will eliminate the shake and popcorn from the process
Brush product back and forth and down the grates until all product has fallen into the appropriate container
The Bud Sorter is intended to be utilized right before packaging
The Bud Sorter will increase your efficiency by:
- Separating similar sized and weighted buds for packaging
- Eliminate the handling and trimming of popcorn and shake
- Separate shake for pre-rolls
- Separate popcorn for wholesale
- Provide a dedicated QC Station
Batch sizes should be 400 – 600 grams of fresh buds, and batch times should be 30 sec. – 1 minutes
Average throughput for every Bud Sorter should be 40,000 grams (88 LBS) per hour of dried finished buds

Harvesting Method and Process Guide

HARVESTING METHODS

METHOD COMPARISON

SEQUENCE & PROCESS

WET TRIM - PROS & CONS

BUCKING AND TRIMMING FRESH CANNABIS BUDS

HYBRID TRIM - PROS & CONS

BUCKING FRESH CANNABIS BUDS & DRYING BUDS WITH THE LEAVES BEFORE TRIMMING

DRY TRIM - PROS & CONS

DRYING WHOLE PLANTS – BUCKING & TRIMMING DRIED CANNABIS BUDS

DEFANNING

BUD BUCKING - WET & HYBRID TRIM

BUD BUCKING - DRY TRIM

CANNABIS & HEMP DRYING - WET & HYBRID TRIM METHOD

CANNABIS & HEMP DRYING - DRY TRIM METHOD

BUD TRIMMING - WET & HYBRID TRIM METHOD

BUD TRIMMING - DRY TRIM METHOD

CURING

SORTING

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