Trimming

Items needed:

Bonsai Trimming Shears (<<my favourite pair, see full trimming scissor comparison post here)
Isopropyl Alcohol
Mason Jars
Nitrile Gloves
Fiskar Pruning Shears or Aviation Snips (for thicker branches)

In addition to the items above, I would recommend inviting over some good friends who are willing to be paid in pizza/beer/weed. If that is not available because you’re in a pandemic then cook up a steak, roll a joint, and pour yourself a fresh beer.

Every first grower’s favourite day… ‘Trim Day’. Or as outdoor growers call it ‘Choptober’.

I prefer a combination wet/dry trim. I remove all fan leaves at the time of harvest (wet trim). Leaving sugar leaves on during drying helps protect sensitive trichome heads.

Sugar leaves – are typically covered in trichomes so you may be temped to leave on long pieces. I do not recommend this; they will curl up and look unsightly once drying is complete. Sugar leaves should be trimmed at the stem if easily accessible. If the stem is obscured cut the leaf as close to the stem as possible.

Larf (which is immature/undeveloped bud) and sugar leaves should be saved for making cannabutter or bubble hash. Fan leaves should only be saved if they have visible trichomes, otherwise save yourself time and throw them away.

Your scissors will gunk up with resin during trimming, there is no way around this. Fill up your 500 mL mason jar with 250 mL of Isopropyl alcohol for soaking the trimming sheers. The pro move is having extra scissors to rotate in, after 20 min of soaking the resin will come off effortlessly. Do not use abrasives (e.g. scotch brite) on your scissors as it will damage the non stick coating.

Your final result should look something like this: