Deleaf Before Hanging?

[Gamechanga12]

Hello all I hang my plants upside down when I dry for a few weeks. Is it better for me to completely remove the fan leaves then hang them to dry? I know that would make it much easier to trim (hand trim) but was wondering if it will dry the same without the fan leaves?

 

[gravekat303]

I personally like to take em off the plant dries faster but it makes trimming faster

 

[REDiJEDi160]

I fully trim my buds while they are still wet I just find easier to get into the bud to remove the leaves at the petioles while the buds still have some give

 

[ken dog]

I would say that hanging up the plants to dry would be a good idea if you need the space to start another grow... And if that's the case, I would invest in a dry trimmer.
That said, yes, I would remove the fan leaves first.

 

[rmoltis]

I left the trimming for after the hang dry. It helped slow down the dry time. Allowing the cure to last longer. As well as protecting the trichomes on the flowers. Then I trimmed them off before jarring it up.

I didn't mind if a little stem was left here and there where the scissors wouldn't reach. Mainly because I'm not selling or making this for anyone else but me and the wife.

Some of the sugar leaves I left on because I liked their trichome content.

 

[ken dog]

I trim fresh wet, before any of the leaves start wilting.

Here is a picture of two tops that I trimmed... I like a little sugar leaf myself.:)

The Greener one is Tangerine Dream, and of the browner one is OG Kush.

 

[Seamaiden]

I dry and cure the plants while whole, it's how I was taught to do it by the old-timers. They said keeping the leaves on both protects the buds (they do) and slows down drying time (it does). Now that I've had a chance to use a TrimPal I find my method works pretty well, but really what's most important is that you do it the way it works best for YOU. As you can see, we all have slightly differing ways of doing things (EG, I haven't used a jar for curing since my first grow).

 

[Gamechanga12]

I dry and cure the plants while whole, it's how I was taught to do it by the old-timers. They said keeping the leaves on both protects the buds (they do) and slows down drying time (it does). Now that I've had a chance to use a TrimPal I find my method works pretty well, but really what's most important is that you do it the way it works best for YOU. As you can see, we all have slightly differing ways of doing things (EG, I haven't used a jar for curing since my first grow).

So, when you use your Trim Pal do you run the nugs in the machine with all the fan leaves on?
Also, how do you like the machine? Do you still have to hand trim after running it through?

 

[jumpincactus]

I trim all fans as plant is still standing. Much easier while still in pots. Then they hang to dry for 2 weeks minimum is a 55 % Rh controlled room. When final trimming the sugar leaves go into edibles pile. And the buds go into a mason jar and cure from anywhere from 1 month to over a year. I just opened a jar from last year of @Nspecta s Cornbread Bubba and once the vacuum seal was popped the room was filled with terpene goodness. And to boot the potency was still very stout. I bought a foodsaver with 1 pint and 1 Qt mason jar adapters and vacuum seal all my long term stashes. Its nice cause other plastic bag sealers tend to crush and squish your trichs and they stick to the plastic.

 

[Tank707]

I defoliate main water leaves thepughout the last two weeks of flower to let the ladies focus on tightening up and focus on the actual flower. Keep all the taste of the leaves on. Cutting leaves and the stock whole wet will release added moisture from the pl t which can cause mold within your precious flowers!! Wet trimming has always been a no no I'm my book but I know a ton of people who do it.

 

[Gamechanga12]

I trim all fans as plant is still standing. Much easier while still in pots. Then they hang to dry for 2 weeks minimum is a 55 % Rh controlled room. When final trimming the sugar leaves go into edibles pile. And the buds go into a mason jar and cure from anywhere from 1 month to over a year. I just opened a jar from last year of @Nspecta s Cornbread Bubba and once the vacuum seal was popped the room was filled with terpene goodness. And to boot the potency was still very stout. I bought a foodsaver with 1 pint and 1 Qt mason jar adapters and vacuum seal all my long term stashes. Its nice cause other plastic bag sealers tend to crush and squish your trichs and they stick to the plastic.

I figured if you take all fan leaves off then hang to dry it would dry much faster then 2 weeks? You don't have a issue with over drying by waiting that long?

 

[ken dog]

Your environment controls how fast or how slowly they dry and cure...for example... If your environment is above 62% RH, how can the plants get any more dry than that?... I don't think that they can.

 

[Seamaiden]

So, when you use your Trim Pal do you run the nugs in the machine with all the fan leaves on?
Also, how do you like the machine? Do you still have to hand trim after running it through?

I was able to borrow someone else's machine, and I REALLY wish I could buy my own. Or, could have. We're losing this property and becoming renters in SoCal, who knows if or when I'll be able to grow on any sort of scale again. In any event! I got better trim if I removed the fans first, but sometimes, I'm lazy, so I didn't. I found that humidity of the bud is super important when putting them through the TrimPal, I prefer higher RH because they come out looking more like hand trimmed bud and not so knocked about. But, that means it takes a lot longer to get the trimming done, whereas lower RH is a pretty quick job.

Some would say yes, you have to hand trim, but I found that it was pretty niggling and so stopped doing it. What's left (say, petioles that didn't get pulled off, or leaves that curl into the bud and so can't be pulled off) is usually pretty minimal and so for myself, I just didn't find it was worth it. If you're moving something top shelf you probably want to spend a few minutes after each run checking and trimming what doesn't look so nice.