Tricks for trimming!

Greenheart · Sep 24, 2011

Life is a learning process so here is a spot to share all the odd tricks people have come up with for havesting .

Examples:

*I now have a screw hook in the cieling above my desk with a piece of braided spiderwire tied in 3" loops to hang from it for "holding" the branches as I trim them. I then rest a soda flat box on my lap and work my way up/down the branch catching all the sweetleaf. This allows me to use both hands to trim. One hand for scissors and one hand from moving manipulating the stems/buds. This also keeps the bud from flattening as it rest on a surface or sweeping away your trim pile.

*When trimming I try to grab the stems as much as possible. Rolling the stem in my fingers to turn the buds as I snip. Less finger hash but more of the trichomes remain on the buds.

*Trim of all the fans that have no trichomes first. Then trim of all the bigger fans that have partial coverage. When taking these fans grasp the 3 dominant leaflets and snip the bottom portion into the sweet pile disposing of the bulk of non trichome material. The three leaflets you cut about 1/2 to 1/3 of the way down. Then trim all the rest. It is more time consuming but results in a very high quality sweet leaf pile.

*When removing fans I do so at the base of the stem with microtips while pulling from the tips of the leaves.

These are some things I do and may help someone. Anyone else have anything to share.

stillsmokin843 · Sep 24, 2011

i know it sounds dumb but youd be amazed how much more comfy it is to sit back instead of lean over a table so i use trays that you can just set in your lap

greenmatter · Sep 24, 2011

turn on some good music ..... trimming sucks

TaterMcnuggys · Sep 24, 2011

the curved tip hydrofarm scissors after using those i tried to trim with some fiskar micro tips (straight) it was like a went retarded not to much on how i go about it just a product that has really helped and im for sure looking into some trays right now to sit back with other then that i just start taking off the biggest leaves and work my way down for sure fresh trim tho i will never dry trim again well the majority atleast

olddirtybastard · Sep 24, 2011

i do the pre trim of fan leaves without trichomes too, but i dont use scissors i just rip them at a downward angle to break the leaf stem and remove unwanted leaves. its faster this way

Greenheart · Sep 24, 2011

stillsmokin843 said:
i use trays that you can just set in your lap

Not dumb at all next on my list is a nice chiropractic style back pillow.

greenmatter said:
turn on some good music ..... trimming sucks

I hear that...why do so many good things have to have a downside?

TaterMcnuggys-My wife would agree on the curvies.

olddirtybastard said:
i just rip them at a downward angle to break the leaf stem and remove unwanted leaves.

Works well on alot of them for sure.

Yes4Prop215 · Sep 24, 2011

XM radio on....a brew or two....and a couple trays one for catching sugar trim and the other for disposing the nugs....stems get grouped into their own section...

i also trim all fan leaves first when the plants still wet, and trim at base of stem to minimize sap leakage onto the product......i leave all leaf that is touching nug on the plant and trim when its dry...

also sometimes its nice to not use scissors....wear latex gloves and just "finger trim" but snapping the fan leaves into the opposite direction of the stem..

mad librettist · Sep 24, 2011

i put on classic radio dramas to trim.

thanks for the post greenheart, especially the tip about the ceiling hook. I will try that next time.

Canniwhatsis · Sep 24, 2011

I hang my plants from the light in the dining room and use a tray in my lap to trim branches.

Good documentary on the tele or some tunes make it not so mundane, but it still sucks.

Phaeton · Sep 26, 2011

Pandora radio.

And a bowl of water to keep the scissors and left fingers wet, dripping wet. Not much sticks to wet stuff, no finger hash, no scissor hash, just clean trimming.

I put the whole plant tray in front of me with the leaf trim catchers in between, rotate and trim. 90% accessible and no handling, pretty buds. Then I cut the branch off and trim per Greenheart for the last 10%.

Two hands all the way.

Rumpleforeskin · Sep 26, 2011

Trimming is the worst part of growing weed for this guy.

Canniwhatsis · Sep 26, 2011

Oh yeah,... curved tip pruning shears,..... trust me!

Love my straight Zenpoints,... but the curved ones save me sooo much frustration with sticky scissors it's not even funny!!!

Greenheart · Oct 2, 2011

Phaeton said:
a bowl of water to keep the scissors and left fingers wet, dripping wet. Not much sticks to wet stuff, no finger hash, no scissor hash, just clean trimming.

Nice idea! It inspired visions of a large "bundt cake" type pan with a clamp in the center to firmly hold the stalk as you rotate catching all the leaf into your pan. After trimming it is an easy dump into hashbags, a watercure container, or thru a straining device. Though I am not sure I want to give up my "grower's hash" just yet.

schwilly · Oct 2, 2011

A bright light hanging directly (like 6") over your head eases eye strain considerably. Having the light hitting the buds from the same angle that you're looking at it is key.

Oh, and maintain good morale amongst your trim crew at all costs.

jackel · Oct 4, 2011

Trimming machine for wet work. I know a lot of people say it takes all the crystals off. Well when you have to take all off your plants down ite just makes sense to use them. Then they hang on some fencing spanning some rafters. This gives me a hanging point every 2 inches. Can pack them in there well and have plenty of space for airflow from my oscilating fans.
After it's dry it gets deboned into tubs and trimmed with fiskars.

Rowdy420 · Oct 7, 2011

go buy a Lafuma chair and a tray to trim over, it'll make the job much more bearable. Gotta have Pandora tuned to the Grateful Dead channel! I prefer the grape vine trimming scissors (Ever Sharp) with out the springs, my hands can't take the abuse they once did. Hang the girls until the fan leaves are crispy, then start to trim the rest of the water leaves. Pile em up for a couple days to slowly bring the rest of the moisture out and then cure.

Good luck, Peace

D_Calloway · Oct 12, 2011

The best thing I've found for removing resin is Capric/Caprylic triglyceride...don't be scared by the name, it's just distilled coconut oil. Used as a base in cosmetics and herbals...look in the "Foo-Foo" section at the store, I found "Azulene Oil" that has it as a base, ladies use it after waxing to calm the skin. Will remove resin from hands and tools in seconds...amazing!

Hammerhead · Oct 12, 2011

I trim her while she is still in her pot. After i'm done she gets chopped and hung. short plants are the best I can site in my trimming chair

. Tall plants kinda suck I have to stand most of the time.

skullznroses · Oct 12, 2011

The coconut oil tip is prime time spot on... except I have found you don't need a special oil. Whatever is next to the stove does the job for me. It makes sense since we make our oils for the very reason that THC is oil soluble, but not water soluble.

I was amazed when I first did this at a friends house... I don't give this secret away free usually (its that good).

CannaBunkerMan · Oct 13, 2011

I keep multiple pairs of fiskars for each helper. I'll fill a quart mason jar half way with ISO, and drop my scissors in there for cleaning. It will fit 5 fiskars side by side. Shake vigorously, wait 20 minutes, repeat, and they're good to go. When you're done, you can evaporate the ISO and scrape all of your scissor hash into one spot.

I like to use mason jar flats to trim over to catch the sweet leaf. I'll also trim plants whole, keeping all of the buds on the stem. If you work your way up from the bottom of the plant, it's easier to keep track of where you are. It leaves the cola for last, which is the funnest part.

Comfortable chairs are a must, as well as proper lighting. Music is helpful.

Tricks for trimming!

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