March 31, 2023 by admin with 20 comments

What are the pros and cons between wet and dry trimmers?

The argument about which is best out of wet and dry trimming is one of those that will go on for the foreseeable future. Like Apple vs Microsoft or ketchup vs mustard.

We’re not going to get ourselves involved in that. Instead, what we’re going to do is outline the pros and cons of wet and dry trimmers.

That way, you can assess the evidence and make up your own mind.

What’s the difference between wet and dry trimming?

First let’s cover the basics. What are the main differences between wet and dry trimming?

The clue is in the name.

Wet trimming is when you harvest the plant and strip the leaves immediately and let them dry.

Dry trimming is when you harvest the plant and allow the whole thing to dry before trimming the leaves.

It’s a subtle difference but can have far-reaching effects on the quality of the end product.

Like most things in life, it’s largely down to circumstances and personal preference. There may be slight differences in the end result, but it depends entirely on what you like.

The pros of wet trimmers

There are a number of benefits to wet trimming:

Speed

You can dry more bud faster using a wet trimmer than you can using a dry one. Depending on the trimmer you buy, you could dry in excess of 20 pounds of bud per hour, which is plenty enough for all but the largest grows.

Visual appeal

Fans of wet trimming say the bud can ‘puff out’ when wet trimmed and looks larger and rounder. This can have a positive effect on the buyer as they see an appealing bud in the bag.

Trichome preservation

There is also a theory that wet trimmers are easier on the bud. Wet buds are thought to handle the tumbling better, without breaking up. This doesn’t have any evidence to back it up as far as we know, but it’s a common theory.

The cons of wet trimmers

Wet trimmers also have their downsides:

Impact on equipment

Wet trimming can be a messy business and will take a toll on your blade or scissors. The plant will leave a sticky residue that will need to be cleaned regularly. This can mean a stop start approach to harvesting.

A lot of work all at once

Some see this as a downside while others see it as a benefit. There’s a lot of work in wet trimming. You first have to harvest the plant and then trim immediately afterwards. That’s a lot to do in one session but gets it all done at once.

Loss of aroma and flavor

This downside is subjective, but is a definite downside. The increased speed of wet trimming means the flavor and aroma doesn’t have time to develop. While the end product will still be good, it won’t quite have the same depth as dry trimmed.

The pros of dry trimmers

Dry trimmers have upsides too:

Quality

The quality of the end product is widely thought to be better when using a dry trimmer. Weed nerds call it ‘maintaining the terpene profile’, but all we know is the end result is considered far superior to wet trimming.

Breaks up the process

Dry trimming breaks down the process a little rather than doing it all at once. You can harvest the plant and then leave them three weeks or so before having to remove the leaves and prepare the product.

Easier on your equipment

Dry plants won’t leave a sticky residue on blades and won’t cover your equipment in plant mess. While a minor plus point, it’s definitely a bonus.

The cons of dry trimmers

Dry trimmers do have downsides though:

Needs a gentle hand

More care needs to be given when trimming, otherwise you lose or damage trichomes. That means taking your time, concentrating and using a gentle dry trimmer. Otherwise, you’ll lose crop through damage thanks to brittleness.

Needs lots of drying space

As you’re hanging entire plants to dry, you’ll need a lot more space than if you were just drying leaves. That’s fine for small batch growers but presents more of a problem the more you grow.

So, there you have it. The pros and cons of wet trimmers vs dry trimmers!

We tend to prefer dry trimmed as it delivers a higher quality product with better aroma and flavor. But we know it isn’t the perfect solution for volume growers.

Now you know the facts, which will you choose?