Cannabis trichomes

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Content:

• What are trichomes
• Why do plants need trichomes
• What determines the number of trichomes
• Trichome Varieties

What are trichomes

Ripe cannabis buds are covered with many small hairs called trichomes. Depending on the degree of maturation, there are transparent, cloudy and amber hairs. It is the shade of this part of the plant that serves as an indicator for harvesting. You can determine the color of marijuana glands through a magnifying glass or under a microscope. Transparency speaks of an unripe crop. Milky or cloudy hairs on buds indicate the first stage of harvest. A grower who harvests at this time will receive quality grass. But in order to use the variety one hundred percent, you need to wait for yellowness. The color of amber indicates a powerful product, the power of which is provided by a complete life cycle.

Why do plants need trichomes

Cannabis bushes don't just get a bunch of trichomes during the flowering period. The glands are used to produce resin, which includes aromatic terpenes and psychoactive components. They protect the plant from parasites and pests, increase the immunity of cannabis, make the grass resistant to ultraviolet light and attract insects to help with pollination. Armor against pests are psychoactive compounds and a sticky substance produced by hairs. They also protect the plant from mold and fungus. Most of the trichomes occur on the bumps, where they are visible to the naked eye.

What determines the number of trichomes

The number and size of trichomes directly depends on the sex, variety, age and cultivation conditions. The best results show female plants of powerful varieties towards the end of flowering. On males, wild cannabis or vegetative stage marijuana, trichomes are absent or not visible without a microscope. If all the rules of successful growing are followed, the finite number of glands is sure to please. Fallen hairs, or kief, are the highest concentrations of THC and are used to make hashish. The product of male plants is pollen, which does not have psychoactive effects.

Trichome Varieties

There are three types of trichomes in total. The smallest is called Bulbous, and does not exceed 30 microns. You can see them through a 60x microscope or in a photo. Tiny hairs cover all visible parts of the bush. The middle variety is called Capitate-Sessile. Such trichomes can be seen without third-party equipment. The size of babies is from 25 to 100 microns. Basically, they cover the buds and small foliage near the inflorescences. The largest glands are called Capitate-Stalked. During the flowering of sensimilla, they cover all the outer areas of the cannabis, especially the buds and the nearest leaves. The size of 150 - 500 microns allows you to safely view them through a magnifying glass.

Author: Sergey Esipov

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