Marijuana Business Magazine October 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | October 2019 112 extraction to produce concentrates, such as hash oil, shatter and budder. It accelerates the drying process because the flower is no longer connected to the main water source, the stem. “The bucking down increases air flow,” Summs said. “We get the products done quicker.” While this method takes less time, it might cost terpenes. That doesn’t concern Summs because, if he sends the material to be extracted with a CO 2 machine, it will likely be distilled only for THC or CBD. “We go for the shorter route,” he added. After the plant is bucked, the mate- rial will be dried on a baker’s rack, which flattens one side of the flower. For the second method, Summs’ crew will leave more on the stalk and hang the plants to dry. His facility isn’t set up to allow for hanging the entire plant, so each plant is cut into four to six colas, or large flower sec- tions. This flower will eventually be sold on retail store shelves. Hanging the plant helps it retain the integrity of the flower’s shape and structure. It also saves time for trimmers who don’t have to reshape the bud. Summs said hanging plants also slows the drying process and helps to retain terpenes. “We’re constantly evolving the process,” he said. Pre-Harvest Techniques For David Holmes, founder of Clade9, a Los Angeles culti- vation, extraction and distribution company, adjusting growing condi- tions before the harvest is as impor- tant as cutting down the plants. His crew cuts down the whole plant, but before that, he starts dialing down the temperature and humidity. “We try to go as cold as possible,” he said. Holmes will lower the temperature to the mid-60 degrees Lead Grower Pieter Summs of Otis Gardens hangs plants to dry if they will be sold to consumers as flower. Courtesy Photo Best Practices In Cultivation | Bart Schaneman