If you’ve been a marijuana smoker for a while now, you’re definitely familiar with the distinct weed smell dispensaries have that suggests you can buy dank weed (weed with great aroma and great quality), and any cannabis connoisseur will tell you that dank weed is good weed. Compared to mids weed and reg weed, labeling the weed as dank means that you’re buying the highest quality of weed you can find on the market. Its buds have a skunky, potent aroma, and are vibrant-green colored with bursts of red, orange, or purple.
But what happens if you’re not buying your weed at a dispensary? What if you’re a marijuana grower who doesn’t only want to maximize their yield, but also wants to improve the smell of their cannabis plants?
This article will dive into everything you need to know about improving the smell of your buds, as you grow the best yield you’ve ever grown.
Terpenes – The Aromatic Substances That Give the Cannabis Plants Its Flavor
Cannabis is popular as the result of the various cannabinoids it contains which give it its psychoactive effects (THC), and its sedative and anti-inflammatory effects (CBD). However, cannabinoids have nothing to do with weed’s scent.
The smell of weed comes from the aromatic substances produced by the trichomes in the cannabis plant – terpenes. They give weed its unique smell and are responsible for the rich aroma of cannabis. All the varieties of the three dominant species of cannabis (Sativa, Indica, Ruderalis) together with the hybrids contain more than 200 terpenes, and the most common ones include:
- Myrcene;
- Limonene;
- Linalool;
- Caryophyllene;
- Alpha-pinene and Beta-pinene;
- Alpha-bisabolol;
- Eucalyptol.
Together with the terpenoids that are produced while drying and curing the cannabis plant, they give the specific scent of marijuana. So, let’s go over how you can improve the scent of weed.
Choose the Right Cannabis Strain Before Planting Your Cannabis Seeds
If you want to make your weed smell better, you first need to choose the right strain to grow that suits your specific needs. While some strains have a fruity and sweet scent, others have a minty scent, so picking the right one for you is essential.
Some of the popular cannabis strains that a lot of marijuana growers choose to grow include Purple Kush, Pineapple Express, Sour Diesel, and others since they have a naturally richer terpene profile compared to others. Choosing the proper marijuana strain for you and researching how you should take care of your plants is a crucial step for growing potent buds with a specific terpene profile.
What You Need to Know About Improving Your Marijuana Smell
If you want your cannabis plants to thrive, you need to provide proper lighting, temperature, nutrients, ventilation, and enough room to grow. To improve the aroma of your cannabis plants and maximize terpene production, read our useful tips below.
Soil and Nutrients
The right growing medium can make or break terpene production since each has its own specific characteristics. Whether you choose to grow in soil, coco, or hydro, the decision is yours, but remember that your plants need enough nutrients in the growing medium in order to thrive and create a complex terpene profile.
“Bloom nutrients” like phosphorus and potassium are specifically used in the flowering stages to help with bud growth and increase the flavor and aroma of the plants. Don’t be scared to try out a variety of nutrients throughout the growth cycle of your marijuana plants and make sure you do your research to prevent damaging your plants.
As the plant is reaching the harvest period, you should flush out the nutrients. The ideal period to do this is two weeks before harvesting since it will give your plants time to absorb the remaining nutrients. Flushing is best done with plain water that has neutral pH levels.
Stressing Cannabis Plants
A small amount of stress during the flowering stage or the vegetative stage can do wonders for maximizing terpene production. You can try topping, fimming, defoliating, and even techniques like Sea of Green (SOG) and Screen of green (SCROG) to increase the production of terpenes. These methods will not only help the plants grow faster but also focus on producing more buds, rather than leaves.
The Temperature and Lighting in the Grow Room
Reducing the temperatures in the grow room during the flowering stage can also influence the production of terpenes. During this period, the temperature should be kept at about 80°F (26°C), and the humidity should be reduced to prevent mold.
Grow lights are another important factor when planning your grow tent. Your budding plants need adequate light no matter the growth stage that they’re at. You can choose between LED, HPS, HID, or fluorescent lights depending on your budget and specific needs.
Drying, Curing, and Storing Your Cannabis and How the Process Affects the Scent of the Buds
After harvesting, you need to dry and cure your product to get a more potent and aromatic bud.
Drying
Once the harvest is done, it takes about 1-2 weeks for the buds to dry, depending on the climate where you live. Living in a dryer climate may cause your plants to dry faster, so it’s crucial that you keep an eye on them. In the end, the buds need to feel dry to the touch, but have a bit of moisture inside for the curing process.
Curing
Curing can significantly increase the taste and smell of the buds, but also the potency of the cannabinoids. For this process, you’ll need to fill your mason jars (or any airtight container) with weed (about 80%), and maintain the humidity at about 62% (if it increases, you risk your plants getting mold or mildew). This process can take between 2-4 weeks, and can even go on for 6 months, depending on your preferences.
Additives
Some people add essential oil or fruit peels to further improve the smell of weed. However, this increases the chance of mold formation on your buds. If you do decide to try this process, air the jar open to prevent this from happening.
Final Thoughts on Making Your Weed Taste Better
Your marijuana buds need to be adequately kept in order to thrive and have a better scent once harvest time comes. Improving the smell of cannabis and their terpene profiles requires that you not only keep the conditions in your grow room at optimal levels (temperature, light, humidity, nutrients) but also lightly stress the plants during the flowering stage to boost terpene production.
Another thing to keep in mind as a first-time user is to avoid adding sugar additives to your cannabis plants. Adding maple syrup, honey, blackstrap molasses, or other sugars and sugar substitutes can give your weed an unpleasant carbon taste.
It’s also important to clean your pipes, bongs, vaporizers, and other smoking devices regularly since nothing ruins the aroma of cannabis more than a filthy bong. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with different nutrients, lights, and growing mediums, as long as you do your research and find out what works for growing healthy and aromatic cannabis plants.
