How to Dry Trim for the Best Results

The #1 Secret to Using a Dry Cannabis Trimmer for a Perfect Trim

If you want to cultivate award-winning cannabis at a commercial scale, investing in a dry cannabis trimmer could be your best business decision. Dry trimming preserves the terpenes and cannabinoids of flowers and often yields a better-looking — and better-tasting — final product.

If you’re struggling to get the results you want from your current trimming workflow, here are the most important tips you’ll want to know for dry trimming and delivering the best quality flower, as well as the most common mistakes to avoid.

Why You Should Dry Trim

In one sense, dry trimming flower isn’t very different from wet trimming. Both processes remove the fan leaves and most of the sugar leaves — hopefully without affecting the calyxes and oil-rich trichomes.

Many growers consider dry trimming superior because it preserves secondary metabolites (cannabinoids, terpenes). That’s because the buds dry more slowly, while still attached to the cannabis stalk. With wet trimming, the buds are separated from the plant immediately and trimmed, and dry more quickly.

The Dry Trim Process

• Harvest the cannabis plants, leaving the stalks intact with the flowers but removing large fan leaves.
• Hang the plants upside-down to dry. This is typically done on a drying line or hanger, to prevent the flowers from getting flattened or misshapen during drying, as well as to prevent mold growth.
• Monitor the drying over a 10- to 21-day period until the moisture content is around 10% depending on the strain.
• Buck the flower buds from the stalks.
• Trim the buds using a trimming machine or by hand with trimming scissors.

The Wet Trim Process

• Harvest the cannabis plants.
• Buck the flower buds from the stalk immediately.
• Trim the buds using a trimmer or by hand as close to the time of harvest as possible.
• Spread the loose buds on a drying screen for 10 to 21 days.

Wet trimming is great for high-volume speed. Yet trimming wet can cause two issues in the final product: the buds may develop flat spots from lying on the drying rack, and the terpene/cannabinoid content may be slightly lower.

The Secret To A Perfect Dry Trim

When the input material has the right moisture content — around 9-10% (depending on the strain)—  you’ll get well-manicured buds without the need for lots of cleaning or maintenance on your trimmer. Trouble starts when operators misunderstand what “dry” really means.

Relying on traditional methods to gauge the dryness of a cannabis bud can be misleading. Instead, investing in an inexpensive moisture meter is a wise decision. This tool provides a more accurate assessment of moisture levels than the old broken-stem technique.

Remember, if it’s too wet to crumble and smoke, it’s too wet for a dry trimmer.

Often, flower will remain moist in the center while appearing dry on the outside — even if the broken-stem technique tells you they’re ready to trim and cure. A quick check of the plant material with a moisture meter solves the problem — and it also prevents molding.

Troubleshooting A Dry Trimmer

Dry trimmers run into trouble when loaded with wet or not-dry-enough material. Your machine will struggle to give a close trim, and it’ll need cleaning much sooner than you’d expect because the sticky wet material will build up on the cutting surface.

The answer to a malfunctioning dry trimmer lies in your drying room (and/or the amount of time your product dried before trim day). To reach the 9-10% level, your harvest needs to dry for about two weeks at the right temperature and humidity conditions. Shoot for around 40% humidity at 60℉ for the best results. If it’s too hot to maintain 60℉, raise the humidity to slow the drying process. Levels as high as 60% are acceptable if the temperature climbs into the 70s (℉).

Slower is always better when drying your cannabis flower. If you can stretch your drying time to three weeks, that’s better than two. Look for a 1% moisture drop per day, and use your moisture meter to check. You can expect more moisture loss in the first two days after your harvest — about 2-3% per day.

How to Start Dry Trimming Cannabis

If you’re new to dry trimming cannabis, expect a learning curve. Your first run won’t be your best, but if you follow these suggestions, you’ll be producing a prize-quality product within a few runs.

Start with a Small Batch

A large harvest isn’t the time to implement new technology at full scale. This method of trialing a new technology is the same everywhere — whether you’re rolling out LED lights or a new irrigation system. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and start with small batches for your dry trimmer.

Don’t Start with Top-Quality Flowers

Don’t begin your learning curve with your best material. Material that’s headed to extraction makes a better guinea pig than your top flowers. Start with these other parts of your harvest and work your way up — literally — to the better flowers. Try machine trimming your lower and mid buds first.

Pay Special Attention

Triminator Dry machines are designed to run autonomously. Your operator won’t need a lot of involvement and can generally turn their attention to other tasks while the machine runs. But, at first, you’ll want to attend to your trimming machine to make sure you’re getting good results and have the right run time dialed in.

Time is the key variable for Triminator Dry trimmers, and it varies from strain to strain. Every strain has a slightly different flower structure. So start with a shorter run time (about three minutes) and work your way up to the ideal trim. Most runs will take between three and seven minutes (depending on the quantity of flower).

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Dry Trimming

Even small mistakes in the dry trimming process can impact the quality of your final product. Here are some common mistakes to avoid to ensure a smooth trimming process, resulting in a high-quality product:

• Over-Trimming and Rough Handling: Excessive trimming can strip away valuable trichomes. This will diminish the potency and aroma of your cannabis buds. Gentle handling is crucial to preserve these delicate structures.
• Ignoring Proper Moisture Levels: Trimming cannabis that is either too dry or too moist can lead to an inferior product. Always use a moisture meter to ensure your buds are within the 9-10% moisture content range.
• Using the Wrong Equipment: Choosing the wrong trimmer or using dull blades can damage your buds. Invest in a high-quality dry trimmer, such as the Triminator Dry, and maintain its blades for a clean, efficient cut.
• Neglecting the Environment in the Drying Room: The drying room’s conditions directly affect trimming outcomes. Be sure to maintain consistent humidity of around 40% and temperatures near 60°F.
• Rushing the Process: Patience is key to achieving optimal dryness. Rushing the process can result in unevenly dried buds that are still moist in the center, which complicates trimming and affects the overall quality.
• Failing to Clean and Maintain Equipment: Regular cleaning and maintenance of your trimmer are essential. Taking care of your trimmer properly prevents residue build-up and ensures optimal performance and longevity of the machine.
• Not Testing Different Strains Separately: Each cannabis strain may require a slightly different approach. Test trim small batches of different strains to optimize your trimming technique.
• Overloading the Trimmer: With cannabis trimming, it’s better to process smaller batches for the best outcome. Filling the trimmer beyond its ideal capacity results in uneven trimming.

By steering clear of these pitfalls, you can ensure a more efficient and consistent dry trimming process. Paying attention to all these details leads to a higher quality, more desirable product.

The Triminator Difference

The Triminator Dry cannabis trimmer is specially designed to reduce friction and preserve trichomes. The trimmer’s shear band reduces the heat caused by metal-on-metal friction and gives the closest, cleanest cut possible.

Unsure if dry or wet trimming is the right process for you? Contact the trimming experts at Triminator. We can help find a trimming machine that best fits your needs.