Trichomes: The Complete Guide

Whether you are new to cannabis or an old hand, you may have heard about trichomes at some point online or from your friends. It might be hard for you to understand everything you have seen or heard about them. For example, you may have heard conflicting information about trichomes. Knowing how they are extracted and grown can help you make the best decisions about consuming cannabis.

What Are Cannabis Trichomes?

These are the stickiest part of the cannabis plant. A trichome is a resin gland on the outside of the marijuana plant. It has CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids in it. In fact, you can consider trichomes to be the best part of the plant. They have the highest levels of cannabis compounds in them. 

When you extract trichomes from the plant, the terpenes are also preserved. These are oils that give the plant its smell and taste. For example, think about the strain Pineapple Twist. The unique fruity taste flavour comes from the terpenes. They offer a wide range of smells and tastes, such as berry, pine, citrus, and mint.

Of course, one of the most important aspects for many people is that certain concentrated trichomes can get you very high because they have so much THC in them. That’s why so many people like to dab with this substance.

Learning About Trichomes 

You can find cannabinoids such as THC in three types of trichomes in the plant. These are the capitate sessile, bulbous, and capitate-stalked trichomes. A bulbous trichome is on the outside of the entire plant. However, it is so small that you cannot see it without using a microscope. It is only 10 to 15 micrometres wide. A human hair is larger at 40 to 50 micrometres.

The next largest size is capitate sessile trichomes. These are a bit larger than the bulbous trichomes, and you can find more of these on the plant. The capitate sessile trichomes have a shape like the head and stalk.

The largest and most common ones are capitate-stalked trichomes. They’re larger than human hairs at 50 to 100 micrometres. That means you can easily see them by looking closely. As their name implies, there is a stalk and a gland head at the top of each one.

In the past, scientists thought that you could find the cannabinoids in the calyxes. This is the green plant tissue that helps the trichomes develop. However, it has now been found that the trichomes make the terpenes and cannabinoids. Even though the trichomes come from the calyx, they are what make the cannabinoids.

What Trichomes Do

When you look at the marijuana bud, you can also find pistils. These are double strands of hair. They grow from the calyx, and they will catch pollen to help with making new flowers. The word “trichome” comes from Greek and means hair growth. The trichome helps to protect the cannabis plant against insects and fungus. That way, they will not destroy a full crop of plants.

Another way that trichomes protect the cannabis plant is by acting as a sunscreen. The trichomes can protect the plant from harmful rays from the sun. They can also protect the plant against low humidity and high winds. Because of how sticky and wet the trichomes are, they can keep the plant safe from animals that love edibles, like rodents and rabbits.

In the lifecycle of the cannabis plant, a trichome has its own growth cycle. Scientists believe that there are photosynthetic cannabinoid precursors. These are then turned into cannabinoids, such as CBD and THC, as well as terpenes that you can find in the gland head’s secretory vesicles.

The cannabinoids and the terpenes will accumulate in the trichome’s outer cuticle as the plant continues to grow. The gland head will then become more bulbous and thicker because the vesicle is producing oil and moving it toward the cuticle. Eventually, the gland head will become mature so it can fall off.

Growing Your Own

If you are harvesting a cannabis plant for the full CBD and THC effects, you do not want the trichomes to come off. If they do, then the plant grew for too long. Once the trichomes fall off, the plant will not offer as many psychoactive benefits. There are several signs that a plant is getting close to being mature.

At the beginning of the growth cycle, the heads of the trichomes are usually amber or clear. Before being harvested, the heads will then become opaque or cloudy. However, the plant must still be harvested at the right time. To get the highest levels of cannabinoids, many growers choose to harvest them when about half of the trichomes are opaque. That way, they can get a high level of THC and a low level of CBD.

Another way that growers can determine the best time for harvesting is by looking at the hairs on the inside of the calyx. That can help you see when you will get certain chemical properties. The pistils’ colour will go from white to a rusty brown or orange.

If you see that there are more white than red pistils, then the marijuana will have a euphoric THC. On the other hand, if you see that there are more red than white ones, the pot will have a calmer feel to it.

How Do Manufacturers Extract Trichomes?

Resin farming involves separating the trichomes and the plant into different concentrates. That way, you can find a range of different concentrates. For example, shatter, wax, and oil are all made using butane oil under pressure. This acts as a solvent and helps to separate the resin from the rest of the plant. 

For example, you can find butane hash oil at many dispensaries. However, it is important to remember that you should never try to make this yourself at home. Getting an oil made by professionals will be much safer for you. 

Even though it is a fairly simple process for the professionals to make, it can be dangerous. Butane is a highly explosive substance. Even the smallest of sparks can set off the entire thing. The toxic butane molecules may remain in the oil even after it has been made. These can get into your lungs after you have taken it. That means you might want to look into other concentrates instead.

Collecting Kief 

If you are into cannabis, you should have a three-chambered grinder on hand. If not, now is the time to get one. Why? Because it is perfect for separating the powdery, fine trichomes called kief that come away from the bud. These will fall into the lower third of the grinder each time you use it. Don’t throw this away when you are cleaning out your grinder.

It is a good idea to collect your kief, so you can enjoy it at a special time. There are many ways that you can enjoy your kief. For example, you can add it to a bong or a joint. You can even sprinkle it on your food or put it in drinks. Many people love kief because it allows them to experience cannabinoids, and it doesn’t take up too much space.

Before Using Your Bud

If your bud is high-quality, you might see the trichomes on it. You should always look at the resin on the weed using a small magnifying glass before using it. It is a good idea for you to look at the trichomes when you get more marijuana. That way, you can make sure that the bud is clean and is free of mould or pests.

Decarboxylating Trichomes 

Trichomes might sound great, but they will not be very useful if you do not decarboxylate them before you use them. That just means you are heating them up before you use them so they will become active. One step in the process is drying the marijuana. However, you need more heat than you will find in nature. Any heat will do, whether it is an oven or a stove. However, once your bud gets to the right temperature, the carboxyl molecule (COOH) will move away from the other chemicals in the bud.

That transforms the relatively useless THCA into THC. Many people like to decarb cannabis by putting it in an oven at around 110 degrees Celsius. You can then leave it there for around 35 minutes or so. This is a good method for preparing your cannabis if you want to put it in a pie or even in a smoothie.

The fastest way to decarb your cannabis is by smoking it. You can place it in a blunt, bong, or joint. That automatically decarbs it because the fire is so hot. You will be destroying the marijuana, but that does not matter so much because you are inhaling it already. Vaporizing is another good way of decarbing marijuana. 

Vaping with Trichomes

No matter what type of vape pen you choose, it will consist of a battery source, or a vape mod, which powers your heating element, or coil. The heating element vaporizes your e-liquid in a small chamber, or atomizer. That way, you can use the mouthpiece to inhale the gas.

Your vape pen is a complete system. No one component will make it work properly. Even though many experienced users look for different parts to create the vape system, it is recommended for beginners to use a prepackaged kit that has everything. That way, the components will work together properly.

You should ensure that the device is off and that it is not hot. That way, you will prevent any loss of vapour. It will also protect your fingers from being burned. That also makes it much easier to pack. However, you want the device to be either fully charged or plugged in.

With many vaporizers, you need to use a medium or fine grind. It is rare to find devices that allow you to use entire buds. In general, grinding your weed makes your smoking experience smoother. It also allows you to add your trichomes to the mix. You can use a grinder or break it up by hand for this step.

Next, you should place the herb in the chamber of your vaporizer. You can use either a weed scooper or a small business card. Using the tool or your finger, pack in the herb, ensuring that the surface is relatively flat. 

You do not want it to be packed in so tightly that the air cannot pass through. Consider the difference between a good joint and one that is too tight. However, for vaping, you do need to have a somewhat firmly packed tool, so the surface area is maximized. Having an even consistency is key. Now that you are ready, you can turn the device on and select the right temperature. Then, you can inhale it and enjoy the experience. 

Other Ways to Use Trichomes

You can take a bit of kief from the bottom of your grinder and sprinkle it in your ground weed before putting it in a joint. This is effective when it comes to enjoying trichomes. You may even consider dipping your joint in your kief if you want to be very fancy.

Many people enjoy dabbing their concentrates from trichomes by using a dab rig. That can be a fun way for you to get a faster high. It is also a great way of tasting the many different terpenes you can find in the trichomes.

Closing Thoughts

Together, trichomes form a sticky, gooey resin that can protect the plant from animals and the sun. It is a good idea for you to get as many of these as possible from your grinder’s chambers because the trichomes are where you can find recreational compounds, such as CBD and THC. You can use separate the trichomes by using a three-chambered grinder. You can even purchase them from a dispensary. Then you can enjoy them by dabbing, vaping, or just smoking.