Density vs potency

[GuitboxTom]

Has it been proven that dense buds, “rock hard”, like you could break plate glass with, have more potency than good solid sugar coated buds. Not loose airy ones like grow “down under” here light won’t penetrate. But nice ones just not super dense. I mean oz. for oz. Anyone know for sure? Or is this consumer preference from the dispensaries? Anyone know for sure?

[Rik]

Interesting question, GuitboxTom. But I would imagine that the best way to ask this question would not be “ounce for ounce” as you put it, but to use volume instead, e.g. teaspoon for teaspoon (or some other unit of volume). When we roll a joint or fill a pipe bowl, we don’t do so by weight, just by what fits (volume). If you’ve got denser buds, you’re getting more flower into your bowl because you’re probably going to fill it up to the same level you always do.

[Gingerbeard]

The last time I bought weed, I got those rock hard nugs. Even mentioned it in a post. I figured, for $60 an eighth, it better be silly making. Smoked it all in a day. There was, in my opinion, nothing more special than the $5 grams available between growers, in my 'hood. Were the eighth not polished, maybe they would have been better.

[GuitboxTom]

Rik , thanks or responding. I get what you are putting down.I was just referring to market valuation I guess. Seems to me that one solid bud might just contain less THC, CBD etc...than ,say 2-3 buds with surface area that is covered with resin, having been exposed to direct light?? See the question is not weight vs volume but density vs potency.

[Cali]

I don’t think density has anything to do with potency. It’s about thc and the combination of terpenes that make the effect or make up the potency. also some may hit others stronger than it will hit you. I’ve noticed depending on my mood, I sometimes get blown out my mind and sometimes I’m just smoking to smoke because I don’t get any higher. I’m faded now not sure if I’m making sense.

[TOKABIGONE]

I know exactly what you mean Cali, that can vary from day to day I've found. Some days 1 toke can send me over the moon while others might take 2 or 3 bowls to get a similar high. It's all about body chemistry at the time I believe.

[Gingerbeard]

That is the most sensitive, well thought out, self-explanatory, and grammatically correct post I have read from you Cali . You have opened my eyes.
It is obvious you are a THC-J. THC-Jenius. Please, never leave the forum.

[Ckbrew]

What Cali said. The bottom line is the quality, quantity, and personality of the content of the trichomes contained in the bud. Everything else is just dregs. Also, big storm coming. All tucked in, back up water and power set, wood and coal loaded. Nothing to do but smile, smile, smile, and wait for it to come and go so clean up can begin. Time for another bag of vape.

[GuitboxTom]

Gingerbeard So looks like you get the question and I do remember that post. It was one of the things that got me wondering. See my neighbor, who could legally grow his own, pays big bucks for weed that comes from a dispensary guy he knows. Says everyone wants roch hard buds...What? I watch these same people breaking up “rock hard” buds to load onto a piper THC... just as they do any other bud. I’ve tried those “rock hard” buds and, no big deal high. Not bad at all except the price. Just not worth the fuss or money. Evan looked at them under magnification and found nothing special and perhaps less evidence of trichomes than with a little les dense bud. But I’m looking for tangible proof because I’m beginning to think that people are willing to pay the price of herd mentality. How do trichomes develop inside a “rock hard” bud where light can’t penetrate? Is there a point of demolishing returns when developing bud density? Everybody I’m sure would want to say “no way, denser must be more better”...prove it. Or has it already been so proved?

[Gingerbeard]

I asked the same question myself GuitboxTom .

This grow, I'm going to trim the outside of a bunch of buds until I get down to the meaty bit, after drying. Sift the trim. Grind up the meaty bits. Sift. See what kind of goodness I get out of each.

Hard bud smokes down to ash too slowly. Too much unworthy smoke being inhaled. After a few hits, the goodness is pretty much gone. All you have are little bits of black that burn to grey. Looser weed grinds... well... looser. It burns faster and not as many black meaty bits to smoke through because you're damned if you'll let any bit of the bowl not be grey. Whatever is in my bowl, when I smoke a bowl, needs to burn pretty quick and clean. There is a point when you're smoking nothing but smoke. I'm over working the cherry to get the bowl to go out or burn more evenly after curbing.

[GuitboxTom]

Gingerbeard But will they be “rock hard”? I totally agree re the smoking route. My vape just reminded me that it has a safety feature. Comforting to know but I wanted that last vape. Great idea for the experiment. I have a TLC test kit so maybe that would be a good test to do on both?

[Gingerbeard]

TLC test kit? Are you suggesting I question my love for my plants, sir?

[Cali]

Gingerbeard not sure how to take your comment? Is it a compliment or an insult masked with sarcasm? Either way the 49ers won today so I’ll take it in a good way. Lol..

[Smallgrow]

I believe it is excepted by most hash makers that less dense buds do indeed offer more surface area for trichromes to grow and provide better yields. Total potency is probably more complicated as others have discussed

[gbauto]

This is what I encounter when I make extracts.
The amount of trichomes and their size has a direct impact on yield.
Chunky nugs are impressive, but that doesn't mean they are better than other buds.

[PRIMO]

Rock hard buds from the weed store are run through an industrial trimmer which I'm guessing beats the crap outta the little darlins. With that being said I've hand trimmed, and used a bowl trimmer, I noticed in the bowl there's a shit load of trichs stuck on the inside not to mention how much is down in the trimmings. Now, in my way of thinking a gently hand trimmed bud is gonna retain much more of the sweet stuff. Even if you gotta cram it in to get an oz of airy buds in a sammich bag I cant help but think you'll get more. Nobody grows a bud so hard you could break a window with, I think it's more in the drying,trimming and the way they're stored. Ok, I'm out !

[LemonBud]

I have a few of those and real decent. You get what you reap.

[GuitboxTom]

PRIMO I didn’t consider that commercial bud was treated that way. I wonder, how d yo they harvest at just the right time in such large grows supplying dispensaries?
Also don’t underestimate governments greedy fingers in the pie. In most cases the amount of .gov involvement is directly related to the amount of corruption required to remain in the club.
Also, “rock hard” is like “razor sharp” or “lol” exaggerations that shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Smallgrow Good info. I’ll have to check in with all the hash makers I know.
It does seem that we are getting some info that points in a certain direction. Thanks y’all for the input
Gingerbeard, question your love for your plants? Not so sir! I’m sure that we all burn, squeeze, and drown in alcohol everything we love! Non?

[PRIMO]

My guess would be they go for maximum weight-quantity, probably pull an average plant outta the middle of the grow, check trichs and weight and enter it into some fancy assed algorithm, then bring in the mowers.

[GuitboxTom]

Ckbrew exactly! What’s INSIDE the bud? Everyone knows that the buds contain the terps. That is not the question. Smallgrow and Gingerbeard got the question and attempted to shed light on the issue, which I appreciate. Still looking for proof though.

[Bootsy]

Hi. i asked the same question, and had the opportunity to do some direct comparisons. my best friend started growing after me. we both now have more than a dozen grows, him actualy a couple dozen. both very happy with the quality we got after we got the bascis down. we also share strains such that for strains we start (all from seed), we share cuttings for clones. His buds were always looser than mine for ones that were cloned. we both use water-only soil most of the time, but i have tried coco a couple of times with ame results in density. the big differences between our grows were - he uses (used now) HID lights and had his colas and buds much closer together with not much clearance while i always try to keep the colas separated. I smoke in a pipe or occasional joints while he vaporizes, and after grinding I found it hard to pack enough of his in my bowl, but like the way his rolls in joints better. We both would get similar yields per plant by weight. I did some direct comparisons (what a chore) in joints rolling by weight (0.8g/doobie) and the ones from my denser product end up smaller than from his fluffier buds. But - I do truly think that both gave the same effect, and this was tried many times for scientific reasons only - hah.
But- appearance means quite a bit, and he has gone to producing tighter buds now, even though he consumes 75/25 edibles to vaporizing - he does it for medical use, me - recreational.
IMHO, if the plants are grown, harvested and cured equally, there is no ascernable difference in potency/effect by density. but - we have been brought up to like the tighter buds so that's what we go for.
My commercial grow producing friend ends up with buds somewhere in the middle, and i havent done comparison with his, primarily since he grows almost exclusively sativas while i stay with mainly indicas or middle road hybrids. maybe tests sometime near future, since he is about to gift me a few clones of his nicest. freaking things take 10 to 14 weeks to flower so it will be awhile.
sorry for long winded. be well.